Bring your own batteries (4 AA's), since the ones in the cameras will likely be almost used up when you pick them up.

There is an camera instruction manual in the camera box. 

The head should click to 18 positions.  If it doesn't click, you need to adjust the mechanism at the base of the head. Don’t tighten the head too much. There is an online instruction manual here. 

The KiWi Rotator Base (with the bracket with 3 sliding slots) is for light cameras (below 3LB), like the A640 used in this class. We have two of them.

If you want to use your own SLR with heavy lens, you should check out the QuickPan Rotator Base with two brackets, which could support up to 5LB including the lens. We have only one of them. It can also be used with light cameras as well.

KiWi Rotator Base	QuickPan Rotator with two brackets

 

Before shooting images, make sure the optical center of the camera is approximately on the rotation axis of the Kaidan head. Page 10-11 of the Kaidan manual tells you how to adjust the cameras to meet this condition.

You can use bubbles on the levelers to make sure the head is mounted level.

Make sure the camera is turned off when you're finished.  Also, do not leave the LCD monitor on longer than necessary, since the batteries drain pretty fast.

You might want to go ahead and capture a hand-held sequence at the same time, while you have the camera.

During capturing, the lens should be most zoomed out ( the default mode of the camera). Otherwise, the focal length parameters we provide are NOT valid. 

I recommend you to use Manual Mode of Canon PowerShot A640, so the the exposure and white balance are not automatically adjusted and hopefully consistent across the image sequence. I also recommend you capture images in portrait pose with small resolution (640*480) and save them in best quality mode. All those modes are described in the associated camera instruction manual. After capturing, you can use Photoshop or other image package to rotate the images.

Please do not disassemble the Kaidan head. Only demount the camera when necessary.

Make sure you return the equipment promptly, so the next group can pick it up.