PICAXE-controllable camera's, which ones?

kranenborg

kranenborg

Senior Member
There have been several threads on digital camera control lately. As an owner of an excellent camera that however cannot be digitally controlled (Sony DSC-W12), I was wondering whether forum members have good experiences with certain cameras. It doesn't matter to me right now what the level of control is (just on-off, or complete control via serial or IR) or how expensive the camera is (here camera may even mean a webcam). Even a camera that can be mechanically modified in order to be controlled is an option.

My point is that a lot of physics-related interesting experiments (especially time-lapse photography) are possible if the camera can be made picaxe-controlled in some way. Please share your experiences!

Thanks,
Jurjen Kranenborg
 
Last edited:
kranenborg

kranenborg

Senior Member
... a related question is then; what is the easiest way (which PC software) to make a time-lapse movie out of a set of pictures ...

/Jurjen
 
hippy

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
When I did time lapse I wrote my own software. Windows allows access to an incoming video device / webcam and allows a frame grab so it's really just a case of using the correct API calls or a suitable frame grab object. I can't find the project so can't say exactly what I did but it was fairly straight forward.

Also take a look at software designed for taking frame grabs from a webcam and posting them on the internet.

If you're after "out in the field" capture a modified digital camera is probably best. No experience there though.
 
G

gengis

New Member
I'm using an Aiptek "mega pen cam" and "pocketcamX" both for time lapse

I found the mega for $10 and pocket for $20 - cost was a consideration, but the pocket cam is so much better than the mega that I wouldn't start with a mega if I were starting from scratch.

One thing you might do is peruse the Kite Aeriel Photography, model rocketry, model plane and balloon aerial photography sites.

I found instructions on hacking several different cameras to make them controllable, including the mega and pocket that I used.

A couple of links
http://opentimer.150m.com/AerialCamera/RCcamera.htm
http://www.diyrc.com/

good search phrases are "hacking digital cameras" "digital camera hacking" "aerial photography" etc.

As for making time lapse videos. I did find a freeware program to do it but ran into disk storage problems and ditched it - it took JPG files and made an AVI file.

"Irfanview" a freeware photo viewer and batch converter will do a slide show with auto picture advance as fast as .001 second per frame, or as fast as your computer can handle and is a lot easier to deal with.
 
P

papaof2

Senior Member
Many of the older digital cameras (Olympus 300/400 series, such as 460Z, 490Z, the Fuji 1300, 2400, and others - mostly in the 1 to 2 megapixel range) have a serial interface and the protocol has been published. If I remember correctly, the interface can run at 9600 baud and up (you really need "up" for transferring pictures from the camera - or a separate card reader: SmartMedia for the Olympus, not sure about the Fuji).

I upgraded from a 490Z (2MP) to a 6MP camera with greater zoom and faster button-press-to-image time. The 490Z takes great pictures but the auto white balance and auto focus take a noticeable fraction of a second, although the white balance can be pre-set if you know what the light souce will be (the auto focus always looks for a vertical line to focus on). The 490Z works well on 4 AA NiMH cells and they are much cheaper long-term than the lithiums ;-) It's a very durable camera when closed - for seveal years, my wife carried it in her lunch cooler (soft-sided bag) to use at the pre-school where she taught.

The 490Z was introduced around 2000, so it (or a similar camera) is relatively inexpensive if you can find one (Ebay, yard sale, camera shop if they still have them and you are a good negotiator ;-)

John
 
E

eclectic

Moderator
kranenborg said:
It doesn't matter to me right now what the level of control is (just on-off, or complete control via serial or IR) or how expensive the camera is (here camera may even mean a webcam).
Click to expand...
(quote edited from post #1)

The higher-end Nikon digital SLR's have a ten-pin connector.
This can be connected to a two-wire shutter release switch.
(Nikon codes MC-25/MC-22 and MC-12A).

The mechanical switch is easily “hacked” ,
to give momentary electrical connection.

Nikon also sell software, to directly control the camera from computer.

All work very, very well. All are very, very expensive!

e.

(And I'm sure that Canon and others do very similar kit.)
 
T

Texy

Senior Member
Flooby said:
I'm using an Aiptek "mega pen cam" and "pocketcamX" both for time lapse

I found the mega for $10 and pocket for $20 - cost was a consideration, but the pocket cam is so much better than the mega that I wouldn't start with a mega if I were starting from scratch.

One thing you might do is peruse the Kite Aeriel Photography, model rocketry, model plane and balloon aerial photography sites.

I found instructions on hacking several different cameras to make them controllable, including the mega and pocket that I used.

A couple of links
http://opentimer.150m.com/AerialCamera/RCcamera.htm
http://www.diyrc.com/

good search phrases are "hacking digital cameras" "digital camera hacking" "aerial photography" etc.

As for making time lapse videos. I did find a freeware program to do it but ran into disk storage problems and ditched it - it took JPG files and made an AVI file.

"Irfanview" a freeware photo viewer and batch converter will do a slide show with auto picture advance as fast as .001 second per frame, or as fast as your computer can handle and is a lot easier to deal with.
Click to expand...
....I used to sell my own version of aipteks :

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/texyuk/

Texy
 
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