Cross Beam Sensor Set

The cross beam sensor adds another whole dimension to your triggering capability. This sensor was designed for triggering on flying insects or birds. For this application having a one dimensional trigger just won't get you that killer insect in flight picture. The cross beam sensor is available in two different versions - Laser and Infrared. Lasers are much more adept at capturing extremely small objects and are better for long distances. IR has the advantage of not having a visible beam. Pictured below is the laser sensor with the diffusers (included) installed on the receivers.

Two Flavors

The cross beam sensor set is available with either infrared or laser transmitters. Each of the transmitter types has its own advantages depending on what type of subject you are trying to capture. The receivers for both sets are identical with exception of the front element on the receiver. This element is user replaceable. For the laser transmitter there is a diffuser/filter that is placed in front of the receiver. For the IR sensor the front element is left open. If you need both the laser and IR cross beam sets you can do this without purchasing two complete sets. You can purchase one set and then just the transmitters for the other.

The image of the moth in flight was captured with the laser cross beam sensor set mounted on the front of our prototype insect rig. The whole system, including the camera, External Shutter and flashes are controlled by our high speed photography controller StopShot.

The Ultimate in Flexibility

Both the laser and cross beam sets can be used with all of the cross beam modes listed below as well as ballistics mode. These sensors offer great flexibility for mounting and triggering. There is an indicator light on one of the receivers that will aid in sensor alignment. There are several different modes these sensors can be operated in:

With this flexibility in triggering you can configure StopShot to catch very specific events. For example, you can trigger only when your target is moving is a specific direction. For the "A -> B" and "B -> A" modes, a confirmable time out may be used to reset the trigger if the second event does not occur. This option minimizes user-intervention and allows you to capture pictures only when your specific conditions are met.

Because we could not possibly come up with a mounting configuration that would fit all of the different applications out there, all of our sensors are designed to be attached to PVC, or electrical conduit tubing for easy design of custom brackets. They are also available with Tripod Mounts (1/4" x 20 Threads). Custom cables are also very easy to make for our system. We use all standard cables that can be purchased at your local Audio Video Store. Below are a couple of examples of some custom built fixtures with the cross beam setup.

These two fixtures were built by Linden Gledhill. The one on the left is for insects and the one on the right was used to take the picture of the Cockatiel seen below.. More detailed picture of Lindens Insect In Flight Rig Many thanks to Linden for the use of his photos. If you have not already seen Linden's Photo stream you should check it out - HERE

The Results (Click Images to see full size)