This is an adjustable table mount for using the Pi Camera to see very small things on the workspace with various lenses and filters. There is a high degree of precise adjustability and accuracy to accommodate many different component geometries and focal lengths.
There are three gears the master in the center is adjusted by the top shaft, thereby turning the two threaded slave gears on either side to adjust the camera up and down. There are only three parts to machine or fabricate (or print), the rest of the parts are from McMaster-Carr, with the exception of the knurled knob from DigiKey.
Assembly is fairly self-explanitory by the image. The center gear is to be tapped on the side for a set-screw, this in turn, rotates the gear when the center shaft is turned. The two slave gears on either side of the center master gear are to drilled and tapped for 5/16-18 thread. When those gears are actuated, the mechanism will raise or lower the camera assembly accordingly. The bottom nuts on the threaded rods may be safety wired together to prevent rotational movement. Two mounting holes are provided at the base for affixment to a work surface. The slot cut in the Adjuster may need to be filed in the edges to allow gears to fit as will (just on the fillets).
The Nylon Spacers included in the BOM are to keep the back of the Pi Camera off the plate.
Here's an image of the bottom nuts and threaded rod, that has been drilled and safety-wired. This keeps the rods from rotating and changing the timing during use. If the timing were to change, the camera would no longer be level.
My idea from the beginning, was to use the spring and detent from an AR-15 safety mechanism to give this camera mount a clicky operation. However this flat spring cam across my desk and was just too easy to drill and mount not to use. If I had it to do again though, I would use the AR parts... Better, more tactile clicks.
