Harbartronics Introduces Snap360 Auto Camera Turntable
By
Mike Pasini, The Imaging Resource
(Monday, October 27, 2003 - 10:41 EST)
Designed to automate image capture for Panoramas, Virtual Tours and Object Virtual Reality, the product is compatible with digicams using a serial interface or an electrical/electronic release cable.
Mark Roberts, chief engineer at Harbortronics, introduced the Snap360 today with a simple statement. "I've been working rather late recently getting this thing ready ... and here it is!"
The Snap360, however, is anything but simple. It incorporates Harbortronics DigiSnap 2800 controller, a high-torque stepper motor, and a high-capacity battery pack. A variety of mounting configurations are possible and a wide assortment of accessories are available from the company.�The basic unit price begins at $1,180.
BASIC COMPONENTS���
The controller synchronizes turntable rotation with the shutter release on a wide range of cameras, the company said, including the Nikon Coolpix series and many dSLRs.
The turntable is made from a high strength aluminum alloy to support a great deal of weight and side forces. As a test, the company said, a turntable mounted between large metal plates easily supported a 180 lb. adult, even standing 6 inches from the center of the turntable, putting a large amount of unbalanced force on the bearings.
There are a variety of ways to mount devices to the Snap360 turntable. Around the edge of each plate are a series of #6-32 threaded holes. On the face of the plates are four more #6-32 holes. The bottom center of the turntable has a 1/-20 threaded hole, which can be used for mounting the entire Snap360 to a tripod, or other standard photographic mount.
The Snap360 uses a Oriental Motor stepper motor, which rotates 0.9 degrees per step using a gear ratio of 1/6, so the turntable rotates 0.15 degrees per motor step (each rotation of the turntable requires 2400 steps of the motor).
The Snap360 includes a 12 volt, 4 amp-hr rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery pack, providing 48 watt-hours of power. The battery powers the DigiSnap 2800, the stepper motor, and a number of optional devices.
A high-quality, Ansmann ACS- 410 battery charger with a customized connector is provided with each battery pack.
OTHER COMPONENTS
Other components include:
- The Snap360 Rail, which provides a simple yet flexible way to mount a camera to the Snap360 turntable for automated panoramic photography.
- The Snap360 Tower, which is intended to attach components into fixed, repeatable positions. This approach proves some mechanical protection for the mounted devices, and minimizes the size of the structure.
For more information, vist Harbortronics.
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Original Source Press Release:
| Announcement Harbortronics LLC is excited to announce a new product family to compliment their internationally popular digital camera controllers. The Snap360 is an electronically controlled turntable intended for automatic, time-lapse capture of pictures in a full 360 degree circle.
The Snap360 features the renowned DigiSnap 2800 controller, a high torque stepper motor, and a high capacity battery pack. The DigiSnap 2800 synchronizes turntable rotation with the shutter release on a wide range of cameras, including the Nikon Coolpix series of digital cameras, and a great number of film and digital SLR models, making capture of rotating image sequences as easy as a flip of a switch!
The Snap360 is the base element of a very flexible system for automatic 360 degree photography. There are a number of optional assemblies already developed to tailor the Snap360 for particular applications, but the system is designed to allow the photographer to easily customize it for specific jobs.
`There are several photographic applications for which the Snap360 is particularly suited. These markets have been hampered in the past due to the need for a skilled photographer to set up and operate the equipment. The Snap360 removes that limitation� for instance, once configured, any of your real-estate agents can instantly set up a tripod in the middle of a room, turn on the Snap360, and a minute later, have collected a set of images that can be converted into a virtual tour! - Landscape Panoramas
- Virtual Tours (Panoramic Virtual Reality)
- Object Virtual Reality (peripheral photography)
- Wide Area Surveillance
- Construction Site Time-Lapse
Each element of the Snap360 was designed at Harbortronics for high quality, low cost, and flexibility. The turntable provides a solid platform for more than 50 pounds of cameras and accessories, and requires no camera specific mounting brackets. The Snap360 price is currently only $1185, hardly more than some light weight manual turntables!
The Snap360 was created and is manufactured by Harbortronics LLC, a mom-and-pop company located in Gig Harbor, Washington. For more information or to place an order, contact Mark or Deborah at 253-858-7769, or visit their website at www.Harbortronics.com. |
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