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Fanotec MECHA C1, User Manual

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Fanotec MECHA C1 User Manual Download Page 13

13

MECHA User’s Guide

v.06

© 2021 FANOTEC

About the Firmware (FW) Update

To benefit from all features implemented in MECHA, it is recommended to

update its firmware to the latest version available.
There are a couple of ways to update the firmware, and the easiest is via the

Internet.
To check and perform the update, on the UI there is an

[Update]

button.

If MECHA is not connected to a Wi-Fi with Internet access, it will ask for a

SSID name and password, just like a guest in your house will ask if there is a

Wi-Fi available, to be able to check something on Internet, a Wi-Fi the guest

will connect the phone to. The same way, MECHA will use that Wi-Fi in order

to download and perform the update.
MECHA is in the idle status after it is powered up, as long as it doesn't

execute any preset.

If MECHA is OFF, pressing the power button,

P

, for 3 to 5 seconds, will turn

it ON and, depending on the configuration, it can take up to 35 seconds until

the start sequence ends and MECHA reaches the idle status. This time frame

will be reduced in the future firmware releases.
When MECHA is idle, some codes can be entered to perform specific tasks

and tests without using the User Interface. This is useful if you don't know

how to use the User Interface yet, or you don't want to use the User

Interface.
For example,

131>

will perform a test panorama of 6 shots around, 60° apart,

in clockwise rotation (CW), while

131<

will perform a test panorama of 6 shots around, 60° apart, in counter-

clockwise rotation (CCW).
These tests can be used for shooting an actual panorama with a fish-eye lens

on ring type panorama head, like R1, mounted on MECHA.

132>

will perform a test panorama of 12 shots around, 30° apart, in

clockwise rotation, twice as much as the previous codes, and for counter

clockwise rotation,

132<

can be used.

These tests can also be used for shooting a real panorama with a 18-55mm

kit lens on a panoramic head, like NN3, mounted on MECHA.

NOTE

. Whenever you enter codes, press the buttons consecutively,

one at a time.

Summary of Contents for MECHA C1

Page 1: ...i MECHA User s Guide v 06 2021 FANOTEC March 29 2021 C1 USER S GUIDE ...

Page 2: ...racters 12 About the Firmware FW Update 13 MECHA Single Axis Before First Use 16 Power on and Test MECHA Single Axis 16 Check the Battery Level 17 Simple Rotations 18 Quick Panoramas Using MECHA s Buttons 19 Firmware Update Using a Hot spot 20 Test Using MECHA s Buttons 21 Set the Rotator Using MECHA s Buttons 21 Panorama with Automatic Shooting Pattern Using only the MECHA s Buttons Single Axis 2...

Page 3: ...ation Page 41 Default mode 41 STA Mode 43 Fixed Settings 43 Rotator Settings 45 Buzzer PWM and Start Page 45 IR Settings and more 45 Reverse Direction of Rotations 47 Camera Settings 47 Arrow Buttons 48 Safety Interval 49 Favorite Codes 49 More from Server zLM Firmware 49 Technical Details IP Addresses FW 50 Backup and Restore Data 50 Other Updating Methods 51 Firmware Update Using a Smartphone Me...

Page 4: ... Buttons 68 DAC Test Without Camera 1312 Parked Position 68 DAC Test Without Camera 1313 Level Position 69 DAC Test Without Camera 1321 Raised Position 69 Panorama with Camera Mounted 70 Panorama with Automatic Shooting Pattern Using only the MECHA s Buttons DAC 70 DAC Test Using the UI 72 UI Test 1312 1313 1321 Codes 73 How to Change the SSID Password 74 Working with Presets 75 Programming a Pres...

Page 5: ...ipt for 2 Focal Lengths MECHA Dual Axis 94 Download more Presets from Server 95 How to Set Both MECHA and Smartphone to Have Internet Access 96 Other Pairing Methods 98 zLM Automatic Pairing Using Buttons 98 Pairing PIN for more than 2 MECHAs 100 Temporary Pairing 100 Automatic Pairing Using the UI 101 How to Unpair MECHAs 103 MECHA s Current Codes 104 Current Codes list 105 Appendix MECHA s S Sho...

Page 6: ...xcerpts contact nick fanotec com How to use this User s Guide Welcome to the MECHA C1 User s Guide If you have never used MECHA before we recommend that you read the introduction first to get an overview of how it works and what you can do with it Then read the MECHA Single Axis part and practice according to the instructions Once you are familiar with the MECHA Single Axis if you are interested i...

Page 7: ...en the clearance is not enough CHECK for clearance with shutter cable attached ONLY use a coiled cable for dual axis that can be stretched to about 1m Use short cable with extreme caution The power button P can always be used as an emergency stop except for the speed calibration procedure 123123 If the movement is not as expected or there is any danger for the moving parts to hit something please ...

Page 8: ...e that can run a web browser For example its commands can have equivalent simple QR codes At an exhibition scanning a QR code can rotate the featured object at a certain angle without the need to touch the object or the stand Series of rotations can be pre programmed and launched wireless by the visitors or by the host It also has support for IR remote just as the camera has its remote or a TV set...

Page 9: ...perts or advanced users can make even programming from scratch easy considering a starting script that can then be extended and made as complex as needed In this user guide we will focus first on using MECHA to automate the movements of a panoramic head on a single axis like Fanotec R1 or dual axis like Nodal Ninja 3 and alike reducing the panorama shooting to a simple press of a button or two reg...

