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Card Space on SX40 HS

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Card Space on SX40 HS
« on: 14 / June / 2012, 03:23:04 »
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I just got my SX40 HS today and instantly went to work on setting up my 16GB SDHC memory card to auto boot CDHK.  All worked fine there.  I loaded up a script to shoot lightning since I chase storms from time to time for lightning shots.  I tested out the script which seems to work rather well with on major draw back.  Its saying my card can only hold 12 shots.  I’m not shooting in RAW mode yet and even on a 16GB I still would expect to be able to handle a whole lot more than that.

There is another issue too.  When I was using the lightning script, and its triggered, it shoots but then takes another shot, which obviously is not desired.  I turned off the dark frame usage and then tried again and it still takes double shots.

Lastly, when you load the script, it is activated with a push of the shutter release button and deactivated the same.  It doesn’t look like there is a way to 'unload' the script.  I assume when I exit out of ALT mode, it still retains the settings I’ve set with CHKD?  ALT mode is just a way to change the settings and parameters?

If its any help, I used Licks to set up the card and make it bootable.

Re: Card Space on SX40 HS
« Reply #1 on: 14 / June / 2012, 03:24:16 »
Also, just in case it is important, the card is a 16GB Class 10, 45MB/s card.

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Offline blackhole

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Re: Card Space on SX40 HS
« Reply #2 on: 14 / June / 2012, 03:55:00 »
Try to format the card in the camera.

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Offline zeno

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Re: Card Space on SX40 HS
« Reply #3 on: 14 / June / 2012, 04:45:56 »
Sounds like you might have made LICKS create 2 partitions and the camera is putting photos in the small one. Because the SX40 is a 'new' camera, you don't need two partitions - CHDK can boot from FAT32. Run LICKS again and choose the "Make FAT32 bootable" option if you didn't before.
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Re: Card Space on SX40 HS
« Reply #4 on: 14 / June / 2012, 05:24:57 »
You are exactly right zeno.  After running the program again I noticed that it was set to create two partitions.  So I formatted the card in camera, using low level format, then popped the card in my desktop and used licks again.  Single partition, FAT32.  Didn't touch the boot volume name or anything, just selected prepare card and go.  Once that was done I popped the card out of the desktop, locked it, put it in the camera, started it with the play button and now all I get is Memory card error,  Memory card is locked.

Here is my Firmware Info:

Canon Powershot SX40 HS
P-ID: 3238 NT D
Firmware Version GM1.00I (1.0.0.0)
Adj. Ver. 010.008
Serial Number:
Build: September 26, 2011 09:11:22
No Error

Mecha Firm Ver. 3.00
MechaDSP Firm Ver. 0.00

I pulled the serial number off, if its needed for some reason I can post it up.

Re: Card Space on SX40 HS
« Reply #5 on: 14 / June / 2012, 05:28:45 »
Oh, one other thing.  When I pull the card back out of the camera and put it back in my desktop, it doesnt automatically mount it until I format it again.  If I do the low level format in-camera and then put it back in the computer, it mounts it and I can run licks again.  Not sure if that means anything but thought I would toss it out there.

Re: Card Space on SX40 HS
« Reply #6 on: 14 / June / 2012, 05:49:08 »
Okay, forgive me for being a gigantic idiot.  Run through the procedure like you should, it works like it should.  I forgot that I had to leave it unlocked putting it back in the camera to do the firmware update and to make it bootable.  So it works now, and I have WAY more room, thousands of pics can now be taken.  Well until I enable RAW, Im sure that number will drop some.

The only outstanding issue at this point is that it is still taking multiple shots with the lightning script.  When I first load the script, it sits there until some motion triggers it, then it fires but takes two extra shots usually and then will just sit there again until something triggers it again.

If anyone has any insight on that, please let me know.  I get that resolved and I will be moving on to learning more about CHDK, RAW settings and hopefully being able to extend the shutter time beyond the 15s limit in the default Canon set up.

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Offline philmoz

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Re: Card Space on SX40 HS
« Reply #7 on: 14 / June / 2012, 06:01:39 »
The only outstanding issue at this point is that it is still taking multiple shots with the lightning script.  When I first load the script, it sits there until some motion triggers it, then it fires but takes two extra shots usually and then will just sit there again until something triggers it again.

Check the camera is in 'Single Shot' mode, not 'Continuous'.

Phil.
CHDK ports:
  sx30is (1.00c, 1.00h, 1.00l, 1.00n & 1.00p)
  g12 (1.00c, 1.00e, 1.00f & 1.00g)
  sx130is (1.01d & 1.01f)
  ixus310hs (1.00a & 1.01a)
  sx40hs (1.00d, 1.00g & 1.00i)
  g1x (1.00e, 1.00f & 1.00g)
  g5x (1.00c, 1.01a, 1.01b)
  g7x2 (1.01a, 1.01b, 1.10b)

Re: Card Space on SX40 HS
« Reply #8 on: 14 / June / 2012, 12:26:27 »
Confirmed it is in single shot mode.  Unless there is somewhere in CHDK that is overridden.  I checked in CHDK but did not see anything that was overriding it.  The Bracketing in continuous mode is turned off in CHDK.

Re: Card Space on SX40 HS
« Reply #9 on: 14 / June / 2012, 13:06:27 »
Okay, ran another test on the lightning detection script and it appears that the issue with multiple shots may have been the scene I was shooting.  Today I put the camera on a tripod (last night I was just sitting it on a desk and pointing it at something) and pointed it at the street in front of my house and zoomed in a bit so that it would see only the cars that occasionally go by and it seemed to work perfectly.  No multiple exposures.  Of course its daylight so Im not sure if that has anything to do with it.  Perhaps its more sensitive in lower light?  If so I will have to adjust that for night time lightning shots.

The wind is blowing a little outside and in the field of view of the camera is a flag that is waiving and of course the trees but the camera is not triggering off that, which is good.  It did snap a shot of the postman when he walked across my yard.  Though it does seem to be going through some battery in this mode.  Im down 5% according to the OSD in the 15 or so minutes that I have had it running.  But that is to be expected with the screen constantly on and it constantly checking the scene for movement.

Anyway, I will keep testing.  Ive got a TON to learn but am loving it so far.  When I first started chasing storms with my Canon 10D and Canon Elan IIe I loved getting daytime lightning but it was hard to do without stacking several ND filters to get a longer exposure or paying a couple hundred dollars for a lightning trigger.  Now it seems I can do it without the ND filters and awesome CHDK.

 

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