Cognisys STACKSHOT 3X User manual

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Owner’s Manual
Revision 1.0
Copyright 2014 Cognisys, Inc.

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Table of Contents
1. SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS............................................................................................................................... 7
2. GETTING STARTED ..................................................................................................................................... 7
2.1 CLEANING AND CARE .........................................................................................................................................8
2.1.1 Cleaning ...................................................................................................................................................8
2.1.2 Care and storage......................................................................................................................................8
2.2 THE STACKSHOT 3X CONTROLLER ........................................................................................................................9
2.3 MOTORIZED GEAR...........................................................................................................................................10
2.3.1 StackShot Macro-rail .............................................................................................................................10
2.3.2 Rotary Table...........................................................................................................................................10
2.3.3 Pan/Tilt Rotary System ..........................................................................................................................11
2.4 CONNECTING RAILS/ROTARY SYSTEMS/SLIDERS....................................................................................................11
2.5 CAMERA CONNECTION .....................................................................................................................................12
2.6 GETTING FAMILIAR WITH STACKSHOT 3X.............................................................................................................12
3. BASIC NAVIGATION...................................................................................................................................14
3.1 COMMON ICONS.............................................................................................................................................14
3.2 COMMON SCREENS .........................................................................................................................................16
3.2.1 Distance Entry........................................................................................................................................16
3.2.2 Time Entry..............................................................................................................................................17
3.2.3 Character Entry ......................................................................................................................................18
4. CHANGING OPERATING MODES ................................................................................................................18
5. FOCUS STACKING......................................................................................................................................21
5.1 STACKING:CHECKLIST .....................................................................................................................................22
5.1 STACKING:SINGLE AXIS ..........................................................................................................................................22
5.1.1 Mode: Automatic Step ...........................................................................................................................23
5.1.2 Mode: Automatic Distance ....................................................................................................................27
5.1.3 Mode: Total Travel Distance ..................................................................................................................29
5.1.4 Mode: Distance per Step........................................................................................................................31
5.1.5 Mode: Manual .......................................................................................................................................31
5.1.6 Mode: Continuous Movement ...............................................................................................................33
5.1.7 Mode: Auto/Manual Advance ...............................................................................................................33
5.1.8 Mode: Auto-Rotary ................................................................................................................................34
5.1.9 Mode: Rotary .........................................................................................................................................35
5.2 STACKING:X-R –STACK/ROTATE ......................................................................................................................36
5.2.1 Stack/Rotate Main Screen .....................................................................................................................36
5.2.2 Adjusting/Setting the X-axis...................................................................................................................36
5.2.3 Adjusting/Setting the rotary position ....................................................................................................38
5.2.4 Starting the Stack/Rotate Stack.............................................................................................................40
5.3 STACKING:X-Y SCANNING ...............................................................................................................................41
5.3.1 Setting up the X or Y-axis .......................................................................................................................41

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5.3.2 Starting the X-Y Scan..............................................................................................................................43
5.4 STACKING:X-Y-Z SCANNING/STACKING ..............................................................................................................45
5.5 STACKING:X-R-Z STACK/ROTATE/MOVE ...........................................................................................................45
6. PANORAMIC .............................................................................................................................................46
6.1 PANORAMIC:INITIAL SETUP ..............................................................................................................................46
6.1.1 Camera Settings.....................................................................................................................................46
6.1.2 Setting the aspect ratio..........................................................................................................................47
6.1.3 Setting the overlap.................................................................................................................................48
6.1.4 Setting the field of view .........................................................................................................................48
6.1.5 Checklist .................................................................................................................................................50
6.2 PANORAMIC:SINGLE AXIS ................................................................................................................................50
6.3 PANORAMIC:360...........................................................................................................................................52
6.4 PANORAMIC:MULTI-ROW ...............................................................................................................................52
7. MOTION CONTROL ...................................................................................................................................57
7.1 MOTION CONTROL:INITIAL SETUP .....................................................................................................................58
7.1.1 Camera Settings.....................................................................................................................................58
7.1.2 Checklist .................................................................................................................................................59
7.2 MOTION HOME SCREEN...................................................................................................................................59
7.3 MOTION HELPER.............................................................................................................................................60
7.3.1 Video: Continuous..................................................................................................................................60
7.3.2 Shoot-Move-Shoot .................................................................................................................................66
7.4 CHANGING AXES .............................................................................................................................................69
7.5 VELOCITY CURVE.............................................................................................................................................69
7.6 TIME SETTINGS ...............................................................................................................................................70
7.6.1 Lead-In ...................................................................................................................................................71
7.6.2 Lead-Out ................................................................................................................................................71
7.6.3 Shutter Output Settings .........................................................................................................................71
7.6.4 Settle Time (SMS Only)...........................................................................................................................71
7.6.5 Video Duration (SMS Only) ....................................................................................................................72
7.6.6 Video FPS (SMS Only).............................................................................................................................72
7.7 ZERO ALL.......................................................................................................................................................72
7.8 GOTO ZERO ALL..............................................................................................................................................72
7.9 START (AND PREVIEW) .....................................................................................................................................73
7.10 ABORT SCREEN –SHOOT-MOVE-SHOOT ONLY .....................................................................................................73
7.11 EDIT AXIS ......................................................................................................................................................74
7.11.1 Rotary / Rail / Slider ..........................................................................................................................75
7.11.2 Move to…...........................................................................................................................................76
7.11.3 Add Key frame ...................................................................................................................................77
7.11.4 Edit Key frame ...................................................................................................................................78
7.12 DRAGON FRAME DFMOCO ...............................................................................................................................81
7.12.1 Dragon Frame connecting to StackShot 3X .......................................................................................82
7.12.2 Configuring the axes..........................................................................................................................83
8. SETTINGS ..................................................................................................................................................87
8.1 GLOBAL MODE ...............................................................................................................................................87