Page 10: ...t of features zLM which stands for P The power button is used to power ON OFF MECHA to confirm or cancel some operations and it is also the equivalent of the number 0 zero when power codes are entered 1 This button comes pre programmed with 4 shots around It can also be used to enter the number 1 or to execute the favorite code 1 by long pressing it 2 This button comes pre programmed with 6 shots ...

Page 11: ... About the User Interface To access the UI of MECHA a device with an Internet browser needs to be used The simplest and handy really handy will be a smartphone MECHA uses wireless connection abbreviated Wi Fi It can be set as AP Access Point or STA Station or even both AP STA as well as no Wi Fi in which case the control is possible only by buttons The desired mode can be set as default in MECHA s...

Page 12: ... of MECHA can also be accessed at the address given in that particular network like this 192 168 1 100 As a note the particular network can be managed by the smartphone itself if on smartphone a hot spot is enabled and MECHA can connect to it more on that later If for any reasons the address of the MECHA UI cannot be known MECHA has a way to show the address of the UI if one of these codes is ente...

Page 13: ...ation it can take up to 35 seconds until the start sequence ends and MECHA reaches the idle status This time frame will be reduced in the future firmware releases When MECHA is idle some codes can be entered to perform specific tasks and tests without using the User Interface This is useful if you don t know how to use the User Interface yet or you don t want to use the User Interface For example ...

Page 14: ...3 1312 1321 for CW or 1313 1312 1321 for CCW These codes will shoot a multi row panorama plus nadir and zenith the difference being the start position The most used is 1313 These 4 digit codes must be entered on the horizontal MECHA the lower one when it is idle in MECHA DAC Often in this guide we will use the term preset which means a set of instructions and configurations that can be saved and u...

Page 15: ...15 MECHA User s Guide v 06 Single Axis 2021 FANOTEC Part 1 MECHA Single Axis ...

Page 16: ...fic checks and tests First if you have an R1 or an NN3 mount them on MECHA as shown in the images below Power on and Test MECHA Single Axis https youtu be qRZDfC1 YZ8 Power ON and test MECHA Single Axis Power on MECHA by pressing the power button P for 3 to 5 seconds long press It may take about 35 45 seconds to start ...

Page 17: ...ady know how to power MECHA on and off and perform two simple rotations and a test panorama We recommend that you perform the above operations a few more times to familiarize yourself with long and normal button presses then move on to the next section Check the Battery Level If no LED lights up or only a red LED lights up the battery may be discharged and it is recommended to use a 5V 2A charger ...

Page 18: ...ction Note that the rotation angle for the above button combinations can be set on the Configuration page For continuous rotation press and hold the arrow buttons one at a time For example for continuous left rotation press and hold If for some reasons you want to reverse the direction of horizontal simple rotations you can use the 2313 code After this change for example will rotate the system to ...

Page 19: ...s pre programmed with 8 shots around then the left button to specify the direction of rotation to the left 3 press the 3button then the right button to specify the direction of rotation to the right These are the default presets assigned to the three numerical buttons of the MECHA If the results are as expected it means that they have not been overwritten yet and you can use them to take panoramas...

Page 20: ...LED activity and you will hear two beeps MECHA is now in idle status and can accept commands and codes If MECHA doesn t reach this status then please power it down by pressing the power button 3 to 5 seconds and contact us at mecha nodalninja com Using MECHA s buttons enter the code 312123 by pressing one after another each button Before pressing the last button you can wait and look how the LEDs ...

Page 21: ... are used to tell MECHA what type of rotator is connected to it if you purchased it separatelly or changed the rotator type or if you want to be sure MECHA has the correct one set Set the Rotator Using MECHA s Buttons 23131 set E1 as preferred rotator 23132 set E2 as preferred rotator 23121 set P1 as preferred rotator The code should match with the actual rotator connected to each MECHA and needs ...

Page 22: ...ing MECHA s buttons 131 to enter this code press the buttons 131 which is a hard code for a test of 6 shots around then the right button to specify the direction of rotation to the right or the left button to specify the direction of rotation to the left 132 is similar to 131 but for 12 shots around 3212 enter this code to find out the firmware version which will be displayed on the LEDs ...

Page 23: ...er means can be used A gray sheet of paper will work best for exposure purposes as well The camera and lens must be set the same as for shooting the actual panorama Enter the code 31 on MECHA and when the power button starts flashing MECHA waits for two quick presses of the power button P as follows first in order to trigger the camera and the second after the camera was triggered After that MECHA...

Page 24: ...hanged To execute the panorama computed by MECHA make sure the vertical rail is in level position and press the button to which you have assigned the panorama then press either the left or right button If Single MECHA is used after first row MECHA pauses and suggests on LEDs a manual tilt of the vertical axis to continue to full spherical panorama If only cylindrical is needed or no manual tilt is...

Page 25: ...set MECHA in AP STA mode Tap Settings icon on your device Under Wireless and Networks make sure Wi Fi is turned on then tap Wi Fi Tap the nettwork name that contains MECHA in its name to connect the smartphone to MECHA The default password for MECHA s network is 12345678 Now MECHA s User Interface UI can be accessed on the smartphone s browser at 192 168 8 1 which is a static IP address Access the...

Page 26: ... can also make this setting on the Configuration page The next step is to find the IP address which is dynamic in this case There are two ways to find it 1 Using MECHA s buttons 1 1 enter the code 323 to see on LEDs the full UI address like 192 168 2 188 See Table of Equivalences LEDs Characters or 1 2 Usually the IP addresses in your local network differ only by the last number of the IP the part...

