Astro photography tool - Page 2

danielsun · #21 27-04-2010, 06:09 PM

Hi yoddha, I am using a bulb capture cable but it may be a windows 7 issue.
I am about to purchase APT and hopefully it may solve the image transfer problem.

Cheers Daniel.

Yoddha · #22 27-04-2010, 09:40 PM

Mark, thank you for supporting APT!

Daniel, there is no limitation in demo version related to the transfer. If you select PC or Cam+PC then in your installation folder a new one will be created "Camera_1" and in it you will find your images sorted by date. Try the latest demo version. In the full version you can select the folder where the images to be saved, in demo the path is fixed.

As for 500D you can control it only with USB (Digic4 cameras has this nice feature). For 350D check if "Connection" option in your camera menu is set to "PC connection"

adman (Adam) · #23 06-05-2010, 09:47 AM

Hi Yoddha,

I downloaded the trial version a few weeks back - but only had my Shoestring DSUSB box and cables delivered yesterday.

The USB control of the camera for exposures up to 30" works really well, but I am having a few issues with using the DSUSB to control longer exposures.

Is it correct that the only way to take exposures over 30" is to use the Exposures box in the bottom right? I have never been able to get the 'Test' plan to operate the shutter. I have been able to create my own plans that have worked - but they don't work every time - they usually only work when first starting the program. I get the feeling that it is when I try to change the selected plan that the program loses either the DSUSB or camera USB connectivity. When this happens, the log says "Starting xxx plan", the status indicator at the bottom right says "Busy", and thats the way it stays until I manually shut the program down.

I am running Windows XP Pro, and using a Canon 10D with a USB cable and shutter controlled through Shoestring DSUSB.

Any help would be appreciated. It looks like a nice piece of software, that has great potential.

Thanks
Adam

Yoddha · #24 06-05-2010, 07:32 PM

Hi Adam,

You are right that the only way to make exposures over 30" is the box in the lower right corner where exposures from the selected plan are loaded. I just made some tests with 350D and DSUSB and it works, but your camera is with other processor and there are differences.

The DSUSB connection is not closing when the plan is changed, so there should be other problem. Can you check the plans you defined if they are with ISO that is supported by your camera? Do you use preview function and what is Image destination?

astrospotter (Mark) · #25 20-05-2010, 05:16 PM

Just a beware to APT users so you can workaround an issue I am seeing.
I run APT on a very recent Toshiba 205 NetBook on Windows 7.
If APT is running and for any reason the standard windows pop-up
happens for when usb is just plugged into the camera or camera is
just turned on you MUST close this window or APT can crash.
This window will be BEHIND APT so you may not notice it.

So if your system does 'Autoplay' type windows feature for when you
plug in the Canon you will hit this. A more advanced way to fix this
would be to disable autoplay OR select a default behavior for your
Canon for autoplay and the window I bet will not be an issue then.

Hope this helps. And I of course still LOVE this tool!!!
This tool does so many of the things I want in my work-flow and
has live view and shutter delay for mirror lock and so much!!! Thanks.

Yoddha · #26 20-05-2010, 08:12 PM

Hi Mark,

APT and Canon EOS utility shares same library to access the camera. This library has limitation that only one connection can be made in a time.

You are right that the only solution is to close EOS utility before you attempt to make a connection to the camera in APT. On XP there is no crash, but connection can't be made.

So my advice to everybody is same, close EOS utility before using APT (take a look on "Camera Preparation" in User's guide)

P.S. Take a look on the homepage for a list of the new things that are coming

astrospotter (Mark) · #27 21-05-2010, 12:31 PM

The pop-up I am talking about is when canon is plugged into USB
windows itself comes up with a window that is associated with the
auto-play windows feature. If I do not close this windows
pop-up that is asking what I would like to do with my Canon it is
this that causes APT to crash.

Again, workaround is to just know that when a system gets the canon
plugged in you must close that window even though it will be behind APT.

The other workaround I suggest is to disable autoplay for the canon device.
I know this can be done on XP but this system is windows 7 so I assume
it can be turned off but have not looked into it yet.
I will post to this board after I find the correct menu in windows 7
to disable the autoplay on my canon from happening.

