Setting G9 focus to infinity and locking it there during a timelapse - page 4 - General Help and Assistance on using CHDK stable releases - CHDK Forum
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Setting G9 focus to infinity and locking it there during a timelapse

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Offline Jim

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  • 32
Re: Setting G9 focus to infinity and locking it there during a timelapse
« Reply #30 on: 29 / March / 2011, 21:55:42 »
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I am reading this thread with a bit of interest! I use both the G9 and the S95 for Kite Aerial Photography (KAP).  I have written several CHDK / SDM scripts with simple  intervalometer, zoom bracket and video swap.  The shoot command kicks in the auto focus for both cameras.  Results are not bad.  Looking to improve this a bit by fixing focus at infinity.  I am using both CHDK and SDM scripts. 

I would love a simple command "set_focus_to_infinity" that would lock the focus at infinity till revoked by the script. 

Any thoughts?

See simple SDM S95 KAP script below.

@title WindWatcher SDM KAP Script WW-S95-2
@param p # still photos
@default p 25
@param z Zoom bracket on=1 or off=0
@default z 1
@param v Video V=1 on V=0 off
@default v 1
@param d video duration in seconds
@default d 30

rem setup
sleep_for 1000
set_zoom_speed 10
set_zoom 0
sync_off
turn_backlight_off
sleep_for 1000

rem loop until we switch off or batteries run out
while 1
    rem take some stills
   for n = 1 to p
      shoot
      sleep_for_seconds 1
   next n
   
   rem possibly take a movie
   if v=1 then shoot_movie_for d
   sleep_for_seconds 2
   
   rem possibly do a stills zoom bracket
   if z=1 then set_zoom 4
   sleep_for 1000
   for n = 1 to p
      shoot
      sleep_for_seconds 1
   next n
   
   rem possibly another movie (while zoomed)
   if v=1 then shoot_movie_for d
   sleep_for_seconds 2
   
   rem possibly a deeper stills zoom bracket
   if z=1 then set_zoom 8
   sleep_for 1000
   for n = 1 to p
      shoot
      sleep_for_seconds 1
   next n
   
   rem and deeper zoomed movie?
   if v=1 then shoot_movie_for d
   sleep_for_seconds 2
   
   rem undo any zooming before we repeat the whole thing
   set_zoom 0
   sleep_for 1000
wend


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Offline spe672

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  • 17
Re: Setting G9 focus to infinity and locking it there during a timelapse
« Reply #31 on: 05 / April / 2011, 01:14:01 »
Hi Jim,

Skywalker was the brains behind this script, I just had the idea.  I'm heavily using the version before the final release for two reasons.  One, I started the demo project before the final release and two, I don't have a need for selecting specific days that are not in a row.  I found that to take too long to set up since I was needing every day of the week.  

I've taken 3000 pics a day (slightly higher than 1920x1080) since March 10th, 2011 for a building demolition and then deleting the pics I don't need.  It's quite labor intensive, but with a building demo, there's too much chance of missing something interesting...I'm shooting every 12 seconds and a week ago a wall fell on an excavator hurting the operator a bit.  Broke out three windows in his machine.  He's working with me and was filming real time in the cab.  Unfortunately, his camera was destroyed when this happened and we're working on recovering the data on his SD card.  it will be *freaking awesome* if we can get that file off his SD card when the wall hit!!  He's crazy excited about getting that file too!  Anyway, one thing I'm forced to do is lock the manual focus when I start taking pics every three days.  

I've not found a perfect way to lock the focus on the G9, but when you start using the program Skywalker wrote, press the ALT key to get to the camera settings while in Av, set the camera to manual focus where it wants to focus and then go back into the CHDK settings.  I've found that BRIGHT light will cause the manual fixed focus to change from a setting you choose to infinity.  Something like a sunrise if you're facing East.  Not sure what is doing this.  After you've fixed your focus, start the program and you're on your way.  It works fantastic for my purposes; I owe skywalker a keg of beer or more.  :)  I'm sure you've already used it this way, I'm not sure how to do this in the code.  You'd have to fly pretty high to need it focused clear to infinity wouldn't you?

I'm pretty interested in taking some kite timelapses too now that you mention it!!  I'm going to give it a whirl when I get done with this demo project.  What do you do to protect your camera from a crash when you've got it attached to a kite?  How do you attach the camera to the kite?  





  
« Last Edit: 05 / April / 2011, 01:17:46 by spe672 »
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