Page 27: ...e static IP address 192 168 8 1 and next to it the dynamic IP address to access the User Interface on a computer In our example it is 192 168 2 188 NOTE If only the static IP is displayed it means that MECHA is in AP mode and as a result the dynamic IP is not displayed Now you can access the MECHA s UI on your computer s browser by entering the IP address you found like 192 168 2 188 in the browse...

Page 28: ...192 168 8 1 config The user and default password are On this page you can make special settings as we will see later For now enter the name of the rotator you are using E1 E2 or P1 Then tap the Apply button at the bottom of the Configuration page This is a one time setting and is usually done at the factory After that access the Row page by tapping the Row button at the top of the Configuration pa...

Page 29: ...ptions are S1 S2 S3 A1 and A2 where S means Simple and A Advanced UI Test 131 132 Codes If you want to perform the same tests that you did before using the controller buttons proceed as follows using the UI buttons On the Row page tap Presets and select TEST 131 from the Presets list which is the panorama executed before on chapter Test Using MECHA s Buttons 6 shots around To load the preset tap t...

Page 30: ...preset to the right Do the same with the preset TEST 132 12 shots around Note how the settings on the Row page change when a preset is loaded In other words the settings we see are in fact the loaded preset In the Degrees of rotation field 30 is automatically displayed not 60 as before That is because a complete rotation has 360 degrees ...

Page 31: ... new The page where you can find information about the current firmware version and the versions published so far Level of complexity Next to the info button there is a list of options to set the level of complexity for the User Interface from the simplest S1 to the most complex A3 Select A3 to show all the controls Firmware version Under the Row label note the current firmware version 12208 in ou...

Page 32: ...the left or to the right The controls shown in the image below are directly related to the current preset and settings The values displayed in the fields are the current preset sa_7shots in our example LEFT button Shoots a 360 panorama counter clockwise In our example the panorama consists of 7 photos and the first photo is taken in the current position followed by the second 51 43 apart and so on...

Page 33: ...lution set is also available here with Mecha as zip password https www nodalninja com MECHA MAP map png zip Template button Downloads a PTGui file that can be applied on a real set of images This template also contains the focal length Probe button Downloads a probe a PTGui file from shooting pattern to study refine the overlap goVM button Downloads a script a goVM py file for the upcoming Virtual...

Page 34: ... same extent as in the last step Carefully adjust to achieve similar alignment End of Live NPP procedure Repeat the process to confirm alignment if needed TRG Number of camera triggers for each position Select zero if no trigger is needed When using automatic exposure bracketing in continuous shooting or self timer mode MECHA treats it as 1 trigger In our example 1 trigger no bracketing AF Auto Fo...

Page 35: ...5 2 the Bulb mode will be assumed E Exposure Duration of shutter button signal for example 3 or 0 5 3 for progressive half Exposure or 2 3 for progressive double Exposure in a set These can be entered as custom values The values can be entered as 1 100 A After The delay after each bracketing sequence or individual image If the value is negative there will be a delay after each shutter actuation De...

Page 36: ... Custom Light Medium Heavy and Ring These are optimized motion profiles for a rated load We encourage you to try them all to see which one is best for the camera and lens you are using or for what you want to do You may prefer the Heavy option even if you use a light camera N x LEFT button Shoots rotates counterclockwise for N positions with the degrees interval specified above regardless of the n...

Page 37: ...and paused there is the regular blink When MECHA runs a preset and is paused you can press or on IR Remote or PAUSE NEXT on UI to continue to the next position If instead is pressed on C2 or on IR Remote MECHA will continue to the next position and switches on off the step by step mode The above allows both 1 Starting a preset in step by step then switch off step by step when it is not needed thus...

Page 38: ...ton Allows you to rename the selected preset Delete button Deletes the selected preset Import button Imports a preset and displays it in the Presets list or multiple presets at once if all_presets mps file is given when importing Export button Exports the selected preset or exports all the presets if Presets is selected Empty button Empties the Presets LIST without deleting the presets Load 0 butt...

Page 39: ...MECHA similar to restarting a computer Default page at start MECHA s home page or start page can be one of the following pages Row Ring or New like in our example Select the desired option from the list Volume of Beeps A value from 0 to 250 and can be entered via Custom or select another option from the list Power Saving Mode A list of options to set MECHA to shut down automatically after a certai...

Page 40: ... act as a MECHA V and the first as a MECHA H in Dual Axis Combo Both MECHAs can be connected to the local wireless network Shut Down button Shuts down MECHA in 20 seconds Press Cancel or Stop to cancel Connect to Wi Fi button Initiates the process of connecting to a Wi Fi network to use MECHA in station mode or for firmware update Wi Fi Off button Turns Wi Fi OFF It needs power cycling to have it ...

Page 41: ...re not presented separately in this user guide And for single axis applications you can access either the Ring or Row page Default mode Default Mode The possible values for Default Mode are AP STA AP STA The default mode set here will be the current mode for MECHA after powering on However the default mode can be changed by pressing one of the MECHA s buttons at splitting lights as follows Press t...

Page 42: ...mum value for Wi Fi power is 100 In our example see the image below it is 25 AP Mode SSID The name of MECHA s nettwork This is how it is displayed in the list of available networks on your device SSID password The default SSID password is 12345678 admin Password The default password for Configuration page is Mecha Pairing PIN Is a four digit number that allows you to pair automatically at start mo...

