eMotimo spectrum ST4

Firmware

R007

V 1.1

Instruction Manual

2 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

At any time, press the eMotimo or spectrum logo in the footer to come back to the contents page

Contents Page

Table of contents

Contents Page ..................................................................................................................................... 2

Getting started ..................................................................................................................................... 3

For Your Safety .................................................................................................................................... 4

What’s Included in basic bundles ........................................................................................................ 5

spectrum ST4 Hardware Map.............................................................................................................. 6

spectrum ST4 Electronics Map............................................................................................................ 7

Hardware Setup................................................................................................................................... 8

Connections / Ports ............................................................................................................................. 9

Powering spectrum ST4 ...................................................................................................................... 10

Controller ............................................................................................................................................. 11

Remote LED Flash Indications ............................................................................................................ 12

Remote Information ............................................................................................................................. 13

Screen Map ........................................................................................................................................ 14

Screen Map ......................................................................................................................................... 15

Live Motion - Motor Preset (feel) ........................................................................................................ 16

Live Motion - Motor Preset (feel) ........................................................................................................ 19

Live Motion - Experimental ................................................................................................................. 20

Live Motion - Experimental ................................................................................................................. 21

Live Motion - Experimental ................................................................................................................. 22

Programmed moves ............................................................................................................................ 23

Using an external intervalometer ......................................................................................................... 27

Photo Tools .......................................................................................................................................... 28

Settings................................................................................................................................................ 34

Resources and Customer Sevices

Instructional videos - https://vimeopro.com/emotimo/spectrum-instructional-videos

Support website / ticket creation: http://support.emotimo.com

Support email: [email protected]

Welcome to your eMotimo spectrum ST4!

Getting started

Thank you for purchasing a spectrum ST4. Whether you choose to use the basic functionality of the

spectrum for programmed moves, or push the limits with brand new features never seen in motion

control, we are happy to have you as a customer.

A statement of warning/caution/excitement if you are used to other motion control: The spectrum

ST4 is going to push what is possible with motion control. It will push you in the process if

you let it.

Please take the time to play to review our instruction videos online: https://vimeopro.com/emotimo/

spectrum-instructional-videos

Please also, read this guide to understand the extent of what is possible with the spectrum. If you do,

you will know how to use the most powerful piece of portable motion control on the market.

Brian Burling – eMotimo founder

4 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

Please read and observe the following precautions

For Your Safety

To prevent damage to the spectrum ST4 and/

or personal injury to yourself:

Do not disassemble the unit

This unit is a complex electronic device and

contains no user-serviceable parts. Any

unauthorized disassembly or modication may

void the service warranty of the unit.

Keep the unit dry

Avoid exposing the unit to excess water or rain.

While the spectrum is no particularly sensitive

to humidity or water, exposing the unit’s internal

circuitry to water may result in re and/or electric

shock.

Do not operate a malfunctioning unit

Should the unit emit smoke, or unusual

odors, remove the power source from the unit

immediately. Discontinue further use and

contact eMotimo support.

Avoid extreme temperature changes

Electronic devices may be damaged by sudden

and extreme changes in temperature. Just

like your camera, the unit should not be used

immediately after moving it from a very cold

temperature, to a warm environment. Allow at least

1.5 hours of slow warming in a sealed bag or case,

before using the spectrum st4 after removing it

from the cold.

Keep out of reach of children

This unit contains small parts which may can

cause choking.

Use only eMotimo approved accessories

While eMotimo encourages easily enable

connecting to many accessories, please check

with eMotimo before hooking up any accessory not

sourced from eMotimo. Improper or unsupported

accessories can damage the spectrum st4 or

cause damage that is not covered under warranty.

(In a basic spectrum purchase, before accessories)

Portable battery not included

What’s Included in basic bundles

spectrum ST4

Arca clamp ships

mounted to spectrum tilt

Controller

Micro SD card

12V AC adapter

Arca plate mounted to

spectrum pan base

L-plate to mount

camera to spectrum

Micro USB to USB

remote charging cable

Pro Canon, Nikon, &

Sony camera cables

6 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

spectrum ST4 Hardware Map

spectrum ST4 Electronics Map

8 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

Hardware Setup

Step #1 Mount spectrum pan axis arca plate to arca

clamp on tripod or slider.

Step #3 Mount camera and L-plate to tilt clamp. Step #4 Optionally plug in camera triggering cables to

camera port / camera.

Step #5 Plug in 12-24 volt power and immediately

press and release the center PS button. Remote

shows blue LED when connected.

Step #6 Shoot something amazing.

Step #2 Mount camera to arca compatible L-plate.

