DitoGear DriveCam User manual

USER’S MANUAL

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Contents
Getting started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Setting up the device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Using the DriveCam™ Slider  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Troubleshooting your DriveCam™ Slider  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Technical specifications  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

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1. Getting started
Thank you very much for purchasing the
DitoGear DriveCam™ Slider. We hope that the
device will meet your expectations bringing a great
value to your productions.
Please follow the instructions in this manual
to set up and operate the DriveCam™ Slider.
Please ensure to read carefully the safety instruc-
tions and precautions contained in this manual
prior to use of the device.
Should you need any assistance or support do not
hesitate to contact us at [e-mail].
Product version information
This manual refers to DitoGear DriveCam™ Slider
v1 model, dated 09/2010 and DriveCam™ Slider
Controller Firmware v.10.11.1 Dated 10/2010.
2. Setting up the device
Follow the instruction below to setup the device
for basic operation.
Starting the device
1 Unpack the package and remove any
protection caps and folis.
2 Stabilize the slider using tripods or optional
DriveCam™ Slider Support Feet.
3 Connect the DriveCam™ Slider Controller
to the motor box located on a side of the
device using supplied connection cable.
Make sure to secure the plugs using
threaded rings on each of cable’s ends.
4 Optionally connect your Canon DSLR
Camera to the DriveCam™ Slider using
shutter release cable.
5 Place your camera on the trolley using any
accessories of your choice. If operating
vertically or diagonally, position the slider
with the drive at the top end and place the
camera at the bottom end.
6 Connect the battery kit or the DC Adapter
to the unit and ensure to secure the
power cable to prevent from accidental
disconnection. It might be required
to charge the battery fully prior to first use
of the device.
Unpowering the device
To safely unpower the device please follow
the steps below:
1 If operating in vertical or diagonal mode
park the trolley at the lower end of the
slider.
2 Optionally detach the camera from
the trolley.
3 Disconnect power supply cable.
4 Disconnect other cables.
Caution! Never disconnect the power when
camera is lift during the operation in diagonal
or vertical mode!

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Precautions for safe use
of the DriveCam™ Slider in
non-horizontal operation mode
Please read and follow the guidelines below to use
the DriveCam™ Slider safely in diagonal and ver-
tical operation mode.
1 When operating vertically or diagonally
always orient the slider that way the motor
box be situated at the upper end.
2 Prior to connecting or disconnecting power
always ensure that the camera is placed at
the lower end of the slider or, preferably, is
detached.
3 Prior to using the device always make sure
that the load does not exceed the slider’s
capacity and power. Use the joystick to
move the trolley a few centimeters up and
ensure the motor has enough power to
hold the load. After moving the trolley up
put small pressure on the trolley manually
downwards and check if the trolley does
not fall down. Only if you are sure it is
stable proceed with operating in diagonal
or vertical mode.
4 The power of the motor and the maximum
load depends on the current supplied to
the device and the angle in which the slider
is positioned.
5 Disconnecting the power when operating
vertically or diagonally will cause the trolley
and your camera to fall down as the trolley
is held in place only by the motor. Make
sure to secure the power cable and prevent
from disconnecting them accidentally.
Caution!
DitoGear is not responsible for any damage
to the camera or other equipment caused by
improper use of the device, especially when oper-
ating in the vertical or diagonal mode.
3. Using the
DriveCam™ Slider
General notes about
using DriveCam™ Slider
The following notes will give you general under-
standing of DriveCam™ Slider design concepts.
Stepper motor
The DriveCam™ Slider is driven using a stepper
motor. This allows for precise control of the trolley
position and very slow motion, bus as a drawback
it is unevitable that such construction may gener-
ate vibrations.
The specific motor controller frequencies have
been chosen to minimize the negative eect
of vibrations, but it is possible that in some
combinations of rail length, speed, weight and
architecture of your rig, the entire setup may rein-
force some frequencies of vibrations generated
by the motor.
If such vibrations occur please consider changing
the operating speed, stabilizing the slider addi-
tionally and/or changing the rig configuration by
adding or removing its elements. Placing the cam-
era on the trolley as low as possible might also
improve the performance.
Rail design and conservation guidelines
The rail and the trolley, which are essential compo-
nents of the device, are precise and durable units.
Please follow the guidelines below to prolong their
life and get the most of their design.
The trolley is mounted to the rail using an
industrial-grade linear bearing system with auto-
greasing and auto-cleaning mechanism.
When operating in demanding conditions such
as high humidity, light rain, snow or frost it is also
recommended to perform the manual cleanup and
conservation of the rail after the filming session.
1 It is unlikely that any particles get inside the
bearings system, but we advise to clean the
unit from any sand, dust or other stuff that
got into the rail profile to prolong its life.
2 After removing the stuff from the rail move
the trolley 4-8 times across the entire track
to let the grease spread across the evenly.
3 Afterwards, remove the dust and dirt
collected at both sides of the trolley at the
point of contact with rail with a soft cloth
or a tissue.

