Kurly
member
Reged: 11/02/07
Posts: 69
Loc: Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
|
|
Hi All,
I hope a few people can chime in to help me sort out a problem I'm having operating my 300D from a laptop.
I got a serial cable with the mini-jack, plugged it into the camera & the computer, started the computer, turned on the camera, got DSLR shutter open, selected COM1 and the shutter immediately opens and stays open unless I force it closed by making an adjustment on the camera. I can't seem to operate it from DSLR Shutter after that.
I've tried it with Delphinus as well with similar results. The shutter seems to open after a capture command is completed, it stays shut while the exposure time counts down, then opens as the exposure is supposed to end.
I've tried the same cable on my 350D with the same results, so I know it's not the camera.
Does this sound like a problem with the cable? I was doubtful of this as I ordered it from a reliable source, but I know everyone makes mistakes sometimes.
|
StarmanDan
sage
Reged: 08/27/07
Posts: 391
Loc: China Spring, Texas
|
|
Sounds like you might have a short somewhere. Mini jack should be stereo not mono, double check your wiring. I made mine and wired mine wrong the first time around with symptoms similar to yours. Make sure you are working in manual mode, under the custom options enable the mirror lock up. Make sure COM1 isn't being used by something else like the mouse. Laptops are limited with their resources. I had to use a usb to serial adapter to get a COM port that worked with my setup.
--------------------
"Starman" Dan Doyle
Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas
Central Texas Astronomical Society
8" LX200GPS w/ST80 guidescope, Canon 350D+DSI Pro
150mm f/8 Sky Watcher Refractor
10" f/4.5 Homemade Dob
RV-6 Criterion Dynascope
http://darcstar.wordpress.com
|
Falcon-
sage
Reged: 09/11/09
Posts: 241
Loc: Gambier Island, BC, Canada
|
|
That also sounds similar to what happend with mine when my bad solder job failed... Also, are you running with mirror-lockup enabled? (I know it is not enabled by default, but there is modified firmware available for the 300D that adds that ability). I found mirror lockup on the 300D and DSLR Shutter to do odd things sometimes.
--------------------
Tasco 11TE-5 'Lunagrosso': 4.5" Newtonian, 900mm f/7.9
Meade DS-2114S: 4.5" Newtonian, 1000mm f/8.8
Galileoscope: 50mm Achromatic Refractor, 500mm f/10
Tasco EQ-2-like mount w/ clock drive
Celestron CG-5GT mount
|
Kurly
member
Reged: 11/02/07
Posts: 69
Loc: Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
|
|
I got the cable from Hap Griffin, so I doubt he'd use the wrong mini-jack for it. It's possible (though at first I figured rather unlikely) that the cable was soldered incorrectly.
I haven't upgraded the firmware to enable mirror lock - can anyone direct me to where I can find the hack and a procedure for installing it?
I'll try hooking it up to my desktop to see if maybe there's a com port sharing issue on the laptop, thanks for the suggestion.
If anyone else has any ideas I'd love to hear them!
Cheers,
Mike
|
Falcon-
sage
Reged: 09/11/09
Posts: 241
Loc: Gambier Island, BC, Canada
|
|
Are you using a USB-to-Serial adaptor or a built-in serial port?
The 300D modified firmware can be found here: http://satinfo.narod.ru/en/index.html
It does not do a whole lot, just enables a couple features found on the 10D that the 300D hardware was also capable of.
--------------------
Tasco 11TE-5 'Lunagrosso': 4.5" Newtonian, 900mm f/7.9
Meade DS-2114S: 4.5" Newtonian, 1000mm f/8.8
Galileoscope: 50mm Achromatic Refractor, 500mm f/10
Tasco EQ-2-like mount w/ clock drive
Celestron CG-5GT mount
|
waassaabee
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/26/07
Posts: 2695
Loc: Central California Coast
|
|
I never tried usin my 300D or 350D with just one cable. I always have used the shutter release Serial to USB and the USB from camera to computer.
