Photoduino camera controller

 Photoduino is a camera controller, developed under open-source concept. The author is a person named Kalanda, who lives in Spain, extremely competent and generous. I have followed the work of this person and know their effort to always meet with attention requests and questions.

This is the link to the Photoduino site.  Here the link to the discussion forum Canonista (spanish only).

With this controller and various sensors that can be attached to it, you can take pictures interesting, unusual and artistic. The main and classic type of photos that can be taken with controller, are the pictures of liquid droplets and droplet collision. This type of photos require not only as a Photoduino controller, but a dedication and a high dose of patience to do the experiments. The master photos droplet collision and droplet is undoubtedly the German Marcus Reugels (german only). Another is Martin Waugh.

You do not need a sophisticated camera to make these pictures. The machine must be mode B (bulb) where the shutter stays open while being held down the shutter button. What makes the photo is the flash firing, usually more than a flash while the shutter is open. The controller is commanding the moment the flash fires and also triggers a valve solenoid forming the drop.

Photoduino

 To assemble the Photoduino I ordered to the printed circuit board with a person Campinas, and the minimum was five units. The Arduino Uno bought an online store in Florida, USA. It was much cheaper than here, although freight. The other electronic components bought at Mouser Electronics (USA), where longtime usually buy.

 The Photoduino is controlled by the A and B buttons for navigating the various menus and adjustments using the LED display two lines. It’s a little uncomfortable but with practice you get used to it.

 I put a 9V rechargeable battery inside the box that allows you to operate without the USB and / or external connected. The battery is recharged with an external source connected to the plug Charge Bat.

In May 2012 Mr. Kalanda did a Java program to control Photoduino with the use of a PC or notebook. I followed the development of this program, did the tests in the betas and I admired the speed and ease of how it was done! Remote Photoduino this is fabulous, greatly facilitates the operation of the controller.

Sensors

 I bult these various sensors for use with the Photoduino.

The sensors are packaged in small plastic box that have a bolt where it is possible to couple an aluminum rod with internal thread. The rod can be stuck in tripod heads for lighting.

Solenoid valve and controller

 

As the solenoid coil requires 12V voltage and amperage that exceeds the capacity of the Arduino outputs, the controller is mounted externally.

Dripping system

I bult this dripping system adapting a plastic graduated for lab measure as a reservoir for liquid, whose end is mounted the solenoid valve by means of a threaded connection.

 The system has a siphon Mariotte to keep the pressure constant.

Controller for multiple solenoid valve

I wanted to set up another camera controller, the Camera Axe, whose solenoid valve controlling is different from Photoduino, decided to mount a single controller with both systems and could engage three valves.