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First prototype: Breadboard Spaghetti!

A project log for Nikon D90 Macro Autorail

I didn't want to buy a big expensive autorail to shoot bugs, so I figured I'd build my own that will trigger the camera and be portable.

jeffJeff 06/18/2018 at 22:390 Comments

I keep a large stock of prototyping components, so luckily I didn’t have to order anything to build my first prototype. I started with a 3.3v Arduino pro mini. From there I’d need a HBridge Motor Driver to run the Stepper, a Neopixel ring for the stage light, a rotary encoder for input and an oled screen for output. I’d also need an Infrared LED for camera remote firing ( I use a Nikon D90, which accepts IR for remote fire which is super convenient in this case. )

Some challenges with the initial build: ofcourse, operating a device with so many jumper wires that are prone to falling out is not ideal. Also, I had to use 2 pins on the pro mini that are in the middle of the board and I didn’t bother attaching female pin headers, so the oled would disconnect every time the breadboard shifted. Finally, figuring out the pin and wire configuration for the hbridge was a lot more time consuming then I would have thought. As far shooting goes: I did have a complication with very light subjects (like dead bugs), though. If they’re not secured down, they will tend to shift when the stepper moves the stage. This sounds like a deal breaker, but it forced me to start using pins to pin down the bugs, which is actually better for many reasons.

Ultimately the prototype works out wonderfully, though! It improved the quality of my photos so much that I'm afraid of trying to build it on a protoboard and breaking it.  The neopixels are no where near bright enough to replace a flash, which I didn’t really expect to workout, but it’s super convenient as a prep light and I’ve used it a few times for edge light for adding alittle color to things. 

All in all it's been a great success, so far! Next I'll have to solder together a nicer prototype on a protoboard and put a real schematic together.


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