Page 43: ... User Interface on your computer is dynamic Therefore it changes from time to time and you need to find it by accessing the Configuration page with your smartphone for example Enter a dynamic available IP address in the Static IP field to make it static You can ignore the Subnet Gateway and DNS fields if you do not know what information to provide Fixed Settings Fixed Settings Settings that overwr...

Page 44: ...econd Power OFF after field The same as the first field but it refers to the period of time immediately after powering on MECHA when no presets are executed Value 1 means No Power OFF When Charging Stay ON Means that MECHA does not stop during charging and you can use it as usual The other possible value is Turn OFF which means that MECHA stops automatically and remains off except the charging fun...

Page 45: ...alue is 0 zero It is recommended to use the automatic procedure for a better result if the conditions to detect the small movements are met Please see the code 12321 Backlash compensation calibration for more details Buzzer PWM and Start Page Buzzer PWM values Range from 1 to 255 and do not necessarily refer to the sound loudness We recommend that you try a few values to find your preferred value ...

Page 46: ...ipment that uses a specific protocol With common remotes a half press is detected as 1A a full press is detected as 1A1S These are the possibilities for a half press 045 1A executes a preset whose name starts with 045 blank 045 1A executes a preset whose name starts with 045 blank but in the opposite sense of rotation HS 1A Home Set A Home Set can also be done by pressing the power button The foll...

Page 47: ... that the camera is in landscape orientation For example if the number of shots around is 35mm or 35mm2 via custom the shooting pattern will be computed considering the camera orientation Preferred MSS pattern This is how you want the MSS scripts to be produced automatically By default it is SL ZZ NN Any MSS script consists of three parts the first part refers to the starting position SL Start Lev...

Page 48: ...6 00 Sensor Width portrait 24 00 Overlap on Height 0 25 Overlap on Width 0 25 Arrow Buttons Arrow buttons Speed RPM Rotation speed when a button is held down If the RPM is zero pressing MECHA s directional buttons the rotator will start slowly and accelerates afterwards if the button is kept pressed Useful for precise alignment done with the buttons of the controller or IR remote Arrow buttons Int...

Page 49: ...e stops after a rotation equal to the Safety interval Favorite Codes The above settings allow you to assign three of your favorite codes to the 1 2 and 3 buttons respectively as follow FavCode 1 to the 1 button FavCode 2 to the 2 button FavCode 3 to the 3 button These are shortcuts that allow a quick use of codes by long pressing the corresponding button More from Server zLM Firmware ...

Page 50: ...he static address for access from smartphones 192 168 8 1 and the second which is displayed only when MECHA is in STA mode is the dynamic IP for accessing the User Interface on your computer Backup and Restore Data Backup Data button Creates a download archive that contains all of MECHA s settings and files except the firmware Restore Data button Uploads the archive downloaded with the Backup Data...

Page 51: ...smartphone s browser at 192 168 8 1 which is a static IP address This is the New page At the top of the page the current firmware version is displayed Tap the Update button and follow the instructions to update the firmware Connect to Wi Fi for Internet acces Enter the Wi Fi network name that you want to connect to It can be your home or work Wi Fi The name and the password are case sensitive like...

Page 52: ... start MECHA and press 3 at the splitting lights MECHA will be accessible both via phone and local network provided that for the local network the Internet is available As a benefit MECHA will also check for any firmware update if available and will show a pop up on UI to read the news and update if you want Downloaded presets are added to the end of the list and note their names start with s whic...

Page 53: ...in the image below and select the option 9 RPM from the speed list Here you can click tap the Save 1 button to save and assign this preset to the 1 button of MECHA then you can launch this preset when MECHA is in the idle status by simply pressing 1 for clockwise rotation or 1 for counter clockwise rotation Also you can use the Save button to save it on MECHA in the Presets list To create a new pr...

Page 54: ...54 MECHA User s Guide v 06 Single Axis 2021 FANOTEC Please see the chapter Working with Presets for more details ...

Page 55: ...e end of each row and waits for the 2nd axis to be set tilt manually For example if a row consists of 12 images after the 12th image you will notice the panning to the initial position and then MECHA waits for the manual tilt The expected manual angle for the 2nd axis is shown both on UI and on LEDs To understand what is displayed on the LEDs please see the Table of Equivalences LEDs Characters Af...

Page 56: ...56 MECHA User s Guide v 06 Dual Axis 2021 FANOTEC Part 2 MECHA Dual Axis Combo DAC ...

Page 57: ...ingle axis horizontal rotator single row shooting for turn table object VR or use as a dual axis rotator for both horizontal and vertical movements The MECHA E1 and C1 being modular in design will be compatible with future MECHA rotators and controllers paving the way for future low cost upgrade paths This setup supports a camera lens up to 1 25kg 2 75 lb and NPP up to 110mm from the pivot point m...

Page 58: ...58 MECHA User s Guide v 06 Dual Axis 2021 FANOTEC ...

Page 59: ...ide we will present three methods of automatic pairing of MECHA units automatic meaning that the units remain paired until you unpair them 3 zLM 2 pairing using only 2 of MECHA s 6 buttons a very quick method especially for non technical persons 4 zLM a method of pairing using a power code using a few more of MECHA s buttons 5 The third method pairing using the user interface for advanced users ME...

Page 60: ...wing buttons on MECHA H then wait for the movement to stop 1312 Power on MECHA DAC First press the P button of MECHA H for 3 to 5 seconds long press Then press the P button of MECHA V for 3 to 5 seconds long press It may take about 35 45 seconds to start as in the case of MECHA Single Axis https youtu be wdovZA3IlOQ Power ON and test MECHA Dual Axis Combo Power off MECHA DAC the same way you power...