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8.2 AXIS SETTINGS ................................................................................................................................................87
8.3 LOAD/SAVE SETTINGS ......................................................................................................................................87
8.3.1 Save Settings..........................................................................................................................................88
8.3.2 Load Settings..........................................................................................................................................89
8.3.3 Load Factory Defaults ............................................................................................................................89
8.4 SHUTTER BUTTON ...........................................................................................................................................89
8.5 SHUTTER OUTPUT SETTINGS..............................................................................................................................90
8.5.1 Pics Per Move.........................................................................................................................................90
8.5.2 Final Off Time.........................................................................................................................................91
8.5.3 Shutter I/O .............................................................................................................................................91
8.5.4 Pre-Trigger Delay ...................................................................................................................................92
8.5.5 Shutter On/Off Time 1............................................................................................................................92
8.5.6 Shutter On/Off Time 2+..........................................................................................................................93
8.6 TIME LAPSE....................................................................................................................................................93
8.7 LCD BRIGHTNESS............................................................................................................................................94
8.8 BACKLASH CALIBRATION ...................................................................................................................................94
8.9 AXIS LINKING (FOCUS STACKING ONLY) ...............................................................................................................96
8.10 WIRELESS CONFIG ...........................................................................................................................................96
8.10.1 Wireless Mode...................................................................................................................................96
8.10.2 Scan for network................................................................................................................................97
8.10.3 Saved Connections.............................................................................................................................98
8.10.4 Regulatory Domain............................................................................................................................99
8.10.5 AP Security.......................................................................................................................................100
8.11 VIEW LOG....................................................................................................................................................100
8.12 ASPECT RATIO ..............................................................................................................................................100
8.13 PANORAMIC OVERLAP ....................................................................................................................................100
8.14 MOTOR POWER SAVE ....................................................................................................................................101
8.15 LCD POWER SAVE.........................................................................................................................................101
8.16 HAPTIC FEEDBACK .........................................................................................................................................101
9. AXIS SETTINGS ........................................................................................................................................ 102
9.1 AXIS TYPE ....................................................................................................................................................102
9.2 SETTLE TIME ................................................................................................................................................102
9.3 STACK SPEED................................................................................................................................................103
9.4 FWD/BACK SPEED.........................................................................................................................................103
9.5 RAMP TIME .................................................................................................................................................103
9.6 TORQUE ......................................................................................................................................................103
9.7 HIGH-PRECISION...........................................................................................................................................103
9.8 AUTO-RETURN .............................................................................................................................................103
9.9 POLARITY.....................................................................................................................................................104
9.10 SHUTTER .....................................................................................................................................................104
9.11RAIL DIST/REV .............................................................................................................................................104
9.12 RAIL BACKLASH.............................................................................................................................................104
9.13 ROTARY SPEED .............................................................................................................................................104
9.14 ROTARY GEAR RATIO .....................................................................................................................................105
9.15 ROTARY BACKLASH ........................................................................................................................................105
9.16 ROTARY SMART RETURN ................................................................................................................................105

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9.17 SLIDER DISTANCE/REV ...................................................................................................................................105
9.18 SLIDER BACKLASH..........................................................................................................................................105
9.19 SLIDER SPEED ...............................................................................................................................................105
9.20 SLIDER RAMP TIME........................................................................................................................................106
10. EXAMPLES .......................................................................................................................................... 107
10.1 FOCUS STACKING –SINGLE AXIS ......................................................................................................................107
10.2 FOCUS STACKING –VIRTUAL OBJECTS ...............................................................................................................113
10.3 MOTION –SHOOT-MOVE-SHOOT....................................................................................................................118
11. INSTALLING THE REFLASH SOFTWARE (OPTIONAL) ..............................................................................127
11.1 WINDOWS INSTALLATION ...............................................................................................................................127
11.2 OS XINSTALLATION.......................................................................................................................................127
12. TROUBLESHOOTING............................................................................................................................ 129
13. SPECIFICATIONS.................................................................................................................................. 131
14. WARRANTY ........................................................................................................................................ 132
15. GLOSSARY .......................................................................................................................................... 133
16. REVISION HISTORY.............................................................................................................................. 134

