KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script - page 77 - Completed and Working Scripts - CHDK Forum

KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script

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Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script
« Reply #760 on: 02 / March / 2016, 18:44:48 »
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About one photo is missing ever 30 pics taken  ... I have attached the log of one of the cams incase that helps
For the camera that produced that log file,  can you please tell me the image name (e.g. IMG_0284.JPG) that you think is before (or after) one of the missing images? 

That would narrow things down a lot.

Edit :  Meanwhile, it looks like your pixhawk is trying to take a picture approximately every two seconds.  This is about the fastest most Powershots can shoot unless they are in a "continuous" mode.   While the kap_uav.lua continuous mode has the drawback of locking exposure at the start of each shooting sequence,  it can get most cameras down close to two shots per second or better.
« Last Edit: 02 / March / 2016, 18:50:52 by waterwingz »
Ported :   A1200    SD940   G10    Powershot N    G16

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script
« Reply #761 on: 08 / March / 2016, 16:33:33 »
Thanks for the answer, I have been playing around alot with the servo mode and different pixhawk settings on relay mode.
This is what I have so far:


Relay mode, approx one photo missing from each camera no matter the time interval between the photos.
Pretty consistant at -1 pic on every fight.
Servo mode, mutch higher trigger speeds- less shutter lag. However in this case extra photos are a common scenario,
 the numbers vary, from +1,+2 to -1 on every flight. 


It almost looks like there is no way around it ?


Also is there a way to set the lens to extract once turning on the camera? Right now the lens extract upon first usb command which
increases the shutter lag of the first photo alot.



Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script
« Reply #762 on: 08 / March / 2016, 19:44:35 »
Relay mode, approx one photo missing from each camera no matter the time interval between the photos.  Pretty consistant at -1 pic on every fight.
As per my previous request, if you can identify the file name of the photo that occurred before the one that is missing it would help me to interpret the log that you posted.

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Servo mode, mutch higher trigger speeds- less shutter lag. However in this case extra photos are a common scenario,  the numbers vary, from +1,+2 to -1 on every flight. 
Extra photos?  I'm not sure that I understand what an extra photo is?  Again, image file names that I can cross reference with the log would help a lot here.

Quote
It almost looks like there is no way around it ?
With over 5000 downloads of the script, I think it's fair to say it is pretty stable. So we just need to figure out what is happening here in your specific case.

Generally speaking, this usually comes down to timing or camera setup (Canon modes).   That's why I want to see in the log where the extra/missing images are occurring.  With the help of a few dedicated UAV owners,  we got this script to run reliably at 2 frames per second.  I'm pretty sure we can fix your issue(s) too.

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Also is there a way to set the lens to extract once turning on the camera? Right now the lens extract upon first usb command which  increases the shutter lag of the first photo alot.
Well,  you could start the camera in shooting mode in the first place?  Just press and hold the On/Off button until you hear the lens extend when you power up the camera.  Or half-press the shutter button to switch to shooting mode prior to launching your aircraft.     I could add something to activate the lens when the script starts but that would have to be an additional option as most people seem to prefer the lens retracted during take-off and landing phases of a flight (for obvious reasons).
Ported :   A1200    SD940   G10    Powershot N    G16

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script
« Reply #763 on: 13 / March / 2016, 12:22:07 »
Problem is that I don't know exactly which photo is missing. When trying to geottag the software reads the Pixhawk flight log and identifies the camera trigger commands. If the tirgger command number and the picture number don't mutch then geottag is impossible.


By extra photo I mean the pixhawk may send for example 25 camera trigger commands but there are 26 photos taken.


Is there a line I could add/ or modify to extend the lens prior to takeoff? Because right now the lens extend on the first camera trigger command and that
increases the shutter lag of the first pic to around 2.5s







Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script
« Reply #764 on: 13 / March / 2016, 12:37:33 »
Problem is that I don't know exactly which photo is missing. When trying to geottag the software reads the Pixhawk flight log and identifies the camera trigger commands. If the tirgger command number and the picture number don't mutch then geottag is impossible.
Does the geottag software not give an error message that identifies the image it can't find?  Or can we look at the pixhawk flight log and CHDK script's log and figure it out for ourselves?

Quote
Is there a line I could add/ or modify to extend the lens prior to takeoff? Because right now the lens extend on the first camera trigger command and that increases the shutter lag of the first pic to around 2.5s
Sure,  but did you read my previous response for two options that don't require modifying the script?

Well,  you could start the camera in shooting mode in the first place?  Just press and hold the On/Off button until you hear the lens extend when you power up the camera.  Or half-press the shutter button to switch to shooting mode prior to launching your aircraft.   

But if you really want to mod the script,  delete lines 711 - 718 in the v3.7 release of the script.  This code :
Code: [Select]
          if ( wait_for_usb_active() == false) then                  -- can we start ?
                printf("Menu key exit request")
                restore()
                return
            else
                printf("USB start signal received")
                usb_shooting_mode = 2
            end
Ported :   A1200    SD940   G10    Powershot N    G16

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script
« Reply #765 on: 13 / March / 2016, 13:59:47 »
The geottag software doesn't give any information unfortunately. The first action it does is check the number of photos in the file and the number of commands in the flight log and in the case they don't match it halts the procedure there.
The flight log - as far as cams are concerned only records cam_trigger commands and GPS co-ordinates.
The geottag software then assumes the first pic in the file belongs to the first cam trigger command the 2nd to the 2nd and so on.



I will do a flight and send you a fresh cam and pixhawk log tommorow.


I tried holding the on/off button and half pressing the shutter but it has no effect, the lens remain closed.

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script
« Reply #766 on: 13 / March / 2016, 14:15:12 »
I tried holding the on/off button and half pressing the shutter but it has no effect, the lens remain closed.
Sorry - should have been clearer.  You need to do either of those things prior to entering <ALT> mode and starting the script.  In the case of the On/Off button, you should be able to turn the camera on in shooting mode (i.e. lens extended) by holding down the On/Off button rather than just pressing it quickly.   The half press trick works when the camera is NOT in <ALT> mode (and the script not running).

I suppose I could tweak the next version of the script so that any key press lets the script escape from the delay for first USB signal.  Right now it only responds to the MENU key in that state - and it terminates the script.

The flight log - as far as cams are concerned only records cam_trigger commands and GPS co-ordinates.
Does it time stamp each record?
« Last Edit: 13 / March / 2016, 14:26:37 by waterwingz »
Ported :   A1200    SD940   G10    Powershot N    G16

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script
« Reply #767 on: 13 / March / 2016, 14:42:02 »
 Ok no prob. I will probably edit the code anyway, as I have both CHDK and script on autostart so as not to have to take the camera off before the flight.
The flight log does time stamp every action recorded. Using GPS time.

 


Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script
« Reply #768 on: 13 / March / 2016, 14:46:53 »
The flight log does time stamp every action recorded. Using GPS time.
Perfect.  Should be possible to match up the "missing" shot if that's the case - the kap log is timestamped to .001 seconds.  Once you align the first shot,  the rest should fall in line until the miss or extra shot shows up.
Ported :   A1200    SD940   G10    Powershot N    G16

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script
« Reply #769 on: 14 / March / 2016, 05:50:22 »
Just tried the code modification you suggested (Deleted the exact lines you posted). The lens do exctract but only for about 4 seconds and then retract back again.
This is how the action goes:
 Press on/off button->
***Autostart***
KAP 3.6 started- pess menu to exit ->
(now lens extract)->
~4s later (lens retract)
USB halt requested
waiting on USB signal 

 

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