Page 61: ...y press 2 for the opposite direction For 180 rotations Press then quickly press 3 Press then quickly press 3 for the opposite direction On MECHA V due to orientation the left and right buttons look like up and down buttons For 45 rotations Press then quickly press 1 Press then quickly press 1 for the opposite direction For 90 rotations Press then quickly press 2 Press then quickly press 2 for the ...

Page 62: ...continuous left rotation press and hold If for some reasons you want to reverse the direction of horizontal and vertical simple rotations you can use the 2313 and 2323 codes After this change for example the button of MECHA H will rotate the system to the right and to the left Similar for the left and right buttons of MECHA V Use the same codes to cancel the change Note that the above code does no...

Page 63: ...pposite of parked the upper rail is oriented vertically upwards For example if the current position is parked and the preset requires raised you can do this with one of the following Press the left button of MECHA V then quickly press 2 and do this twice 90 x2 180 Press the left button of MECHA V then quickly press 3 Press and hold the left button of MECHA V until the upper rail reaches the desire...

Page 64: ...on MECHA V If a red LED is lit on MECHA V as shown above this indicates that it is not the same firmware version in both units and it is recommended to update the firmware Also while the MECHA units are on if you want to check if they are paired press the P button of MECHA H then wait for 10 seconds and the LEDs should light up as mentioned above Assuming both MECHAs are mounted as shown in the im...

Page 65: ...will update the firmware of both units The MECHA s response displayed on LEDs can be if Internet is not available for MECHA If Internet is availabe for MECHA the update will be performed in a maximum of 5 minutes If you encounter problems while updating the firmware please contact us by e mail at mecha nodalninja com specifying the id of the MECHA you re using In most cases the problems encountere...

Page 66: ... the other MECHA using its power button P and when you see the splitting lights press the 2button for 3 seconds until multiple beeps are heard The second powered up unit rotates vertically so we name it MECHA V On successful pairing MECHA H has the middle LED on and MECHA V has the two middle LEDs on as shown in image on the previous page Otherwise power off and on both MECHAs again preferably pow...

Page 67: ...ired the SSID and password will be changed in MECHA V as well as long as SSID starts with MECHA H in the first one So after the MECHAs are paired and the SSID and name is changed in config of MECHA H say from MECHA H DAC to MECHA H123 with password 87654321 MECHA V will receive the name MECHA V123 and the same password 87654321 As a result of these without using any method of pairing a MECHA V999 ...

Page 68: ...up and down due to the mounting orientation to po sition the vertical rail in parked level or raised pos ition You can press then quickly 2or then quickly 2to rotate MECHA V by 90 To enter the codes below use the numerical buttons and left button to enter and right button to enter DAC Test Without Camera 1312 Parked Position With the vertical rail in the parked position as shown in the image on th...

Page 69: ...buttons of MECHA H This code tells the Combo to execute a panorama to the left or right as follows 12 shots around 3 rows at 0 and 45 plus zenith and nadir starting from level position DAC Test Without Camera 1321 Raised Position With the vertical rail in the raised position as shown in the image on the right enter the 1321 or 1321 code on MECHA H using the buttons of MECHA H This code tells the C...

Page 70: ... units being paired the camera can be connected to any of them Use the test codes mentioned above whenever you want to quickly shoot this type of panorama without using the User Interface Panorama with Automatic Shooting Pattern Using only the MECHA s Buttons DAC This method requires firmware version 02118 or newer and works for rectilinear lens from 10 to 200 mm FF equiv The shooting pattern will...

Page 71: ...he sheet of paper is out of the camera s frame Then MECHA will go back to the initial position and start to slowly tilt down and again wait for another press of the power button P when the sheet of paper is out of the camera s view Then MECHA will go back to the initial position and the LEDs 1 2 and 3 under the battery symbol will start flashing and MECHA waits 15 seconds for one of the 1 2 or 3 b...

Page 72: ...nimated instruction for many smartphones Here is a generic guide about connecting to a Wi Fi Network Enter the password 12345678 After connecting to the network you can access the web control interface by typing 192 168 8 1 in the web browser address bar MECHA will show the What is new page Tap the Row button to go to Row page Tap Update if there is a newer firmware than the current one displayed ...

Page 73: ...is the panorama executed before on the chapter DAC test using MECHA s Buttons 12 shots around 3 rows at 0 and 45 plus zenith and nadir If necessary use the left right buttons of MECHA V to position the upper rail in the parked position To load the preset tap the Load button if visible under Presets list Otherwise it means the UI complexity is S Simple and some buttons and options are not visible a...

Page 74: ...change the SSID password Access the MECHA H web User Interface UI using a device as we showed on the chapter DAC test using the UI Access the Row page tap info button at the top of the page then tap Config button to access the Configuration page The user and default password are On Configuration page scroll to the SSID Password field delete the current password and enter the new password You can a...

Page 75: ...at the position for the upper rail is level or as specified on the Configuration page If you press the 1 or 1 buttons MECHA will take 12 shots around s 12 if you enter 192 168 8 1 preset b 1 s 12 f 30 p 2 or it will start to shoot a full 360 panorama for a 30 mm lens FF equiv f 30 if you enter 192 168 8 1 preset b 1 f 30 p 2 Creating a preset using parameters always overwrites one of the following...