Connections / Ports

1. 8 way Navigation Stick (NavStick): on

spectrum control for navigation, selection

and setting up programmed key-frame shots

without a remote. See how to program a shot

using only this controller - https://vimeopro.

com/emotimo/spectrum-instructional-videos/

video/189070569

2. Camera shutter port: Triggering you DSLR is

accomplished by hooking up a camera specic

shutter cable from the st4’s camera port to

your camera’s shutter release port. During

a timelapse sequence the st4 sends a focus

signal and shutter signal to your camera at the

same time for the duration of the Static Time

setting. Hint - Take Test Shots: The PS4 Controllers’

right trigger (R2) will focus and re the camera on most

screens. A half press is focus, and a full press is shutter/

focus to trigger your camera to shoot.

3. USB port: Future functionality - Powering the

spectrum for motor moves from any USB port

is not supported.

4. i/o port: The spectrum’s i/o port is used for

serial communication to external devices.

5. Remote control port: This full-sized USB

port is dedicated to hold the PS4 Controller’s

wireless dongle. If you remove the dongle

for travel, keep it safe. You can’t connect the

remote without it!

6. uSD card slot: The spectrum st4 ships with

a uSD card. This card and port are used for

rmware upgrades and future support of

saved moves and settings.

7. M3 (motor 3) port: The 3rd powered stepper

port typically used for slider, but can be used

for any approved stepper accessory. This

port is controlled by the PS4’s Left Joystick

(left/right)

8. M4 (motor 4) port: The 4th powered stepper

port typically used for Fz, but can be used for

any approved stepper accessory. This port is

controlled by the PS4’s triggers (L2/R2).

Did you know? – Did you know the “4” in “st4” is

for 4 axis control. The spectrum st4 is the rst 4 axis

powered controller of its type. We think having more

axis give you more options to play increasing the

palate of possibilities. Go tell better stories.

9. DC power in: See Powering your spectrum

st4 below for details

#2 #3 #4 #5 #6

#7 #8 #9

10 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

Powering spectrum ST4

Powering your spectrum ST4 is easy. You can use many o the shelf AC adapters and batteries.

A 12V or 24V US AC adapter is included with most orders by default. The spectrum ST4 must be

powered within the following specications:

• Voltage – 10-24VDC.

• Current - Minimum 2Amps. 3.5A preferred.

• Connector for power port: 2.1mm x 5.5mm circular barrel connector – center positive.

Warning Powering the spectrum for motor moves from any USB port is not supported.

V-Mount upgrade option

With the V-Mount upgrade, your spectrum ST4 will power on anytime you engage the battery. We are

oering this upgrade with an IDX plate model P-V2. It includes a DTAP power port that allows you to

power your camera from a single battery too!

PS4 Dualshock Wireless Remote

Controller

D-Pad: Navigate interface

Left joystick: Controls live motion

Right joystick: Controls live motion

R2 and L2 Trigger: Analogue Focus control

X button: Select/advance (hold for cancel shot while shooting)

Circle, Triangle, L3, and R3: GoTo Frames

R1 and L1: Set soft stops for Focus Fz (Motor port 4)

Options: Clear soft stops for Focus Fz (Motor port 4)

PS button: Press to pair. Hold button to disconnect.

Your spectrum ST4 ships with an o the shelf PS4 Dualshock wireless remote for primary control.

The analogue sticks have a great feel to them, the buttons are reactive and numerous, the sensors

like gyros and touch-pads allow us creative options for control in the future and the rumble and light

feedback allow for intuitive two-way communication.

When you are programming a shot, and driving a camera for live work, the only place you should be

looking is the monitor. With a little practice, this controller allows you to intuitively move your spectrum

without ever looking at your hands. Try to do that with an app!

We think the selection of this controller is key for capturing more organic shots, faster and more

intuitively. See https://vimeopro.com/emotimo/spectrum-instructional-videos/video/189012765 for

video on how to pair and use your controller

12 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

Remote LED Flash Indications

Standard Condition: Solid Blue Pairing Process: Blue Flash

Bloop Light: On programmed video modes:

Live Rec and Play, and Programmed Moves

a visual preamble on PS Remote LED ashes

Red, Yellow, Green, Go in a 1 second preamble.

Also shows same condition afterwards.

Hint Bloop Light: This is a pro tool for those

who need “blip lights” to line up multi-pass VFX

shots.

ERROR: Fast Red Flash: Error conditions

over-voltage or under-voltage. Check power

source.

ERROR: Slow Red Flash: Error conditions

remote battery is low. Charge remote.

Quick Reconnection

Remote Charging

Disconnecting

the remote while the rig is

running

Resetting a remote

Reconnecting

the remote while the rig is

running (in progress)

Remote Information

Quick connection should be used unless your remote is new.

Power on the spectrum, wait until main menu shows on the

screen.

Immediately Press and release the PS button (middle) of remote.

The PS4 remote’s LED will ash white in a slow even blinks while

it is trying to connect. When the remote connects, the LED will

show solid blue and is ready for use.

If the remote does not connect and stops ashing, press the PS

button to retry the connection.

If the remote doesn’t connect by indicating a solid BLUE on the

second try, unplug the spectrum st4 from power, wait for the

remote’s LED to turn o and start the remote pairing procedure

outlined above.