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Using video mode
Operation basics
Video mode allows to control the device in real
time using Joystick and [P1], [P2] potentiometers.
The [P1] potentiometer allows to adjust the speed
of the trolley. It might be also used to control the
speed during the slide.
The [P2] potentiometer allows to set the speed
damping parameter (acceleration and deccelera-
tion of the trolley).
The Joystick lets you control motion. Move it to
the left or to the right to move the trolley. Joystick
is analog so you can move it slightly to move the
trolley slower or move it to the end position to
move at the top speed set by [P1] knob.
Please note that you can also use P1 and P2 knobs
during the slide.
Caution! The DriveCam™ Slider does not remem-
ber its position and does not have auto-stop
features. To avoid hitting the end of the track you
need to control the motion carefully and take care
to stop the slider at the right moment. Be espe-
cially careful when using high speed damping
value. Hitting the end of the track with heavy load
at high speeds may damage your equipment!
Accessing basic joystick-controlled video mode
To access basic joystick-controlled video mode
select Home » Video » Joystick option.
Using emergency break feature
In the joystick-controlled video mode there are
two ways to stop the trolley:
1 Move the joystick quickly to in the opposite
direction - the speed damping parameter
will be ignored and the trolley will change
direction immediately.
2 Press and hold the joystick for a few
seconds - the trolley will stop immediately.
DriveCam™ Slider
Controller Overview
The DriveCam™ Slider Controller is an electronic
device designed to control the slider easily and
precisely. The controller consists of the following
elements:
1 A cable socket at the back of the controller
2 A multiline LCD display
3 A 4-directional, 1-button analog joystick
used to navigate through the DriveCam™
Slider Controller menu system and control
motion of the device. Press the joystick to
select options in the menu and call special
functions (referred to as [Select] in the
manual)
4 A speed adjustment potentiometer situated
to the left of the controller used to adjust
the speed of the trolley (reffered to as [P1]
in the manual)
5 Speed damping potentiometer situated to
the right of the controller used to adjust
the speed damping (acceleration and
decceleration) of the trolley (reffered to as
[P2] in the manual)
Adjusting initial settings
The DriveCam™ Slider Controller comes initially
preset to control your model. However you can
check the initial settings and familiarize yourself
with the menu.
Setting the rail length
To set the rail length navigate to
Home » Settings » Track length
and select appropriate model from the list.

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The controller will begin recording.
You can either wait until the end of the motion
recording or stop it by pressing the joystick.
When the recording is completed notification
screen appears.
Playing back motion
Prior to playing back motion park the trolley in the
starting position that you chose prior to recording.
To play back recorded motion select
Home » Video » Recording » Play stored path
The program will be played back.
After the program has ended a confirmation
screen appears.
Changing playback speed
In order to slow down playback
of recorded motion select:
Home » Video » Recording » Speed divider
and enter the desired value.
The playback time will be multiplied by the value
of your choice.
The time stretching methods interpolate linearly
recorded data so the motion will be played back
smoothly even if stretched significantly.
Due to technical limitations recorded programs
can’t be accelerated.
Motion recording
and playback
Overview
The DriveCam™ Slider is capable of recording
and playing back up to about 80 seconds of con-
tinuous motion. Moreover, the motion might be
played back with the time stretch applied for most
demanding time-lapse and video shots.
There is one memory bank for the recording
and it resets when the power is disconnected.
Please note that the recorded motion might dif-
fer slightly from your real-time performance due
to the data reduction methods. However, each
time you play back the recorded program, it will
play back in fully repeatable manner allowing for
sophisticated shots and special eects.
Tip: In order to get the most from your record-
ing, please assure to start recording at any end
of the track or from the marked point. Before play-
ing back the program move the slider manually
to the initial position.
Accessing motion recording mode
To access motion recording features select
Home » Video » Recording
Recording motion
Prior to recording motion park the trolley
in a starting position of your choice.
To start recording motion select
Home » Video » Recording » Start recording

