Variable speed turntable for shooting small products.

Apple Final Cut Pro Legacy

Variable speed turntable for shooting small products.

Posted by Chris Poisson on February 5, 2007 at 1:50 pm

I have an old record turntable which does a nice job but 33 1/3 RPM is just too fast. I want something that can be controlled manually, not computer-driven. Anybody know of one?

Also, shooting on my turntable with green screen material on it is problematic with shadows. I’ve tried raising the product up an inch or so off the surface, but still, to get a clean key I’m having to sacrifice lighting quality on my subjects. Too blown out, not dramatic. I’m shooting with a DVX 100 and keying with DVmatte pro or BCC 3 linear color key. The keys work fine, I just don’t like the lighting or the speed. Any thoughts?

Brian Tuller replied 14 years, 10 months ago 6 Members · 8 Replies
8 Replies

Bouncing Account needs new email address
February 5, 2007 at 1:54 pm

What you are looking for is called a “Display Turntable”
They rotate at a MUCH slower speed than 33.3 or 16 rpm of a phongraph.

They can be found with a Google search for “Display Turntable”.
Chris Poisson
February 5, 2007 at 2:17 pm

Thanks for the clarification Matte.
Steve Eisen
February 5, 2007 at 2:55 pm

Digital Juice Television did a video to show you how to do this.

Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Director-At-Large
Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group
Richard Martz
February 5, 2007 at 3:56 pm

Looks like the display turntable will be great for the speed. Now for lighting.

I find that most people who do table top photography approach it as if they are lighting an interview. Nothing could be worse. For lighting table top objects you must abandon all other previously learned things you know about 3 point lighting.

Instead position a soft light directly above your subject. A large chimera will usually work pretty well for this. However a roll of 216 diffusion streched on a frame will work even better. The main thing is that your diffused source light must be very large and very even. Increasing the distance from the light fixture to the diffusion will even out the spread of the lighting – that is something that even the best chimeras don’t do extremely well. I usually use a 4×4 frame and 216 diffusion media. For larger objects I use 2, 4x 4s. If you don’t have a 4×4 frame you can make a trip to Home Depot and pick up some 1x2s and quickly nail or bolt them together into a large frame. Support them from C stands or any other safe means of support. That will work very well. This type of lighting will also make keying a piece of cake since nearly all shadows dissappear.

Richard Martz
MagicMartz Media

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Rennie Klymyk
February 5, 2007 at 10:42 pm

A lot of electric motors respond to reostats very well too (like the ones in your 120V dimmers)

I’m not responsible for any equipment failures, fires etc. etc.
Chris Poisson
February 6, 2007 at 2:41 pm

Hi Richard,

Thanks for the lighting thoughts. I used o do exactly what you describe for print, so I am familiar with all of it. Still have my test setup downstairs, will try that today…
Chris Poisson
February 6, 2007 at 10:22 pm

Rennie,

Freakin’ genius! A little in-line dimmer on an extension cord and now my old Techniques turntable will go as slow as I want! WhoHoo!
Brian Tuller
July 18, 2011 at 4:52 am

Hi – reseahrcing a DIY option for a turntable and came across this old thread – any chance you could give details on what your did with your turntable –

add a 120v household light dimmer to an extension cord worked?

I have an old, good direct drive Gemini turntable I’d like to use
did you experience any problems / damage to the turntable?

thanks for any details!

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