Make sure your remote is fully charged before you head out

into the eld.

Plug in a micro USB cable (not included, but typical of many

phones / cameras) to the PS4 and then USB end to a computer.

Look for an orange glow on the back of the PS4 while it is

charging. Once this turns o it is fully charged.

Watch out! Many eld packs with USB ports will not charge the

PS4. Use the orange glow as an indicator that the charging

process is working.

To save the remote’s batteries once a program is running, you

may disconnect the remote by pressing and holding the PS button

for 1 second. or simply walk out of range and it will disconnect.

On rare occasions, a remote’s battery gets really low or sits for a

long period of time, it might not charge (indicated by orange glow).

If it isn’t charging or connecting, reset it. You can do this by using

a thin tool to press the reset button on the bottom of the remote.

To reconnect, hit the PS button one and release. The remote

will ash white slowly while trying to reconnect. If this process

doesn’t reconnect a power cycle of the unit may be required.

Hint - NavStick– even if reconnection is having troubles or your

remote is out of batteries, you can still use the NavStick on the

side of the spectrum to start or reverse a programed move after a

shot is complete.

14 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

Live Motion / Programmed Shots

Screen Map

Photo Tools / Settings

16 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

The spectrum st4 is all about the feel.

Before moving motors, visit settings menu and select your slider:

Live Motion - Motor Preset (Feel)

Unlike our previous products and most other motion control on the market, the spectrum has

outstanding live control through the remote. Because of this, we can live drive the head around for

single pass with fewer jitters or unwanted movements that can show up with manual control. As you

start to record moves, it becomes very important to tune your head for live control before you press

the record button.

Power on the unit and select the rst menu setting (Live Motion). Now you are on a motor presets

page that allows you to drive the head around and experiment with some predened motor move

proles. Important Note –motor preset selection will restore after a power cycle.

On this page, use the Up/Down DPad or NavStick to select a motor move prole. The names and

general parameters for relative speeds and accelerations are shown, listed from 1-9. There are some

motor proles that are slow, some that are fast, some that are nearly silent, and some are super

damped. Some are specically meant for angled slider shots where power to lift a load is required.

Play around and nd what works for you with your camera/lens style combination.

*If you’re using Dynamic Perceptions, Rhino, or Kessler slider, please select iFootage slider.

Dana Dolly Motor Presets

Preset: Name: Detail: Best for:

DD Normal:

Quiet/Fast

Quiet, medium damping mode. For fast live and programmed moves.

DD Medium:

Quiet/Medium

Near silent, medium damping

mode.

For medium live and programmed

moves.

DD Medium:

Quiet/Slow

Near silent, high damping

mode.

For slow live and programmed

moves.

DD Medium:

Timelapse

Fast setup, ecient power

handling mode.

Long runs with SMS timelapse.

#5 DD Turbo Fast, non-quiet mode

For VFX. Only use with 24V AC

power.

18 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

iFootage Motor Presets

Preset: Name: Detail: Best for:

#1 Normal: Fast

Default high torque, high speed

mode.

General time lapse and live moves

Normal: fast/

damped

Default high torque, high speed

mode with damping.

Live video with smooth and damped

starts and stops.

Normal: slow/

damped

Default high torque, slow speed

mode with damping.

Fine control over small movements.

Live video for smooth, slow, powerful

shots.

Quiet: fast

Quiet motors with high speed

and low torque.

Lightweight cameras shooting video.

Quiet modes are great for recording

audio.

#5 Quiet: normal

Quiet motors with slow speed

and normal torque and

damping.

All cameras shooting video and

recording audio that don’t require

high speed moves.

#6 Quiet: damped

Quiet motors with our slowest

speed and high torque and high

damping.

Heavier cameras shooting video

with smooth, slow motion. Great for

shooting macro and telephoto.

#7 Turbo Fastest, lowest torque mode.

High speed shots. High motion/high

frame video.

#8 Angled TL

Fast moves with high torque M3

motor port.

Time lapse and video moves on

a slider that require torque. For

example, moving up a slight angle on

the slider M3 axis.

#9 Steep TL

Fast moves with the most

torque for the M3 axis

Time lapse moves on a slider

that require the most torque. For

example, moving vertically on the

slider M3 axis.

#10

Live Focus

Normal

Normal slow/damped with

slower focus motor.

Smooth live video moves with ne

focus control where sound control

isn’t necessary.

#11 Live Focus Quiet

Normal slow/damped with

slower focus motor in quiet

modes

Smooth live video moves with ne

focus control with quiet pan/tilt/focus

motor.

Watch video: http://emotimo.com/project/st4202/

Live Motion - Motor Preset (Feel)

GoTo positions are targets or presets for a position of the motors. When shooting live you can use

these GoTo points to accurately hit the target that you preset in the time you set, with the cinematic

feel that you set. These points are very useful for long lenses where hitting your targets is dicult

manually, or for perfectly framing a shot. Using multiple GoTo positions are useful for setting up quick

video moves and traversing between these points live.

