Hi Guys,

I want to present you small multifunctional device I have made for Aerial Photography and FPV use. I call it RC Camera Controll (RCCC). Could not find better name



RCCC has following features:

• RC Camera shutter control (Focus, Shutter and GoPro mode)
• Video source selection (switch one of 3 video inputs to video output)
• High current switch output (Turn On/Off or Strobe LEDs …)
• LiPo battery low voltage alarm
• Sum PPM or 3 PWM input from RC receiver (Shutter, Video source, Switch)

You can have one RCCC board for 35$ + 4$ worldwide tracked shipping.
You can choose camera Shutter cable for your camera for additional 7$ except GoPro cable for 9$.
Multifunctional GoPro cable is 25$.

You can buy RCCC and shutter cables also here:

• ReadyMadeRC - USA
• FPV-Community.ru - Russia
• MultiwiiCopter - Australia

It is small 23mm x 40mm (including connectors) board weighting approximately 8g with cable that combines 3 devices: Camera shutter, Video switch and High current switch. It is controlled with sum PPM or regular servo signals from RC receiver.

RC SHUTTER
Shutter is compatible with GoPro HERO, HERO2 and HERO3 White, all C3 plug and 2.5mm plug Canon cameras, Nikon cameras and also many other cameras that have shutter connector.
I have tested GoPro HERO2, Canon 5D, Canon 600D, Nikon D5000.
(Shutter function with GoPro camera operates as On/Off switch. You must set GoPro to One Button mode to start recording when turned On)

You can use Shutter controll to turn ON GoPro camera while in flight to record only needed footage and turn OFF before landing.

I have these shutter cables:

• Canon with C3 connector (like Canon 5D or 7D)
• Canon 2.5mm connector cable (like Canon D600)
• Nikon with N3 connector (like Nikon D5000)
• GoPro HERO1/2/3White

I also have Multifunctional GoPro cable with 3 functions:

• Video out (it has delay about 0.12s)
• Charging of GoPro in flight (or fly without battery)
• Turn on/off GoPro when connected to RCCC board (Use OneButton mode to start recording after power ON)

Using live video from GoPro is not recommended as primary video for FPV because it has some delay.
It works with original HERO and HERO2. I haven't tested but it should work with HERO3 White.
With HERO 3 Black you can get video out, turn it ON (but not OFF) and charge camera (with latest firmware update).
If cable plugged in HERO2 new playback menu item appears and you can play captured videos.

GoPro camera compatibility chart


RC VIDEO SWITCH 3 SOURCES
You can use 3 source video switch for example to switch between flight camera, GoPro camera and back view camera in your FPV plane or multicopter.

HIGH CURRENT RC SWITCH
You can use high current (up to 5A) switch to turn ON high brightness (1W...10W) LEDs if needed for video or photography, use it as LED strip control or LED strobe and also have low battery warning indicated.

User Manual for RCCC v1.1

User Manual for RCCC v1.0

Here is video where I tried to show all features of RCCC

RCCC V1.0 (1 min 11 sec)

Strobe function added in v1.1

RCCC v1.1 High Current Switch functions (0 min 28 sec)

Here I am using video switch function for FPV

Video Switch (1 min 17 sec)

Multifunctional GoPro cable

GoPro HERO2 mutifunctional bus cable demonstration with RCCC device (0 min 44 sec)

Please feel free for any questions.

HELPFULL INFORMATION

Setup when using sum PPM RCCC v1.1

RCCC v1.1 Setup - PPM (1 min 9 sec)

Setup when using sum PPM only RCCC v1.0

RCCC v1.0 Setup - PPM (1 min 11 sec)

Setup when using regular servo channel outputs (PWM)

RCCC v1.0 Setup - PWM (1 min 27 sec)

Very cool and well priced! This would be really good for aerial photography with a multi-rotor. Could fly into position with the FPV cam, turn on altitude hold and position hold, then switch to aerial cam that you could have on a gimbal system and position it how you like then take a picture.

What is the current capacity of the switch?

Hugo

I use N channel mosfet that is rated not less than 8 amps, but I haven't tested it with really heavy loads like this. I will try to do that using automotive headlight bulb.

Usually pin headers and connectors are rated for 3 amps. 3 amps should be no problem for this board.

I will post the results when I finish testing.

Kristaps

Originally Posted by Hugeone

What is the current capacity of the switch?

Hugo

So I tested RCCC with 60 Wat automotive bulb that is 5Amps at 12V.
After 10s switch became hot. I didn't tested longer than 30s (maybe some day in fire safe place)

RCCC v1.0 5amp current test (0 min 23 sec)

I think 3 Amps continous will be OK (will find 36W bulb to test).

And if you need 60W for something, you can use it for short times or added heatsink

Kristaps

Originally Posted by Hugeone

What is the current capacity of the switch?

Hugo

Can you post some pictures of your camera connectors, for example to a gopro?

Right now I have picture of my first GoPro cable, that has pretty big connector.


I Just got other connectors that are smaller and will solder cable next week and will have photo.
I will make photos of all available cables as soon as I will have them assembled.

Originally Posted by boopidoo

Can you post some pictures of your camera connectors, for example to a gopro?

Don't have good lights for photography but here are cables for GoPro and Canon with C3 connector.

Hi resolution pictures in first post.

All shutter cables have 3 pin servo female connector that connects to RCCC board like in this picture:


P.S. More pictures will come.

Kristaps

Originally Posted by kristaps_r

So I tested RCCC with 60 Wat automotive bulb that is 5Amps at 12V.

Be careful: The resistance of a light bulb is strongly temperature dependant. When the filament is cold, the resitance could easily be half or less of the resistance when white hot. The initial current of a 60W, 12V light bulb could be 10-15A.

Nice device you have designed, BTW.

Ok, so the gopro cable is only on/off? What about rec on/off and AV out? Is this possible with some kind of connector?

GoPro cable is used to turn GoPro On or Off because GoPro connector interface does not have record pin. All existing solutions I know for GoPro use power On/Off.
To start recording after power on you have to enable One button mode.

Kristaps

Originally Posted by boopidoo

Ok, so the gopro cable is only on/off? What about rec on/off and AV out? Is this possible with some kind of connector?

I am thinking also about AV out function using GoPro accessory connector, but at the moment don't have time for that.

Hi,

Finally I have new batch of RCCC boards.
This time it is little improved:

• Power source solder jumpers on bottom of board changed to connect 5V from RC receiver to switch output. Now you can switch 5V LEDs without battery connected.
• Added strobe function to Switch output. Switch now has 3 states: OFF, Strobe, Steady ON.
• Ability to disable some of functions (Shutter, Video, Switch) when using sum PPM. If you don't have enough channels you can use only one or two of them.

Boards are labeled RCCC V1.1


Cables also have just arrived and I have shutter cables for Canon with C3 and 2.5mm connectors, Nikon with N3 connector and GoPro 30pin connector.

Kristaps

Can I use this board with a MK Flight controller ?
( wiring on a servo output for instance )

Your solution is cheaper than the GentleWIRE cable to control my canon 600d.