SX110IS and Time Lapse - Just don't seem to work - Script Writing

Tim

7

SX110IS and Time Lapse - Just don't seem to work

« on: 16 / June / 2009, 15:42:39 »

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So I been lurking for a few weeks. I have been reading on scripts, variables and such. Downloaded a few scripts with almost no luck.
I have the SX110IS, a Panavise for CCTV, and have made a 20ft power extension cable (OEM plug to 1/8" headphone jack <to> 20ft headphone extension <to> 1/8" headphone plug). The 12v - 3v adapter has a 1/8" headphone plug on it, and an AC adapter 120v - 3v has a 1/8" headphone jack. This allows me to buy off the shelf, $9 "extension cables" so I can place the camera outside and keep the power remote. I will gladly post a parts list later if anyone cares.

My main intention was to do some Time Lapse stuff. A few of the Time Lapse I want to attempt; Carlapse, Boatlapse (use carlapse?), Clouds at day (puffy clouds), Sunset, and Starlapse.

I have played with Carlapsev5, Sunsetv4, and Ultra Intervalometer v1.02. None of which seem to run on the SX110IS. I can not remember which but all three never do endless, even if the script is set to do it.

Any input, point me in the right direction? I am not above learning and just posting some scripts, but don't really see a way to debug anything. Often the Carlapse will read FROZEN.

Any ideas, point me in the right direction and I will hack away.

Thanks,

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reyalp

14003

Re: SX110IS and Time Lapse - Just don't seem to work

« Reply #1 on: 16 / June / 2009, 17:47:01 »

I'd suggest sticking in with one script and describing exactly what settings you used, and exactly what goes wrong. Telling us in general terms that 5 different scripts don't work doesn't give us much to go on.

To debug
1) read and understand the script
2) determine the general way it is failing (crashing, not shooting, ending the script)
3) add print statements or similar to narrow down the above

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Tim

7

Re: SX110IS and Time Lapse - Just don't seem to work

« Reply #2 on: 16 / June / 2009, 19:16:25 »

Quote from: reyalp on 16 / June / 2009, 17:47:01

To debug
1) read and understand the script
2) determine the general way it is failing (crashing, not shooting, ending the script)
3) add print statements or similar to narrow down the above

1)So I have read and understood *most* of the script. The formulas for the incremental shutter and apature is beyond me at this point. But the loop, shot time and such is simple.
2)I am not really sure how to do this, unless you mean print the commands before they are executed if so..
3)I will read on this.

I guess no one else is running a SX110IS.

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reyalp

14003

Re: SX110IS and Time Lapse - Just don't seem to work

« Reply #3 on: 16 / June / 2009, 19:38:57 »

Quote from: Tim on 16 / June / 2009, 19:16:25

1)So I have read and understood *most* of the script. The formulas for the incremental shutter and apature is beyond me at this point. But the loop, shot time and such is simple.

You don't have to understand every line, you have to at least understand the flow of execution.

Quote

2)I am not really sure how to do this, unless you mean print the commands before they are executed if so..

You should be able to get some idea based on what the script does. Does does it shoot at all ? Does it try to autofocus ? Does it print anything. Most of the scripts have some kind of output, 1) will let you know what to expect.

You can also try trimming the script down to the minimum needed to run the shooting loop (by commenting out all the other stuff) and try to figure out what is going wrong that way.

Silly question: You are switching to record mode before you start running the script, right ?

Quote

I guess no one else is running a SX110IS.

Quite a few people are using it. http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,2838.450.html

I'm not sure if any of them has done timelapse yet. Generally, there isn't too much camera specific in scripts, although some scripts only work for some families of camera (i.e. propset 1 or propset 2, cameras with real aperture etc.). There could be some script crippling bug in the sx110 port, but that's fairly unlikely.

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Tim

7

Re: SX110IS and Time Lapse - Just don't seem to work

« Reply #4 on: 16 / June / 2009, 19:53:07 »

Thanks for the continued response. The SX110 has both full shutter and apeture control, so I don't see this as an issue.

I will continue to play with it, but thank everyone for any input.

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bugsplatter

118

Re: SX110IS and Time Lapse - Just don't seem to work

« Reply #5 on: 19 / June / 2009, 20:19:25 »

Quote from: Tim on 16 / June / 2009, 15:42:39

So I been lurking for a few weeks. I have been reading on scripts, variables and such. Downloaded a few scripts with almost no luck.

Try daylapse: bugsplatter.id.au/chdk/daylapse.bas more info http://chdk.mine.nu/ and this forum's 'completed scripts' section.