There are three GoTo presets you can program. To set, scroll over to the GoTo positions pages. Do

this from the main menu by selecting the top menu (Live Motion) and then pressing the right DPad

button or right on the NavStick until you see the GoTo frames headers. The rst heading you will see

is the GoTo Presets: Circle. By moving right on the DPad or right on the NavStick you will nd the

GoTo Presets: Triangle, L3, and R3.

Programming a GoTo Frame:

1.Target: Set your target parameter by moving all 4-axis to a position you want to lock in as a

preset. Press X to lock in this position.

2.Time: Once Time is highlighted, scroll up and down to program the amount of time/duration

you want your move to take to arrive at your target position.

Hint – The further away your position is from the target, the faster the spectrum will have to

move. This is an easy way to play with a target position. Set a start point and the head in many

directions and distances to see how the move looks and feels. Each time, the spectrum will hit

your target.

3.Ramp: Program the acceleration and deceleration in seconds at the start and end of your

move to the target position. Ramp is included in the overall duration of the shot. In other words,

ramp time is not added to the overall time of the shot.

4.Clear: Press X twice to clear your target position.

Once a preset is programed, you can move the head around freely. When you hit the preset button,

the head will drive all 4-axis to the preset (GoTo target position) with the qualities you programed in to

that preset. Any screen change will stop the move.

20 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

Record / Playback / Live 2 Time lapse screens

Live Motion - Experimental

Record, Playback, and Live 2 Time lapse screens allow you to record a move live and have the

spectrum play / repeat that move back to you over again. You can also program it to play it back to

you at dierent frame rates (speeds). You can also program it to play your move back in the form of

a time lapse (Live 2 Time lapse). This function enables you to program incredibly organic time lapse

moves.

To start, select the top menu (Live Motion) and then pressing the right DPad button or right on the

NavStick until you see the Experimental – Record screen.

1. Get the head “feeling” the way you want for a shot. See Live Motion – Motor Presets (feel)

section

2. Highlight and choose the Frame-rate for the spectrum’s record rate. Currently 24, 30, 60fps

are selectable. This setting dened how many times a second the spectrum st4 records its

live position. To start, we recommend that you select the frame rate to match what your nal

video’s frame rate will be. Hint: The Record Time will be calculated and shown below based

on the Frame rate and Max Frames.

3. Highlight and choose the Max Frames for the total frames that spectrum will record. -The

range is from 100 to 2880 frames in increments of 1. Hint: The Record Time will be calculated

and shown below based on the Frame rate and Max Frames.

4. When ready, move the cursor to the rst row, RECORD.

5. Press X immediately start recording. RECORD will highlight.

6. Move the head any way you want with live controls on all axis.

7. When the Record function is nished, your move is saved in memory.

8. You may choose to

a. Record – hit RECORD and the move will be overwritten

b. Change a Setting and rerecord

c. Move on to

9. Once you are satised, press right on DPad or NavStick to move to the Experimental –

Playback screen

Experimental - Play Screen

Live Motion - Experimental

1. Use the DPad up and down to select PLAY. Once pressed, the spectrum will return to start

and begin playing your move back.

2. You can play your move back at a dierent frame rate. To do so, scroll down to Frame rate,

select and scroll up and down to adjust. You will notice your Play Time changing as you adjust

your frame rate. You may playback the same move as many times as you want for visual

eects.

3. Press right on DPad or NavStick to move to the Experimental – Live 2 Time lapse screen.

22 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

Experimental - Live 2 Timelapse Screen

Live Motion - Experimental

Once a move is recorded, the Live to Time lapse screen just enables you to play it back frame by

frame with a set interval and static time like any other time lapse.

1. Use the DPad up and down to select Interval. The interval is the amount of time lapsing

between each shot’s start.

2. Use the DPad up and down to select static time. Your static time is the amount of time the

spectrum remains stationary while your cameras shutter is open. As a rule of thumb, take your

camera’s exposure time and add 0.1 seconds onto it.

3. Connect a shutter cable to the spectrum and camera. Take a test shot

4. Use the DPad up and down to select Play. Your move will begin and your camera will start

ring.

During a shot, you receive feedback like other time lapse shots, on frame, remaining time and status.

Hitting X or the NavStick center button, will pause the time lapse. When paused, you can scrub the

move by using the DPad or NavStick directions. The spectrum will move to the appropriate frame.

Hitting X while paused, will resume the shot. Hitting Square will cancel the shot and return you to the

Live 2 Time lapse screen (the move will not be erased)

Known Issues / Behaviors for REC/Play;

• You cannot save these moves. No moves are saved after powering down.

• You cannot record less or more that the Max Frames.

• Playback engine not optimized yet. Changing frame-rates is encouraged for playback,

but can result in footage that isn’t a smooth as the original frame rate (working on it!)

Hints for Live 2 Time lapse.