Page 76: ... third parameter is the focal length f and it is optional If you provide this parameter the panorama will be spherical otherwise it will be cylindrical The fourth parameter p is the pause after each shot and it is optional The default value is 1 second Starting with firmware version 02134 you can use h and v parameters to specify in degrees the area of a partial panorama For example 192 168 8 1 pr...

Page 77: ...ng the second axis The value is rounded to the nearest integer and is displayed as follows for example for a tilt of 45 45 or 45 if the value is negative 0 is considered to be the level position horizontal You can use as tilting up or tilting down depending on the desired order upper part first or lower part first When you will add a second MECHA to the single one thus having a MECHA DAC the same ...

Page 78: ...2mm NZ Level for 12mm fisheye lenses 4 shots around plus nadir and zenith starting from level position FE 16mm NZ Level for 16mm fisheye lenses 6 shots around plus nadir and zenith starting from level position FE 20mm ZN Level for 20mm fisheye lenses 6 shots around 2 rows at 30 and 30 plus zenith and nadir starting from level position FE 24mm ZN Level for 24mm fisheye lenses 8 shots around 2 rows ...

Page 79: ...8 1 is in AP mode and More from Server is not available MECHA controllers work in two network modes Access Point AP and Station STA AP mode allows the controller to create its own network and have up to 5 devices to connect to it STA mode allows it to connect to a Wi Fi network for example one created by your wireless router acting as a client Out of the box MECHA works in AP mode Since it does no...

Page 80: ...scription of the selected preset and in addition clicking tapping the info button will toggle descriptions for all the controls 12 Shots 12 shots around for a full 360 panorama Notice how the rotation angle changes according to the number of photos so that if we multiply them the result is 360 On the other hand if we change the rotation angle the number of images does not change We will get a simi...

Page 81: ...r it can be entered as 0 7EV for under normal over or 0 7EV for normal under over in which case it will automatically extend to the number of TRG If the modifier starts with B like B 2EV or B1 or 1 0 5 2 the Bulb mode will be assumed E 0 25 sec Exposure 0 25 sec Duration of shutter button signal for example 3 or 0 5 3 for progressive half Exposure or 2 3 for progressive double Exposure in a set Th...

Page 82: ... Ring Modifying a Preset To get a preset with 6 Shots and just 1 horizontal row 1 Instead of 12 Shots select 6 Shots 2 Remove the second row 45x12 and third row 45x12 from the MSS script as follows SP 0x12 Z N 3 Follow the instructions below to save the preset Saving a Preset To save a preset do one of the following Most input lists in both Ring and Row pages can receive custom values There is no ...

Page 83: ...he Save 1 button to overwrite the preset with the name Button 1 assigned to the 1button 3 Tap click the Save 2 button to overwrite the preset with the name Button 2 assigned to the 2button 4 Tap click the Save 3 button to overwrite the preset with the name Button 3 assigned to the 3button Now the new preset is saved and displayed in the Presets list and ready to be used in the future Create a pres...

Page 84: ... 12 shots around zenith nadir one row at 0 one row at 45 and finally one at 45 The MSS script in this case can be SP Z N 0x12 45x12 45x12 In the parked position the camera mounted on the upper rail is facing up If we want the starting and ending positions to be level the script will be SL Z N 0x12 45x12 45x12 And if we want the starting and ending positions to be raised the script will be SR Z N 0...

Page 85: ... the presets available from Server MSS scripts are row and column oriented and help you photograph a panorama with few clicks or button presses without the need to understand the script You only provide the focal length and MECHA generates the script Level Parked Raised Adjust the position using buttons to match the preset before starting the preset The naming conventions for starting and ending p...

Page 86: ... to position the upper rail according to your setting 2 Connect to the MECHA s User Interface see the chapter How to Access the UI 3 On the Row page select the A1 or A2 A3 level of complexity for the User Interface In A1 A3 Advanced modes you will see more controls than in S1 S3 Simple modes 4 We recommend that you load any simple preset for example the default Button 2 preset To load this preset ...

Page 87: ...ssigned to the 2 button by default see Saving a Presets for more details Next time you need to shoot this type of panorama either load the preset using the Load 2 button and execute it with the LEFT or RIGHT button or execute the preset directly using the 2 or 2 button combinations of MECHA H Next we present an example of a MSS script similar to the one above but with a larger image overlap result...

Page 88: ...osition Z the Zenith position In MECHA DAC when the units are paired which is a requirement for the above script to work after start the LEDs settles in showing the status of successful pairing as shown in this image If a red LED is lit on the MECHA V this indicates that while the pairing is established the firmware version is different from the one in the MECHA H and depending on the differences ...

Page 89: ... pressed You might want to change its status if you prefer a particular behavior over the other There are also two codes 2313 and 2323 for changing the direction of rotation if it is done using the left right buttons without the need to access the Configuration page If you notice that instead of a 90 rotation MECHA seems to rotate more or less the cause could be a wrong setting regarding the type ...

Page 90: ...120 apart SL 0x12 45x12 45x12 N Zx2 120 Now for Zeniths at a tilt of 80 instead of 90 which might help in automatic control points because the Zenith is just like any row but at a tilt of 90 90x1 will do the same as Z thus 80x1 is what you need for a Zenith at a tilt of 80 instead For 2 Zeniths at a tilt of 80 and 180 apart 80x2 and for 2 Zeniths 90 apart we can use 80x2 90 thus we will end with t...