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After starting the program you can track the
progress on the following screen (similar for basic
and exposure-controlled time-lapse mode):
When the time-lapse program is finished the fol-
lowing information screen appears:
Using exposure control
time-lapse mode
The exposure-control time-lapse mode allows
additionally for precise control of the exposure
time. This is at the same time the drive-shoot-
drive mode, where camera stops for each of shots,
oppositely to continuous basic time-lapse mode.
Accessing exposure control time-lapse mode
To access exposure control time-lapse features
select Home » Timelapse » Exposure control
You can control with the exposure time precision
of 1/100th of a second.
Tip. In order to make exposure-bracketed
sequences set your Canon DSLR camera to expo-
sure bracketing and continuous shooting mode.
Then adjust the exposure time of the DriveCam™
Slider in the exposure control menu to exceed
the total time necessary to expose bracketed
sequence.
Using basic
time-lapse mode
The basic time-lapse mode allows for continuous
motion and simple shutter control of the camera.
You can set the total time of the full-length travel
of the trolley, slide direction and number of shots.
The camera shutter may be triggered using built-
in intervalometer of the DriveCam™ Slider (If you
are using Canon DSLR cameras) as well as your
own, external controller.
Please note that when controlling your Canon
DSLR camera in basic time-lapse mode the cir-
cuit is shortened for a very short time just to fire
single exposure. For full control of the exposure
time use exposure control time-lapse mode.
Accessing basic time-lapse mode
To access basic time-lapse features select
Home » Timelapse » Basic
Setting up a basic time-lapse sequence
In order to set up basic time-lapse sequence,
do the following:
1 Move the trolley to the starting position
at the desired end of the track.
2 Enter the basic time-lapse menu
as described above.
3 Select desired sequence total time.
4 Set the desired direction of the slide.
5 Set the desired number of shots.
6 Select Go!

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5. Technical specifications
The kit contents
The standard DriveCam™ Slider kit includes:
•1x Main DriveCam™ Slider unit
•1x DriveCam™ Slider Controller
•1x 110/220V AC/DC power supply adapter
•1x 12V/14Ah gel type battery
•1x 12V Battery charger
•DriveCam™ Slider battery thermal bag
•2x 3/8”-threaded tripod adapter plates
•1x camera adapter plate (3/8” bolt)
•a set of keys
•Controller to slider signal cable (1.5m/3m)
•Built-in intervalometer to camera cable (3m, Canon DSLR standard C6 or C3 type)
•Battery to slider DC power cable (5.5 × 2.5mm plug)
Using 3rd party power adapters
DitoGear recommends using original DitoGear DriveCam™ Slider AC/DC power adpaters. If using 3rd
party adapter make sure it meets the requirements detailed in technical specifications table. Make sure to
check the polarity of the plug. Using the opposite polarity will not damage the device, but the electronics
will not work.
Caution!
DitoGear is not responsible for any damage or failures caused by use of the 3rd party power supply adapters.
4. Troubleshooting your
DriveCam™ Slider
Prior to contacting support please check the fol-
lowing common issues and solutions.
The controller is dim and does not respond.
The trolley does not move.
Ensure the power cable is connected, battery not
depleted and the controller cable is connected to
the device. Check if the cables are not damaged.
Turn o the device and turn it on after 10 seconds.
The slider produces louder sound and the trolley
does not move fluently.
This is a normal behaviour of the motor when the
power supply level is low. Charge or replace the
battery. If using 3rd party DC adapter make sure
it provides at least 12V 2A power.
Support
If the above guides can’t solve your prob-
lem, please contact DitoGear support at
[e-mail]

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Technical specifications table
Working speed minimum: 1m/999h in time-lapse mode
maximum: 1m/8s in video mode
Working track lengths 0.5m (1.64ft) to 2.5m (6.5ft)
Operation temperature range -25°C to 45°C
(up to -40°C with extra accessories)
Workload up tp 25kg in horizontal operation mode
up to 5kg in vertical operation mode
Power supply 11.4V – 24V DC
Current draw 0.8A – 2.5A (at 12V DC)
Battery operating time up to 10h on a new and charged kit battery
in time-lapse mode at 15°C,
about 2-3h on a new and charged kit battery
in video mode at 15°C,
Operating temperature -25°C to 45°C
Operating humidity 20% to 80%
Dimensions and weights
DriveCam™ Slider Controller 106(75) x 187 × 50 mm, approximately 600 g
DriveCam™ Slider Battery: 151 × 98 × 95 mm, 3597 g
Model Travel
length
[mm]
Total
length
[mm]
Width
[mm]
Total
Height
[mm]
Rail
height
[mm]
Weight
[kg]
DriveCam™ Slider 0.5m 513.00 780.00 70.00 127.00 42.00 5.8
DriveCam™ Slider 1.0m 1 033.00 1 300.00 70.00 127.00 42.00 7.6
DriveCam™ Slider 1.5m 1 513.00 1 780.00 70.00 127.00 42.00 10.1
DriveCam™ Slider 2.0m 2 033.00 2 300.00 70.00 127.00 42.00 11.1
DriveCam™ Slider 2.5m 2 513.00 2 780.00 70.00 127.00 42.00 12.4

