SX110IS. New to CHDKPTP. Please comment.
) ptpCamGUI POWER ON SEQUENCE from cold start. Some of this might be camera-specific, some of the long times might be normal operation because of much handshaking, and some might be CHDK processing times to handle scripts:
) Push power button
) Camera goes into play mode (going into RECORD MODE on camera is inhibited)
) Launch ptpCamGUI
) 20 seconds for camera to boot up and ptpCamGUI camera LED to go GREEN
) Not yet in RECORD mode
) To go into RECORD mode, have move ZOOM SLIDER, no other choice. Using ZOOM +/- manipulates the current saved photo in play as it does manually on-camera.
) Wait 10 seconds for command to execute and wait for LED to go GREEN
) Reset ZOOM SLIDER to max aperture
) Wait another 5 seconds.
) Camera ready is to operate.
Total time 35 seconds before camera is ready to operate from cold start.
If the camera is not used and the viewfinder goes blank, pressing the green [PREFOCUS] button will turn it on again.
ptpCamGUI RemoteCapture
Remote camera ON NO YES*
Remote camera OFF YES YES
*Lauching RemoteCapture starts the camera, extends the lens, and puts it in record mode. Response of camera is immediate from cold start as soon as RemoteCapute launches, all less than one second, and is ready to use as soon as the lens extends.
OPERATION ptpCamGUI :
) Have to watch ptpCamGUI LED to go GREEN before you issue next operation, otherwise there is risk of command confusion and camera shut down.
) The ZOOM+/- buttons take 3 seconds to react which includes feedback from CHDK to ptpCamGUI to set the ZOOM SLIDER in the corresponding lens zoom position.
) Tested CHDK features Tv 16s, 32s and 64s and all work OK.
) It takes about 5 seconds after pressing the [SHUTTER RELEASE] for image acquisition to start (snap a photo if a short exposure).
) CAVEAT?: File handling. Even under ptpCamGUI, CHDK behaves as though it were being used manually on-camera. That is, files are stored on SD card. To get the files, one has to open "DCIM Download."
) PROBLEM?: Occasionally, 1 of 5 times say, going to RECORD MODE from cold start by changing the ZOOM SLIDER, -or- changing the ZOOM SLIDER while in normal operation, usually by more than one position typically to the 0 position, will cause the camera to shut down, even if one respects the GREEN LED. Camera-specific?
OPERATION RemoteCapture :
PROS
Power-ON is very fast. Streaming viewfinder. Viewfinder does not go blank after the preset 3 minute timeout, stays on permanently until press SLEEP/AWAKE viewfinder button. Expected. SLEEP/AWAKE viewfinder button is immediate. Expected Shutter release is immediate. Expected. Zoom slider action is immediate. Expected. JPG file is transferred immediately to computer after exposure. Expected.
CONS
RAW files are not possible, hence CHDK. Extended CHDK exposure times are not possible.
Where remote operation with CHDK could use a boost
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) Streaming viewfinder on-computer. This is essential for remote operation where the user has no access to the camera viewfinder. Is there a way at present to get that functionality? Can someone implement it if not? What other choices are there to have the benefits of CHDK features and streaming viewfinder?
) Reaction time. There are two areas: a) overall command processing speed, and b) ptpCamGUI appears to be polling the camera. Can script command processing speed be increased? Are asynchronous software events possible (ie camera to computer) to decrease reaction time?
) File handling. As on RemoteCapture, it makes sense to transfer the file right after exposure, and have ptpCamGUI number the file for the disk save (or files if JPG and RAW are requested from CHDK), without using the SD card at all. Is that possible to implement?
