picaxe just not fast enough.

[madguernseyboy]

using the curcit in the pdf below. i have attached a picaxe to a flash gun.

but when i run my program and pop a balloon i dont get to freeze the action. i am just too late to even see the balloon bursting. is the picaxe too slow?

http://www.rev-ed.co.uk/docs/picaxe_sound.pdf

' *** Directives ***
	#com 3				' specify download port
	#picaxe 20M2			' specify processor
	#no_data				' save time downloading
	#terminal off			' disable terminal window
	


' *************************************************************
' ********************* Begin Main Program ********************
' *************************************************************

' *** Set up the input and output pins ***
 	dirsB = %11111111			' set all portB pins as outputs
 	dirsC = %10010001			' set C pins 65321 as inputs
'	pullup  %00000000			' internal pullup resistor not 
						' used
	gosub WriteLCD					' Update Display text

do

	if MIC = 1 then gosub Fire		        ' If Pin MIC is high 
								' then trigger camera
	if  MODE = 1 then gosub ModeButton	' if Pin MODE is High
								
	if  UP = 1 then gosub UpButton		' if Pin UP is High
								' then add 50 ms
	if  DOWN = 1 then gosub DownButton	' if Pin DOWN is High
								' then sub 50 ms 
debug


loop

any advice welcome.
Thank you
Brendan

 

[Anobium]

Can you post all the code please?

Thank you.

 

[Technical]

The main problem is the 'debug' command in the loop - it is very slow to process. Take it out.
You can also speed up the system 8x by adding 'setfreq m32' as the first line in the program

 

[KeithRB]

If that is still too slow, just cut out the middleman and let the sound trigger trigger the flash directly.

 

[nick12ab]

And then since you're using a PICAXE 20M2, if after that it's still too slow then you can simply drop in a 20X2 instead which will do 64MHz.

 

[hippy]

It might be a good idea to search the forum for past projects for triggering flash; I recall there were some impressive water droplet photographs. The people doing that may have advice.

The big question is; how soon do you need to trigger the flash after the balloon is first pricked ?

And how are you detecting that burst - from the linked PDF filename; are you using sound ?

I suspect the PICAXE and flash triggering lag will have that missed so it may be better to start the flash and then pop the balloon.

 

[erco]

Triggering by sound will be too late. Need another reference.

 

[eclectic]

@MGB
As hippy and others have said,
you haven't got a hope with sound triggering.

Try LASER and a BPW34.
See for example, the classy shots produced by

Styorophil and Texy.

Here's a starter:
http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showthread.php?13033-Flash-Camera-Trigger-Thing&highlight=camera%20"time%20lapse"

Follow the threads.
e

 

[madguernseyboy]

Sorry for the slow reply. I have had no Internet.

All great comments. My total circuit allows for lazer triggering so I will look into that aswell as the 20x2

Thanks all
Will keep posted if I ever finish

Mgb