BackyardEOS ~ A new software for Canon DSLR

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

Guylain

The cost wasn't the issue the yearly licence was. You have taken a courageous step in changing your pricing structure...I will be happy to buy your product.

[Octane (Humayun)]

A vendor who listens to his customers is such an important asset.

Way to go, Guylain!

If I still imaged with a DSLR, I'd buy your product, too.

H

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by wasyoungonce

Guylain

The cost wasn't the issue the yearly licence was. You have taken a courageous step in changing your pricing structure...I will be happy to buy your product.

that was my issue with the software - now fixed i will purchase soon after the program has been updated

[guyroch]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

that was my issue with the software - now fixed i will purchase soon after the program has been updated

Anyone willing to test the 1024x600 version. I believe I'm done implementing it. I'll run a few more tests at my end then I'll post it on the internet for download.

Any takers, I'll looking for 1 or 2 brave souls.

Thanks

Guylain

[h0ughy (David)]

yeah i will as that will be what i will be taking to qld for the eclipse

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Thanks to Guylain's almost instantaneous response to our problem, I've been testing the new 1024x600 version - and have found it to fit fabulously on my netbook screen. Upon initialisation: "Netbook resolution detected; scaled down to fit 1024x600". Absolutely fantastic. Well done sir.

The "Weather Center" works well too with Yahoo weather finding my own suburb without issue.

I can't wait for the weather to clear and fire up the 5D2 using this wonderful application.

Thanks again Guylain

Here's a screenshot:

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by Octane

A vendor who listens to his customers is such an important asset.

Way to go, Guylain!

If I still imaged with a DSLR, I'd buy your product, too.

H

What do you mean "If I still".... come on Humayun - you will from time to time because you'll find plugging the 5D2 in so much handier than fooling around with the STL.

[guyroch]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

Thanks to Guylain's almost instantaneous response to our problem, I've been testing the new 1024x600 version - and have found it to fit fabulously on my netbook screen. Upon initialisation: "Netbook resolution detected; scaled down to fit 1024x600". Absolutely fantastic. Well done sir.

The "Weather Center" works well too with Yahoo weather finding my own suburb without issue.

I can't wait for the weather to clear and fire up the 5D2 using this wonderful application.

Thanks again Guylain

Here's a screenshot:

Thank you for posting your findings so quickly Chris, the screen shoot tells it all.

This BETA download is currently available on the website on the Download page in the 'Brave Souls' section. Keep in mind that this is just out of my dev lab but I've tested it and so did Chris, thank you!

Guylain

[iceman (Mike)]

Nice looking application. I'll definitely be trying it out.

[Octane (Humayun)]

The way things are going at the moment, it's unlikely any of us will ever image again. : )

H

[guyroch]

Originally Posted by iceman

Nice looking application. I'll definitely be trying it out.

Thanks Mike, I hope you'll enjoy it!

Guylain

[guyroch]

Happy new year to everyone!

BackyardEOS Version 1.0.2 (Revision 18328) dated January 2, 2011 is released for production and is ready for download.

*** Overview ***
New Feature: Daylight skin; 5 color schemes available.
New Feature: Capture plan estimated time to completion.
New Feature: Netbook 1024 x 600 resolution support.
New Feature: Frame Type added to capture plan.
New Feature: Frame Type and software release date added to exif data.
New Feature: Image sub-folders; LIBRARY type and HDR type.
New Feature: Aperture (Av) shutter added when a lens is connected to the camera.
New Feature: PHD dithering is active only between images of LIGHTS Frame Type.
Change: 'Automatic' shutter is renamed to 'Program' shutter.
Bug Fix: Timer inaccuracy for long exposures if fixed; BackyardEOS should never overrun on long bulb exposures.
Bug Fix: Progress wheel anomaly when taking Tv pictures of less than 1 second.
Bug Fix: A few other minor fixes.

