I think that the problem is located with the help of one 300D owner. It is that 300D (I suppose that with 10D the case is same) can't be set in Bulb mode from the PC. The research that made shows that both cameras have almost identical firmwares in addition to the well known same processor.
So I'm not sure if a version of APT that can work only on XP, only in L quality and that can't switch exposure times is attractive at all? If it is I will make it...
I think that the problem is located with the help of one 300D owner. It is that 300D (I suppose that with 10D the case is same) can't be set in Bulb mode from the PC. The research that made shows that both cameras have almost identical firmwares in addition to the well known same processor.
So I'm not sure if a version of APT that can work only on XP, only in L quality and that can't switch exposure times is attractive at all? If it is I will make it...
Does that mean that if I am using the DSUSB to control the shutter, and I manually set the exposure to bulb, then it will work??
APT
Anti-Vibration Pause: 0 sec
Long Exp. Control: DSUSB
Image Preview: On
Image Dest. : PC + Camera
Camera: 10D
Canon 10D
Camera Mode :Manual - Bulb
File format : JPEG - Large
Connected via USB and DSUSB
Had a 28mm lens in place set to manual focus
An interesting thing happened. I started the plan (which for testing was 2 x 120s exposures, at ISO 400 with a 5 sec pause between, L format), and the usual thing happened, which was for the indicator to show "BUSY" and nothing else happening. THEN, I checked the camera info screen and noticed that the aperture was set to f5.6 - so without stopping the running plan in APT, I spun the wheel to open the aperture a little more, and the instant that I spun the wheel, the shutter opened and the plan started. It took 2 x 120 sec exposures with 5 sec pause, and completed without a problem - including showing me the image preview.
OK - I have been doing some more testing, and have worked out most of this behaviour.
As I said above, once you click the start button on the screen to begin the plan, the normal behaviour for my 10D is that the status indicator to show BUSY, and for nothing else to happen until I manually shut down the software. I have discovered that the workaround for this is to manually 'activate' the camera by doing one of the following things:
- spin the wheel for either shutter speed (wheel on top of camera) or aperture (wheel on back of camera) 1 click
- press any of the following buttons (see camera images attached) TWICE: DRIVE-ISO, AF-WB, Metering method, Menu, Play Images, AF Point selection
- the following buttons DO NOT WORK: shutter button (half or full press), Info, Jump, *, Button with movement arrows.
Once the plan has been activated manually as above, the plan will proceed without any issues.
Some additional behaviours I have found:
1. if the Stop button is pressed mid-plan, then it seems to disconnect the DSUSB. When Start is pressed to begin the plan again, it first says Connecting to DSUSB, then the plan proceeds normally after that, without the need to manually activate.
2. If the plan completes ok, you will be able to start it again without the above workaround as long as the plan is not edited - see below.
3. If you edit the plan and change either the ISO or the Quality setting, you will have to do the manual activation again. Editing any of the other plan parameters has no effect.
4. You can switch to another plan without any problem as long as the ISO/Quality are the same.
5. You cannot change ISO/Quality settings within a plan (ie from one line of the plan to the next) - if you do, you will have to use one of the manual activation methods above.
Hope that helps anyone with the same issues. It looks like I can now use this tool, albeit with some workarounds.
Yoddha - it seems to me that if you could find the right command to send to the DIGIC I cameras after the start button is pressed, it would remove the need to press a button on the camera manually??
A lot of thanks for the stunning investigation you made! I still can't find 10D sample to test myself. Your findings are very interesting! Mine showed that Digic 1 doesn't accept command to set Bulb speed, but obviously with your interaction with camera you somehow confirm Bulb and this allows plan to be executed.
During my attempts to make APT working with 300D I put a new quality option in plans, named "custom" which doesn't attempt to change the camera quality and uses directly the manually set value (but it still has to be JPEG quality )
Interesting finding is that ISO change is making also problems . If you want I can send you a version in which exposure change is skipped for Digic 1 cameras. In cooperation with the "Custom" quality, it will be able to track down if ISO change is working correctly or not.
The idea is to make a version that allow Quality and Exposure to be set manually from the camera (or with other words to avoid the limitations of Digic 1) and then to execute a plan.
Please send me as PM an e-mail where I can send you the test version.
Thinking about it, it seems to me that APT is waiting for some reponse from the camera after the start button is clicked, but the camera either isn't giving a response at all, or is giving a different response to what APT is expecting? Then pressing one of the buttons/turning the wheels forces some kind of refresh which gets things moving....
If it is any help to you I have some programming experience in VB.net. I am not sure what you have used to write APT?
I will send you a PM with my email address. I would like to help you get to the bottom of this issue.
The logic on every plan's line is: Check current ISO (if there is need - change it), Check current Quality (if there is need - change it), Check current Exposure (if there is need - change it). On every change APT needs confirmation from the camera that the operation is finished before continue with the next step. So your actions with camera buttons send the needed confirmation and allow APT to continue.