• Only shoot the frames you want for your nal shot. If you only want 10 second of

footage, only shoot 10 times your frame rate (240 for 24fps, 300 for 30fps, 600 for

60fps).

• Playback the footage to ensure you got what you want at the frame rate of your nal

composition (this is essentially a review of what a time lapse will look like)

Programmed moves are how most motion control gear works.

Programmed moves

You set up key-frames and parameters and then let the head dene the trajectory between those key-

frames. Programmed shots are easy to set up and run

Did you know that . . .Back in 2010, the $510 eMotimo PT was the only key-frame programmable motion

control robot less than $10K? It enabled setting up shots in the eld without a computer in just a couple of

minutes!

Setup is 2-point SMS or 2-Point Video or Multi-Key-framing Option:

Use the up and down D-Pad on the remote or the Spectrum NavStick to work your way through the 6

setup screens. Center button on the spectrum NavStick is the same as X on the remote.

You need to select (highlight) a value to change it. You do this by using the Center button on the

spectrum NavStick, or the X on the remote.

During the setup process, when choosing values, the DPad’s up/down buttons on the remote move

values the smallest amount. Using the DPad’s left right increments larger values. Or you can hold Up

and Down (both NavStick and remote) to accelerate through many values.

Parameters dened:

1. Type:

a. Timelapse: This is a 2-9-point shoot-move-shoot timelapse shot. If you are shooting

timelapse and want the spectrum to trigger your camera to shoot, select this shot type.

b. Video: This stands for a 2-9-point video shot. If you are shooting a continuous video

move, select this shot type.

2. Start Point: This is where your move will start. Once highlighted, control and move all 4-axis at

the same time using the included PS4 controller or control 2-axis at a time using the onboard

NavStick. Move to the point where you would like your move to start and press X on the PS4

24 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

controller to continue. If using the NavStick, press center button once to advance to control

your 3rd and 4th axis for programming. Once satised, press center button on your NavStick a

second time to continue.

3. End Point This is where your move will end. Once highlighted, control and move all 4-axis at

the same time using the included PS4 controller or control 2-axis at a time using the onboard

NavStick. Move to the point where you would like your move to end and press X on the PS4

controller to continue. If using the NavStick, press center button once to advance to control

your 3rd and 4th axis for programming. Once satised, press center button on your NavStick a

second time to continue.

Hint – if you are in a hurry, you can set up the End Point rst and then the Start Point – this eliminates

the time it takes for the rig to return to the start point. This is especially helpful if you are using a slow

motor or slider. We used to call this Reverse Setup with previous products, but now, no special mode

is needed.

4. Interval (SMS TL only): Interval is your frame rate for time lapse or stop-frame animation. If

you select a 2.0 second interval, the eMotimo spectrum will trigger your camera to start a shot

every 2.0 seconds. If you want to speed time more, select a longer interval (good for shots

taken over a long duration of time). If you want to speed time less, select a smaller interval

(good for shots taken over a short duration of time). Interval time always needs to be set longer

than the exposure time set on your camera. TIP: When shooting long exposures, set your

interval to twice your camera’s shutter speed.

5. Static Time (SMS TL only): Static time is the amount of time the spectrum remains stationary

and triggering your camera’s shutter before it moves. For setting the correct static time, start

with you your camera’s exposure time and add 0.1 or 0.2 seconds onto it. For example, if

you are shooting a 2.0 second exposure, select a 2.2 second static time. If you are shooting

daytime shots with 1/100th sec. exposure, use default of 0.2 second static time.

6. Moving shots (SMS TL only): Select how many frames you want your move to take. Based

on what you set your interval at and how many frames you want in your shot, the spectrum will

calculate how long your shot will take to complete in real time at the bottom of the screen. The

max number of frames for timelapse is 2880.

7. Duration (Video only): In seconds, select how long you would like your move to take. The

max duration for video moves is 12 hours.

Timelapse Video

8. Ramp (SMS TL and Video): Ramp controls how smooth your starts and stops in your nal

footage are going to look. A low ramp means you are going to have an abrupt start and stop

and a high ramp means you will have a very smooth start and stop. The number you select for

your ramp in SMS TL is the number of frames in the nal footage that show acceleration and

deceleration. If you have 50 frames of ramp, you will have 50 frames at the beginning of your

shot and 50 at the end of your shot where the footage shows acceleration and deceleration. If

you are shooting in Video mode, your ramp will be represented as duration in seconds. This

will be the time at the start and end of your shot that is ramped.

9. Lead in and Lead out (SMS TL only): Stationary lead-in/out is the number of stationary shots

at the beginning and end of your programmed move. For example, if you set “24 in 48 out”,

your program will re your camera 24 shots at your set interval before any movement occurs.

The ST4 will re your camera 48 shots at the end of the shot, after movement has nished. If

your nal footage of your compiled shot is 24 FPS, then these “lead in/out” settings result in 1

second of stationary time at the start of your shot and 2 seconds of stationary time at the end

of your shot.