Page 91: ...want a pause before each row for focus for example then SL P0x12 P45x10 P 45x10 N ZZ or even before Nadir and Zenith SL P0x12 P45x10 P 45x10 PN PZZ To customize it even more let s say we want an extra image at the beginning a kind of clapboard you may want to use for WB or even for focus it will be a kind of image you need to take again without the extra elements in it and the second one to be use...

Page 92: ...8 one row at a tilt of 30 of 28 positions 45x24 one row at a tilt of 45 of 24 positions 60x20 one row at a tilt of 60 of 20 positions The same for the negative tilts 15x32 one row at a tilt of 15 of 32 positions 30x28 one row at a tilt of 30 of 28 positions 45x24 one row at a tilt of 45 of 24 positions 60x20 one row at a tilt of 60 of 20 positions Because there are many shots to be taken it will t...

Page 93: ...ew slice looks good we can remove the 45 and make some changes regarding the number of shots per positions HDR ending up with the full 360 around and 150 tall panorama SL 0x36 15x32 30x28 45x24 60x20 15x32 30x28 45x24 60x20 PN Z Rewind after each ROW The RW term in the MSS script indicates rewind after each ROW useful in gigapixel sessions when cables to a power bank are used For example for 50mm ...

Page 94: ...norama using 50 mm and 24 mm lenses or focal lengths SL 12x19 12x19 P 50x10 50x10 ZZ NN Select the Scripted option from the Mode list on the Row page and enter the above script in the displayed text box For example use Save 1 button to assign the preset to the 1button Since the preset is assigned to the 1button you can start shooting using the 1 buttons During Pause P change the lens or focal leng...

Page 95: ...m server from the Presets list Provide a keyword if you want to get only certain presets and click tap the OK button The names of the presets found on the server are added to the Presets list The preset name describes what the preset does and over time you will know which keywords to use For example the sequence _P_ in a preset name means that the preset includes a pause S in a preset name means t...

Page 96: ...up a hot spot on your device and name it MECHA PHONE Please refer to your device documentation about how to set up a hot spot Suppose the hot spot is disabled for the moment That hot spot gives 192 168 43 xxx address to its clients 1 Start paired MECHAs MECHA H first 2 Connect to MECHA H config with your device then set it in STA mode choosing the STA option from the Default Mode select list Scrol...

Page 97: ...e Connect to Wi Fi button at the bottom of the page then enter MECHA PHONE and the required password 10 Start MECHA PHONE hot spot MECHAs should connect to MECHA PHONE after a little while As a result We have the MECHAs connected to a SSID with Internet access provided 3g 4g so on is available This enables downloads of presets from server updates and the use of your phone for Internet browsing as ...

Page 98: ... In the zLM method of pairing the first step is to create a code a power code and the second to use this code to pair the MECHA units Step 1 Create an 8 digit code followed by the greater than sign as follows the first digit must be 0 zero the next sequence of seven digits must be a combination of the digits 1 2 and 3 so that two identical digits are not in consecutive positions add the greater th...

Page 99: ... can pair to me 4 Power on the other MECHA using its power button P and wait until the splitting lights end and all LEDs are off The second powered up unit rotates vertically so we name it MECHA V As an alternative to Wait until splitting lights end on steps 2 an 4 you can press the 1button when the LEDs show 5 Enter the same power code on the MECHA V using the buttons of MECHA V After entering th...

Page 100: ... the field Pairing PIN Then click the Apply button at the bottom of the page All MECHA units that have the same PIN will be paired together All pairing methods and requirements presented in this guide are still valid Once paired if the PIN number is changed on MECHA H it will be automatically set the same on MECHA V If you want to break the pairing please set a different PIN on MECHA V Temporary P...

Page 101: ...D and password 7 Open 192 168 8 1 config 8 Select Default Mode STA 9 Click the Apply button 10 Click the Connect to Wi Fi button enter SSID and password for horizontal MECHA 11 Connect to horizontal MECHA again using MECHA SSID 12 Access 192 168 8 1 row If pairing is successful UI will show H at the upper left corner and Team x near the bottom of page where x is the last part of the IP in 192 168 ...

Page 102: ...ecific setup at forum nodalninja com 15 Note that MECHA accessed by 192 168 8 1 is in AP mode If you use the hot spot Wi Fi Tethering function on the same device to provide the Internet access MECHA cannot connect to the Internet and More from Server is not available You can use MECHA s STA_IP to access it For example on Android STA_IP is 192 168 43 x where x can be 2 254 on iPhone iPad STA_IP is ...

Page 103: ...arily unpaired access the MECHA H configuration page and select the option AP from the Default Mode list then tap click the Apply button at the bottom of the Configuration page Re Pairing after Unpairing Power on MECHA V and press the 2button of MECHA V when LEDs show splitting lights It does not matter whether MECHA H is on or off at this moment When both units are powered up they will pair autom...

Page 104: ...r a few seconds and enter the code you need using MECHA s buttons See below the equivalence of buttons and characters For example to enter the code 1 use the 1 buttons This code exe cutes the preset 1 to the left All codes end with either the or sign which usually tells MECHA to exe cute the preset to the right or to the left See all standard current codes below Programmable Buttons Power Button L...

Page 105: ...I button 131 or 131 Executes a panorama of 6 shots around to the left or to the right for a single MECHA 132 or 132 Executes a panorama of 12 shots around to the left or to the right for a single MECHA 1312 or 1312 Executes a panorama of 12 shots around 3 rows at 0 and at 45 plus zenith and nadir to the left or to the right for MECHA DAC The code must be entered on MECHA H and MECHA V must be park...