--------------------
Gary
34N 120W
-My kingdom for blue squares!-
WO Megrez 90FD/TV 0.8x FR/FF
AT8RC
mini Borg 50/Q-Guide/PHD
CGEM
Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader mod - o.o
My Friend Flickr
|
Kurly
member
Reged: 11/02/07
Posts: 69
Loc: Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
|
|
Hi Falcon,
It's a built-in serial port, so it's not a USB-to-Serial adaptor problem. So far the only thing I can think of besides bad wiring would be an issue with the com port, like my wireless mouse using that port.
So, I'm a little confused over the mirror lockup - would it be easier to leave the firmware alone and just keep away from the mirror lock functions until I get the issue of PC control sorted, or will it help to have the function available and enabled?
|
Kurly
member
Reged: 11/02/07
Posts: 69
Loc: Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
|
|
Waasaabee,
I'm aiming to have both cables hooked up to the camera, but I can get the camera to operate with the software with the camera to USB cables (allowing a max of 30 s exposure), I can't get the mini-jack to serial setup to work properly. What software do you use with your setup so you can take long exposures, download them to your computer and view them?
|
cdndob
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/28/06
Posts: 657
Loc: The Great White North
|
|
I use DSLR Shutter with my 400d and it works fine using my homemade cable. It sounds like the COM signal for the shutter is inverted and I don't remember if DSLR Shutter has a software setting for that but I'll check when I got home.
BTW, I wouldn't bother with the mirror lockup until you get the basic shutter control functioning.
Steve
--------------------
|
Kurly
member
Reged: 11/02/07
Posts: 69
Loc: Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
|
|
Thanks for your input, Steve. Let me know if you find it. I didn't see anything obvious and it seemed I had the same issue with Delphinus as with DSLR Shutter. It definitely made me think that the commands are "inverted", as you put it.
I'll see how I make out tonight when I try connecting to the desktop.
|
Falcon-
sage
Reged: 09/11/09
Posts: 241
Loc: Gambier Island, BC, Canada
|
|
I agree with Steve - for astrophotography uses the only thing the modified firmware adds that is of much use is the mirror-lockup ability, and mirror lockup is *only* needed if you have vibration issues caused by the mirror motion when taking an exposure. If you do not have those mirror-induced vibration problems then there is no need for mirror lockup functions.
What mode is the camera in when you are trying to trigger it with DSLR shutter? If I recall correctly you basically *have* to be in M (manual) mode and Blub setting for exposure time.
--------------------
Tasco 11TE-5 'Lunagrosso': 4.5" Newtonian, 900mm f/7.9
Meade DS-2114S: 4.5" Newtonian, 1000mm f/8.8
Galileoscope: 50mm Achromatic Refractor, 500mm f/10
Tasco EQ-2-like mount w/ clock drive
Celestron CG-5GT mount
|
Kurly
member
Reged: 11/02/07
Posts: 69
Loc: Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
|
|
Hi Falcon,
Yeah, I did have it in M mode on Bulb. Any other mode and it takes the pictures as per that mode the moment it senses an actuation command. It's just not sensing that command correctly, it seems. Thanks for following this thread and offering some help!
I'll get back to you guys tomorrow after some more mucking around tonight!
|
waassaabee
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/26/07
Posts: 2695
Loc: Central California Coast
|
|
First off did you load the serial to USB drivers?
I use ImagesPlus for camera control.
--------------------
Gary
34N 120W
-My kingdom for blue squares!-
WO Megrez 90FD/TV 0.8x FR/FF
AT8RC
mini Borg 50/Q-Guide/PHD
CGEM
Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader mod - o.o
My Friend Flickr
|
Kurly
member
Reged: 11/02/07
Posts: 69
Loc: Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
|
|
Hi Waasaabee,
There is no USB-to-serial adapter in my setup. I go mini-jack at the camera end directly to the serial port in the laptop. The regular USB cable that came with the camera I planned on using to download the pictures after they have been taken to check focus. Is that not the way to do it?
|
waassaabee
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/26/07
Posts: 2695
Loc: Central California Coast
|
|
You've got a serial port on your laptop? How convenient.
If you're going directly to a serial port, camera is on Maunual/Bulb everything is good so far.
I'm not familiar with DSLR Shutter or Delphinius...
Have you tried assigning another comm port?
