petedg
Well-Known Member
Any one got any recommendations for a reasonably priced self levelling camera mount suitable for installation on the pulpit/pushpit? Or maybe I should to try to make one myself, a good winter project!
Self leveling camera mount
- Thread starter petedg
- Start date
Lakesailor
Well-Known Member
I have posted quite a bit on my SteadyHorizon project. This was one failure
Last edited:
nimbusgb
Well-Known Member
Something like this?
http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/10/djis-inspire-1-hand-held-gimbal/
I'm putting one together from a surplus quadcopter flight stabiliser.
http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/10/djis-inspire-1-hand-held-gimbal/
I'm putting one together from a surplus quadcopter flight stabiliser.
Storyline
Well-Known Member
You can get cheap 2 axis one from bangood (made for model aircraft) for around £35 or a purpose built 3 axis one for sports cameras (similar to the DJI one) for under £150. Am going to get one for this year's video log but not sure I can wait until we go back into the water 
Lakesailor
Well-Known Member
Cheats.
You should make your own.
I was tempted to try a gyroscope to overcome the friction/ballistic problems of trying to use mass to steady the camera. However I could see interference problems being an issue and I couldn't be bothered.
You should make your own.
I was tempted to try a gyroscope to overcome the friction/ballistic problems of trying to use mass to steady the camera. However I could see interference problems being an issue and I couldn't be bothered.
Ru88ell
Well-Known Member
Lakey - I'll try and make one this year. I have an old oil lamp gimbal which I'm going to try and mount on the mizzen mast. If all goes well I'll mount the Xacti on it.
Keen_Ed
Well-Known Member
NOHOH
Well-Known Member
Try a Picavet mount
A French guy called Picavet invented a self-levelling mount about a century ago.......simple and easy to make....and they work. Try googling `picavet`Here`s a link to just one example. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6AnngdqB5c
A French guy called Picavet invented a self-levelling mount about a century ago.......simple and easy to make....and they work. Try googling `picavet`Here`s a link to just one example. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6AnngdqB5c
Budgieboy
Well-Known Member
Can't help feeling there is a market out there for this as a product ......:encouragement:
petedg
Well-Known Member
I'd already seen the Horizon True, but at that price it's way beyond my budget and in my opinion way overpriced. Guess I'll have to try making my own!
nimbusgb
Well-Known Member
This one is a tad cheaper.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/3-Axis-Hand...&qid=1421613997&sr=8-1&keywords=3+axis+gimbal
http://www.amazon.co.uk/3-Axis-Hand...&qid=1421613997&sr=8-1&keywords=3+axis+gimbal
BERT T
Well-Known Member
Just been having a look on flea bay and practically every camera gimbal is made to suit a gopro. Anything to suit any other camera is big bucks even from China. So I guess it's buy one for a gopro and get the hacksaw out.
Lodesman77
Well-Known Member
As already mentioned - Picavet. Easy to make and works.
BlackPig
N/A
Loads on ebay from £20ish up as long as you can find some ware the put it. A pipe lashed/bolted onto push-pit and a lanyard to the camera for security springs to mind.
Lakesailor
Well-Known Member
Anyone got an footage from a Picavet mount on a yacht?
i have my doubts. The movement can be very gentle and inertia is a problem.
Storyline
Well-Known Member
Think I am going for a halfway house type approach and make my own using 3 axis motors as used in model aircraft and make a mounting for it to attach to the boat. Tempted by the complete units in a hand held stick but they are expensive and I reckon you can get better performance by spending the money on good quality motors/control unit.
It will be interesting to see people's results when the season starts (for most) in the spring. Looking forward to seeing some nice stable horizons
petedg
Well-Known Member
It's certainly another approach and I will be interested to see how you get on. At the moment I'm thinking of modifying a cheap hand held type. I've seen some on EBay that I think could be a good starting point, unfortunately it's likely to be late in the season when I will have some time.Think I am going for a halfway house type approach and make my own using 3 axis motors as used in model aircraft and make a mounting for it to attach to the boat. Tempted by the complete units in a hand held stick but they are expensive and I reckon you can get better performance by spending the money on good quality motors/control unit.
It will be interesting to see people's results when the season starts (for most) in the spring. Looking forward to seeing some nice stable horizons
Good luck with your idea!
lumphammer
Well-Known Member
Not strictly on the yacht but the kite was. Camera attached via a picavet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYczhPue7Xw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYczhPue7Xw
mjcoon
Well-Known Member
That's very interesting (in that it made me think about the physics!). Gravity is indistinguishable from acceleration. So if a pendulum is mounted high up in a boat it will swing when the mounting point accelerates quite separately from any pitch or roll (or yaw, though I expect that matters least).
Whereas with a separate sensor and driven platform the sensor could be mounted near the centre of rotation where there is minimum acceleration. Then the platform would react mostly to rotation alone.
Mike.
Lodesman77
Well-Known Member
Built one for the kids just to see if it worked a few years back - rough item using a bit of ply, thin three strand and some small eyes. Attached it to the pushpit on a Stag28 with a cheap camera, some fiddling with the string and results were surprisingly acceptable. Friction could certainly be an issue, but using some nice slippy dyneema, better eyes and possibly some silicone should produce good results.
Sorry, haven't yet located footage...