Yoddha · #28 21-05-2010, 05:07 PM

A lot of thanks for the help Mark!

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #29 21-05-2010, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astrospotter

............The other workaround I suggest is to disable autoplay for the canon device. I know this can be done on XP but this system is windows 7 so I assumeit can be turned off .....

Yeah good point. I've seen APT & the canon utility conflict ...all the time. I've already done this, disabled the Cannon utility.

astrospotter (Mark) · #30 22-05-2010, 06:06 PM

DOH! I see that you (youngonce) had already mentioned the autoplay thing. There are so many new things for me that I am in overload and wish
I had picked up on young once's comment before.

I am a fairly accomplished visual guy but a real noob at astrophotography.
So between all the stuff I am trying to sort out in taking photos from allignment through taking the shots through processing, guess I completely missed that hint.

Well, a belated thanks for the tip (even though I was too daft to pick it up 1st time)

h0ughy (David) · #31 24-05-2010, 07:35 AM

Well I am not sure how you guys have tested this software but I have found it not to work. I have loaded it on several computers – one brand new formatted system with no other software loaded, windows 7 ultimate 32 bit, XP pro, XP home, Vista ultimate 32bit, and I still cant get the software to work and function as it should.

I can connect to the camera, set functions and shoot one shot then that is it – it locks up. The scripting doesn’t work either – it will do the first two or three shots then kark it. So to all those who have this working – I say how the heck did you do that? I have downloaded and loaded the latest version – 1.07 and tried it with 350D, 400D , 40D, 20D, 30D and I use a DSUSB with all.

Sorry but to me the software offers a lot but fails to deliver. To be that consistent over a variety of platforms with that many different cameras I either must be doing something really wrong, or it just doesn’t work? The gear does work with other software such as IP, nebulosity etc.

RB (Andrew) · #32 24-05-2010, 09:53 AM

I found the same difficulty using my 20Da.
APT will only take the first shot on the list and then stay busy.
I'll give it another go later and see what I'm doing wrong.

The software looks good though, would love to be able to use it.

Octane (Humayun) · #33 24-05-2010, 10:40 AM

I could be totally wrong, but, isn't there some communications setting in the camera menu that may need to be switched over to a different setting? I don't have a camera in front of me so can't check, sorry.

Disregard if already tried.

H

h0ughy (David) · #34 24-05-2010, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octane

Disregard if already tried.

H

I tried nearly everything including wiring the kitchen sink with USB connectivity.

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #35 24-05-2010, 12:04 PM

I used the canon USB interface (not DSUSB) with my 450D...no problems.

I guess that's of little help & comfort.

Do you have something like mirror lock-up set to enable in the camera menu?

DavidTrap (David) · #36 24-05-2010, 01:23 PM

I tried and failed too.

DT

h0ughy (David) · #37 24-05-2010, 01:28 PM

no mirror lockup set

Yoddha · #38 24-05-2010, 03:27 PM

Hi to all,

You had written a lot during I was sleeping...

The general advise that I can give is to install the latest EOS utilities, this will give the latest drivers. Then be sure that the camera is using JPG or Raw+JPG quality. Only RAW is not supported. If you use lens, turn off the auto-focus. Define a plan with exposures >1s (some users reported a problem with exposures under 1s which will resolve in the next version)

I think that these steps (and Camera Preparation steps from User's guide) will resolve the problems which David and RB observed.

For 20Da, the bad news is that LiveView can not be used through PC

But the rest functions was verified from a user...

I'll be happy to help with what I can

Visionoz (Bill) · #39 26-05-2010, 01:29 AM

Hello Yoddha

From reading off your website and the compatibility/features table I gather that for a Canon 5D model (not MkII) one needs to use either a direct serial port remote device or the DSUSB from Shoestring to achieve exposures greater than 30secs - is this correct?

Cheers
Bill

Yoddha · #40 26-05-2010, 01:39 AM

Hi Bill,

I didn't have chance to test with 5D, and have no information from users, but I expect that it will behave like the other Digic2 cameras (I mean from controlling point of view

). You are right that there is need of DSUSB or serial cable in order to get exposure longer than 30s.

I'll be thankful if you share your experience how APT behaves with your 5D!