--------------------
Gary
34N 120W
-My kingdom for blue squares!-
WO Megrez 90FD/TV 0.8x FR/FF
AT8RC
mini Borg 50/Q-Guide/PHD
CGEM
Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader mod - o.o
My Friend Flickr
|
cdndob
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/28/06
Posts: 657
Loc: The Great White North
|
|
Kurly, no luck with DSLR Shutter as there are no settings.
The only two things I can think of are, your serial port is really messed up, albeit unlikely, but it might be worth a test on a different computer if you have one. If that produces the same result then the cable might not be wired correctly. Based on the typical design of these cables, if they reversed the wires on pins 5 and 7 on the DB9 connector it could have that "inverted" effect you're seeing.
I'd suggest contacting Hap Griffin, maybe they can shed some light on this or, if you can remove the DB9 connecter cover, verify the wires (if colored coded) are correct.
Do you have any electronics gear, as in a Multimeter and/or a small soldering iron?
Steve
--------------------
|
Falcon-
sage
Reged: 09/11/09
Posts: 241
Loc: Gambier Island, BC, Canada
|
|
Quote:
The regular USB cable that came with the camera I planned on using to download the pictures after they have been taken to check focus. Is that not the way to do it?
That is indeed the way to do it on the 300D. I do have a tip for you though, there is an application called DSLRFocus (found here) that will automatically download/display the images as you are taking them to help you get a good focus.
When I shoot with my 300D I use DSLRFocus to get framed up and focused, and then switch to DSLR Shutter to take the series of images I want.
I see you have a 350D as well - if you choise to use that there are some more sophiticated applications, such as Nebulosity that do an even better job of helping focus and automating capture (plus stacking, processing, etc).
--------------------
Tasco 11TE-5 'Lunagrosso': 4.5" Newtonian, 900mm f/7.9
Meade DS-2114S: 4.5" Newtonian, 1000mm f/8.8
Galileoscope: 50mm Achromatic Refractor, 500mm f/10
Tasco EQ-2-like mount w/ clock drive
Celestron CG-5GT mount
|
bebert
sage
Reged: 07/21/08
Posts: 247
|
|
I agree - check your wiring. I had very similar problems after I converted my TC-80N3 for use with my 300D. It was a short near the mini jack that was the problem. A multimeter was the key to troubleshooting the issue.
I gave up on using the computer to download the subs. The speed of USB 1.1 (or is it 1.0?) is painfully slow and I'm impatient. Took me close to 1 minute to download each RAW file. After I added it all up I was trading instant gratification for several extra subs each night.
--------------------
Celestron C8
Orion 80 ED
Vixen 70s for guiding
CG5-ASGT
SSAG
PHD Guiding
Canon 300D(a)
Celestron 0.63 focal reducer
WO 0.8x FF/FR version II
|
Kurly
member
Reged: 11/02/07
Posts: 69
Loc: Rockwood, Ontario, Canada
|
|
Waasaabee,
Yeah, I tried COM1-7. Only COM1 allowed a camera connection in the software.
Cdndob - thanks, that's some good information! I do have a multi-meter and a basic soldering iron. I suck at using both, despite the 2 electrical courses I did back in school!
But if I have to, I may end up using (or mis-using, as the case might be) them to solve this. Or just to finally screw it up good and proper right beyond repair. 
Falcon - I've been humming and hawing over spending the extra $45 bucks on DSLR Focus for a while now. Still on the fence, but I have a feeling I might capitulate once I have the camera working with the serial cable. I definitely like the function it offers of downloading & displaying the shots. I'm sticking to the 300D however, as it is modded, while the 350 is not. The difference is really amazing!
Thanks again for the comments folks! I had every intention of trying the camera with the desktop last night, but I popped my head outside to discover a CLOUD-FREE EVENING, and all plans were put on hold until the clouds roll back in. By the look of things presently, that's probably tonight.
|
cdndob
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/28/06
Posts: 657
Loc: The Great White North
|
|
Quote:
I do have a multi-meter and a basic soldering iron. I suck at using both, despite the 2 electrical courses I did back in school!
I can walk you through some tests and troubleshooting when I get home later on tonight, just let me know when you're available.
The first one will be to connect the cable to the serial port on the computer and then measure the resistance between the tip and sleeve on the 2.5mm plug.
Steve
--------------------
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
[Re: 