Arduino Controller for DIY Automated Turntable with Camera Shutter for 360° Product Photography

Let's build an arduino based controller that controls a steppermotor and an IR camera shutter. Together with a steppermotor driven turntable, this is a powerful and low cost system for automated 360° product photography or photogrammetry.
Find detailed instructions here:
www.instructables.com/id/Ardu...
Don't miss the video about the FluxGarage steppermotor turntable:
• DIY Automated Turntabl...
I've prepared two versions of the controller:
• A basic version that is operated with a simple pushbutton and a status led.
• An advanced version that uses a 16x2 LCD + keypad shield and thus has a menu to change the variables „on the fly“ and not only in the sourcecode.

[@MrArtemArtemenko]

Thank you!

[@jenny3416]

Thank you for this! :D I'm going to try this out. Will this work for a chair? I'll use a larger platform.

[@FluxGarage]

Hi Jenny, the controller is based on the easydriver board and thus you can use it for any stepper motor that is supported by the easydriver.
The turntable is originally developed for small and light objects, so it won't work for chairs "out of the box".
Since the stepper motor drives the turntable directly from the center, you would need a stronger motor which would affect the whole setup. I think, my solution could be a good starting point to develop/hack your own solution. But also, there are some other approaches out in the web that are developed for being used with larger objects, too.

[@Johanneshegner]

Hey awsome!
What do you use to power the stepper motor between the arduino? And do you have the code available?

[@FluxGarage]

Hi Johannes, the arduino is powered via 5V USB whereas the easydriver board, which drives the stepper motor, is powered by an additional external 12V power supply. You can find detailed instructions for the controller and download links for the code here:
www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Controller-for-Automated-360-Product-Photo/

[@3dtrip870]

How would you scale this to control a motor that could turn say 114KG / 250LBS?

[@FluxGarage]

You might be interested in the solution that the guys from seabass offer:
seabass360.com/products/crayfish-50-photographic-video-turntable

[@daliaabobakr9529]

Its awesome thank you :D
But can i replace camera with a mobile camera ? how i connect and code it? and thanks again

[@FluxGarage]

One of the best ways to trigger smartphone cameras is to use an esp32 and send keystrokes via bluetooth. I've created such a controller and will publish the instructions as soon as I have time.

[@daliaabobakr9529]

@@FluxGarage thanks a lot I appreciate your efforts I will wait for it 🙂

[@l.w.c.2519]

@@FluxGarage Hey FluxGarage! I would be very interested to set up your system, but have it triggered my iPhone camera instead of a dedicated DSLR. Any chance you may have the instructions about how to do that? Thank you!

[@FluxGarage]

@@l.w.c.2519 Hi! Yes, I have such a controller on my publishing list, but I'm currently preparing some videos for robotics projects first. Probably I'll tackle the esp32 camera controller after that. Stay tuned! ;)

[@stephanbuth8195]

Hi Dennis, leider hatte ich zu lange gewartet, das Set ist ja zur Zeit vergriffen. Hoffe, es kommt bald Nachschub. 😀
Ich sehe, dass viele Leute das gleiche Problem wie ich haben: Kein IR, sondern nur Kabelauslöser. Da ich leider kein Arduino spreche, wäre meine Frage,
ob du nicht Lust hättest, den Code zu erweitern, so dass man auch ein Relais ansteuen könnte. Und noch etwas: kann man die Zeiten zwischen den Auslösungen und dem nächsten Dreh auch relativ hoch einstellen? Für Focus Bracketing mit 100 Bildern pro Schritt braucht meine Kamera ca. 2min.

[@FluxGarage]

Hi Stephan, neue Kits sind vsl. noch diesen Monat verfügbar, dürfte nicht mehr lange dauern.
Wenn du ein Relais oder einen Transistor ansteuern möchtest, sind die nötigen Änderungen am Code minimal. Auch die Änderung der Pausen-Zeiten ist sehr einfach möglich. Ich kann dir also gerne ein paar Tipps geben. Welchen Controller möchtest du bauen, den mit Display oder ohne?

[@stephanbuth8195]

@@FluxGarage Moin Dennis, vielen Dank für die Antwort. Ich würde gerne die Version mit Display bauen. Gibt es das auch als Set?
Parallel dazu werde ich noch einen größeren Teller mit Zahnriemenantrieb für schwerere Lasten bauen. Ich habe hier noch ein CNC-Shield, Nema, und Treiber liegen. Ein zweites Display für diese Version ist auch angedacht.

[@johnnydohe6506]

Hi, does this still all work as having problems with compiling the code. i get a "shotNow / shootNow error. has the code been changed in the .h /.cpp? trying to get this working for a Canon.

[@dennisholscher7139]

Hi Rich, yes, the author of the "multiCameraIrControl" library renamed the function from "shotNow()" to "shutterNow()". So, depending on which library version you have downloaded, you have to change my code or the library. This is the link of the newest library:
codebender.cc/library/multiCameraIrControl#multiCameraIrControl.cpp
Also, have a look at the comments section here, especially the comment from "CarlosR478":
www.instructables.com/Arduino-Controller-for-Automated-360-Product-Photo/

[@johnnydohe6506]

@@dennisholscher7139 thanks Dennis, I now have a working turntable.

[@johnnydohe6506]

@@dennisholscher7139 Hi , would it be possible to convert the IR pin out to trigger a Relay so i can trigger a camera without an IR sensor? I just need to short the Shutter cable so thought a relay Normally Open could be triggered to close the loop.

[@dennisholscher7139]

@@johnnydohe6506 Yes, this is possible. You don't need to convert the IR pin, just use another free pin of your arduino and have a look at step 5 of this instructable from user "DIY Hacks and How Tos":
www.instructables.com/Automatic-Camera-Shutter-Switch/
In the turntable controller code, you have to adjust the content of the snap() function accordingly.

[@johnnydohe6506]

@@dennisholscher7139 Thanks Dennis