*** Download ***
http://backyardeos.binaryrivers.com/download

*** Complete Change Log ***
http://backyardeos.binaryrivers.com/change-log


*** Crystal Ball ***
Features I’m currently working on for future release
- Canon SDK 2.9
- Canon 60D support
- Continuous looping of image capture plans.
- Programmable snap button in frame & focus; will allow for continuous loop.
- Eclipse Framing; overlap a previous image over current one to facilitate framing over several imaging sessions; full control on opacity and orientation for post meridian flip.
- Camera auto power off override while connected to BackyardEOS.
- Enhanced Star HD! Way more sensitivity and controls over the parameters
- Camera sensor temperature in Fahrenheit
- Ability to turn on/off adding extra exif data to all raw image files.
- etc…

Guylain

[luigi]

I'm waiting to try 1.0.2 so far clouds loom above Buenos Aires.
Have backyard, will wait.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Hi Guylain

I've managed to get out and try it now that some of the clouds have dissipated near new moon. I like the software, but I'm having some issues at the moment with my 5D Mark-II (firmware 2.0.8) and BackyardEOS. Once I set multiple exposures to go past 200-seconds, or thereabouts, I receive multiple errors stating that the download process terminated after 90 seconds of trying. I'm confident that it's probably something I'm doing in my camera's settings rather than the software, and that you will come back quickly with a solution or at least a "watch for this" list.

When a timeout occurs, the exposure counter on the camera sits there flashing. It's set to bulb mode and I have turned off all auto-dark frame settings. "Pause" is set to "0".

BTW - what is the software expected to do with a capture plan that dictates multiple long exposures, and L.E. auto darks are actually set to on? Should Pause be set to the dark frame generation time expected if you are creating in-camera darks?

The following log is from a session I've just experimented with this morning, after downloading your latest version (18328).

Cheers - and thanks for a great tool
Chris

08:12:17 Netbook resolution detected; scaled down to fit 1024x600.
08:12:20 Canon camera listener service started.
08:12:26 Camera Not Found! Make sure it's connected to the PC and turned ON
08:14:45 Canon EOS 5D Mark II ADDED!
08:18:33 Imaging session started.
08:30:02 Image download timeout, process terminated after 90 seconds of trying
08:34:43 Camera SHUTDOWN!
08:34:48 Canon EOS 5D Mark II ADDED!
08:37:56 Make sure camera is set to BULB, turn dial to 'B' for Bulb/Tv shutter
08:38:19 Imaging session started.
08:38:20 Make sure camera is set to BULB, turn dial to 'B' for Bulb/Tv shutter
08:38:49 Imaging session started.
08:38:56 ABORT_LIGHT_600s_400iso_+23c_201101 04-08h38m37s.CR2 downloaded.
08:50:19 Image download timeout, process terminated after 90 seconds of trying
08:51:27 Camera SHUTDOWN!
08:51:30 Canon EOS 5D Mark II ADDED!
08:53:23 Imaging session started.
08:53:23 SET PropID_Tv: (value=12), (err=129)
08:55:25 Camera SHUTDOWN!
08:55:25 Camera SHUTDOWN!
08:55:33 Camera SHUTDOWN!
08:55:45 Canon EOS 5D Mark II ADDED!
08:55:55 Imaging session started.
08:57:15 LIGHT_60s_400iso_+35c_20110104-08h56m58s.CR2 downloaded.
08:58:35 LIGHT_60s_400iso_+35c_20110104-08h58m14s.CR2 downloaded.
08:59:47 Imaging session completed successfully.
08:59:52 LIGHT_60s_400iso_+35c_20110104-08h59m35s.CR2 downloaded.
09:01:04 Imaging session started.
09:03:26 LIGHT_120s_400iso_+35c_20110104-09h03m08s.CR2 downloaded.
09:05:43 LIGHT_120s_400iso_+35c_20110104-09h05m25s.CR2 downloaded.
09:07:56 Imaging session completed successfully.
09:08:01 LIGHT_120s_400iso_+35c_20110104-09h07m43s.CR2 downloaded.
09:08:35 Imaging session started.
09:14:05 Image download timeout, process terminated after 90 seconds of trying
09:16:54 LIGHT_240s_400iso_+35c_20110104-09h16m39s.CR2 downloaded.
09:33:31 Imaging session started.
09:37:52 LIGHT_240s_400iso_+24c_20110104-09h37m35s.CR2 downloaded.
09:42:10 LIGHT_240s_400iso_+30c_20110104-09h41m52s.CR2 downloaded.
09:47:35 Image download timeout, process terminated after 90 seconds of trying
09:50:24 LIGHT_240s_400iso_+32c_20110104-09h50m09s.CR2 downloaded.