The test version will isolate Exposure and Quality as problems and we will know if ISO is problematic too...
I'll send it to your mail later today or tomorrow morning (EU time )
APT is written on C++, it is my favorite But the main reason to use it is that Canon's library is written on the same language and it is easier to be used from C++ than from C# or VB.NET
I have just downloaded and connected to my Windows 7 Professional (64bit) laptop. I think there maybe some issue to resolve with Windows 7 as most here are now using it. In priciple it is work well for me as I would like it to work, it operates my 450D correctly but occasionally the program crashes which may cause some field issues although as I do not have tracking I am not expected to do long exposures for a little while yet. One other thing I have noticed is that it does not create the camera 1 or camera 2 folder as mentioned. I have seen this with other programs I have used in the past mainly due to Windows 7 file creation is different to XP or VISTA, in the meantime it works by sending pictures to Camera so it is good enough to use for moon and planetary at this stage but i want to look at long exposure widefield soon and i would be hesitant to purchace it with these current bugs.
I am assuming the developer is watching these threads as they are mentioned in the manual. Nice program but bit buggy on Windows 7.
One issue solved, trying to remember back to the other program and found the Camera_1 and 2 folders are created in the User directory not the program directory. Found them.
I will continue to test the program crashing as I have not yet found the condition/s causing it yet. I noticed the preview image is not reliable either, originally after installation the preview image worked showing the image for about 10 seconds as per camera setting, on the second and subsequent times round the preview occured for the time of the capture, very quick.
I had chance to play few times with Win7 but it was 32bits. Also there was one other problem which was again visible only on 64bits. So it looks that 64bits platform needs special care, but unluckily all the PCs that are accessible to me are 32bits. If you manage to locate the situation I'll try to resolve the problem remotely, like it was made with the other 64bits problem of a user in Canada
Also can you give me the exact path where Camera_1 is created? I'll include this info in the user's guide. Thanks in advance!
I had a go setting up APT running a typical operation. During my normal image taking it did not fail at all and did a lot of image using the record live view. Bit like a webcam feature but using the responce of the DSLR.
I have some images taken - http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=62956 and managed a whole lot more with ease so it is a great program. It also allowed me to focus a lot better on a larger screen although still need a motorised focuser.
Now the only time the program crashed was at the end. I had the camera in "Live View" mode and I think although not sure in "x5" view. I clicked "Disconnect" and the program crashed. I believe some operations need to be off before disconnecting. I also noticed I accidentally switched off the camera half way without disconnecting. I had to shut down the program and restart it to get the camera working again (minor detail).
It is great to see beautiful images and for me it is very pleasing to know that APT helped in data gathering
I put significant amount of time to struggle with disconnection. Canon's library is not friendly at all in this case. As you know EOS utility doesn't have such button at all. Will try to reproduce the problem on 32bits Win7... BTW looking at my habits I see that don't use this button too much. I simply close APT and then stop the camera. Anyway will try to fix it for the next version...
Forgot to mention that white balance can be tuned while the LiveView is on (currently only manually for camera). Light level can be adjusted by changing Exposure and ISO values from the drop-down list in left of LV On/Off button. Change is visible almost immediately
The new 1.0.9 version is finally ready and is on the site. I want to apologize for the long delay, and really hope that then next version will come sooner than this one
Here is the list of the changes:
2010/8/17 - v.1.0.9 New features and bug fixes
-Added: Rotatable/Movable cross
-Added: Scrolling in Preview mode 1:1
-Added: Plan cloning in the Plan Editor
-Added: Lens control (Digic III and latter)
-Added: Automatic mirror lock enable/disable (Digic III and latter)
-Updated: User's Guide document (the new things are in green)
-Fixed: Plan name can’t contains < or >.
After few days I will start the work on the new version 1.1. There are interesting features planned for it:
-Support for TEMPer (http://pcsensor.com/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=15)
and TEMPerHUM (http://pcsensor.com/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=31) sensors (can be found in eBay too)
-Displaying the current temperature
-Displaying the current dew point (needs TEMPerHUM sensor)
-Notification for refocusing when the temperature drops (FULL Version Only)
-Notification for closing dew point. No more unneeded heating (FULL Version Only)
-Image suffix with the current temperature (FULL Version Only)
-Bulb mode for "Shoot" button
-RAW Only shooting
-Small preview in the floating window to cooperate better with guiding software
The hosting company is total crap Do not host on webhost4life.com unless you want to shorten your life significantly... Trying to resolve the problem with them and meanwhile am preparing a new hosting to move the site by the end of the week.
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. If you want I can send you a version in which exposure change is skipped for Digic 1 cameras. In cooperation with the "Custom" quality, it will be able to track down if ISO change is working correctly or not.
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