Quote from: Tim on 16 / June / 2009, 15:42:39

I have the SX110IS, a Panavise for CCTV, and have made a 20ft power extension cable (OEM plug to 1/8" headphone jack <to> 20ft headphone extension <to> 1/8" headphone plug). The 12v - 3v adapter has a 1/8" headphone plug on it, and an AC adapter 120v - 3v has a 1/8" headphone jack. This allows me to buy off the shelf, $9 "extension cables" so I can place the camera outside and keep the power remote. I will gladly post a parts list later if anyone cares.

I'm concerned about the voltage drop on such a cable, why not run AC power out to the cam, use 3V on short lead to cam?
Or, put a decent sized capacitor across the 3V near to the cam to smooth out the supply, perhaps a 4700/10?

Quote from: Tim on 16 / June / 2009, 15:42:39

My main intention was to do some Time Lapse stuff. A few of the Time Lapse I want to attempt; Carlapse, Boatlapse (use carlapse?), Clouds at day (puffy clouds), Sunset, and Starlapse.

I like the puffy clouds too

My daylapse script start/stop on clock time and crosses midnight, has endless mode, MF + AF prefocus. At the moment I'm recording dawn sequences, the cam sleeps through midnight and wakes on hh:mm start setting.

I've done star trails with Nikon D70s but not yet with Canon a590. With the D70s it was a continuous 30s shots sequence with darkframe turned off. But it's winter here and too cold to leave the camera outside, besides wearing out the dSLR's shutter curtain (100k shots life) is not good.

The a590's max 1s shot at f/2.8 shows just the one bright star before the sky starts lightening for dawn. I have the cam looking out my kitchen window, with dark cloth behind cam to stop inside reflections.

« Last Edit: 20 / June / 2009, 01:18:43 by scattered »

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Tim

7

Re: SX110IS and Time Lapse - Just don't seem to work

« Reply #6 on: 19 / June / 2009, 23:58:13 »

Scattered:
Your dayplapse link is 404. Do you have another link, or post the script in {code} here?

As for voltage loss, I can run 4.5 or 5v to the camera if I have a voltage loss. My idea was for the boat or car, and not using an Inverter. I surely would not run to run 20ft extension cord, 120v off the inverter. So I will just bump up the voltage.

I had not thought of the Capacitor, that is good thinking. a 4700/10 should do it. Thanks!

Nice idea to do it inside with a backdrop!

I will post my other findings in the next reply.

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Tim

7

Re: SX110IS and Time Lapse - Just don't seem to work

« Reply #7 on: 20 / June / 2009, 00:04:54 »

So on further debug, I never got far enough to turn on any real logging. Didn't have to, as I just did a logic flow on it. The camera would turn off. Not after a certain number of shots, or minutes. Power cycle would revive it, but it would go off again. HEAT!!!!!
So the Temp was 35deg C, after pointing the AC vent in the car at it (redirected with some paper, and me holding it there to direct it), the temp dropped down to 29deg C and stayed on for 15min.

Problem solved.

Now I need to figure out burst mode, as the camera only shoots every 7.5 seconds, even when set to 1sec, as it takes that long to do its thing, and write to ram.

So I am still working on it.

As for Pan for Sunset/Sunrise, I just gleaned a cool pan device, a 24hr timer (manual) that spins, double stick tape the camera to that, you can turn on and off with switch on the 120v side of that.

I am thinking best solution is to house everything in a pelican case, with the camera mounted on top. Working on a "weather shield" for the thing also.

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reyalp

14003

Re: SX110IS and Time Lapse - Just don't seem to work

« Reply #8 on: 20 / June / 2009, 01:06:08 »

If you are saving raw, that will add several seconds to saving time, and DNG will add a few more on top of that. Even so, 7.5 sec seems a bit long, unless yo are using a really slow card.

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bugsplatter

118

Re: SX110IS and Time Lapse - Just don't seem to work

« Reply #9 on: 20 / June / 2009, 01:26:24 »

Quote from: Tim on 19 / June / 2009, 23:58:13

Scattered:
Your dayplapse link is 404. Do you have another link, or post the script in {code} here?

Sorry, fixed. Tried posting code here but the code tag modified the script.

Quote from: Tim on 19 / June / 2009, 23:58:13

As for voltage loss, I can run 4.5 or 5v to the camera if I have a voltage loss. My idea was for the boat or car, and not using an Inverter. I surely would not run to run 20ft extension cord, 120v off the inverter. So I will just bump up the voltage.

Take care bumping the voltage, may a low dropout 3.3V regulator? I'm waiting for parts to get here, I'll be making a 12V -> 3V switching regulator soon to run cam off 12V SLA battery.

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