The miniEngine is an Arduino based intervalometer and multi-axis-motion controller for time-lapse and video photography. It’s roots are based on the OpenMoCo system and it’s main goal was and still is to provide an open-source solution that is lightweight for in-the-field use while still containing a powerful user-interface for controlling all aspects of the video-shoot you want to realize. It aims at high configurability so that it can be used together with as many camera-tracks and camera-dolly systems available out there.

The miniEngine is stepper-motor based. This allows realizing affordable motion-control systems with high precision and great repeat-ability of moves.

This is the main screen of the newest miniEngine

Currently there are 3 flavors / versions of the system:

• miniEngine v2
  • the most recent version of the miniE which is still further developed
  • Double axis control (multi-axis though daisy chaining coming soon)
  • Most advanced user interface of all versions
  • Smooth Bézier-based motion-curves
  • Multi-keyframe capability through Windows software
  • Supports 2 Limit switches per axis  
  • Supports 2 trigger inputs for controlling the engines behavior

• miniEngine v1
  • The original and first version of the miniEngine
  • Single axis control
  • Basic user interface
  • Supports 2 Limit switches per axis  

• CineMoco  
  • Based on the miniEngine
  • Ready to use system provided by Cinetics 
  • Single axis control (multi-axis through daisy chaining)
  • Simple and easy to use user interface

These are some of the major features the latest version of the system has to offer:

• Integrated and easy to use user interface for changing your setup out in the field without the need of a laptop or other computer
• Time-lapse and video recording using different “move-styles”. This includes Shoot-Move-Shoot (time-lapse only) and Continuous-moves (time-lapse and Video)
• The motor-controller-core was developed to enable complex moves based on Bézier-curves
• Multiple motors can be controlled simultaneously (multi-axis motion-control)
• Easy to use Intervalometer with a high level of configurability
• UI-Color schemes for optimized readability in different situations (e.g. red-scheme for night use)
• Daisy chaining functionalities coming Q1 / 2014 (hardware is implemented and ready to)

Screenshots

Here is what the User interface actually looks like:

Every setting has an integrated help

In the the settings menu (sub menu for motor settings)

The user interface while manually moving a motor

The pop-up menu for fast access to often used functions