using DSLR focus to capture image

[seeker372011]

I have been trying to automate my image capture with DSLR Focus without much success.

Focusing I can do, no prob, but when it comes to capture, its driving me nuts.

any particular sequence I should be following?

I will go to the yahoo group for help but thought I'd ask here first

what happens is the camera fires and then doesn't turn off...

I just can't seem to get the release shutter button to work.

ever seen a 30 minute image @ ISO 1600 from sydney? ugly, very ugly :)

thanks for any help or suggestions

Narayan

[Gama]

Did you initialize the parallel port before you powered on the camera ?.

Also do you have the shutter cable mod circuit fitted ?.

[seeker372011]

Yes to both, but...

will try 1 above again just to make sure I did get the sequence right
thanks for the tip

[rogerg]

Can you test it through the options dialogue successfully?

The times I've had problems are usually where my camera's battery is low, or DSLR Focus has been running for quite a while and other app's opened/closed etc, I think something sometimes gets confused with respect to the camera's connection. Oh, and Mirror lock-up has sometimes done odd things for me, so I don't usually use that.

I use a serial connection, sometimes converted through a Serial -> USB converter.

Steps I follow are pretty straight forward:
1) connect the camera and turn it on (manual mode, no mirror lock-up, manual focus).

2) load DSLR Focus

3) Connect to the camera

4) Focus

5) go to the long exposure tab

6) back on the main options window change the ISO.

7) set the long exposure details

8) start.

That usual works unless something wacky has messed it up (as mentioned above) in which case on those occasions I just reboot the PC if closing & re-opening DSLR Focus doesn't fix it.

Roger.

[seeker372011]

Roger:

actually I also use a serial to USB converter like you. Its actually the serial port I initialise

seems like I pretty much do what you are doing-but it all seems to fall over the moment I go to long exposure..focus is fine but thereafter it all stuffs up...

???computer lacks grunt ? cable faulty? dont know