Multi-camera setup project. - page 22 - Creative Uses of CHDK - CHDK Forum

Multi-camera setup project.

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Offline reyalp

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Re: Multi-camera setup project.
« Reply #210 on: 04 / October / 2014, 16:30:34 »
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I am missing something here , i feel it .
Yes. exec (AKA !) runs lua code not lua files. If you want to run a lua file, you need to use a lua function that executes the file, like the examples in my previous post.
Don't forget what the H stands for.

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Offline mphx

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Re: Multi-camera setup project.
« Reply #211 on: 05 / October / 2014, 17:59:11 »
Yes. exec (AKA !) runs lua code not lua files. If you want to run a lua file, you need to use a lua function that executes the file, like the examples in my previous post.

Yes , dofile seems to do the trick.Gonna try it in the following days.


Next problem that came up : ISO doesn't stay stable. i have set it up in the chdk menu in all cameras but we have noticed that in extreme lighting occasions iso changes from that pre-determined number.
We wil try to control it from the same button we control zoom/shutter speed with the appropriate command.

@andrew.stephens

I will get the lua files next time i will be at studio.I do some tests in my laptop at home but never sure if they work without having cameras to test them.
So i trust only the lua files in studio :)
« Last Edit: 05 / October / 2014, 18:04:11 by mphx »

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Offline reyalp

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Re: Multi-camera setup project.
« Reply #212 on: 05 / October / 2014, 21:09:44 »
Next problem that came up : ISO doesn't stay stable. i have set it up in the chdk menu in all cameras but we have noticed that in extreme lighting occasions iso changes from that pre-determined number.
1) What is the ISO mode set in the canon firmware?
2) What *specific* chdk settings are you using.
3) How are you determining that the ISO has changed?
4) What does "extreme lighting" mean?

If you just want a fixed ISO value, I'd suggest setting it in the canon firmware rather than in the CHDK menu. I realize this is fairly annoying with a large number of cameras, but doing it in the canon menu shouldn't be more so than the CHDK menu.

If you want to adjust it per shot, then you probably want to send overrides in your shooting script.
Don't forget what the H stands for.

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Offline mphx

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Re: Multi-camera setup project.
« Reply #213 on: 06 / October / 2014, 03:41:59 »

1) What is the ISO mode set in the canon firmware?
2) What *specific* chdk settings are you using.
3) How are you determining that the ISO has changed?
4) What does "extreme lighting" mean?

If you just want a fixed ISO value, I'd suggest setting it in the canon firmware rather than in the CHDK menu. I realize this is fairly annoying with a large number of cameras, but doing it in the canon menu shouldn't be more so than the CHDK menu.

If you want to adjust it per shot, then you probably want to send overrides in your shooting script.

Here we go :)

1)Do you mean what is the by default iso value in the camera?I don't know.It changes according the conditions.

2)I don't get what you are asking here.Only thing i have set up in chdk menu is ISO VALUE , nothing else is changed there.

3)Right click the photo , settings , details and checking the info there.

4)By extreme lighting conditions means when camera has to lower or raise enough the brightness during shooting for some reason (e.g. we forget to close the curtain in the shooting area and low light spots are showing in the cameras and they have to raise brightness , or when a camera -usually at the lower positions - have the light bulb in their view...so they have to lower brightness).

In 99% if not 100% of cases we need a fixed iso value , but setting it up in the chdk menu as i said doesn't mean that it gets that value for sure.

When you say set it up in the canon firmware what exactly do you mean?If it means what i am imagining  , it won't be easy task.

Overriding through the shooting script guarantees that it will shoot with that value and cameras won't take initiatives of their own and change it ?
I don't mind iso to be set in every shoot through the script if it is a guaranteed way.

About that last , what's the command ? "set_iso_real"?or "set_iso_mode"?

And a last thing.We need to control white balance...what's the proper way?play with set_prop/get_prop or is there any more easy way?

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Offline mphx

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Re: Multi-camera setup project.
« Reply #214 on: 06 / October / 2014, 08:38:59 »
@reyalp

a bit update about the script you posted for the mass-upload-update :)

First of all script needed a correction.

The command

Code: [Select]
cli:print_status(cli:execute('mup c:/path/to/update'))
to

Code: [Select]
cli:print_status(cli:execute('mup c:/path/to/update /'))
In few words target dir was added :)

We manage to transfer files to 2 cameras BUT there was an error when trying to copy files from CHDK/MODULES subfolder.

