One of the fun capabilities that the CHDK hack for Canon point and shoot cameras enables is super fast shutter photography. By snapping the shutter at 1/10,000th of a second (or faster), you can freeze moments that are imperceptible to the human eye. Speeding bullets, balloons popping, or one of the more common shots, splashing water.

Once you have a camera that can stop time, you need a way to tell it exactly when you want to do so. Instructables users SaskView has created an awesome solution to that problem by building a laser trigger that causes the shutter to actuate when the beam of light is broken. What’s more impressive is that he’s sourced most of his parts from a 99 cent store – this is truly a lost cost/high return project.

Laser Triggered High-Speed Photography – More DIY How To Projects

Materials
I got the following at my local Dollar store (each item was actually $1.25: talk about misleading advertising!) Laser pointer Door chime USB Cable Magnets Clamp Shelf brackets Mini-tripod Self-Adhesive backed Velcro Small picture frame (for the plate glass insert) Eye drops (for the dropper bottle. I poured out the contents as I believe anything purchased at a dollar s…
 
The Camera
You’ll need a Canon camera because we’re going to temporarily modify its firmware using the Canon Hacking Development Kit. CHDK is loaded onto the memory card inside the camera, allowing us to override most of the camera’s functions, turning a cheap point and shoot into a highly adjustable way-cool time freezer.Currently there are 47 Canon cameras that CHDK will work wi…
 
The Circuit
At the bottom you’ll see a link to a pdf containing the schematic. To trigger your CHDK enabled camera we’ll be using the USB remote function. In this case we have to use it via the ’syncable’ method, which is lightning fast compared to the normal USB remote. The syncable remote also operates differently. It triggers the camera on the falling edge instead of the risin…
 
The Laser
The laser pointer has a momentary switch but I wanted a slide switch that would allow the laser to remain on without me holding the button. The Dollar store magnetic door chime not only had the slide switch that I wanted, but also it used the same kind and number of batteries that the laser does. This was cheaper than buying just a switch from an electronics supplier. …
 
The Drop Rig
Below is a photo of my setup. Some pieces of wood and some steel shelf brackets clamped to a TV tray. The laser is mounted with the magnets on one of the brackets, and the photodiode on the other. In between and slightly above I’ve velcro’d the eye dropper bottle filled with milk.
 
CHDK Settings: Enabling Synchable Remote
In order for the USB cable remote to work, you have to enable it. With CHDK installed on your camera go into the Main Menu and at the very bottom you’ll see Miscellaneous stuff. Enter that menu and at the very bottom of it you’ll find the Remote parameters menu. In that menu set Enable Remote [.] Make sure there is a dot inside the square brackets, meaning it’s enable…
 
CHDK Settings: Extra Photo Operations
Now go into the Extra Photo Operations menu at the top of the main menu and set: Disable Overrides [disable] Include AutoIso & Bracketi [.] Override shutter speed [1/10000] Value factor [1] Shutterspeed emun type [Ev Step] Override aperture [5.03] Override Subj. Dist. V [350] Value factor [1] Override ISO value [80] Value factor [1] Force manual flash [.] Power of flas…
 
Adjusting the Camera Settings
Normally you would be triggering an external flash, while the shutter is open using a cable release with the camera in ‘bulb’ mode. Once the flash goes off, you let the shutter close. This requires the room to be darken because the shutter will be open for many seconds. In this setup you can have the room lights on because the flash and shutter are triggered at the sam…
 
Adjusting the circuit
With your drop rig in place mount the photoresistor to one of the steel brackets and the laser on the other one. Adjust the position of the laser so that the droplets fall through the beam. Adjust the position of the photoresistor so that it’s illuminated with the laser. Power up the circuit. LED1 will light up, indicating power. Before we begin using the eye-dropper,…

The Panasonic FX37 (get the upgraded model for $144 $129(!!) here) is a great camera. Fast, wide-angle lens, (f/2.8, 25mm equivalent) in a compact package with all the modern features (image stabilization, HD video, facial recognition, etc). And it takes really nice photos. However there is one downside: its sensor seems to attract dust, which is especially noticeable when zooming in on a bright object (such as the sky).

I’m not sure if this is a matter of the case being poorly sealed compared to other pocket cameras, but it is frustrating. Thankfully, the remedy is fast and simple: by removing a few small screws, you are able to access the sensor inside the camera. A few bursts of air and a quick reassembly is all it takes to be snapping photos like the camera is brand new.

I made a quick video tutorial of how to access and clean the sensor– the entire process takes less than 10 minutes. Make things smoother on yourself by getting the tools together before starting the process. You don’t want to leave the case open any longer than necessary.

Here’s what you’ll need: Mini screwdrivers • Blower or compressed air •Lint-free cloth • Receptacles for screws and parts • Clean workspace.

