Lights for $33 Time Lapse Camera

thingiverse

This remix includes the addition of LED COB lights and reflectors to allow the camera to take clear pictures in areas with poor lighting or at night when your studio is dark. Once I built the camera, it became apparent that some form of lighting would be necessary. So, I dug around in my box of LEDs and found a pair of these COB style lights that were left over from a previous project. These lights came from eBay but any lights that produce enough light to shoot with will work. Make sure you have the right power supply for the lights you're using; mine were made to work with 12v, so an old 12v wall wart works fine. The reflectors were cut from the shiny metal salvaged from inside a computer monitor. The tin gets very sharp when cut, so a file will help smooth over the edges. The hinge pivot and mount2 were designed to sandwich around the aluminum bracket that connects to the metal reflector. This design keeps the heat from the lights away from the plastic parts. I used heat sink compound between the lights and the reflector and another drop between the reflector and the aluminum bracket to help transfer heat. It might take a couple of close looks at the photos to see what's happening here. The hinge pin was made with a piece of coat hanger and a 4-40 threading die since bolts long enough were not available locally. I used a spring on one end to put tension on the hinge but still leave it movable. Wire ties and heat shrink tubing are used to keep the wires tidy and away from moving parts. Make sure your wires are safe and clear of moving parts. Since this project with the lights added is heavier than the last version without lights, it was found that small spring clamps were needed to secure the camera to the 3D printer base plate. Longer legs are also needed so make sure you print those too. One clamp needed to be ground to allow clearance of the base plate; see photo. Remove the clamp levers before operating your printer if they will hit any moving parts as mine did. The lens hood was glued on after the model was assembled to cut down on reflections from the lights. You should make sure the focus is correct for your rig before final assembly. Lights in action, https://vimeo.com/265916192 https://www.ebay.com/itm/5pcs-3W-White-COB-High-Power-LED-Stripe-LED-Light-Emitting-Diode/352236956976?hash=item5202f56d30:g:x4UAAOSwETJaOgXq