In few words only files in root dir of the update folder were copied and i had to take away the subfolder CHDK in order to be able to copy the root dir files.
When CHDK folder was present , the whole process stopped with an error.An error not at all helpful

"ERROR : General Error"

Cameras booted ok with the new version chdk and we are doing test shots as we speak to check if the zoom problem is gone.
My question is , are these files i didn't copy (CHDK/MODULES/*) necessary ?Or i can "forget" them at all?


EDIT

I copied all CHDK/MODULES/ files into a second folder (e.g. update2) and used something like

Code: [Select]
cli:print_status(cli:execute('mup C:/path/to/update2 CHDK/MODULES/'))
and managed to copy those files too.

So i have to use the same script twice and copy the files in 2 seperate folders in order to get everything copied.

The 2 cameras with the new version (3636) shutdown randomly when we "play" with the zoom (aflock-1 , zoom , aflock-0)...while another camera with older version of chdk works fine.
« Last Edit: 06 / October / 2014, 09:09:56 by mphx »

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Offline reyalp

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Re: Multi-camera setup project.
« Reply #215 on: 06 / October / 2014, 23:33:09 »
1)Do you mean what is the by default iso value in the camera?I don't know.It changes according the conditions.
So ISO is set to auto in the func menu? Every powershot I know of allows you to set the ISO manually in P mode.

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2)I don't get what you are asking here.Only thing i have set up in chdk menu is ISO VALUE , nothing else is changed there.
At a minimum, you'd need to make sure "disable overrides on startup" isn't checked, and the box next to "override ISO" is checked.

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3)Right click the photo , settings , details and checking the info there.
When using CHDK overrides, it's not always safe to assume the exif reflects what the camera actually did. If in doubt, you should hold the shutter speed constant and examine the actual images. That said, I suspect in your case the override simply isn't active at all.

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When you say set it up in the canon firmware what exactly do you mean?If it means what i am imagining  , it won't be easy task.
I meant setting it in the menu of each camera. It would not be fun, but it should be saved between reboots and give you exactly the setting you set.

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Overriding through the shooting script guarantees that it will shoot with that value and cameras won't take initiatives of their own and change it ?
Nothing in chdk is guaranteed ;)

If ISO overrides work correctly in the port you are using, then script overrides and menu overrides should both work. You can also set menu overrides from script using set_config_value.

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About that last , what's the command ? "set_iso_real"?or "set_iso_mode"?
See the links available from
http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK_Scripting_Cross_Reference_Page

Both of those can be used to set ISO. You can also use set set_sv96.

If you are happy using ISO settings allowed by the canon firmware (e.g. 100, 200 etc) you may find set_iso_mode most convenient.

Otherwise, you need to be aware that there are actually two different ISO systems used on the camera "real" and "market" values. The "market" values are the ones accepted by the UI, while set_iso_real and set_sv96 take "real" value. There are functions in CHDK 1.3 to perform conversions between the two, see the "APEX96 Conversion" section of the scripting cross reference.

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And a last thing.We need to control white balance...what's the proper way?play with set_prop/get_prop or is there any more easy way?
Do you need to set white balance mode (like daylight, tungsten etc), or specific custom values?

For the first case, you may be able to do it with set_prop. You should test with one camera to verify that this actually works, in some cases setting a propcase value just changes the value without affecting the behavior of the camera. Failing that, you can set it in the canon menu, or perhaps using http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/User:Srsa_4c/UI_properties

For the second case, there is currently no way to do it from CHDK.
Don't forget what the H stands for.

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Offline reyalp

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Re: Multi-camera setup project.
« Reply #216 on: 06 / October / 2014, 23:48:44 »
First of all script needed a correction.

The command

Code: [Select]
cli:print_status(cli:execute('mup c:/path/to/update'))
to

Code: [Select]
cli:print_status(cli:execute('mup c:/path/to/update /'))
In few words target dir was added :)
I don't know what you copied.  The code I posted in http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php?topic=11667.msg117270#msg117270 includes the target directory, 'A/'

I did actually run it before posting.
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In few words only files in root dir of the update folder were copied and i had to take away the subfolder CHDK in order to be able to copy the root dir files.
The code I posted correctly uploads the source directory and all it's sub-directories. I don't know what caused your "general error", it might happen if you have files or directory names in the tree that are not compatible with the camera file system.