10. Add Frames (multi key-frames): Watch video for more details here: https://vimeo.

com/185580976. Here you can select how many additional key-frames you want to add to your

two-point move. Add one for a 3-point shot, two for a 4-point shot, and so on.

11. Select Axis Move Type: Here, by axis, you select between a 2-point move (Start/End) and

multi-key-frames (3-7 depending on what was selected for Add Frames on previous page) for

each axis. If you select Pan, for example, and set it to start/end, then that axis will only move

between the start point and end point. However, if you set Pan to multi-key-frame, the pan will

transition from the start-point through all the middle key-frames and to the end-point smoothly.

Here you can also change Focus Fz motion from curved to linear. As a result, your Fz will

move directly to each key-frame without arcing the motion between points.

26 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

12. Set Complex Key-frames: By highlighting the key-frame number, all axis set as multi-key-

frame (previous page) are live. If an axis is set as start/end, then it will not be live on all frames

between the rst and last frame. For example, on a 5 point move, it will not be live for frame

2,3, and 4.

13. Shot Style (Video only):

a. Run Once: In this style, your move will run once, meaning once your move completes, your

move is over.

b. Ping Pong: In this style, your move will run continuously, meaning once your move reaches

its end point it will return to its start point with the same ramp and duration and with continue

this cycle over and over until prompted to stop

14. Summary/ Review page: If you are happy with your settings, then get to the last screen and

hit the center button (or X on controller). It will go to start, and then tap it again to shoot.

Hint – Backlash compensation: When returning to start, spectrum will jog past the start point then

return back the start point from the other direction. This is for backlash compensation. We always

want our motors lined up on the same side of the motors backlash for every move.

While Shooting, pressing X on the remote or the center button on the spectrum will pause the move.

While paused, using DPad’s up/down buttons you can scrub the move and go to a frame. As you

scrub, you will notice the spectrum moving with you live to the frame you’re on. The spectrum will

continue your move once you un-pause the shot by hitting the X button. You can also abort and return

to the home screen by pressing Square once the shot is paused.

After Shooting, a menu to repeat, reverse, or reset will pop up. Select the option you want.

Hint – If you want to adjust timing or shot parameters, use the D-Pad to go back up into the setup

process to change a value. You can even go back and adjust the start and end points. Start the

shot back up by returning to the review screen.

Using an external intervalometer

Externally Triggering from the I/O port: In special cases where you want to use external timing

controlled by exposure ramping solution like the View, Ramper Pro, or DSLR dashboard here are

some quick setup tips.

a. Insert the i/o triggering cable to the side of the spectrum. This is the stereo port on the

right under the i/o icon. Watch out, don’t put this in the camera triggering port or it won’t

work.

b. The other end of the trigger cable can be a manual external intervalometer, or a bramper

solution like The View. If you are using the view, use their AUX2 port.

c. On your ST4, set up a timelapse shot and start it.

d. Pause the program by hitting the X button or the center of the onboard joystick. If you

need to jog back to the start, use the left DPAD or joystick to scrub to the beginning of your

shot.

e. The I/O port is now “looking for a signal telling the spectrum the camera’s shot is complete

to allow it to move the next position. Once received, the spectrum will advance to its next

position.

Manually triggering a shot for stop motion from the PS4 Dualshock

a. On your ST4, set up a timelapse shot and start it.

b. Pause the program by hitting the X button or the center of the onboard joystick. If you

need to jog back to the start, use the left DPAD or joystick to scrub to the beginning of your

shot.

c. By hitting the R1 button on the PS4 remote, the spectrum will send a shutter signal to your

camera through the camera triggering port, and then advance to the next position and wait.

d. Move Wallace or Grommit, or whatever other stop motion subject you are shooting.

e. When ready, hit the R1 button again.

f. Repeat.

g. The I/O port is now “looking for a signal telling the spectrum the camera’s shot is complete

to allow it to move the next position. Once received, the spectrum will advance to its next

position.

Reasons to externally trigger

• Want to manually advance a shot (stop-motion).

• Want to use a ramping solution and need to time motion.

• Want to synchronize multiple motion control rigs.

The i/o port is a triggering port AND a communications port for serial communication. We

allow users to congure the port to use three ways:

• Ext. Trigger, eMotimo API, or Dragonframe.

• Make sure have selected Ext.

• Trigger for the above modes.

28 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

Pano/Giga

Photo Tools

Photo Tools is extending your spectrum st4 to enable multi-row panorama or “gigapixel” photo

capture. Unlike other modes in the spectrum, the end result of this mode after processing is a single

picture.

The process is pretty straightforward and can be summarized by the following steps:

1. Pano/Giga Angle of view (AOV): When shooting overlapping panorama images, we need to tell

the spectrum what your camera can see. This term is called Angle of View. If you are shooting

with a wide-angle sh eye, you might get an angle of view of 100 degrees or more horizontally.

