A bit more than pan tilt head for BMMSC

Thanks Casper.

The gimbal is currently working well for this application and we have accurate encoders for reading the Zoom and Focus/Iris position as needed.

IMG_2467.jpg (92.83 KiB) Viewed 6710 times

However we are still working with lens control and could use some advice. Any suggestions for lens control system that could be controlled externally would be most welcome. We would rather integrate them to our system with serial etc. low level interface and of-course would need documentation for the interface.

Currently we are using just a cheap servo. It works but is noisy, and this one is not quite powerful enough, so it does not provide smooth low speed zooming. We have also some better servos that overcome most of the problems, but still somewhat noisy.

IMG_2468.jpg (84.24 KiB) Viewed 6710 times

The reason we use separate encoders is that after calibration they provide very accurate readings and fast update rates. So even now that the control is not that good, the virtual environment follows very well the Zoom movements. Also some lenses have inbuilt Zoom motors.

There is still many things to overcome, but already at this time I am sure the end result will be very good, not existing at the price point this system will be.

Ps. As obvious, the above pictures are from 3D printed prototypes.

Take a look into the motors of Tilta.. The Nucleus motors are quite "cheap" ($300) Are able to control on a bus structure and also wireless..

https://tilta.com/shop/nucleus-m-brushless-wireless-follow-focus-motor/


I do have a redrock follow focus motor with control.. Was about to rebuild the control interface of that one.. And buy some more motors.. But with $695 they are quite expensive..
https://shop.redrockmicro.com/product/torque-motor-for-movi-pro/

Thanks Daniel, They both look good and Tilta is also affordable. I contacted both to request if they would be interested to provide them for this kind of solution, and provide the interface definition.

There will be a control SW that allows the user to control Pitch, Roll, Yaw, Zoom, Aperture, Focus and the can be also preprogrammed to repeat accurately the movements and lens parameters.

We have been lately working with lens control. It is really not something we would like to do at this time, but have not found suitable solution, that would provide smooth control at slow speeds, accurate control and real time feedback of the position. Tomorrow visiting IBC so mybe this widens the perspective and there is a solution.

This is what we have for now, it does the job, only problem realy is the noise, ok for custom builds. (these are just demonstrating the servo, it will be computer controlled.)



Slow speed demo

Looking good Kim.
Cheers

So is there a timeline on when the Ethernet control will be available? Also can this be mounted on a pole hanging upside-down from a truss?

We received today the B4Macig adapter to fit B4 lenses to MFT. As I understand this is not great at wide open, but should be ok stopped down to F5.6.

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Waiting the lenses to arrive to see what kind of image quality these inexpensive B4 lenses can provide and how good lens control they have, and further more how to interface with them.

The Fujinon A19x8.7BMD-D24 1:1.8/8.7-165mm arrived today.

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As expected it is not really usable at F1.8, not at the wide end anyway, but cleans up nicely at f5.6 as recomended by the B4 Magic.



It has 3 lens servos that are the main reason we got this lens, for testing and development on that area.

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The mechanical parts look good, but the all analog electronics will be fully replaced. Planning to do first tests still during this week.

The lens got all new electronics. Now it is microprosessor controlled, connection via serial port or USB. It will use the LeViteZer protocol https://github.com/LeViteZer-Oy/LeViteZer-Protocol but we could make it work maybe also with the B4 lens serial protocol that this lens did not originally have.

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The lens control motors are good, but the potentiometers that provide feedback of the lens position are badly worn out. This can be clearly seen on this video, when it sudenly makes a jump at about 40 mm. I guess it has been mostly at that setting and does not make good contact any more.



Need to find similar potentiometers and replace them. After it should be possible to get this kind of slow Zoom even smoother. Faster Zooms are ok already (except when passing 40 mm).

This is a prototype for testing, when we have it fully functioning we will post more videos the hole system installed on the gimbal.

Ps. a bit more technical view of the potentiometers. The blue line is focus, red is zoom. Both have bad jumbs and noise. This is unfiltered output just to troubleshoot.

I guess this is a problem for many such old lenses.

Here some more details about this modification viewtopic.php?f=4&t=70896&start=50#p443100

We will have soon the lens control ready and demonstrate the lens, camera and gimbal control working in perfect harmony, but meanwhile the LeViteZer 360 Pro gimbal on its originally intented use.

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‘Behind the Scenes: Creating Heli-Skiing in Virtual Reality’ https://stories.cmhheli.com/heli-ski/he ... l-reality/

VR landing page + tour dates http://www.cmhheli.com/vr

Thanks for Sherpas Cinema for putting the gimbal to great use and providing this.

