#1  
Old 11-11-2007, 05:18 PM
jet486
Registered User

jet486 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 67
Long Exposure?

Being new to this game and wishing to purchase a new camera for the purpose of astrophotograhy I'm having problems understanding how the present SLR cameras allow for long exposures where there is no B position on the light control switch. What am I missing?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-11-2007, 05:45 PM
[1ponders]'s Avatar
[1ponders] (Paul)
Retired, damn no pension

[1ponders] is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Obi Obi, Qld
Posts: 18,778
Hi jet486

Generally you set the dial on the top of the camera to either Tv or M (manual) and then rotate the wheel (for a canon) at the front top right until the screen on the back of the camera reads "Bulb"
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-11-2007, 06:16 PM
Alchemy (Clive)
Quietly watching

Alchemy is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Yarra Junction
Posts: 3,044
as previous.... and for the cannon 300 and on you will need an electronic cable release ( about 45 $)
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-11-2007, 06:54 PM
jet486
Registered User

jet486 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 67
Thanks fella's but Alchemy how does a electronic cable release fit onto a cannon? Please excuse my ignorance but the only SLR camera I've had was a mechanical one,using film,where to keep open the shutter I had to screw a flexible cable into the shutter release button on top of my old Miranda.Cheers.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-11-2007, 07:13 PM
[1ponders]'s Avatar
[1ponders] (Paul)
Retired, damn no pension

[1ponders] is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Obi Obi, Qld
Posts: 18,778
The same principle applies but how it operates depends on the brand and model of camera. eg
Canon 300D/350D/400D get plugged into the side: similar to your old one for manual control or an RS 232 serial cable with a 3.5mm pin (same as the manual one) that runs to your laptop/desktop to your camera control your exposures.

Canon 20D/30D/40D/ get plugged into the side: use an electronic bulb release that operates similar to the manual one except you can control your exposures similar to the computer control but without the computer.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-11-2007, 07:45 PM
jet486
Registered User

jet486 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 67
Thanks 1ponders.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-11-2007, 10:11 PM
joshman's Avatar
joshman (Josh)
Registered User

joshman is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Coffs Harbour, Australia
Posts: 615
Quote:
Originally Posted by [1ponders] View Post
Canon 20D/30D/40D/ get plugged into the side: use an electronic bulb release that operates similar to the manual one except you can control your exposures similar to the computer control but without the computer.

is there some way of modifying a 40D electronic release to work on the 400d? because that would make my life, heaps easier!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-11-2007, 10:59 PM
luka's Avatar
luka
Unregistered User

luka is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Perth, Australia
Posts: 1,164
I am not sure about Canon but Nikon has a remote control which is more convenient than the cable remote.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-11-2007, 11:05 PM
joshman's Avatar
joshman (Josh)
Registered User

joshman is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Coffs Harbour, Australia
Posts: 615
hey, well i've seen this on ebay and have been tempted to purchase it, however, i was wondering if there was a cheaper, more local solution.

this would greatly reduce my need/desire for a laptop.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-11-2007, 08:07 AM
bojan's Avatar
bojan
amateur

bojan is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Mt Waverley, VIC
Posts: 6,932
Well, if you do not want laptop, go for this, you will not find a better price for something like this locally.
But, Laptop can also have star maps program, you can download images directly to HD, and so on and so on... and you can find one for reasonable price on computer swap meetings, it does not have to be the newest, fastest machine... (AND, it will be loaded with w'98 or w'2000 or XP, not that #@*& of Vista :-) which you will get if you are buying a new machine)
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 13-11-2007, 10:32 AM
bojan's Avatar
bojan
amateur

bojan is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Mt Waverley, VIC
Posts: 6,932
DIY solution for timer

Quote:
Originally Posted by joshman View Post
hey, well i've seen this on ebay and have been tempted to purchase it, however, i was wondering if there was a cheaper, more local solution.

this would greatly reduce my need/desire for a laptop.
If you can DIY.... have a look here:
http://www.albireo.at/astrohardware/timer/
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 13-11-2007, 01:23 PM
Geoff45's Avatar
Geoff45 (Geoff)
PI rules

