3-Axis Camera Slider (Pan-Tilt-Mount)

3-Axis Camera Slider (Pan-Tilt-Mount)

A stepper-driven, Arduino Nano-controlled motion-control rig for DSLR/mirrorless cameras. Designed for video motion control, time-lapses and panoramic shots. Three NEMA 17 stepper motors drive the pan, tilt and slider axes. The pan axis uses a 144:17 herringbone gear reduction giving 0.0133° resolution; the tilt uses 64:21 for 0.0369°. The slider rides a 2GT belt on V-Slot 2040 extrusion for ~0.0225 mm linear precision.

Hall-effect sensors on each axis allow auto-homing. The rig is silent in 16th microstepping and runs from 12 V DC or a 3S LiPo for ~1 hour of portable shooting. The Arduino can also fire a camera shutter via a 2.5 mm jack, and accepts commands over USB or a JDY-31 Bluetooth pass-through.

Highlights

• 3 NEMA 17 + TMC2208 stepper drivers
• Auto-home via A3144 Hall sensors
• Pan, tilt, slider keyframe sequencing (panoramic-lapse / time-lapse)
• Camera shutter trigger via NPN transistor
• Bluetooth or USB serial control
• Custom PCB (Gerbers in repo)
• Tested up to 1 kg payload

Original creator: Isaac Chasteau (isaac879) License: MIT Source: https://github.com/isaac879/Pan-Tilt-Mount Demo video: https://youtu.be/1FfB7cLkUyQ STL files: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4547074

Hardware Required (BYOD)

This program targets an Arduino Nano running the pan_tilt_mount_nano_code_tmc2208 firmware. Communicate over USB serial or JDY-31 Bluetooth at 57600 baud.

Build Notes

• Skill level: Intermediate (soldering + 3D printing required)
• Build time: ~2-3 weekends
• Estimated cost: $60-110 USD for electronics + extrusion + hardware
• Custom PCB Gerbers included; you can also wire on perfboard

Commands (Arduino serial protocol)

Rp t e c are the most common: R reports status, p<deg> pans, t<deg> tilts, x<mm> slides, c triggers shutter, A auto-homes. See the full commands list PDF.

Printing

⚠️ This print list is incomplete. It currently contains only two accessory parts — idle-side-support.stl and lpe6-mount.stl (an LP-E6 camera-battery holder mount). The core motion mechanism is not included here.

Why: The creator's GitHub repo (isaac879/Pan-Tilt-Mount) only publishes these two STLs; the full printable part set lives on Thingiverse instead. The complete rig needs roughly 15–25 printed parts that are missing from this list, including:

• the 144:17 herringbone pan gear + pinion
• the tilt cradle and 64:21 tilt gears
• NEMA 17 motor mounts (pan, tilt, slider)
• the slider carriage that rides the V-Slot 2040 extrusion
• belt clamps, bearing blocks, and the camera plate

Where to get the full set: Print the complete model from the official Thingiverse page — thing:4547074 (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4547074). Download its STL set there and print alongside the two accessory parts already listed here. (These parts aren't in a fetchable GitHub source, so they can't be mirrored into this list automatically.)

Currently listed (2, both optional accessories):

• idle-side-support — the idler-end support bracket for the slider rail
• lpe6-mount — a holder to power the camera from an LP-E6 battery instead of its internal cell

Not printed: 3× NEMA 17 steppers + TMC2208 drivers, Arduino Nano, A3144 Hall sensors + magnets, V-Slot 2040 extrusion, GT2 belt/pulleys, bearings, and the custom PCB (Gerbers in the repo) — all per the BOM.