We are still thinking a bit the functionality the lens control should have and asking about opinions.

This is how it works now, zooming from 9 mm to 160 mm at speed 500 raw units per second. The full scale is about 16 000 raw units. This is still the development user interface.



We will keep the engineering approach available, using the raw units etc, but askin how would you like to control the Zoom speed

- the time it goes from position A to B
- the time it would take for the full zoom
- zoom speed in mm per second
- something else?

There is also control how the zooming starts and stops, how fast it accelerates to given speed. currently we use S curve for this.

It will be possible also to control directly the Zoom in mm and control it with direct speed control.

There is so many options, but must start somewhere and keep the user interface understandable. Asking for your help defining the first version of it. what would be important for you?

We could have similar controls for Iris and focus, but thinking keeping them simple to start with, i.e. the control will be

- Speed controlled with the time it takes for the full range
- the wanted f-stop of focus in m (absolute control)
- option to control directly with speed control (relative control)

for all parameters we will get feedback, currently 120 Hz.

Just tested the Geo Point functionality, and thought to share this, though we are still working to get it totally smooth.



We have full camera control on this system, but had our hands full with the testing and forgot to adjust the colours. It has also software controlled Zoom, Focus and Iris. The Zoom was tested couple of times on the video.

The jitters you can see are due we used raw GPS data and some parameters we still need to get right.

We have been focusing updating the SW during the start of this year and I am happy to announce that we have now quite well working version, you can download it and users manual from here for testing (it works without any devices attached) https://github.com/LeViteZer-Oy/LeViteZ ... l/releases

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The LeViteZer Control SW works with LeViteZer USB to SDI box that provides camera control for BMD cameras that support SDI control, we will also add the Visca PTZ control over SDI in near future. It is supported by BMMSC.

It works also with LeViteZer "Big Box" that is working name. In short it it provides SDI control interface and gimbal control over ethernet.

The hole system with old SW version is demonstrated on this video



All these units are currently available only on order, so just contact me and let's see if we have solution for you.

Just to give an idea about the pricing and availability.

The price for USB to SDI box is 320 euro VAT 0% + shipping. It needs 12 V power supply that is not included. BMMSC power supply is recommended. They are available in about 1 to 2 weeks from order.

The LeViteZer 360 Pro gimbal is 2750 euro VAT 0% + shipping. Currently we have parts available only for few gimbals, them we can provide 2 weeks from order. After that we need to wait for more parts, about 8 weeks from now. The LeViteZer 360 Pro gimbal works as a standalone gimbal but also as Pan, Tilt, Roll head when connected via the "Big Box" as demonstrated on the above video.

The "Big Box" is 1500 euro VAT 0% + shipping. Availability 2 to 3 weeks from order.

GeoPointing functionality is sold separately, it runs on the "Big Box".

The LeViteZer 360 Pro gimbal comes with a power cable with D-Tab connector for v-lock batteries etc. The operating voltage is 12 to 20V and max current 5A (but normally well below 1A). The "Big Box" works with the same cable. Battery or power supply is not included.

The LeViteZer Control SW is free to use with our devices. The USB to SDI and "Big Box" can be controlled also using LeViteZer protocol that is documented here https://github.com/LeViteZer-Oy/LeViteZer-Protocol

Sorry Kim but 1500 for big box when you can get skaarhoj with hardware controller to it for 100 euro more is way to high. I would be interested but this is to expensive

With The USB to SDI box you can have full BMMSC control and Visca PTZ control via it. The USB to SDI box is 320 euro.

The "Big Box" is really meant to be used with the 360 Pro gimbal. This combo provides very good control and realtime feedback of current position. It provides also stabilisation in case the installation is not that steady and it is silent.

Hi Kim, the USB to SDI, is it based on the arduino shield? If so It's useless for me as I work in 4K

Yes, it is based on Arduino shield, but no problem sending 4k out form the camera while controlling with it.

Please do explain, I have hard to believe this as the shield is 3G sdi. This has been the only reason why I can not use the shield. :-/

The shield is only controlling camera and attaching to camera SDI in only.

This is BMMSC commanded to 2160p30 with USB to SDI box.

https://github.com/LeViteZer-Oy/LeViteZer-Protocol

Strange, as you say input only and I said this myself but others said it would not work with 4K.
But I trust your statement as you sell this, as if it would be untrue it would be bad for business to make claim. Thanks for explaining

Kim, he want to control CCU and send return video in 4K. Discussed in the Visca tread.