Page 106: ...own team for example with 5 MECHAs in the network 1 can assemble the 1 2 4 team and at the same time 2 can assemble the 2 1 3 4 team provided the other MECHAs confirm the participation For now the control is limited to dual axis the main MECHA and the last MECHA joined with 12 the dual axis control itself will be extended further Soon the control will be extended to as many axis as MECHA team cons...

Page 107: ... at 192 168 8 1 13 Shows the Battery percentage 131313 Reboots MECHA without power cycling it This is useful when you want MECHA to reboot say to enable Wi Fi or change the AP STA mode without disengaging the motors Thus the camera will not move due to gravity or other causes 21 Switches MECHA to or off pause mode the same as clicking the PAUSE button on UI or on IR Remote 23 Disables Enables the ...

Page 108: ...and the vertical axis should be tilted manually to continue to a full spherical panorama If only a cylindrical is needed or no manual tilt is possible press the Pbutton 32 Similar with 31 code but fish eye lenses can be used as well Also 32 uses for refference a small feature centered in the frame say below the central focus point 231 Everything OFF for faster battery charge First plug the charger...

Page 109: ... RAM for communication 12321 Backlash compensation calibration After the code is entered MECHA will turn slowly to the right then power LED will start flashing After that you have to press P when you see feel that MECHA starts moving very slightly to the left You can use the viewfinder LIVE view with zoom or other devices attached like a laser pointer and so on or simply feel by hand when that sma...

Page 110: ... you can look with your right eye and there is no need to close the left one This will make the process more bearable Both backlash compensation and speed calibration codes can be used only if they are absolutely necessary for your application Both procedures save the results automatically The speed calibration makes the RPM value set in the interface as close as possible to the same calculated RP...

Page 111: ... connection 3212312 Updates the firmware on both paired MECHAs if there is a new one 312123 Update the firmware using a hot spot with the name MECHA UPDATE and the password 87654321 which needs to be created and active before entering the code 31212 The code must be entered in the horizontal unit and it will re update both MECHAs If there is no firmware version newer than the current one then the ...

Page 112: ...d rotator 23132 Sets E2 as preferred rotator 23121 Sets P1 as preferred rotator 231231231 Factory reset The code needs to be entered twice enter 231231231 then after the LEDs stop lighting as one green LED at the top and one red LED at the bottom enter 231231231 again The power LED will flash and the P button needs to be short pressed If three exclamation marks are shown on the LEDs it means that ...

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Page 114: ...H using the Uset Interface and select Scripted As a result a blank text area is displayed in which you will write the script The script starts with the initial position of MECHA as follows S position in degrees In the case of DAC we commonly have 3 possible start positions level parked and raised To go from a position to another please see the Simple Rotations and Parked Level and Raised Positions...

Page 115: ...to MECHA V 2 LEDs are ON when paired Double colon is the equivalent of the equal sign Round brackets indicate a loop Caret means relative to the previous position and can be used for MECHA V as the positions for MECHA H are always relative to the previous position Level Parked Raised Adjust the position using buttons to match the preset before starting the preset The naming conventions for startin...

Page 116: ... area will be automatically replaced with equal sign to allow more easy input from phones This is an example similar to the previous one Suppose we want to script a panorama starting again from parked position made of 12 photos around 3 rows in total at 0 and at 45 zenith and nadir In this case we want zenith and nadir to be taken at the end This way of scripting is more complex but allows more fl...

Page 117: ...osition does not change We can write that as 1 0_30 but S language also allows this compact form instead _30 by omitting the number 1 and writing the equal sign followed by nothing meaning no changes for MECHA V So the script becomes S 90 1 0_0 _30 The movement for the next 10 positions or photos as we have only one photo in every position will continue by changing only the rotation of MECHA H the...

Page 118: ... to add 90_0 _0 is to tell that the previous position and the next position are 0 apart Now the script is S 90 1 0_0 _30 11 45 12 45 12 90 90_0 To complete the script now we can add an equal sign which in other cases can be omitted And our final script is S 90 1 0_0 _30 11 45 12 45 12 90 90_0 which you can see in the above image as well Just a side note The script allows to have some pieces of the...

Page 119: ... repeats with 3 instead of 3 for MECHA V 10 3_30 3 Panorama with Extra Shots and Pause EXAMPLE 4 SL A script for 28mm on a full frame camera 2 images 90 apart for both zenith and nadir 2 rows of 10 shots at 45 above below horizontal and 12 shots around for the horizontal 36 shots in total Start in parked position zenith and end in raised position nadir S 90 1 0_0 _30 11 45 _36 9 45 10 90 _90 90_0 ...

Page 120: ...t shot the tilt becomes 90 for nadir and _ 90 the next shot is at the same tilt but 90 apart the second nadir shot End To end in the parked position as it started in order to repeat it again and again S 90 1 0_0 _30 11 45 _36 9 45 10 90 _90 90_0 _ 90 90 When the camera is facing up and its buttons and display are not accessible you can add P to the first shot 1 P0_0 MECHA will pause before the fir...

Page 121: ...als https www youtube com user Fanotec Fanotec Youtube Channel https www youtube com user NodalNinja Nodal Ninja Youtube Channel https forum nodalninja com Nodal Ninja s Panoramic Photography Forum https www fanotec com Fanotec International Limited official website Developed and manufactured by Fanotec International Limited Address Flat 2 4 F Kar Wah Indl Bldg 8 Leung Yip Street Yuen Long Hong Ko...

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