Retaining settings for zoom, distance and self timer on power save

cocuyo

2

Retaining settings for zoom, distance and self timer on power save

« on: 22 / March / 2010, 06:15:04 »

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I have a request, that I am sure could be helpful to other people too.

When the camera goes to sleep as no button is pressed, many settings are lost. I often use the camera on a tripod, working in a studio, taking pictures in succession of an object that changes between pictures. Whenever the camera goes into power save, it loses zoom, distance, self timer, so it has to be set again before continuing to shoot, and that is very annoying. I believe, that before going to sleep, the camera could save these settings in flash memory or other not too volatile memory, so that it comes back in the same state when the release button is again actuated half-way. If other people would not want it that way, it could be a feature to choose.

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carlos

63
A640

Re: Retaining settings for zoom, distance and self timer on power save

« Reply #1 on: 22 / March / 2010, 20:32:30 »

What is your camera? Canon PowerShot cameras, (presumably all, I could be wrong), allow turning off auto power down!

Go to Record Menu>Tools (second window)>Power Saving>Auto Power Down ... select Off. (Menu might vary by model but basics should be similar).

« Last Edit: 22 / March / 2010, 20:37:41 by carlos »

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jemapela

9

Re: Retaining settings for zoom, distance and self timer on power save

« Reply #2 on: 25 / March / 2010, 06:04:25 »

Quote from: cocuyo on 22 / March / 2010, 06:15:04

I have a request, that I am sure could be helpful to other people too.

When the camera goes to sleep as no button is pressed, many settings are lost. I often use the camera on a tripod, working in a studio, taking pictures in succession of an object that changes between pictures. Whenever the camera goes into power save, it loses zoom, distance, self timer, so it has to be set again before continuing to shoot, and that is very annoying. I believe, that before going to sleep, the camera could save these settings in flash memory or other not too volatile memory, so that it comes back in the same state when the release button is again actuated half-way. If other people would not want it that way, it could be a feature to choose.

I agree on the usefulness of having a feature that remembers the focal length and distance.

I believe, having read somewhere, that sections of CHDK script can be written to detect and go to a particular zoom setting (focal length) but I'm not sure if focus (distance) is possible.

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cocuyo

2

Re: Retaining settings for zoom, distance and self timer on power save

« Reply #3 on: 26 / March / 2010, 07:24:47 »

Quote from: carlos on 22 / March / 2010, 20:32:30

What is your camera? Canon PowerShot cameras, (presumably all, I could be wrong), allow turning off auto power down!

Go to Record Menu>Tools (second window)>Power Saving>Auto Power Down ... select Off. (Menu might vary by model but basics should be similar).

My camera i G7, and the feature not to power down does not work as expected. There are two options, one for power down, another for blanking the screen. If the latter is allowed, the camera still loses settings. Hence, both must be disabled, and then the camera uses up the battery faster than were it allowed to power off the screen without powering down the camera. It should be possible to adjust the firmware to hold settings, either by saving them on power down, or by not powering down the device that holds the settings. I think saving to memory would be more power efficient, and that there must be some way for the camera to return to saved settings. Probably the latter can already be done with CHDK, but I need it to save state before automatically powering down.

« Last Edit: 26 / March / 2010, 08:03:39 by cocuyo »

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carlos

63
A640

Re: Retaining settings for zoom, distance and self timer on power save

« Reply #4 on: 26 / March / 2010, 21:04:14 »

Sorry, my reply was incomplete. If you shut down the screen before Canon does (why, oh why, no user override?) by plugging the a/v output your settings will remain. I keep a tiny plastic plug attached to the camera for this purpose. Put it in - screen off, take it out - screen on with all saved.

I'm a mere user and cannot comment on possibilities but this situation has been discussed before; it's not a new request. Somewhere in the forum there is mention of CHDK turning off the screen backlight (by script) ... whether this would be applicable, I don't know. Do search, perhaps you'll find something of use.

If you plug the a/v, use anything but metal! Kabob stick, shoelace end, plastic and, yes, even the a/v plug that comes with the camera have been used. Someone uses a marked wooden plug that is simply moved in the output as a switch.

It would be great if the CHDK experts could give us everything we want but we are asking for hacking on demand ... even magicians have limitations.

Edit: changed (a/v) "input" to "output"

« Last Edit: 28 / March / 2010, 18:31:41 by carlos »

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