Canon changed everything when its EOS range of semiprofessional DSLR’s began to shoot videos as well as photos. Then came the higher quality of standard smartphones and the result is that now, to shoot high quality videos, you probably already have everything you need. But if you want that real professional feel, you might just want to take it up a gear — and add a couple of tools. With 3D printing and platforms such as Adafruit, even that is just a low cost formality.
The 3DPrinted DIY Camera Slider project from the rapidly growing maker-favourite platform gives you all you need to use 3D printing and make a camera slider to fit any camera and even a smartphone (provided you have a tripod adapter, but you can 3D print that as well).
Your recipe for video success is the same as usual: a mixture of free Thingiverse downloads, purchased metal items and creativity. Though perhaps this one is even simpler than most Adafruit projects, so simple that anyone can take advantage of it, even if he or she does not have any specific making skills. A 3D printer is required but – if you don’t have one already – you can get a PrintrBot, right on Adafruit, for $599. The omnipresent alternative, of course, is to use a 3D printing service provider.
Once that’s settled, you will just need to invest around $60 to get all the metal parts that cannot (yet) be conveniently 3D printed: the slide rail metal bar, the compatible sliding platform, the necessary screws and tripod thread (from Amazon). The 3D printing – for now – is limited to the legs and plate mount and can be downloaded free from Thingiverse. If that is not enough you can edit the designs directly on Autodesk’s 123D App platform.
This is what the end result should look like:
If that is a little too easy for your making skills, you can kick it up a notch further with a digital touchscreen timelapse controller. Don’t know how to make one? Adafruit’s got you covered.
