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The Enhanced Rotary Table is used for ramped time lapse panning similar to effects seen in the movie "Baraka". The enhanced table moves in increments as small as .001 degrees. This allows you to create time lapse sequences that start with no motion, gradually increase to a constant speed, then gradually decrease to a full stop.

The ramped pan is comprised of five sections, all of which can be adjusted to achieve the exact shot you have in mind.

• Section 1, the Lead-In, does not move the rotary table, and allows you to have a number of static frames at the start of the shot.
• Section 2, the Ramp-Up, begins to move the table, taking it incrementally from zero to full speed for a given timing you set.
• Section 3 is the constant speed portion of the pan.
• Section 4, the Ramp-Down, does the reverse of Section 2, gradually slowing the table from full speed to a complete stop.
• Section 5, the Lead-Out, like Section 1, does not move the table, and allows you to have a number of static frames at the end of the shot.

Each program is stored in the Time Machine. You can store 40 programs, and for more complex shots, you can link one program to another so another programmed pan will begin as soon as the previous one ends.

Click on the following image to display a ramped time lapse pan shot with the Time Machine by Wade Fairley in Antarctica. Wade reports that the Time Machine worked flawlessly for 50 days in the field at minus 20 to minus 30 degrees C.

The Antarctic Aurora

 

The Enhanced Rotary Table is sturdy and able to move cameras horizontally or vertically. Shown here is the tripod head and rotary table rotated 90 degrees, with the camera mount adjusted so the panning motion is vertical instead of horizontal. The following link will display a sample ramped time lapse pan shot in vertical format (7.5 MB):

Vertical ramped pan

The rotary table can be programmed to move in increments as small as .001 degrees or as large as 360 degrees between exposures. It comes with an AC adaptor for 120 volts, or it can be run on 12 volt batteries. The table is industrial strength and solid steel. The weight of the table with tripod mounting plate and Manfrotto 3025 camera head is 10 pounds.

The Enhanced Rotary Table kit consists the fine resolution four inch rotary table, an aluminum plate to mount it on a tripod, a computerized Motion Controller that drives the rotary table, an AC adaptor, an extension cable for the motor, and an interface cable for the Time Machine. Your camera plugs into the shutter jack of the Time Machine. You may also want to add a Manfrotto 3D camera head with parts for mounting your camera on top of the rotary table.

The rotary table weighs 9-1/2 pounds. We sometimes have available a custom made aluminum topped version that weighs 7.9 pounds. It is the black-topped aluminum version shown in the image at the top of this page.

 

The Time Machine and Enhanced Rotary Table on the job in Antarctica