I use overhead camera rig to make my YouTube videos. Some shots my take a long time and when you need to charge batteries it makes it even longer. I don’t want to connect any wires when camera is working also I need to make my camera mobile. There is a solution, I need a bigger battery mounted to camera and tripod!
Well this isn’t exactly a tripod but the weight of the batteries can keep whole thing in place. All we need is some enclosure that will hold at least two 18650 li-ion cells, a power charger, and a step up boost converter module that will produce 5V out of 1V. There is also a switch that will cut off the power to the boost converter.
We are connecting all power cells by positive and negative leads together so we have 3.7V and lots of current that will give us long power storage time.
Drill one hole for a switch, and one hole above the modules to see the light coming out from the charger LED, notifying us if charging is complete.
Solder modules to the wires and switch to the boost converter module, charger is always connected to the batteries to keep them off self uncharging. Connect unused short micro USB wires, they will be inside the enclosure so you cannot disconnect them!
Put everything together and drill hole for mounting accessories that comes with the camera, like bike helmet attachments etc. Then we will have some possibility to adjust angles of the camera. I’m using Eken H9R actioncam, and I’m just placing everything on the shelf above my table, recording wide shot, so the camera is facing always down.
But why there is a switch you may ask? Well, Eken has this possibility to be used as a Car Dash Cam, so it turns itself on when the power is coming from the USB port, when you turn on the engine. Connect one wire form the boost converter to the camera, the other wire with larger socket is used for charging the batteries.
By pressing button on the other end of the enclosure you will turn on boost converter that will send 5V to the camera, which will turn itself on. Then you can use remote pilot or App to start/stop recording, take pictures etc. without ruining the shot by moving the camera by touching it 🙂
Here is finished result. Battery enclosure mounted on to a tripod with a phone holder. Added two Ulanzi VL49’s for a light source and here we have mobile overhead camera rig with lights 🙂
I have also added simple inclinometer to check horizontal levels, that will help to determine camera angle.
Here are the links to the parts used in this project:
Li-ion battery charger module – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_9giTlW
Step up Boost Converter – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_AA7RVI
Good quality 18650 li-ion cells – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_AK8vzq
Eken H9R action camera – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_9IBDOo
Ulanzi VL49 compact light source – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_AXyu0g