Sliding camera mount is good enough for amateur photography

[Unihopper] built this sliding camera mount to add some motion to his freestyle unicycle videos. It’s extremely simple, but still pulls off a pretty nice effect as you can see in the clip after the break.

The image above shows the mount without a camera attached.  You can see the threaded peg on the block in the foreground which is used for that purpose. Felt has been wrapped around the base of the block, which rides in a wooden channel. The string, which connects to an eye hook in the wood block, is attached to a spool on the far end of the plank. A K’nex motor drives that spool, slowly sliding the camera toward it.

Unlike other toy-based sleds, the use of a track system helps to maintain proper orientation of the camera. Obviously this isn’t going to achieve the perfectly smooth and precise motion you’d get out of a sled system like this rail and linear bearing version. But honestly, most of us don’t have cameras of the quality to warrant that type of high-end system.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNmHhpgobfY&w=470]

Comments

  1. Chetchez says:

    Q. What do you get when you combine the awesomeness of Parkour with the flair of a unicycle?

    A. What’s the opposite of getting laid?

    • Anon says:

      All offense intended; you have no idea what the hell you’re talking about.

      Unicycling like this does the exact opposite of what you think it does. You might think it’s stupid, but then again, you’re probably nothing but a guy who can’t ride a unicycle. I speak from experience when I say this:

      Used properly, chicks dig unicycles.

    • Alex Murr says:

      Q:what do you call someone who says that unicyclist dont get laid?

      A:a virgin

      lol grow up dude
      do something with yourself
      do you have a video on hackaday?
      are you sponsored for any extreme sport you do?
      didnt think so

  2. Finn Margrie says:

    Looks a lot easier to lift than the Elemack Spyder dollies I’m used to using, though I have seen a similar principal used on a slider for large film cameras.

  3. Praetor says:

    Not bad but is that all it does? It made the guy doing the Pee Pee dance look adventurous, action like…all that was needed was theories announcer: “In a world of two wheeled cyclist one man and his unicycle set out to change the world…one man, one wheel, and a pee pee dance…

  4. vonskippy says:

    It never fails, you setup for some nice city shots and some hotdog kid and his unicycle just has to horn into the shot.

  5. Diddle says:

    “Hey, let’s all make fun of his hobby instead of commenting on what the post is about!”

    • Keith says:

      Isn’t that what 98% of the folks here do anyway is just pick, complain, and hate?

      • M4CGYV3R says:

        Yes, but it’s a UNICYCLE. Come ON.

        I take it about as seriously as I would take pro-league Big-Wheel championships.

        At least the dolly track was cool.

  6. Nick says:

    Surprised no one has made a rail cam using a lego train setup

  7. Ivan says:

    This one is a lot better – more professional and easier to make. I didn’t make it and I’m not the one selling it:

    http://www.buildlog.net/wiki/doku.php?id=ms:ms_slider

    Uses a standardized components and a v-rail built into the aluminum extrusion. This is the v-rail:
    https://www.inventables.com/technologies/makerslide

  8. Robot says:

    Let’s all chip in to get the kid a trials bike. The camera slide footage looks smooth.

  9. Matt says:

    Thats epic. The uni cycling that is

  10. photonfossil says:

    the video would be a little less jerky if an elastic band was attached in between the string and the sliding cart.

  11. AntonJuncher says:

    I think you did a really good job on this camera slider! Once I find a cheap motor I might try it out!

    As a unicyclist it’s so funny to read “unicycle-hater-comments”..

    <3 haters! 😛

Speak Your Mind

*

Related Hacks in digital cameras hacks

  • Hackaday Links May 9th 2012
  • Converting a manual camera lens to use motorized zoom and focus
  • 6 camera face scanning rig
  • Quick and easy wildlife camera
  • Adding a remote shutter to a cheap digital camera