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Old 19-10-2008, 07:28 PM
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rogerg (Roger)
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Question DBUSB adaptor not stopping exposure

G'day all,



I recently received a DBUSB adaptor to use for control of my 350D instead of the old RS232 cable I had. I'm having a problem with the control of the camera through the DBUSB and am hoping someone will be able to help.

I've tried using the Shoestring Astronomy DBUSBCheck utility as well as the DSLR Shutter utility by Stark-Labs.com and both exhibit the same behaviour.

The behaviour is that openning the shutter/starting the exposure works, but closing the shutter/stopping the exposure does not work, so the only way to stop the exposure is to turn the camera off.

I have the camera in bulb mode and manual focus. The DSUSB is corretly reconised by the PC. The PC is running Vista but I have the same problem when controlling the camera via my XP PC.

I have even tried two seperate DBUSB boxes, I just happen to have two at the moment. I have tried them at seperate times, knowing that I can't have the two DBUSB boxes plugged in at once.

The cable from DBUSB to 350D appears to be correct interms of the wiring is not faulty - signal flows correctly from tip to tip and base to base.

Any ideas???

I have registered on the Shoestring Astronomy forum to ask there but haven't had my registration approved yet, hence asking here.

Thanks,
Roger.
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  #2  
Old 19-10-2008, 07:46 PM
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h0ughy (David)
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maybe there is not enough voltage in the line - how long is the USB cable - try using a powered hub in line - closer to the camera
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Old 19-10-2008, 08:00 PM
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RB (Andrew)
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As Houghy said, maybe it's voltage probs.
You could also try an active USB cable instead.
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Old 19-10-2008, 08:28 PM
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Thanks guy's..

The USB cable to the DBUSB is only about 1m. I just tried it plugged in to a powered hub and no change.

The cable going from DBUSB to 350D is 4m. Perhaps that is a problem. Due to the odd pin size of the 350D I'll need to cut and modify the cable to try a shorter one (don't have a shorter one, or spare plugs, lying around).

Any idea if the 4m length of the cable from DBUSB to 350D would matter? (it's not a USB cable, just the 2 wire trigger one)

Thanks,
Roger.
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Old 19-10-2008, 08:52 PM
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Before you start cutting cables Roger, try turning mirror lock off if you have it turned on. (I'm assuming the 350D has mirror lock) My 20D sometimes has probs when I use the mirror lock in these situations (controlling the camera via 'puter, depending on the program)
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Old 19-10-2008, 09:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rogerg View Post
Any idea if the 4m length of the cable from DBUSB to 350D would matter? (it's not a USB cable, just the 2 wire trigger one)

Thanks,
Roger.
If it's just 2 wire and not a USB then it should be ok.

Quote:
Originally Posted by [1ponders] View Post
Before you start cutting cables Roger, try turning mirror lock off if you have it turned on. (I'm assuming the 350D has mirror lock) My 20D sometimes has probs when I use the mirror lock in these situations (controlling the camera via 'puter, depending on the program)
Actually, my first response was to suggest checking mirror lock but since the camera triggers/starts but does not end an exposure I ruled that out, but just check it anyway.
You did say you have to turn the camera off to end an exp, so I'm assuming it does take an exposure and it's not really just waiting for a second release signal.
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Old 19-10-2008, 09:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RB View Post
You did say you have to turn the camera off to end an exp, so I'm assuming it does take an exposure and it's not really just waiting for a second release signal.
It starts the shutter, and the camera just keeps going, keeps taking the exposure, counting up the seconds, until I turn it off at which point it releases the mirror and saves the image.

Mirror lock - no luck, it's not turned on.

Hmm.

Thanks for the responses, I'll keep pondering and researching for now. Certainly odd that it happens with Vista and XP, and either DBUSB box. That rules out a lot of things.

Roger.
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Old 19-10-2008, 10:46 PM
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Just out of curiosity, what are you shooting through?
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Old 19-10-2008, 11:00 PM
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Roger,

Whilst I don't use the DSUSB (do use the DPUSB, though), I have had similar issues using DSLR Focus. With the data USB cable from the laptop to the camera and a home-made serial cable (USB-to-serial adapter-to-headphone jack) for the shutter release control.

I found that I had to sometimes use a different USB port for the serial release cable, and, ensured that DSLR Focus had the right COM port associated with it that was found through the Device Manager (advanced properties for USB-to-serial device).

Also, just double check which type of communications mode your camera is in. I think it's found in the last menu.

I'm sure you've tried these ideas already -- just thinking out loud. These are the worst problems as they're temporal -- you'll try again tomorrow and everything will just work.

Let us know how you go.

