help in a primitive citcuit design

[eran_k]

hi all,
i'm doing some AP and don't have any smd soldering equipment or expriance so i'm afraid from hacking my cam for using one of Mr. RC-CAM cam man devices (he does have one for my camera on his site)i also dont have a pic programmer and dont know how to use one.
the camera is triggerd by a servo that presses the button when ch.4 is activated (left stick moves left)i feel that this method is interfeering with the flying quality and stabilty and also i need to take pictures all the time or the camera will shut down automaticly.
what i have in mind is some kind of timed relay based on the 555 IC that will be wired instaed or after one of the switches (ch .5) and will close the circuit (like throwing the switch) every x seconds for y seconds duration (suficciant to take a picture).
does it make sense?, can some one here help me with the circuit-i have no knowledege in electronics,but i'll be able to assemble.wire and solder somting like this i guess.

Thanks
Eran

[Malc C]

You may want to consider using a relay or solenoid to activate the camera trigger rather than a servo. You could do this using a delay cycle on a NE555, but personally I would use a PIC Micro so that you can plug it into ch5 and then use the switch on the TX to take the shot(s). As you don't have that programming facility, then I'm sure some of the guys that produces RC switches can supply a pre-programmed PIC.

[Daniel7866]

Hi,

I lately made a 555 based auto trigger. Delay is about 5 seconds between shots otherwise the cam don't have time to store the pic. Self powered by internal batteries. Works good.

[eran_k]

Daniel,
It looks very intresting, and you camera also lokks similiar to mine which is a sony DSC U30.
do you have more details about the trigger? like a circuit diagram and Part list.

Thanks
Eran

[Daniel7866]

Eran,

It's the very basic astable circuit you can find everywhere on the net. Google with NE555. I've used parts I had but you can use others than SMD's. The most difficult thing was to gently open the cam and find the correct terminal of the shutter switch, one terminal is -batt, the other is the good one ;) . If you need different timing adjust resistor/capacitor values to suit.

Enjoy,

Daniel

[Dan Baldwin]

If you don't want to open the camera, you could use this circuit with a servo

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2586907&postcount=15

You could increase the values of the two resistors on the right side (1K and 200K) to get the cycle time and duty cycle you want.

Dan