Yes, to be clear, it is possible to control camera that outputs 4k with the USB to SDI box. It is not possible to pass trough it 4k (or anything higher than 3G). We have not tested passing trough any SDI signal, just the SDI output to control camera and that it does well.

Exactly. Thanks Daniel.

This is why ATEM thought Ethernet is the only way for me.

We have been working lately with BMPCC4k to fully control it with LeViteZer Control Software and we will provide also control with LeViteZer Protocol for those how want to use it for their own applications.

I am happy to announce we have now first version of it and it will be published during April.

Big fan of what you're doing. Especially with the focus rings.

Any updates on availability and pricing (unless I missed that info in this thread).

And do you have any restrictions for shipping ?

Thanks Rob.

With the lens control we have still plenty to do. The focus rings are 3D printed, them we are not planing to produce other than for our own use and maybe some custom builds.

The gimbals and control box are somewhat custom builds also at this time. The gimbal 2750 euro and control box 1500 euro VAT 0% + shipping.

No limitations for shipping as long DHL deliverers it there.

Couple of new units.

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The Ethernet to Bluetooth unit works standalone, connected to Ethernet near camera and provides full control for Pocket 4 k camera using LeViteZer Control Software or LeViteZer Control protocol if you want to use it with 3rd party SW.

The smaller unit is Serial to Bluetooth and does the same, but interfaces with the 360 Pro gimbal control box that controls the gimbal and camera over Ethernet. It has also SDI camera control for BMD cameras that support that.

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The Bluetooth units should work also with other BMD cameras that support Bluetooth control.

Both are provided as custom builds at this time.

The prutally honest and complete Geopoint V2 test session yesterday



See video description on Vimeo for links as it is long.

This is just driving around and pointing different things from map. Target locking works now good. This is with the same low end GPS the testing was performed before. We have now also some better ones and will be testing with them during the summer, at sea etc, where this system is better suited. It can lock also to a moving target if it provides location.

It has been a while, we have lately been busy with thermal cameras and some other custom build gimbals, but have not forgotten this on.

The thermal cameras we have used for people flow applications, calculating queue times on restaurant, how many people on what areas and generating virtual flight over the restaurant. Also optimising hospital room cleaning, we generate hygiene index type heat map and related data that is then used various ways. Plenty of interesting stuff I will provide some proper presentation video a bit later on, for now this gives some idea.



With this technology we can track everyone on the room or studio, on the above video 8 times per second, as faster was not needed for that application. We have tested 30 FPS tracking with good success and the system works up to 60 FPS.

It would be interesting to put this together with the integration we did couple of years ago on Virtual Studio



So now we could also track the actors on the 3D space and have virtual objects go in between them, in theory at least still looking for project where we could look deeper into that.

We have now also prototypes of much bigger gimbals, so we could handle as big camera systems as needed on custom project.

The LeViteZer 360 Pro gimbal can also handle quite big loads though. This is behind the scenes video of 360 video shoot Gluk Media did couple of weeks ago.

Is the LeViteZer Control SW that runs on Windows, Mac, Linux and Android, the USB to SDI box available?

We have few of them in stock.

The current SW version is supported on Windows and MacOS, we can easily make it available also for Linux. Android we tested, but currently not supported. We are planning to put again some focus on the LeViteZer control SW at start of next year.

The SW and user manual is available here

https://github.com/LeViteZer-Oy/LeViteZ ... tag/v0.8.5

It is possible also to control the camera with the USB to SDI box using LeViteZer protocol if someone wants to integrate the camera with some other SW. The LeViteZer control protocol is available here and we are happy to support using it.

https://github.com/LeViteZer-Oy/LeViteZer-Protocol


We have also a custom build solution for USB to BT module, via what it is possible to control the camera using LeViteZer Protocol or LeViteZer Control SW. We provided that for a customer that has LeViteZer 360 Pro gimbal and wanted to use Pocket 4k camera on it. We can make that available if there is demand.

How much is this device and will it control DSLRs and point and shoots?

Currently we provide control only for BlackMagic cameras using SDI or BT. The pricing is here

http://www.levitezer.com/blog-2/

It has been a strange year, we did not have time or related projects with the LeViteZer 360 Pro system as I hoped at the start of the year. We where busy with many people flow and thermal cameras and sensors related projects.

One of them, LeViteZer Touchless Tablet. Measures body temperature and provides private keyboard, i.e using ones phone as keyboard for the device. It tilts towards face to make the thermal measurement or take a picture. It is still ongoing development. We are looking for pilot customers for start of 2021, and studying who could be potential customers for such, maybe movie sets or broadcasting studios?