If you are shooting with a zoom lens on a crop-framed sensor, you might only get an angle of

view of 2-3 degrees. Because of all the things that aect what your camera can see (sensor size,

focal length of lens, % of viewnder covers, camera manufacturer), it would be really hard to just

enter a focal length and come close to accurately dening how much of the world you capture in a

single frame.

a. Viewnder Corner 1: Our solution is for you to dene the Angle of View by looking through

your camera’s lens to set a couple of points. Start by setting your Corner 1. To do this,

highlight Viewnder Corner 1 and move the camera so that we have something sharp that

we can put at one corner of your viewnder. The corner of a building, or a mountaintop in

the distance works well. Press X to lock that corner in.

b. Viewnder Corner 2: With this sharp point at one corner, highlight Viewnder Corner 2

and move completely across the frame diagonally to put that sharp point in the opposite

corner. Then press X to lock it in. By doing this you are telling the spectrum the pan and

tilt Angle of View (AOV). As you are moving to the second point, the spectrum gives

you feedback on how many angles you have moved for both Pan and Tilt as well as the

calculated aspect ratio of the shot.

TIPS and TRICKS:

i. Use a sharp point far away from the camera like a house or mountaintop in the distance.

If you use a fence post, 3 feet from you, it won’t be as accurate.

ii. Turn on your Live View function. If you don’t have a 100% viewnder, the corners will

move slightly, making you angle of view less accurate.

2. Pano/Giga Boundaries:

a. Min. Overlap: Select the percent of overlap you hope to achieve with your photos in your

panorama. Having your photos overlap will make stitching together these images in post

more manageable. Please note that the percent of overlap you select (e.g. 25%) will be

the minimum overlap percent between photos. Depending on how you frame your entire

panorama, this overlap may be larger.

b. Boundary 1: Use the remote to pan and tilt until you have framed the top left corner of

your panorama. Once you are satised with the rst frame, press X to continue.

c. Boundary 2: Use the remote to pan and tilt until you have framed the bottom right

corner of the panorama. By setting each corner or your panorama, you are dening the

boundaries of your shot. Once you are satised with the last frame, press X to continue.

Tip: the spectrum will give you live feedback on how many row, columns and total shots the

required for the pano/giga as you program it.

30 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

3. Pano/Giga Settings:

a. Cam. Exp. Time: Enter your cameras exposure here. The spectrum will stay still for the

entire length of your camera’s exposure and move when complete.

b. Type: The type is referring to how the spectrum will move through your boundaries. You

can either:

i. Zig Zag: This type of movement will travel one direction along rows, then tilt to the

next row and travel the opposite direction until complete. This method is the fastest.

ii. Typewriter: This type of movement will travel in rows in one direction, then advance

to the next row by tilting while returning to the original pan position. This method,

allows for easier stitching with certain types of pano programs.

c. Speed

i. Slow- Slowest transition speeds between shots – good for long, heavy telephoto >

150 mm

ii. Normal: - Medium transition speeds between shots – try for 50->150mm

iii. Fast: F transition speeds between shots – try for wide angle up to 50mm

iv. Ludicrous – Great for high speed shots with fast exposures – play with it!

d. Run – Hit the X button to pause the shot.

The spectrum st4 will start at Boundary 2 and work its way through the shot back to

Boundary 1.

360 VR / Spherical Pano

Although, setting up a 360 VR shot is made simple with spectrum, please note, we are a compact

head where portrait shooting for zenith on node won’t work for many camera body combinations. If

Spherical pano shooting and the requirements are your main goal, we can get part of the way there,

but will have limitations with physical geometry compared to taller solutions where a portrait shot can

tuck in better for larger camera bodies.

1. Basic Setup:

a. Start point: Press X to select your start point. Move spectrum while looking through your

cameras viewnder to choose the frame in which you would like to start your 360 VR shot.

Press X to lock it in.

b. Shots in 360: Choose the number of frames you would like spectrum to trigger your

camera to take per 360 degree rotation.

c. Cam Exp. Time: How long is your cameras exposure? Set it here. Spectrum will then know

how long to stay still while your shutter is open, before moving the next position.

32 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

3. Move Params:

a. Rotate: Press X to select the direction you would like spectrum to rotate in while

trigging your camera.

b. Type: Press X to select the style of movement you would like spectrum to perform

between rows. Refer to page 30 for details.

c. Speed: Press X to select the speed in which spectrum will move between frames.

With longer lenses, slower speed modes are recommended.

d. Run: Make sure your camera cable is plugged into spectrums camera port and your

camera shutter release port. Press X to run your move.

2. Extra Rows: The default is one row of shots. If you are interested in adding rows, you can do so

here.

a. Top Row: If you want to shoot a row above where your starting point is, then press

X to highlight the Top Row prompt. Once selected, scroll up using the d-pad, to

select the number of degrees of upward angle you would like your top row to be

angled at above the starting point.

b. Bottom Row: If you want to shoot a row below where your starting point is, then

press X to highlight the Bottom Row prompt. Once selected, scroll up using the

d-pad, to select the number of degrees of downward angle you would like your

bottom row to be angled at below the starting point.

