3DR Solo gimbal adapter for pocket camera

thingiverse

Warning: If you use this, Solo and Gimbal warranties will be void! Use at your own risk! This is an add-on to the Solo gimbal. With this, it's possible to use almost any light pocket camera. In the picture, there's a Canon Powershot S100. It's not necessary to make any modifications to the Solo or gimbal. Switching cameras takes only about 5 minutes. The most important thing is to do balancing very carefully. When the gimbal is level, it should stay exactly in level, no turning to any direction. If you turn the gimbal to any position, it should stay there. Yes, this works. You can adjust the camera with same controls as Gopro. The Solo keeps the horizon level. No, you cannot trigger the camera remotely. I have used CHDK and time lapse, which takes pictures at 3-second intervals. No, you cannot see live video from this camera. Canon cameras have HDMI, but with it, you can only look at pictures from the memory card. It is possible to use an av2hdmi converter, and it works. The picture goes black every time when the camera takes a photo, but anyway you can adjust the camera with it. Yes, this is for taking photos. Heavy cameras have a tendency to jitter, and videos are not stable. But photos are good. Only 2 - 5 out of 1000 photos are shaken. I continue testing with other rubber absorbers. Yes, you can make multipoint cable cam routes with Gopro, change the camera, and fly again, and the camera turns as Gopro. Yes, in orbit and some other flight modes, the Solo turns the camera according to the flight plan. Yes, it works also in Tower app. The default flight speed is too fast for this 3-second interval; you must use a slower speed. Yes, I have tested it during tens of flights, several flight hours, tested about 100 cable cams, orbits, selfies, Tower, taken more than 2000 pictures. Yes, you can take georeferenced stabilized ortophotos (camera straight down). This Canon model has GPS. Yes, probably you can use almost any other light camera that weighs less than about 200g. And also FLIRs, cellphones, and action cameras. Yes, the camera is bigger, so in heavy wind and fast speed, it may have difficulties to keep the camera steady and in target. No, probably this does not fit to a backpack; the camera is bigger than Gopro. Some cutting is needed? I have not tested, I don't have a backpack. Total weight (camera + gimbal) is about 570g, so it is more than official payload capacity 500g mentioned in manual. Solo warranty will be void. Flight time is about 10 - 11 minutes (15% battery left). Official Solo gimbal specifications: http://dev.3dr.com/hardware-gimbalbay.html