Got my ShoeString DSUSB Bulb cable, Still can't get Canon 400D into Bulb mode?

g__day (Matthew) · #1 21-02-2007, 01:38 AM

Well today my ShoeString DSUSB converter arrived and I tested it on my Canon 400D.

No matter what software I ran, nor what duration I requested the picture to expose for, the time specified on the Canon EOS Utility overrode all else. If it said 20 seconds for instance that is when the shutter would close, even if the Bulb software hadn't triggered teh close yet.what it would take.

I had the camera set to manual, ( and every other programmable setting - all failed to bulb control) and I tried all of

DSLRFocus V3
DSLR Shutter
Max DLSR
DSLR Remote Pro

No joy. All would detect the DSUSB was connected, but when I'd say take a 45 second exposure, the shutter would be closed by the trigger from the other software at 20 seconds say.

Is there a setting you have to enable to tell the camera or software the shutter is solely and exclusively in Bulb mode?

I tried via the Camera's main menu to set it into cable and remote bulb use - no real joy there sadly.

Many thanks folks - I'm sure its a user error or software constraint!

RB (Andrew) · #2 21-02-2007, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by g__day

No joy. All would detect the DSUSB was connected, but when I'd say take a 45 second exposure, the shutter would be closed by the trigger from the other software at 20 seconds say.

I assume you are using a seperate cable to control your "Bulb" exposure?

g__day (Matthew) · #3 21-02-2007, 02:08 AM

There are 3 cables into the camera

1. DC power supply
2. USB for normal camera control and picture download
3. USB into the ShoeString converter which send a 3 strand wire cable ending in a 2.5mm jack which into the Bulb jack

So yes its seperate. But the problem seems to be once shutter release is triggered, the camera defaults to closing via the last shutter setting - ignore the bulb timer which continues to run, but the camera has already (incorrectly) received the shutter close command elsewhere!

What am I likely doing wrong please?

g__day (Matthew) · #4 21-02-2007, 02:25 AM

Oops - bugger - I think I've got it.

There are two dials - the one you use to set the Camera into manual mode, and the one in front of this I thought (assumed) was some wierd eyepiece focusing knob - oopsie! I just checked Bulb functions - which refered me to this dial as the "Main Dial" with no well specificed function. It isn't - its the secondary dial that controls shutter duration - wish that was labelled in the manual correctly! I found this cause under the manual pg 71 it says set the Mode dial to Manual and Main Dial to Bulb - it was that that finally twigged me that other dial isn't what I thought it was!

Its the manual knob to set shutter speed - from 1/4,000 of a second - to 30 seconds and then to BULB!

Just tested it - its sorted so thanks and I'm off to sleep!

Astroman (Andrew Wall) · #5 21-02-2007, 05:19 AM

I was about to suggest this after reading your first post. That little dial just behind the trigger button. It has many uses which you have found one of them... Did you get the shoestring adapter from shoestring or a third party place? I am thinking of getting one too....

g__day (Matthew) · #6 21-02-2007, 08:59 AM

I got mine from ShoeString - Doug has always been prompt (and cheaper than JMI - who he designed similar products for).

So far I have got the GPINT auto-guider converter and DSUSB focuser from ShoeString and the PCFC Focuser from BinTel / JMI - as they had immediate stock when I had an urge!

ShoeString seem fine by me.

PS

I started set-up for piccys around 8pm last night and go distracted by family duties. When I went out at 10:30pm I found my scope was pointing at almost the exact same point in the sky (around M42) so the tracking was excellent - unguided M42 had barely moved off centre in my 22mm eyepiece for the C9.25 in 3.5 hours!

Secondly I noticed when I turned PhD autoguiding on - it sometimes crashes the PC! Ugh. I also noticed as I framed the CCD's on the Meg and SCT they poit to slightly different patches of the sky - must get them aligned just a tad better.

Thirdly when I connected the Canon to its external power supply I noticed there was a tingling in my hand holding the camera body - big worry if the powersupply isn't properly earthed. I don't desire any form of electrocution thank you!

But I noticed when I came back to seriously get going it was cloud central - so I spend until 2am fighting with trying to get bulb exposures going until I called defeat. So I pack the lab up and do the final household chores and write my query - then by 2:30am when I finished (in more ways then one) I glance outside to see not a cloud in the sky!!! Major aggrevation.

g__day (Matthew) · #7 22-02-2007, 09:53 PM

And to top it all - I finally started to look into PHD guiding - kept crashing the PC it was on. I finally noticed it said calibration error - so it wasn't actually guiding on all my shots - whcih makes them even more impressive.

Turns out the parallel port had a resource conflict problem, I switched to the standard DMA / IRQ / I/O memory settings and re-booted - all then worked calibrating PHD and autoguiding.

Went away came back 20 minutes later - fine - come back another 20 minutes later - PC had re-started (hmmm maybe its a heat build up, or a memory leak, or its going into screen saver mode and doing something un-sociable to PHD.

Anyone else every see PC re-boot when you run PHD for a while?

Astroman (Andrew Wall) · #8 22-02-2007, 10:47 PM

Havent tried PHD yet, I may give it a go one day... I mainly use Guidedog with the EQMOD conversion, pulse guiding through ascom drivers to the EQ6..

centauri · #9 10-03-2007, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by g__day

Went away came back 20 minutes later - fine - come back another 20 minutes later - PC had re-started (hmmm maybe its a heat build up, or a memory leak, or its going into screen saver mode and doing something un-sociable to PHD.

Anyone else every see PC re-boot when you run PHD for a while?

Make sure both your screen saver is off and the Power Settings are all set to <never> and SAVE those settings!

Darren

g__day (Matthew) · #10 12-03-2007, 11:54 PM

Why is that Darren - is it a known bug or a suspicion?

bloodhound31 · #11 23-03-2007, 03:59 PM

G_day, we need to talk mate and keep in touch.

I just bought a Canon EOS400D as well and have no clue.

I'm in canberra, where are you?

Baz.

Astroman (Andrew Wall) · #12 23-03-2007, 06:55 PM

Have any of you guys worked out which software downloads the picture off the Canon 400D and saves it automatically to the hard drive?

bloodhound31 · #13 23-03-2007, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astroman

Have any of you guys worked out which software downloads the picture off the Canon 400D and saves it automatically to the hard drive?

No mate, but I will be watching this thread to find out!

Baz

Shawn · #14 23-03-2007, 07:56 PM

Heres another I found with Eos. to make it respond to software.
Exposure stops to 1/3, and mirror lock off..

...

g__day (Matthew) · #15 10-04-2007, 04:23 PM

Barry - I'm in Sydney.

The EOS utilities on the instal software CD with the camera manages all the downloads normally. You could use another software suite to do this (E.g. DSLR Remote Pro) or possibly Maxim DL.

I used EOS utility for downloads, Shutter for the longer duration bulb shots and will shortly try DSLR Remote Pro forfocusing assistance - will let you know how it all goes!