Geoff45 is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 2,631
Quote:
Originally Posted by joshman View Post
is there some way of modifying a 40D electronic release to work on the 400d? because that would make my life, heaps easier!
See here for EOS201: Timer remote control (Modified TC-80N3). It works with a 350D and it should also work with the 400D. You can program it to take a series of exposures of any length, number and interval between shots. No computer needed.
Geoff
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 13-11-2007, 02:22 PM
RB's Avatar
RB (Andrew)
Moderator

RB is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 25,732
Quote:
Originally Posted by [1ponders] View Post
Canon 20D/30D/40D/ get plugged into the side: use an electronic bulb release that operates similar to the manual one except you can control your exposures similar to the computer control but without the computer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ghsmith45 View Post
See here for EOS201: Timer remote control (Modified TC-80N3). It works with a 350D and it should also work with the 400D. You can program it to take a series of exposures of any length, number and interval between shots. No computer needed.
Geoff
I highly recommend one of these gadgets if you don't want to lug around a laptop.
There's been many times when I haven't had time to set up the full show so I grab the camera, my TC-80N3 timer and tripod.

I've hardly used anything else for camera control.
Until I build a perm observatory I will continue to use this great little device although I will eventually go fully computerised when I have a permanent setup.

If you can get a cheaper version Josh I'd highly recommend getting one.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 13-11-2007, 02:48 PM
Geoff45's Avatar
Geoff45 (Geoff)
PI rules

Geoff45 is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 2,631
You could also check out this website
Geoff
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 13-11-2007, 03:36 PM
[1ponders]'s Avatar
[1ponders] (Paul)
Retired, damn no pension

[1ponders] is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Obi Obi, Qld
Posts: 18,778
Personally, I cant live with my Starmate.

Either of them actually.
Yep I have two
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 13-11-2007, 07:02 PM
joshman's Avatar
joshman (Josh)
Registered User

joshman is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Coffs Harbour, Australia
Posts: 615
cool paul, you can totally swing one my way

nah, i looked into the atmel AVR butterfly, it'd cost over $100 to get it to my door, i'm almost better off buying the 40d timer remote from ebay and modifying it to work on a 400D.

i reckon that's the way to go, cheers guys!
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 14-11-2007, 07:06 AM
bojan's Avatar
bojan
amateur

bojan is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Mt Waverley, VIC
Posts: 6,932
Quote:
Originally Posted by joshman View Post
cool paul, you can totally swing one my way

nah, i looked into the atmel AVR butterfly, it'd cost over $100 to get it to my door, i'm almost better off buying the 40d timer remote from ebay and modifying it to work on a 400D.

i reckon that's the way to go, cheers guys!
Hmmmm
Canon TC-80N3 Timer remote is $140.... http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Canon-TC-80N3...QQcmdZViewItem

The one you found first (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....ype=osi_widget)
is $80 only ....
I bet both of them are made in China....
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 14-11-2007, 09:49 PM
joshman's Avatar
joshman (Josh)
Registered User

joshman is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Coffs Harbour, Australia
Posts: 615
hmmmm...

i had a though today, i could grab my phone, and a smart programmer and a pc connect cable, doctor teh cable to run a 2.5mm stereo plug, then program some software to run a timer type application, then i wouldn;t have ot outlay any monies....only problem is, i dunno the power throughput of the shutter release (not much i would imagine) nor do i know the tolerances of the phone's hardware.... but a good idea!!!
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 15-11-2007, 12:51 AM
citivolus's Avatar
citivolus (Ric)
Refracted

citivolus is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Carindale
Posts: 1,178
If you hunt around there are schematics for Canon shutter control which would be helpful in designing your own release.

I would think it would be fairly easy and cheap to whip something PIC based together as well.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 15-11-2007, 06:22 PM
joshman's Avatar
joshman (Josh)
Registered User

joshman is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Coffs Harbour, Australia
Posts: 615
http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.st...uct/View/K2807

this is possibly the closest i've seen on the net to what i'd be looking for, with a bit of fiddling, i reckon it could provide what is needed, the only thing to add to it would be some kind of counter. so after say 10 (variable, of course) cycles, it's turned off, or somesuch.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +10. The time is now 04:40 AM.

Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.7 | Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Advertisement
Bintel
Advertisement
Testar
Advertisement