[guyroch]

Chris, thanks for the quick report.

Yep, in-camera dark subtraction is not currently supported. Can you turn it off and try again please to confirm I ran a test here and I get the same behavior with it’s turned on and when it's off all is fine.

The 90 second timeout is a _fail_safe_ timeout on my end. I guess I could increase the time out to at least the bulb duration + 30 seconds for the download and the in-camera dark subtraction would be 100% supported. Look for this change in the next release, very easy to implement/support

Thank you for the reference (re: Tony)

Guylain

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

G'Day Guylain

During this session I did have all in-camera darks disabled. That's what is so strange.

C.Fn II: Image
Long exp. noise reduction: 0 (off)

C.Fn II: Image
High ISO speed noise reduct'n: 3 (disable)

[guyroch]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

G'Day Guylain

During this session I did have all in-camera darks disabled. That's what is so strange.

C.Fn II: Image
Long exp. noise reduction: 0 (off)

C.Fn II: Image
High ISO speed noise reduct'n: 3 (disable)

Oh, does the problem still occur? Did you have the same issue with the previous release with the 5D (same camera setting)?

There might an image stuck in the camera memory buffer due to the previous time-out error. Can you please remove the battery (to clear the in-camera buffer) and try again.

Thanks

Guylain

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

You can see in the log that I shut the camera down a few times to clear it, so I've already done that. It involved taking out the battery because otherwise it remains stuck trying to write the buffer out for ages and won't turn off via the switch.

As I stated in my first post today, darks were disabled. This also occurred the night before last on the imaging field, so the previous version of the software and my 5D did the same. Funnily enough, the problem doesn't occur with the Canon timer remote - I guess because it leaves the image in-camera on the high-speed (60m/s) CF card. Could it be due to USB-2 and the fact that these files are 22Mb in size? I notice that the image is still downloading when the next exposure in the queue starts. I'll experiment with varying "Pause" values set.

[guyroch]

Thanks Chris, I appreciate your patience while we work this out.

Can you send me the debug.txt file in the installation folder? There is way more information in there for me to trace the issue. Please send it to BackyardEOS [[at]] yahoo [[dot]] com, it's way to big to past here.

If you on W7 the debug.txt file may be located in...
C:\Users\<< user name >>\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Progr am Files (x86)\BackyardEOS

Thanks,

Guylain

[guyroch]

Chris, I’ve looked at the log you posted and I note some strange stuff. The imaging session started at 9:33 with images of 240 seconds. The first image was downloaded at 9:37:52 and the second was downloaded at 9:42:10; both these images took about 20 to 25 seconds to download after the acquisition which is normal. The 3rd one though finally downloaded at 9:50:24. That’s 8 minutes 14 seconds since the previous download and that is roughly 6 minutes unaccounted for? It looks like the camera is not releasing the image for download and BackyardEOS timeouts (or BackyardEOS is unable to complete the download) ~ I’ve never seen that before but there is a first for everything I guess .

09:33:31 Imaging session started.
09:37:52 LIGHT_240s_400iso_+24c_20110104-09h37m35s.CR2 downloaded.
09:42:10 LIGHT_240s_400iso_+30c_20110104-09h41m52s.CR2 downloaded.
09:47:35 Image download timeout, process terminated after 90 seconds of trying
09:50:24 LIGHT_240s_400iso_+32c_20110104-09h50m09s.CR2 downloaded.

Please send the debug.txt file as requested in previous post

Thank you for your patience,

Guylain