Review SOONPHO M-6 Remote&Tracking Pan Tilt
This item allows you to move a camera, camera, smartphone, or any other object that has a 1/4" hole at the bottom for the classic screw used in camera equipment to be clear. The construction is solid and not just plastic, but even pops up a few metal details here and there, such as the side screws that allow swinging.
M-6 Remote&Tracking Pan Tilt
Has a dual function: remote and monitoring. It mounts stepper motors with higher accuracy than traditional motors.
- remotely has 8 speeds for pan and tilt.
- wide speed adjustment range from 4r/ min to 0.03r/ min
- 2 preset positions in memory and can be recalled with a button
- 100 channels
Also can automatically scan between A and B, and the scanning speed can be adjusted. The M-6 has a shooting port and connects the camera by cable and can take photos remotely. Such as pan tracking and pan tilt, supports gesture recognition, can charge camera phones up to 2 kg. There is a 1/4" screw hole at the bottom of M-6 and can be easily installed on the tripod.
Can be used for live streaming, photos, etc.
First operation: charge the battery of M-6 and insert the 2 batteries (provided in the package) into the remote control. Charging M-6, if the battery is low, can take several hours.
This is how it appears:
Instruction Manual
M-6 is turned on by moving the slider to the 0 position and is already ready for horizontal rotation (H) and vertical tilt (V).
The display has 3 lines and indicates
CH = channel (must be the same as that of the remote control. Channel 5) A B are the positions
V = Vertical 028.0 the degrees of tilt starting from 0.0 (all tilted forward) to 53.9 (all tilted backward). So 30.0 is the position parallel to the plane on which M-6 is resting.
S:8 = Vertical speed 8 (on 9 speeds)
H = Horizontal. 020.2 Are the degrees of the horizontal axis starting from 0.0 to 359.9
S:6 = Horizontal speed 6 (on 9 speeds)
Set A and B positions
To rotate M-6 from position A to position B, the 2 positions must be memorized, which can be preset and recalled with a single key.
These settings must be made with the keypad of M-6
.
Select a position by moving M-6 with the remote control, then long press the "A" button until the "A" on the LCD turns green. In this way, position A is memorized.
To memorize position B repeat the same operation.
When the two positions are memorized just press Auto and A or B at the same time and M-6 will move to the memorized position.
Remote control
The remote signal turns green if the channel number of M-6 is the same as the remote channel. When the signal is green, the remote control is ready for use. If the channel number is not consistent with the remote channel number, the red character "SELECT CH" flashes on the LCD. At the same time, the channel number also flashes. Press the UP or DOWN key to change the remote channel, and when it is the same channel as M-6, press OK to confirm.
Warning
Turn on M-6 ( POWER switch) first and then turn on the remote control. The remote control will automatically turn off after 5 minutes, if it has not received commands then it will be necessary to act on the POWER switch again.
Select channel with remote control
Long press the menu button on the remote control, the remote channel number will flash, press the UP or DOWN button to change the channel number. Press OK to confirm.
Select the rotation and tilt speed with the remote control
Quickly press the MENU key, and on the display the rotation speed number flashes. |  |
Select the speed with the UP or DOWN keys. |   |
Press OK to confirm.
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Press the MENU key again, and the tilt speed number flashes on the display. | |
Select the speed with the UP or DOWN keys. |
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Press OK to confirm.
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Return to positions A and B
Pressing Auto and "A" at the same time, M-6 to position A automatically.
Pressing Auto and "B" at the same time, M-6 to position B automatically.
The A and B icons on the LCD will flash until M-6 returns to the correct position.
Rotation scan from A to B
Pressing the Auto and S keys simultaneously will cause the M-6 to scan repeatedly from A to B according to the selected speed. Press the S key again to end the scan.
Warning
Positions A and B must be reset after the scanning mode.
Continuous rotation
Simultaneously pressing the Auto button and the LEFT arrow will automatically rotate the M-6 to the left, press the LEFT button again to stop the rotation.
Tracking mode
The power switch has 3 positions: middle is off, top is remote, and bottom is tracking.
Move the switch up to remote mode and adjust the camera angle so that it frames the face of the person to be tracked. Move the switch down, to the tracking mode, the tracking light comes on and tracking is started.
- Green light on = tracking
- Green light flashing = weak signal or missing target
- Red light on = stop tracking
Tracking supports gesture recognition:
- OK with hand = start tracking
- Stop with hand = stop tracking
Warning
The camera lens embedded in M-6 tracking cannot recognize gestures or people if the ambient brightness is too dim: the tracking result may not be correct, and sometimes the gesture may not be recognized.
Remote photography
Use a shutter cable to connect the M-6, turn on the camera, turn on the M-6, turn on the remote control, press the PHOTO button to take photos.
Warning
Shutter cable is not included in the accessories.
Noise
Slight noise is always present.
However, as far as noise is concerned, it all depends on the weight of the camera and what lens it is equipped with.
Nikon D780 + Nikkor 24-120 weight 1,750 Kg
- In horizontal rotation no appreciable noise.
- In front vertical ascent there is, in addition to the slight engine noise, some noise of gears straining rather noticeable from 3° to 14°
- In rear vertical ascent no appreciable noise.
Jerky motion
In horizontal rotation, no appreciable jerk; movement is smooth.
Very noticeable in rear vertical end-stop and restart.
Nikon Coolpix 500 grams
In horizontal rotation no snap , the movement is very smooth
In front and back vertical ascent no snap.
Conclusions
For the price it is a good PTZ, motion is reasonably smooth, and motion noise is all in all acceptable (due to the good idea of using stepper motors, by the way much more expensive, instead of the usual electric motors with brushes) as long as the recording microphone is at least 50 cm away and directed forward. This is if you are using smartphones, small cameras with a weight not exceeding one kilogram. For objects weighing more than or close to 1.5 kilograms, M-6 has some limitations and then it depends on the work to be done.
As a hobbyist object it may be fine, it does its job decently for the price. More demanding or professional applications require the use of more expensive equipment.
SOONPHO M6 Remote&Tracking Pan Tilt 
