Getting that perfect up-close macro shot is touch, especially since even the smallest movement can throw off a focused image or make the subject leave the frame. This need for stability and precision is what drove Kike Glez (AKA ‘TelekikeG’ on Instructables) to build a motorized photography platform that would be able to gradually move closer/further away relative to the subject with extreme levels of granularity.

The device utilizes an Arduino Uno as its primary microcontroller and its job is to generate pulses for the DRV8825 stepper driver, which turns the stepper motor as well as accepts user inputs from a series of five buttons — all mounted on a custom PCB shield. The board also features several TIL331 seven-segment modules for a more vintage appearance. Rather than constructing the entire platform from scratch, an old CD-ROM drive was repurposed in order to use the laser head gantry to move the subject instead. Lastly, a pair of bright lights were placed in front of the subject that provided plenty of illumination.

To take a macro photo, the user must first input the start and stop locations of the subject, along with how much delay there should be between making a movement and taking a picture. The result is a massive collection of images, which can then be combined in software to create highly detailed macro photos. 

For more information about Glez’s project, be sure to check out its write-up here on Instructables.