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Table of Figures
Figure 1 – StackShot 3X Controller ............................................................................................................... 9
Figure 2 - Steps Vs. Pictures ........................................................................................................................ 24
Figure 3 - Automatic Step Mode................................................................................................................. 26
Figure 4 - Automatic Distance Mode .......................................................................................................... 28
Figure 5 - Total Distance Mode................................................................................................................... 30
Figure 6 - Manual Mode.............................................................................................................................. 32
Figure 7 - Continuous Mode ....................................................................................................................... 33

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1. Safety Instructions
WARNING indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death
or serious injury.
Follow all CAUTION notices to reduce the risk of personal injury, prevent damage to the
StackShot 3X controller, accessories, and devices (computers, cameras, flashes, etc). Failure to
follow all CAUTION notices may void your warranty. CAUTION may also indicate a potentially
hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in personal injury.
The safety alert symbol precedes a general CAUTION or WARNING statement.
The electrical hazard symbol precedes an electric shock hazard CAUTION or WARNING
statement.
CAUTION: Only use the AD/DC power adapter (cube) that was included with your StackShot 3X.
Use of other power adapters may damage the controller and/or attached equipment.
CAUTION: The StackShot 3X controller moves your camera equipment and/or the subject you
are photographing. Motion control gives you incredible flexibility for your photography.
However, this motion can cause a shift in weight potentially causing injury or damage if the
equipment is not properly secured and/or balanced. It is your responsibility as a user to ensure
the equipment will remain properly secured and safe. Additionally, incorrect settings or misuse
of the controller could potentially damage your equipment. Cognisys, Inc. will not be held liable
for damage to your equipment. To stop the motors from moving at any point touch the display
and/or remove power from the controller.
2. Getting Started
The latest version of this manual is available at http://www.cognisys-inc.com.
The graphics included in this manual may not be identical to the software that you are running.
Improvements and adjustments to the software may happen prior to an updated version of the
manual. You’ll see several screen-shots in this manual. They are actual screen-shots from the
controller and not “artist renderings” made to look pretty. StackShot 3X really is that beautiful.
Not big on reading manuals? (What? No thumbs-up? We worked hard on this you know!) We
have a few real world walk-throughs in the “10 - Examples” section. You can always come back
to the technical details if you get stuck.

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2.1 Cleaning and Care
We want your StackShot 3X to last – so here are some brief steps to keep your controller
happy!
2.1.1 Cleaning
For cleaning the display first use a dry micro-fiber cloth. If that doesn’t remove debris or
smudges you can use a slightly dampened (not wet) micro-fiber cloth. It must not be wet
enough to cause water to leak around the edge of the display. Do not spray water directly
onto the controller. Any liquid that goes into the controller may cause an electrical failure
of the device. Do not use a flammable liquid or cleaning agent on the controller – just a
micro-fiber cloth (dampened, only if needed).
2.1.2 Care and storage
StackShot 3X is a precision piece of electronics. It’s designed to handle normal wear and
tear but there are some things to avoid:
Do not get the unit wet.
Do not drop the unit (the display cover, much like a cell-phone, is made of glass)
Protect the unit’s display when packing up your gear. If a rotary table fights the
display on the controller – the rotary table will win.

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2.2 The StackShot 3X Controller
Figure 1 – StackShot 3X Controller
The left side of StackShot 3X has the following connectors/buttons from top to bottom:
1. DC power (2.1mm jack)
2. Power switch
3. LED power indicator
4. USB connector
5. Shutter output 1 – RCA connector (can also function as an input)
6. Shutter output 2 – 3.5mm connector
On the right side:
1. Motor X – Twist/lock connector
2. Motor Y – Twist/lock connector
3. Motor Z – Twist/lock connector
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3

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2.3 Motorized Gear
You have an excellent StackShot 3X controller – chances are you’re going to want to attach it to
something equally as awesome. We have you covered! Here is a brief summary of the
accessories available.
2.3.1 StackShot Macro-rail
The StackShot macro-rail is ideal for focus-stacking. It provides precision down to 2um and is
available in two different sizes: 100mm (4 inches) or 200mm (8 inches) of travel. It is an
amazing tool for those serious about macro photography.
2.3.2 Rotary Table
The rotary table is perfect for rotating specimens for focus stacking as well as panning cameras
for beautiful time lapse or real-time motion effects.