Setup for CHDK matrix bullet-time rig with Powershot A450 and A460 cameras

zcream

94

Re: Setup for CHDK matrix bullet-time rig with Powershot A450 and A460 cameras

« Reply #90 on: 18 / April / 2010, 00:49:32 »

Advertisements

Hi glajciorz. I think the key issue with my setup was the lack of a voltage regulator. I found that when I connected more than 10 cameras to 1 PSU - they would start shutting off.
Another minor annoyance - all the Canon cameras start with Flash on. And I have to manually shut the flash off.
Is there a way for CHDK to save the flash settings ? It seems that the A450/A460 does not save the Flash off settings between restarts.

Quote from: glajciorz on 17 / April / 2010, 15:26:51

Hi Zcream.

Maybe my hints will help you with your rig.
I'm working on an open-source bullet time rig.
I use 30 Canons A530, each one has its own tripod and LD33CV +3,3V voltage regulator with a heatsink.
Power draw per camera (measured on the primary side) is c.a 400mA with LCD backlight on and c.a 90mA with LCD off.
This gives maximum power draw of c.a. 13A, which my PC PSU can handle. After all LCDs switch off power draw drops to less than 3A.
I power the whole rig with +5V output. This voltage is distributed to each camera by pairs of 1,1mm wire.
Wire lenghts vary with camera number (from 60 to 530cm in 30cm intervals), so maximum lenght of my rig is c.a. 11m

I hope it will help you a bit.

greetings
Adam

Logged

CHDK used for a Bullet-time sequence
Welcome to mishra.tv productions

glajciorz

6

Re: Setup for CHDK matrix bullet-time rig with Powershot A450 and A460 cameras

« Reply #91 on: 18 / April / 2010, 08:22:07 »

Hi Zcream.
I didn't try to power my cams directly from the PSU, but had similar problems with cameras switching off when the regulator was placed at the beginning of the wires (close to my PSU) and not next to Canon.

About the flash - maybe checking internal lithium batteries will help ? A530 remembers the state it was in after switch-off.

After David's advice - maybe you could write a startup.bas script loading during power-on that will turn the flash off.

greetings
Adam

Logged

zcream

94

Re: Setup for CHDK matrix bullet-time rig with Powershot A450 and A460 cameras

« Reply #92 on: 18 / April / 2010, 11:50:12 »

Will definitely try out the setup with the regulator as I had stopped work dd oncue to the intermittent switching off..Do you have the circuit for the regulator by any chance ?

Logged

CHDK used for a Bullet-time sequence
Welcome to mishra.tv productions

Microfunguy

4037

Re: Setup for CHDK matrix bullet-time rig with Powershot A450 and A460 cameras

« Reply #93 on: 18 / April / 2010, 12:05:32 »

Quote from: zcream on 18 / April / 2010, 11:50:12

Will definitely try out the setup with the regulator as I had stopped work

and another thing .... the task of aligning and correcting the multiple source images will soon be made FAR easier with new features in certain, free software !

Logged

glajciorz

6

Re: Setup for CHDK matrix bullet-time rig with Powershot A450 and A460 cameras

« Reply #94 on: 18 / April / 2010, 15:09:38 »

Quote from: zcream on 18 / April / 2010, 11:50:12

Will definitely try out the setup with the regulator as I had stopped work dd oncue to the intermittent switching off..Do you have the circuit for the regulator by any chance ?

No circuit. Just single LD33CV +3,3V voltage regulator with its own heatsink per camera.
The regulator is glued to the camera with hot-melt glue. On metal side of LD33CV there is some heat-conducting glue and a heatsink (c.a. 4x4cm). It seems the heatsink is really necessary unless you plan to work only with LCD off.
The regulator is connected to the camera with short (3-4cm) wires and to +5V of 420W PC power supply with variable lenght wires.

I hope it will help you.

greetings
Adam

Logged

zcream

94

Re: Setup for CHDK matrix bullet-time rig with Powershot A450 and A460 cameras

« Reply #95 on: 19 / April / 2010, 05:47:57 »

LD1117V33C is out of stock at both mouser and digikey. Any idea where you bought yours ? I am hoping I dont have to wait a month or more for it to arrive

Logged

CHDK used for a Bullet-time sequence
Welcome to mishra.tv productions

zcream

94

Re: Setup for CHDK matrix bullet-time rig with Powershot A450 and A460 cameras

« Reply #96 on: 19 / April / 2010, 05:49:08 »

No worries on that - a chat with a digikey cleared this up. They do have it in stock.

Logged

CHDK used for a Bullet-time sequence
Welcome to mishra.tv productions

Microfunguy

4037

Re: Setup for CHDK matrix bullet-time rig with Powershot A450 and A460 cameras

« Reply #97 on: 19 / April / 2010, 05:57:08 »

Bullet-time movie clips from 52 cameras would also be interesting !

Logged

glajciorz

6

Re: Setup for CHDK matrix bullet-time rig with Powershot A450 and A460 cameras

« Reply #98 on: 19 / April / 2010, 07:38:22 »

Hi Zcream.

Good you've found the regulators. I bought mine here, in Poland.
I also needed 200m of 1,1mm wire, 30 heatsinks (from VGA cards), 30 2,5mm (or 2mm, check me) external power plugs for Canon, 30 USB cables that usually come with camera, 30 USB sockets (like the ones found in PCs) and 11m of double 3mm audio wire to send the impulse from 3V lithium battery to all of the cameras (no kidding - I thought a separate power supply will be needed).

greetings
Adam

P.S. Zcream, what will be the frame for your rig ?

Logged

glajciorz

6

Re: Setup for CHDK matrix bullet-time rig with Powershot A450 and A460 cameras

« Reply #99 on: 19 / April / 2010, 07:39:49 »

Quote from: Microfunguy on 19 / April / 2010, 05:57:08

Bullet-time movie clips from 52 cameras would also be interesting !

Let's think positively - it WILL look stunning :-)

Logged