KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script

waterwingz

12140

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script

« Reply #210 on: 18 / July / 2014, 01:33:58 »

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Quote from: timvand on 18 / July / 2014, 01:11:12

Using v3.1 and have pushed shutter all the way up to 1/1600 and still have blurring on the 3rd or 4th image and the next is crisp.

1/1600 is not really all that high - but it's a lot better than 1/100 !

However, it looks to me like your problem is with focus rather than motion blur. Taking a quick look at the log, a few things seem to pop out.

You've using CHDK 1.2.0 (the "stable" release). I'd strongly recommend using 1.3.0 (the "development" release) as it has much better ability to set focus at infinity. It's also about to become the stable release anyway.
It looks like you have both Continuous Autofocus and Servo Autofocus enabled. I'd recommend you disable them in the Canon menu
the first three shots in the log report being focussed at infinity. The rest are not even close. This is likely something that would be corrected following the two steps I just mentioned
You actually have the shutter speed locked at 1/1250 maximum.
If you install 1.3.0, you can try using the MF focus mode instead of AFL.

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Ported : A1200 SD940 G10 Powershot N G16

timvand

18

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script

« Reply #211 on: 18 / July / 2014, 02:38:51 »

AWESOMENESS!!!

Thanks for the quick reply.

Implementing all the changes you noted and will test/fly tomorrow.

Thank you again!

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waterwingz

12140

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script

« Reply #212 on: 18 / July / 2014, 08:22:17 »

Quote from: timvand on 18 / July / 2014, 02:38:51

Implementing all the changes you noted and will test/fly tomorrow.

You might want to do some testing prior to flying? Place the camera on a tripod and take some pictures where you have objects distributed between short, medium and long range. Taking a picture down the lenght of a fence is a good example. Then let the script run a couple of time, taking two or three picutred each run. Check the pictures carefully on your PC to determine where the camera was focused.

We have recently run into two camera models than still will not focus properly. The only thing currently possible is to not try to set focus at infinity for those with the script. Just select the scenery focus setting in the Canon and let the Canon autofocus try to do its job.

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Ported : A1200 SD940 G10 Powershot N G16

timvand

18

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script

« Reply #213 on: 18 / July / 2014, 11:03:12 »

Quote from: waterwingz on 18 / July / 2014, 08:22:17

Quote from: timvand on 18 / July / 2014, 02:38:51
Implementing all the changes you noted and will test/fly tomorrow.
Just select the scenery focus setting in the Canon and let the Canon autofocus try to do its job.

How is this set on the sx260?

How do you disable the following:
Mode:PLAY,Continuous_AF:1,Servo_AF:1

Is there a way to dump the settings, both KAP_UAV settings and camera setting to a file?

Here is the link to the images shot this AM, and similar results.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/uok9081z8xiwdwc/140718_DCIM-1.zip

KAP.log is attached here.

Current camera AF settings;
AF Frame - center
AF Frame size - normal
Digital zoom - off
AF Point zoom - off
Servo AF - off
Continuous AF - off
AF-Assist Beam - off
MF Point zoom - off
Safety MF - off
I-Contrast - off
Blink Detect - off
IS Settings/Modes - off

The previous set of images from my initial post, the AF Frame setting was set to AF Tracking, and the only other option is Face Tracking or Center as noted above on the pics from the flight this AM.

KAP.log (18.99 kB - downloaded 15 times.)

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waterwingz

12140

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script

« Reply #214 on: 18 / July / 2014, 11:35:03 »

Quote from: timvand on 18 / July / 2014, 11:03:12

Quote from: waterwingz on 18 / July / 2014, 08:22:17
Just select the scenery focus setting in the Canon and let the Canon autofocus try to do its job.
How is this set on the sx260?

I don't know - I'll have to download the sx260 manual and take a look tonight. Looking at the log, the camera "thinks" that it's focussed at infinity.

Quote

How do you disable the following:
Mode:PLAY,Continuous_AF:1,Servo_AF:1

From what you posted below, it looks like you now have done that. They show up in the log file that way too. Although I see you are now using "M" mode - I think that should be okay.

Quote

Is there a way to dump the settings, both KAP_UAV settings and camera setting to a file?

The kap.log file already has that for the things it cares about.

Quote

Here is the link to the images shot this AM, and similar results.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/uok9081z8xiwdwc/140718_DCIM-1.zip

Thanks - won't bet able to download until tonight. The exposure settings in the log look strange - it will be interesting to see the actual pictures.

Quote

Current camera AF settings;
...
Servo AF - off
Continuous AF - off
...

The kap.log file show these as being disable too - that's good.

