A professional photographer with an e-commerce side hustle and experience in launching new products approached Henway Engineering with a unique challenge: he wanted to develop a high-end electronic camera leveling system that would eliminate the need to manually adjust tripod legs—a must-have tool for fellow professional photographers. However, the client had no prior experience in electronics and couldn’t necessarily provide specific written instructions for the design.
No problem! We’re used to helping this way and were prepared to guide him through the process.
During the initial design phase, we held several in-depth discussions to understand their vision and the specific needs of professional photographers. We learned that the LED level indicators had to be visible even when the unit was mounted high on a tripod. The system needed to function in six different orientations, be powered by a single A23 battery, and offer adjustable brightness for use in various lighting conditions—whether shooting at night, indoors, or outdoors.
Additionally, it was important for the system to be user-friendly, allowing for easy calibration with just a single touch. It must also be convenient for in-line production testing.
Henway guided this customer throughout the design process, advising on the pros and cons of different design decisions and helping the customer navigate the complexities of electronics design. The result was a highly functional, easy-to-use camera leveling system that has since become the client’s best-selling product.
The PCB pictured below is a system that includes accelerometers for leveling, PWM LED drivers for adjustable brightness, DC/DC converters, a microprocessor for control, and buttons for user/factory interaction.
This project is a testament to Henway Engineering’s ability to collaborate with clients from all backgrounds, even those without prior electronics experience, and bring their ideas to life in the form of a successful, market-ready product.
Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to electronics, Henway is here to guide you through the proc