We did also some work related to BMD camera control, the LVZwatch. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=128096

The original idea was to control the cameras directly with Apple Watch. For time being the only way to pair the watch and camera is via phone, and that complicated everything. This was a demo project together with Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. We did not get the project quite ready enough to publish it as original idea was, to provide it for free. However it the projects shows the potential of it. It is good to have the main parameters easily available and the control with the watch grown is good.

As related we did also some improvements on camera focusing with LeViteZer control SW.

There is some plans we have regarding LeViteZer Control software and system and LeViteZer 360 Pro gimbal, I hope to be able to tell more about those before spring 2021.

This holiday season is unlike any other, to cap off a year unlike any other. Throughout this season, and as we move into a new year, we wish you Merry Christmas And Happy New Year 2021!

We are now working with the LeViteZer 360 Pro gimbal and LeViteZer Control SW. Full Camera, lens and gimbal control over Ethernet.

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The LeViteZer Control SW is now being updated

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During the spring we will improve also geopointing functionality and have some tools for focusing and tracking.

We are looking into making the LeViteZer Control available also for other gimbals than LeViteZer 360 Pro. About that soon more.

Ok, so lets see the lens control. On this old B4 lens we have replaced the old analogue electronics with modern microcontroller and control with LeViteZer protocol.



We can freely control the Iris, Focus and Zoom, the target value for them, the speed it goes to those values and the curve how it accelerates and stops the movement. On the above video the gimbal has been programmed to make a small movement. Also for it we can set speed and acceleration, speed from very slow to pretty fast and it is always virtually silent.

On the above video I was wondering what is that noise. It took me awhile to realise it is the camera I was taking the video with focusing (Canon R) and you can hear the Micro Studio Cooling fan. This was with wide angle lens, just some 25 cm from the camera. Canon R internal microphone.

The LeViteZer remote HQ this morning

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Two cameras on my table. We are just finishing the USB to SDI control update. This is a major update affecting the control box and LeViteZer Control SW. The Box will support all BMD SDI documented commands we are still thinking how to make that available on the user interface.The main user interface we want to keep simple, focused to the esential. The USB to SDI box can be controlled also using LeViteZer Control protocol.

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The main new features will be:
- The whole BMD SDI V.1.5 protocol supported.
- Will keep in memory sent commands for up to 8 cameras
- On request will keep sending selected parameters to camera, to ensure the camera has latest updates and in case camera is powered down etc. to get the camera updated when back up to the condition it was.

The USB to SDI box will be available in 2 to 3 weeks and after we will update also the USB to BT module that supports the same protocol, to control Pocket cameras etc. that do not have SDI interface.

The other camera is Sony ES8320 block camera. Pretty awesome 4k camera with good 12x zoom lens and Image stabiliser and very good camera and lens control and reporting back the values camera has. The colour correction part though is not on the same level BMD has and over al the camera control is a much different approach, but very extensive.

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We are currently implementing almost full Visca interface for it to control it with LeViteZer Control SW, and it will get also limited control with the joystick on the LeViteZer CYRP45 Jib gimbal prototype.



And it is also goal to have that hand held Jib gimbal installed on this 4th and 5th axis, for 5 axis computer controlled movement + full camera and lens control. This is more testing and prototyping at this time and will be available at start only as custom build solutions.



I hope we would soon see updated version of the BMD Micro cameras, or maybe one with integrated lens. This system will be only for small camera + lens.

How would you like to build your own Camera control

This is still experimental, but seems to work pretty well, it is done with Node RED https://nodered.org



Node RED is commonly used for controlling home automation and IoT, but why not cameras. Now that the actual interface exist, it is easy to build our own web browser based camera user interface with the exact controls you need.

This is how the code looks like, well there is some actual code under those icons, but when configuring, it is just needed to copy paste and delete these elements as needed and to do some simple configuration on them, how big the controls are where they are located etc. if one wants to change the default layout.

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The default layout for the first demo version looks like this. (very fast build for the layout)

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If you like to instal the Node RED and test your self, the demo code is in here https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

We should get more of the USB to SDI boxes during this week

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If you are interested, just contact me. Also commends regarding the user interface with node RED are much welcome.

Hey Kim,

Did you ever cook up an ethernet version of the USB to SDI box?

Good Luck

We do have the gimbal control box that has also camera control and is connected via Ethernet or USB.

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It is however currently only for custom builds, quite complicated box with power distribution and many serial connections for external devices like joysticks and BT module to control BMD cameras.

It would not be too difficult to make a Ethernet to SDI box, but currently I can not give date when that could be available.