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6. Limited Warranty
DitoGear One (1) Year Limited Warranty
For DitoGear Products Only
Consumer rights and restrictions.
For consumers, who are covered by consumer protection laws or regulations in their country of purchase
or, if dierent, their country of residence, the benefits conferred by this warranty are in addition to all rights
and remedies conveyed by such consumer protection laws and regulations. This warranty does not exclude,
limit or suspend any rights of consumers arising out of non-conformity with a sales contract. However, as
described below, DitoGear disclaims statutory and implied warranties to the extent permitted by law, and
in so far as such warranties cannot be disclaimed, all such warranties shall to the extent permitted by law
be limited in duration to the duration of the express warranty described below and to the repair or replace-
ment service as determined by DitoGear in its sole discretion. Some states (countries and provinces) do not
allow limitations on how long an implied warranty or condition may last, so the limitations described above
may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights that
vary fromstate to state (or by country or province). This limited warranty is governed by and construed
under the laws of the country in which the product purchase took place. DitoGear, the warrantor, under this
limited warranty stands for Dito Productions, Maria Paluch, ul.Krańcowa 30, 62-002 Suchy Las, Poland.
Warranty.
DitoGear’s warranty obligations for this hardware product are limited to the terms set forth herein. DitoGear
warrants this DitoGear-branded hardware product against defects in materials and workmanship under
normal use for a period of one (1) year from the date of retail purchase by the original end-user pur-
chaser (“Warranty Period”). If a hardware defect arises and a valid claim is received within the Warranty
Period, at its option and to the extent permitted by law, DitoGear will either (1) repair the hardware defect
at no charge, using new or refurbished parts that are equivalent to new in performance and reliability, (2)
exchange the product with a product that is new or refurbished that is equivalent to new in performance
and reliability and is at least functionally equivalent to the original product, or (3) refund the purchase
price of the product. DitoGear may request that you replace defective parts with user-installable new
or refurbished parts that DitoGear provides in fulfillment of its warranty obligation. A replacement product
or part, including a user-installable part that has been installed in accordance with instructions provided
by DitoGear, assumes the remaining warranty of the original product or ninety (90) days from the date
of replacement or repair, whichever provides longer coverage for you.
When a product or part is exchanged, any replacement item becomes your property and the replaced item
becomes DitoGear’s property. Parts provided by DitoGear in fulfillment of its warranty obligation must
be used in products for which warranty service is claimed. When a refund is given, the product for which
the refund is provided must be returned to DitoGear and becomes DitoGear’s property.
Exclusions and limitations.
To the extent permitted by law, this warranty and the remedies set forth above are exclusive and in lieu
of all other warranties, remedies and conditions, whether oral, written, statutory, express or implied.
As permitted by applicable law, DitoGear specifically disclaims any and all statutory or implied warran-
ties, including, without limitation, warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose and
warranties against hidden or latent defects. If DitoGear cannot lawfully disclaim statutory or implied war-
ranties then to the extent permitted by law, all such warranties shall be limited in duration to the duration
of the express warranty and to the repair or replacement service as determined by DitoGear in its sole
discretion. Some states (countries and provinces) do not allow limitations on how long an implied war-
ranty or condition may last, so the limitations described above may not apply to you. No DitoGear reseller,
agent, or employee is authorized to make any modification, extension, or addition to this warranty. If any
term is held to be illegal or unenforceable, the legality or enforceability of the remaining terms shall not be
aected or impaired.
This Limited Warranty applies only to hardware products manufactured by or for DitoGear. The Limited
Warranty does not apply to any non-DitoGear hardware products even if packaged or sold with DitoGear
hardware. Manufacturers or suppliers, other than DitoGear, may provide their own warranties to the end
user purchaser, but DitoGear, in so far as permitted by law, provides their products “as is”.
DitoGear does not warrant that the operation of the product will be uninterrupted or error-free. DitoGear
is not responsible for damage arising from failure to follow instructions relating to the product’s use.

