CHDK Forum

CHDK Development => General Discussion and Assistance => Topic started by: snuffy47 on 04 / December / 2010, 21:19:27

Title: A470 looking to use as time lapse but Noobie Few Questions
Post by: snuffy47 on 04 / December / 2010, 21:19:27

Just purchased a A470

Do not have it in my hands yet and look forward to tring to load CHDK on it.

Primary reason for this test run is to try and use it to watch a wild life feeding station in a time lapse mode.

I would like to test run in day time hours only for starters maybes every 5mins and if possible on a 4G card run 2-5 days.  Will be wiring SL batteries to the camera.

Just starting to read but was hoping for some guidance.

It would be nice later to have it switch to a night mode also but I will learn to crawl first.

Title: Re: A470 looking to use as time lapse but Noobie Few Questions
Post by: dodald on 07 / December / 2010, 21:32:30

I use an A470 with CHDK (also w/ a 4gb card), it works great!

You didn't really ask a question though, so start here: http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK_in_Brief (http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK_in_Brief)

I use the "Ultra_Intervolameter" script for my time lapses.

I also purchased a generic "Digital Camera" AC adapter for long term time lapses.

Title: Re: A470 looking to use as time lapse but Noobie Few Questions
Post by: hippyboater on 28 / December / 2010, 13:49:09

Hi,

I'm a newb to CHDK but excited about the possibilities.  However, I am having trouble getting CHDK to work on the A470 camera.  I'm running 1.02C firmware, and so have downloaded a470-102c-0.9.9-1006-full.zip.  Please note that I could not get anything to work using a470-102c-0.9.9-1005-full.zip  (note the 1005 did not work for me, but the 1006 does with problems...).

So, here's what happens.  I can get CHDK up once, run the time lapse script fine, but then when I turn the camera off and then on again (in play mode) to take another set of photos I cannot get CHDK to load.  If I wait for a while, it will re-load.  Or, sometimes, if I take the SD card out and then replace it, CHDK will load.

This is obviously frustrating as I want to experiment with the scripts and see what it can do.

Can anyone help with this problem?

Thanks,

HB.

Title: Re: A470 looking to use as time lapse but Noobie Few Questions
Post by: reyalp on 28 / December / 2010, 16:20:31

Quote from: hippyboater on 28 / December / 2010, 13:49:09

So, here's what happens.  I can get CHDK up once, run the time lapse script fine, but then when I turn the camera off and then on again (in play mode) to take another set of photos I cannot get CHDK to load.  If I wait for a while, it will re-load.  Or, sometimes, if I take the SD card out and then replace it, CHDK will load.

This is obviously frustrating as I want to experiment with the scripts and see what it can do.

Can anyone help with this problem?

Thanks,

HB.

I assume you are using autoboot, not manually loading with "firm update" ?  If so it sounds like the SD card lock is not being detected all the time. CHDK will only load if the SD card is locked. If the mechanical switch inside the camera that detects the lock does not engage properly, then it will not load.

You can try loading manually using http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/%22firmware_update_method%22 (http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/%22firmware_update_method%22)

The fact that taking the card out and putting it back sometimes solves the problem suggests this might be happening. Other people have had trouble with the lock detection. See http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php?topic=5743.msg56054#msg56054 (http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php?topic=5743.msg56054#msg56054) and http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,3374.0.html (http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,3374.0.html)

There is no difference between 1005 and 1006 that would affect a470, so the fact that one worked and the other did not is almost certainly coincidental.

Title: Re: A470 looking to use as time lapse but Noobie Few Questions
Post by: Glomeris on 29 / July / 2011, 17:27:55

Hi. Even it's a bit late, I will add I also do wildlife monitoring, and it (CHDK) is the great must-have we always dreamt about but never thought it would exist and...for free. Oh, what a wonderful word...
Ok, I will add you must try motion detection scripts, since you will only want to record presence of fauna. In case you monitor from dusk to dawn, just remove the IR blocking filter which protects the sensor (google it, a japanese guy has nice video) but replace it with a clear glass so as to avoid dust stacking because of static electricity (yo know, countryside, wildlife, wilderness...).
I use external power (external battery pack), and IR illumination for night imaging; a nice script should include focus at 1st shot, since at night it is already focused and save time, batt. and avoid error in focus.

Just feedback any result to see how it's going.

Franck