Quote

IS Settings/Modes - off

You probably want to leave the IS (image stabilization) modes enabled.

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Ported : A1200 SD940 G10 Powershot N G16

timvand

18

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script

« Reply #215 on: 18 / July / 2014, 12:53:59 »

Quote

IS Settings/Modes - off

You probably want to leave the IS (image stabilization) modes enabled.
[/quote]

Will go re-shoot with the IS modes enabled.

Just re-shot with the settings in the prior post, still blurring going on. Log file attached.

KAP.log (11.65 kB - downloaded 14 times.)

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waterwingz

12140

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script

« Reply #216 on: 18 / July / 2014, 13:17:21 »

Shutter speed is still kind of low, mostly because the minimum f--stop is small. Are you setting the zoom at something other than wide angle? You might want to jack up the MaxISO2 value to 3200 to compensate -the image will be a little noisier but that is better than blurry.

Also, is there a chance that you need to work on the vibration mounting for the camera?

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Ported : A1200 SD940 G10 Powershot N G16

waterwingz

12140

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script

« Reply #217 on: 18 / July / 2014, 17:40:08 »

Update : I'm afraid that I'm getting a really bad sense of deja vu here.

The best focus of all your pictures (e.g. IMG_3218.JPG) are the ones taken of the pavement, inches away, when your UAV is on the ground ! Yet kap.log file says the camera is focussed at infinity and the Canon Maker Notes information in the image file report subject distance as 6553 (which I believe is 655 meters). And while many of the aerial shots are quite good, at least 3/4 of them are whacked. Again, the image maker note data all shows 6553.

I guess we have to add the sx260 to the S100 and ixus125 as cameras that refuse to set_focus as requested by the script. We really need to find a way to solve this.

« Last Edit: 18 / July / 2014, 17:47:11 by waterwingz »

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Ported : A1200 SD940 G10 Powershot N G16

timvand

18

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script

« Reply #218 on: 18 / July / 2014, 18:20:04 »

Quote from: waterwingz on 18 / July / 2014, 17:40:08

Update : I'm afraid that I'm getting a really bad sense of deja vu here.

The best focus of all your pictures (e.g. IMG_3218.JPG) are the ones taken of the pavement, inches away, when your UAV is on the ground ! Yet kap.log file says the camera is focussed at infinity and the Canon Maker Notes information in the image file report subject distance as 6553 (which I believe is 655 meters). And while many of the aerial shots are quite good, at least 3/4 of them are whacked. Again, the image maker note data all shows 6553.

I guess we have to add the sx260 to the S100 and ixus125 as cameras that refuse to set_focus as requested by the script. We really need to find a way to solve this.

I have a set completed with MaxISO2 at 1/1600 as it does not got to 3200 and F/5.0 with pretty much same results. Those images I have not uploaded though.

I am going to do another flight now, with the Min Fstop at 4.0. Any other thoughts/suggestions/recommendations?

After the above flight, I am going to remount the camera with more vib dampening to see what the impact is if the results do not improve.

Crazy thing is, I can not believe I am the only one who has had this challenge, yet, it's all good. Keeps things interesting.

Cheers and thank you for all YOUR efforts. Amazing work BTW!

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waterwingz

12140

Re: KAP & UAV Exposure Control Intervalometer Script

« Reply #219 on: 18 / July / 2014, 18:46:51 »

Quote from: timvand on 18 / July / 2014, 18:20:04

I have a set completed with MaxISO2 at 1/1600 as it does not got to 3200 and F/5.0 with pretty much same results. Those images I have not uploaded though.

Yea - it's a focus issue rather than shutter speed I'm afraid.

Quote

I am going to do another flight now, with the Min Fstop at 4.0. Any other thoughts/suggestions/recommendations?

Leave the "Focus @ Infinity Mode" option at "None" and let the camera fend for itself ? Or take a look at pages 125 & 126 of the manual for your camera : http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/7/0300007147/01/pssx260hs-sx240hs-cug-c-en.pdf and put the camera into native MF mode, set at infinity. (leaving the CHDK option at "none")

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After the above flight, I am going to remount the camera with more vib dampening to see what the impact is if the results do not improve.

Can't hurt but I don't think it's the root cause of the issues.

Quote

Crazy thing is, I can not believe I am the only one who has had this challenge, yet, it's all good.

Thanks for keeping your "chin up" on this. It's most frustrating. And you are not the only one - an S100 owner and ixus125 owner have discovered the same thing. Still, over 1250 people have downloaded the script but no telling how many have actually tried it. I'll bet there are only a few camera models that have this issue.

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Ported : A1200 SD940 G10 Powershot N G16