20 21
This warranty does not apply: (a) to consumable parts, such as batteries, unless damage has occurred due
to a defect in materials or workmanship; (b) to cosmetic damage, including but not limited to scratches,
dents and broken elements on ports; (c) to damage caused by use with non-DitoGear products; (d) to
damage caused by accident, abuse, misuse, liquid contact, fire, earthquake or other external causes; (e) to
damage caused by operating the product outside the permitted or intended uses described by DitoGear;
(f) to damage caused by service (including upgrades and expansions) performed by anyone who is not a
representative of DitoGear; (g) to a product or part that has been modified to alter functionality or capabil-
ity without the written permission of DitoGear; (h) to defects caused by normal wear and tear or otherwise
due to the normal aging of the product.
Except as provided in this warranty and to the extent permitted by law, DitoGear is not responsible for
direct, special, incidental or consequential damages resulting from any breach of warranty or condition, or
under any other legal theory, including but not limited to loss of use; loss of revenue; loss of actual or antic-
ipated profits (including loss of profits on contracts); loss of the use of money; loss of anticipated savings;
loss of business; loss of Opportunity; loss of goodwill; loss of reputation; loss of, damage to or any indirect
or consequential loss or damage howsoever caused including the replacement of equipment and prop-
erty. The foregoing limitation shall not apply to death or personal injury claims, or any statutory liability
for intentional and gross negligent acts and/or omissions. Some states (countries and provinces) do not
allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclu-
sion may not apply to you.
Obtaining warranty service.
DitoGear will provide warranty service either (i) at an DitoGear Retail or DitoGear Authorized Service
Provider (“ASP”) location, where service is performed at the location, or the DitoGear Retail or ASP may
send the product to an DitoGear repair service location for service, (ii) by sending you prepaid way bills
(and if you no longer have the original packaging, DitoGear may send you packaging material) to enable
you to ship the product to DitoGear’s repair service location for service, or (iii) by sending you customer
installable new or refurbished replacement product or parts to enable you to service or exchange your
own product (“DIY Service”). Upon receipt of the replacement product or part, the original product or part
becomes the property of DitoGear and you agree to follow instructions, including, if required, arranging
the return of original product or part to DitoGear in a timely manner. When providing DIY Service requir-
ing the return of the original product or part, DitoGear may require a credit card authorization as security
for the retail price of the replacement product or part and applicable shipping costs. If you follow instruc-
tions, DitoGear will cancel the credit card authorization, so you will not be charged for the product or part
and shipping costs. If you fail to return the replaced product or part as instructed or the replaced product
or part is not eligible for warranty service, DitoGear will charge the credit card for the authorized amount.
Please access and review the online help resources at the DitoGearwebsite (www.ditogear.com) and con-
tained in the product manual before requesting warranty service. If the product is still not functioning
properly after making use of these resources, please contact DitoGear at [e-mail].
Service options, parts availability and response times may vary according to the country in which serv-
ice is requested. Service options are subject to change at any time. You may be responsible for shipping
and handling charges if the product cannot be serviced in the country in which service is requested. If you
seek service in a country that is not the country of purchase, you will comply with all applicable import and
export laws and regulations and be responsible for all custom duties, VAT. and other associated taxes and
charges. For international service, DitoGear may repair or exchange defective products and parts with com-
parable products and parts that comply with local standards. In accordance with applicable law, DitoGear
may require that you furnish proof of purchase details before receiving warranty service.
Privacy.
DitoGear will maintain and use customer information in accordance with the DitoGear Customer Privacy
Policy available at www.ditogear.com/legal/privacy-policy/.

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7. Miscellaneous
Trademarks and copyrights
DitoGear and DriveCam™ Slider are trademarks of Dito Productions Maria Paluch ul.Krańcowa 30, 62-002
Suchy Las, Poland. Unauthorised use is strictly prohibited. All other trademarks referenced in this manual
are used only for informative purposes and are property of their respective owners.
Disposal and recycling information
The device and all batteries included with it must be disposed of properly according to local laws and regu-
lations. The product must be disposed of separately from the household waste. When your product reaches
its end of life, contact DitoGear or your local authorities to learn about recycling options.

W W W . D I T O G E A R . C O M