Canon VIXIA HF R50/R600 Cam-Recorder Mechanical Zoom

These Canon VIXIA HF R50 cam-recorders have wifi that allows control of the zoom - but it just doesn't work that well. The R600 doesn't have wifi. In the future I want to control all seven of these cams at the same time.

Out with the 3d printer. Just a few bracket styles.


The zoom control is a slider on the top of the camera.













Arm to attach to zoom slider - with a little work from a file.













And we have a winner - but it needs a rubber band to hold the arm tight against the zoom slider.

    




Short video of the zoom in action.

Using a cheap Arduino Nano to control the servo - for the most part I've found the following angle positions to work:
  byte angleIn = 20;
  byte angleCenter = 33;  
  byte angleOut =45;

I kick the servo for 100 microseconds 5 degree's more/less to start a zoom than go back to the above angles. For example:
  if ((lastPayload > payload2 || payload < angleCenter ) && payload>10)
    payload -= 5;
  else if (lastPayload < payload2 || payload2>angleCenter) payload += 5;

  myservo.write(payload);

  delay(100);
  myservo.write(payload2);   

  lastPayload = payload2;