Regards,
Humayun
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Old 19-10-2008, 11:13 PM
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I remember that I had a similar prob that Humayun just described years ago when I built my controller and had to do what he just said.
It was so long ago I'd forgotten all about it, but when I did the changes I have never had any probs afterwards.
So give that a try.
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Old 20-10-2008, 10:24 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by [1ponders] View Post
Just out of curiosity, what are you shooting through?
Shooting through... software or optics?

At the moment, the camera is just sitting on the desk next to the PC The 350D I use with my Megrez 80 (original SD variety) and wide field stuff with L lenses. In years gone I have used it with my old XP laptop using a RS232 camera control cable.

Software - used to use DLSRFocus which no longer works (Vista) so am considering Images Plus once I get the basics going.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Octane View Post
Roger,

Whilst I don't use the DSUSB (do use the DPUSB, though), I have had similar issues using DSLR Focus. With the data USB cable from the laptop to the camera and a home-made serial cable (USB-to-serial adapter-to-headphone jack) for the shutter release control.

I found that I had to sometimes use a different USB port for the serial release cable, and, ensured that DSLR Focus had the right COM port associated with it that was found through the Device Manager (advanced properties for USB-to-serial device).

Also, just double check which type of communications mode your camera is in. I think it's found in the last menu.

I'm sure you've tried these ideas already -- just thinking out loud. These are the worst problems as they're temporal -- you'll try again tomorrow and everything will just work.

Let us know how you go.

Regards,
Humayun
Thanks for the thinking out loud... it's more often than not something obvious.

Using USB rather that RS232 I don't think I have any port selection to make? DSLRFocus in particular I have given up on as it doesn't connect to the 350D as I think DSLRFocus is not compatible with Vista.

I have tried the DBUSB on one USB port and the 350D on the other, and both on a powered hub out of one of those ports. I tried a non-powered hub too and that plain didn't work.

The 350D is in "PC" communications mode. That was my first problem, I had it in PTP but I managed to get that sorted

So just to clarify my situation, i have two USB plugs coming out of the PC, one to the camera and one to the DBUSB. I then have the two wire cable going from DBUSB to the 350D. The camera is reconised by the PC when I plug it in, as is the DBUSB reconised by the PC.

Thanks everyone, I wll continue efforts tonight when I get home.



Roger.
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  #12  
Old 20-10-2008, 02:19 PM
DeanoNZL (Adrian)
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Hi All,
Roger, when I made my 400d release, I crossed the two wires by mistake in the bulb connector, causing the same fault.
If you have made your own connection, try reversing the 2 wires.
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  #13  
Old 20-10-2008, 03:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DeanoNZL View Post
Hi All,
Roger, when I made my 400d release, I crossed the two wires by mistake in the bulb connector, causing the same fault.
If you have made your own connection, try reversing the 2 wires.
Hi Roger, yes like Deeno mentions, check that there are no crossed wires etc and that the camera actually works fine with a normal remote just in case its in the camera...
Here is a link so you can check the pinouts..
Hope you sort it out..
http://www.camerahacker.com/RS60-E3_pin-out/pin-out.php
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Old 20-10-2008, 08:06 PM
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I have exactly the same setup......I find that I cannot reliably connect both the USB and the bulb cables at the same time in vista with DSLRFocus and the 350D. Note that I have downloaded a trial of Nebulosity and it all works perfectly....so, my solution at the moment is to focus with nebulosity using less than 30 sec exposures; then disconnect the USB cable and connect the bulb cable; finish nebulosity, start up DSLRFocus and it all works fine.....it is tedious, but it works reliably....would love another solution, but it seems that DSLRFocus is the problem...Nebulosity works perfectly ....

Alex
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Old 20-10-2008, 10:15 PM
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Thanks for the replies everyone. I hoped to look at it tonight but just haven't got the time. I hope to report back tomorrow night.
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Old 22-10-2008, 09:12 AM
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I have determined the cause of my problem. It seems that the cable I have is somewhat fiddly, in that if I push it fully in to the camera it doesn't stop exposures, but if I pull it back out a tiny tiny amount it does stop the exposures correctly.

I haven't tried switching the wires yet, perhaps that will result in the same behaviour - perhaps by pulling it out slightly I'm making the contacts change.

Anyone know the size plug which goes in to the Canon 350D? I'm hoping to find one locally in JayCar and make my own cable before the weekend.

Thanks,
Roger.
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Old 22-10-2008, 12:47 PM
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Hi Roger, just a standard 2.5mm stereo socket..If you can buy the good all metal ones all the better as I find the real cheapie ones a bit fiddly..Jaycar/Tandy etc should have em.
cheers Gary
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Old 26-10-2008, 07:09 PM
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Just to confirm the solution to this...

The cable from DBUSB to camera turned out to be dodgy but not cross-wired. I found a 3.5mm to 2.5mm converter at Jaycar, put that on a standard male to male stereo cable, and all worked great

Thankyou everyone for the advice, much appreciated
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