Be careful disassembling your camera. This will almost surely void your warranty (a warranty that probably can be used to have the company clean the sensor for you), so be certain that you are willing to risk breaking your camera forever. I take no responsibility for any damage incurred following these instructions. Now, go clean that sensor!

Combining RC aircraft and video cameras is as instinctual as putting berries on your cereal. And as manufacturers come out with higher quality lenses and sensors, while shrinking camera size and weight, some pretty impressive (and expensive) rigs have been assembled to capture aerial footage.

However the iPhone does not seem like a good fit for a project like this. Light: yes. Fragile: very. Important to your daily life: completely. Watch as this unlucky (or perhaps, very lucky) fellow flies his iPhone-equipped airplane into a light post. Hilarity!

When I tried to shoot some nice aerial video from my iPhone equipped rc-plane I accidently crashed into a lamppost.
My aeroplane was totally smashed but my iPhone fortunately survived and captured everything on video!

I’m flying over Löberöd in south of Sweden.

Of course, done right the footage from RC aircraft can be downright cinematographic.

This video, while not aerial, shows the workings of a pretty badass flying rig equipped with a Canon G10, and shot on one of my favorite DSLRs for video, the Canon 7D (although I’m starting to like the T2i a lot – the price and quality is undeniable).

I’m a fan of projects that you can do at your work desk – print on the office printer, cut out with scissors and an exacto, and glue/tape together. The Dirkon paper pinhole camera might be the pinnacle of this type of project. This thing is cool – it’s a fully functional pinhole camera that looks like a papercraft SLR. It uses standard 35mm film, and actually advances the film. It has a makeshift “shutter release.” Maybe best of all, it looks super cool – the assembled version is a great decoration for your camera shelf or desktop. It’s been around for a while; I put one together a few years back myself.

The original instructions are in Czech, but have been translated with assembly tips. There are a couple sections that leave some questions, but use some intuition and it all comes together.

If you plan to use this for photography, you’ll need to use cardstock when printing it out – double-check that it doesn’t let light through (if so, line the inside to eliminate all light). Otherwise, standard xerox paper will be just fine.

Here’s the main page with writeup, notes and tips: Dirkon Pinhole Camera

This is the PDF to print out.

And while at it, check out the Rubikon 2, another print-and-fold camera that is an evolution of the Dirkon.

The pinhole.cz site also has some great information about determining exposure time for pinhole cameras.

Finally, get inspired by checking out Flickr pics of other Dirkons and the photos they create.

PDF of the Dirkon

The folks at diyphotography.net have a good post with seven easy DIY projects that will help beef up your photo studio. Beauty dish, dual speedlight mount, ring flash, softbox, snoot, suction cup mounts (very clever), and a PVC light stand. All of them are useful tools.

I like the beauty dish project as an easy, cheap way to get that softbox look. These things can range in price from the $50 range to a well over $200. The version described here will cost next to nothing, especially if you source the supplies at the local thrift store.  Here’s a good example of what a beauty dish does for lighting:

(no, that’s not me – it’s just an example I found online)

(Quick reminder: Simply RT this post or post a comment below to get in on the monthly giveaway. Many other easy ways to enter and up your odds, too!)

Steadycam test 2 – before and after from Nathan Carrick on Vimeo.

Shaky footage can be one of the biggest killers when shooting video. As cameras get smaller, and zoom ability gets more powerful, the effect of shake is multiplied greatly. This can still be fine for everyday, “snapshot” use – but to capture footage for any semi-serious use, you need to brace your camera against the jitters.

A way to retain mobility while combating shake is to move the center of gravity of the camera to a point that is not in line with the lens. This is the basic idea behind the steadicam, a mounting rig that is used by many professional camera operators. Typically, a counterweight is affixed to the camera at a certain distance via a mounting bracket. The length of the bracket and the heft of the counterweight are set for the specific style of shooting that you want to do. The displaced center of gravity helps nullify the small jitters from shaking the lens, and the added mass of the setup also helps keep the motion more fluid and less herky-jerky.

Normally, you’ll see high-end steadicams that have a nearly frictionless joint (gimbal) that allows the camera to remain steady as the rig twists, turns, and tilts. But satisfying results can be had with a simple unit that uses just the counterweight alone.

Johnny Chung Lee has a start-to-finish writeup on his site steadycam.org on how to build a $14 steadycam with everyday items. The gist: two short lengths of steel pipe are combined in a sideways T, one side for a handle, the vertical piece to hold the camera at top and the counterweight below. A small weight is affixed on the bottom, the camera is connected to the top with a modified endcap that has a mounting bolt in it, and voila: DIY steadicam.

DOIT reader Nathan Carrick sent me some photos and videos of his assembly of this project, and a before/after video of the results (the inspiration for this post). I’m impressed – you can see how this improves the quality and creates a smoother looking result.