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My question is , are these files i didn't copy (CHDK/MODULES/*) necessary ?Or i can "forget" them at all?
You need them.

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The 2 cameras with the new version (3636) shutdown randomly when we "play" with the zoom (aflock-1 , zoom , aflock-0)...while another camera with older version of chdk works fine.
I told you before the aflock zoom thing was suspect. Since the zoom code has changed, it's not surprising that it causes problems. You should check whether the aflock workaround is still required.
« Last Edit: 07 / October / 2014, 00:56:25 by reyalp »
Don't forget what the H stands for.

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Offline mphx

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Re: Multi-camera setup project.
« Reply #217 on: 07 / October / 2014, 05:42:29 »
@reyalp

First of all my bad about the script.I didn't see the "A/".I was pretty sure i copied/paste your code...anyway...

Code works just fine.

Aboot the zoom now.Patch fixes distortion by a bit ...not entirely.
In low zoom steps is less distortion than in high zoom steps.
And you were right...aflock is not needed anymore.

About iso and white balance i will come back later with these issues :)

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Offline mphx

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Re: Multi-camera setup project.
« Reply #218 on: 07 / October / 2014, 15:25:05 »
Daily update :)

Chapter 1.

CHDK update


CHDK update went smoothly after some hiccups thanks to reyalp's code.We did this update to fix the set_zoom issue in the cameras.(see chapter 2)

Chapter2.

The...ZOOM.

I cant write alot of technical stuff some of them i don't really understand but i will refer only some facts.

Fact #1

Canon A2500 suck.Big time.Noise in the photos is pathetic.We did a test.3 cameras shooting the same thing in daylight conditions.
A canon dslr camera , a canon A2500 compact camera and galaxy s4 , my phone.

Dslr result was nearly perfect..minimum to none noise, expected.galaxy s4 , second place , minimum noise and last position belongs to A2500...pa-the-tic.

Fact #2

Because of fact #1 , in order to get the best result out of A2500s , and by best result i mean best 3d modelling/processing result , we need to shoot with some zoom.
I dont want to go into technicalities but its either buying more A2500s (no money for that) , throw away A2500s and get same number of dslr (guess what , no money for that either) , use specific clothes on people that getting shot (a bit weird to ask such thing from the clients), or SHOOT WITH A BIT ZOOM.

That's why we got into the thing of updating chdk in the cameras in order to "fix" the zoom thing.
But it got fixed partially..if you zoom a little bit , distortion is little...if you zoom more , distortion is more.
More distortion = more screwed up models produced = no go.

So pending problems (for getting better results otherwise MANY conditions must be met in order to get a good result) are :

1. Zoom distortion.
2.ISO (in an effort to reduce noise). In chdk menu "disable overrides in startup" is unchecked and iso override is checked.But as i said in previous post iso is sometimes different in some photos.Trying to control it with script/command pending.
3.White balance. We need the same light conditions in all photos.That's not happening.Some photos are dark , some lighter , some normal , according the light conditions its camera is facing...We need fixed ISO , fixed shutter speed (we have that) and fixed white balance.





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Offline srsa_4c

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Re: Multi-camera setup project.
« Reply #219 on: 07 / October / 2014, 16:17:18 »
But it got fixed partially..if you zoom a little bit , distortion is little...if you zoom more , distortion is more.
Are you saying that you still get distorted JPEGs at the tele end of zoom? Here's a user that claims otherwise. The changes mentioned in the linked post are now part of the CHDK 1.3 release for the a2500.
Can you compare JPEGs made
- after zooming with set_zoom
- after zooming manually
?

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2.ISO (in an effort to reduce noise). In chdk menu "disable overrides in startup" is unchecked and iso override is checked.But as i said in previous post iso is sometimes different in some photos.
Please check the camera's Rec menu (the Canon menu in record mode) whether "servo AF" is enabled. If it's enabled, disable it.
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3.White balance. We need (...) fixed white balance.
There is currently no way to set a fixed white balance with CHDK, the only way to do it is to use the Canon shooting menu with simulated keypresses. Note that the camera will still (more or less depending on the preset) continuously adjust white balance, unless you set a custom white balance.

 

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