Settings: Settings and motor preset selection will retain after a

power down.

Brightness:

Adjust your display brightness here by pressing X button on PS4 controller or center button

on NavStick to select. This is the brightness of your display for normal operations (navigating

menus, programming a move, etc.).

Brightness Run:

Adjust the brightness of your display for the duration of a programmed move. This brightness

setting only comes into play once you start your programmed move. Press X button on PS4

controller or center button on NavStick to select. Once selected move up and down to adjust.

You can set this brightness to 0 and have your display turn o completely during a move to

avoid any unwanted light.

Screen Flip:

Are you under-slinging spectrum? Need to invert the screen to read it? Press X button on PS4

controller or center button on NavStick to select. Once selected move up and down to adjust.

Press X to select.

Slider:

What slider are you using? Select it here. This setting will change what motor proles you can

select under the Live Motion menu. If you are using a slider that is not listed out here, such

as Dynamic Perception, Rhino, or Kessler, please select the iFootage slider. Please note,

iFootage turbo mode will only work on Direct Drive motors on the iFootage slider. Press X

button on PS4 controller or center button on NavStick to select. Once selected move up and

down to adjust. Press X to select.

Settings Page 1/4

34 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

Basic Axis settings:

Adjust the way your axes are controlled here. Press X button on PS4 controller or center

button on NavStick to select. Once selected, move up and down to adjust and press X button

on PS4 controller or center button on NavStick to deselect.

a. On-Regular: This is the default regular setting

b. On-Reversed: Invert the movement of an axis by selecting On-Reverse for that

axis.

c. Hold: Turn an axis o from movement, but continue to power it by selecting hold.

This is helpful if an axis needs to support weight, but you don’t want that axis to

move at all.

d. O: Currently the same as hold. Future versions will completely depower the axis.

Warning once you do this, that axis will no longer have power. As a result, this can

cause your unit to slip and loose position.

Settings Page 2/4

I/O Port: The i/o port allows spectrum ST4 to take in communication from 3rd party devices. The

options are:

a. Dragonframe computer software: Dragonframe is great for programming complex

key-frames and saving moves. For this integration you will need our USB to I/O

port cable for spectrum ST4: https://emotimo.com/products/usb-to-i-o-port-cable-

for-spectrum-st4. For more on this integration, please visit our support article here:

https://support.emotimo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002057012-Experimental-Getting-

Started-with-Dragonframe-4-1-and-spectrum-ST4-Real-Time-Interface

b. eMotimo API: We do have an API for spectrum If you’re a developer interested in

programming spectrum’s movement through your software, please reach out to us

directly at [email protected] for details.

c. Ext. Trig (refer to page 27): If you are using spectrum with an external trigger (often

times used for bulb ramping) select Ext. Trig. For details on setting up an Ext. Trig

shot, please visit our Ext. Trig support article here: https://support.emotimo.com/hc/

en-us/articles/115002878923-External-Triggering-with-the-ST4

SMS Trigger Time:

Keep at default unless specically directed to change. You may want to adjust if using DSLR

dashboard, but be sure of what you’re doing rst.

SMS Trigger Time is how long spectrum holds the camera shutter down for. Normally (default)

spectrum keeps shutter pressed for the entire static time. This setting allows you to change

that. While we’re triggering cameras can’t communicate over USB. Therefore, this is helpful if

you want to shorten your trigger time and give your camera more time to communicate over

USB.

Settings Page 3/4

36 eMotimo spectrum Instructions R007

Telemetry Menu

This screen displays live feedback from the PS4 and the NavStick can be read for diagnostic

purposes. Nothing can be changed on this screen.

Remote Pairing – For new remotes only

When not to do it – Your remote comes pre-paired from the factory. If the remote has been

connected previously, please just use the quick reconnection by powering on your spectrum

and pressing and releasing the remotes PS button. The remote will slow blink and turn blue,

indicating a connection has been made.

If you replace the remote, with a new one or one that didn’t ship with the spectrum, you will

have to pair it once. To do that follow these steps:

a. Power the spectrum. Using the NavStick, select the settings menu and move

the pointer to Pair New Remote, but do not select it. The text will remain non-

highlighted.

b. On the PS4 remote, Press and hold the Share button. While still holding the share,

press and hold the PS button.

c. Watch the remote LED and once it starts a fast, short blink, release both buttons.

d. On the spectrum, now select the Pair New Remote by hitting the NavStick center

button. The selection will highlight for a moment.

e. The remote is now pairing. When complete the LED will light blue on the remote,

and the screen with “unhighlight” the text.

f. The remote is now active. Note this procedure should not have to be run again

unless the remote is paired to another system, or the remote is new, or the dongle

was replaced.

Version

This ST4 rmware version currently running is listed out here.

Settings Page 4/4

Learn more at:

support.eMotimo.com

eMotimo.com

@eMotimo #eMotimo #spectrumST4 #danadolly