Nathan's PVC endcap for the DIY Steadycam. The 1/4" mounting bolt on top is the standard size all cameras use.

Even though the odds of getting to see the darkness of space in person are slim - just over 500 people have traveled into space - it’s possible to still see it through the lens of your camera with a small assembly project and a few cheaply obtained materials. Including a styrofoam beer cooler.

A team of students from MIT recently set a goal to capture some photos of the curvature of the earth. Their off-the-shelf project cost them approximately $150, and the results have garnered them attention from CNN, Fox, ABC and more. Here’s how they made it:

Equipment Used in the Launch Capsule

One of the amazing parts of this project is that there were only two small modifications needed on the materials: The camera used was selected for its ability to use a timed shutter script through the CHDK firmware update (I use this same setup for most of my timelapse films), and the styrofoam cooler allowed for lightweight thermal insulation which can be easily cut to allow the lens of the camera to stick through.

Click to continue »

The most basic style of camera is the pinhole camera, usually a light-proof box that holds a piece of film inside. When the pinhole is uncovered, the film is exposed for an arbitrary amount of time, and later developed to discover the results. The images often have a soft, almost ghostly look that is very distinct and artsy.

With the advent of digital SLR cameras in the past few years, you can now make an easy version of this same simple camera that uses a digital sensor instead of film, and simple materials you already have at hand. Here’s how to make your own.

Costume mannequin. Photo shot with my Nikon D80 using the pinhole cap.

Materials
• Digital SLR camera
• Spare body cap (get one cheap on Amazon or Ebay)
• Drill
• Two drill bits, one small and one medium (1/16″ and 1/4″ should work fine)
• Aluminum foil
• Ruler/Triangle
• Marker
• Black electrical tape
• Gummy eraser or other similar material
• The thinnest needle you can find

Step One: Mark the center of the body cap. There are a couple easy ways to find the center of a circle, using a right triangle or a compass. I opted for the triangle method as I have a t-square handy.

Click to continue »

A few Holiday suggestions that I’ve been enjoying this year, for the science geek/builder/pizza fanatic in your life.

Tools

Flexible shaft precision screwdriver: Don’t tell Apple but I’ve taken my Macbook apart plenty of times, made easy with this mini-screwdriver. It has 6 double-ended bits: standard, philips and torx. The shaft can be extended out of the body to snake it around those tricky corners, great to remove that one metal strip that the RAM modules hide behind. I got mine at OSH.

Cameras/Video

Canon 7D: I don’t have this but I want it. Bad. Like, I might sell my Nikon gear because of this camera. Its the next step in the game-changing video enabled DSLR realm. And at $1699 for the body, you get access to film like effects that were only available on cameras costing over $100,000 a few years ago. Check out the sharpness and rich color.

Kodak Zx1: The Zx1 is Kodak’s response to the Flip. 720p HD video, and shoots 30 or 60fps. The video is sharp and clean, but like the Flip, the lack of image stabilization and optical zoom made me want something more. I got mine for about $100, but it needs an SD card so factor that in to the price.
I used it to film this clip of a catapult launching a bowling ball. Here’s another good example of its quality.

Panasonic FX37: I bought this directly from that desire for image stabilization and optical zoom. I dig this camera because it’s got a wide-angle lens that is fairly fast – more useful for low light conditions than the Powershots that I always buy, although not as impressive as the amazing Panasonic LX3. This FX37 is being phased out, so you can get some good deals on it. I got mine for $169 at Sixth Avenue Electronics.

A side-by-side comparison of these two cameras is on its way.

Pizza Supplies

Mario Batali Pizza Slicer: As mentioned in my post on building a temporary pizza oven, the Batali pizza slicer is amazing. $15 and worth every penny.

Bike Gear

Blackburn Mars 3.0 rear bike light: I wrote about this in Wired a few years ago. Still the best rear bike light I’ve found. $16. While at it, build your own mega-bright LED front light.

Shoot your own “In your face!” photos – very rad. This project is from MaximumPC.

Overview:
- Install the StereoData Maker script onto two CHDK-modifiable Canon Powershot cameras. The script allows the cameras to be triggered through their USB ports. The page lists the compatible cameras; I use the Canon A460 – it was cheap!

- Mount the two cameras side by side, on an S-bracket.

- Use an easily built, two-camera USB switch to simultaneously take photos. A 5v power source (three AAA batteries) will actuate the shutters.

- Process the photos using StereoPhoto Maker software, which calibrates the images and assembles them into a 3-d viewable photo, just like the classic movies.

Up next: experimenting with the video mode of the cameras, then extracting the individual frames (easily done with Quicktime Pro), processing those with StereoPhoto Maker, and reassembling into a classic 1950’s 3D movie experience. Coming soon!