Servo controlled large format 3d printed leaf shutter

[jimskelton]

I made a 3d printed leaf shutter that's servo actuated and controlled by Arduino. I posted the project at https://github.com/hackaninstant/Servo-Shutter

Fastest shutter speed is 1/8, so it's really only suitable for paper negatives, X-Ray film, or Lith film. The electronic parts cost around $10. The same servo control unit can be used on multiple shutters if necessary.

[reddesert]

Now that is pretty cool!

Do you have any videos showing the shutter in operation?

[John Layton]

Actually...a range from 1/8 sec to 10 minutes would be just about right for much (most) of my landscape/seascape photographs!

[Tin Can]

Glad to see progress!

10 years ago I tried Robot servos with Packards as my hands could not squezze the bulb

I got my hands working again!

https://www.jameco.com/?utm_source=b...c5dec13617ae40

[ic-racer]

Actually...a range from 1/8 sec to 10 minutes would be just about right for much (most) of my landscape/seascape photographs!

Same here. Even though I have beautifully functioning Copal 3 and Copal 2 shutters, I'm using "B" and counting most of the time.

[acrobatic_citron]

Nice, what is the limit on the shutter speed? Weight of the shutter blades? Could you go a bit faster say 1/60 with a light blades?

Edit: nevermind I read the Read Me!

[domaz]

Nice, what is the limit on the shutter speed? Weight of the shutter blades? Could you go a bit faster say 1/60 with a light blades?

Edit: nevermind I read the Read Me!

I'm wondering if you could achieve a higher speed by having a spring close the shutter blades, and have a servo inhibit the blades from closing for slower speeds. Sort of how a Compur Electronic works.

[Dan Fromm]

I'm wondering if you could achieve a higher speed by having a spring close the shutter blades, and have a servo inhibit the blades from closing for slower speeds. Sort of how a Compur Electronic works.

Good suggestion, and along the lines of a comment I wanted to post, except that I don't see a need for a servo. FWIW, I've been inside two different so-called electronic shutters. Ilex uses a solenoid (pull plunger when energized) to open the shutter rapidly, timing circuit to tell the solenoid when to let go, and a strong spring to snap the leaves shut. The AGI F135 has two over center springs and two solenoids (extend plunger when energized) and a timing circuit. One solenoid and spring to whack the blades open, another pair to whack them closed.

Also, those printed shutter blades seem heavier than necessary. The F135 shutter's blades seem to be metalized mylar. Thin, light, little inertia. I didn't ask the Ilex what its blades are made of, probably blackened brass shim stock. Again, thin and light.

[jimskelton]

I was thinking about what could be done to make this shutter design faster and here are a few ideas:

1. Make the servo gear bigger so the servo doesn't have to spin as long to open the blades (currently it has to travel 69 degrees)
2. Get a faster servo. There are servos that operate around twice as fast (but cost 20X as much).
3. Totally redesign the actuating mechanism, replacing the servo with a 2 spring system and solenoid for holding the shutter open.

If you did #1 and #2, you could possibly get speeds of up to 1/30, though the shutter body itself may need some tweaking to beef up the pivot points which can break off easily under too much stress.

Trying #3 means thinking about and designing the actuating mechanism differently. It also likely means you won't be using 3D printed parts since the stress of the materials by strong springs would probably break things. And the point of this was to quickly and easily make a shutter I can use on a process lens. After the parts were printed, the build took around 3 hours to put the shutter and circuit together, ready for use on the field. Making the shutter blades lighter is not an option if using 3D printed materials. Currently they are 3 .2mm layers of PLA and any less are not light tight, and the weight doesn't seem to affect the servo speed anyway.

[rayfor]

use a electrical magnet instead of serveo just like most eshutter. Modern eshutter(like the one in XCD lens) can work at 1/4000s.