How do I take photos using an electric trigger and SDM?

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freemab

How do I take photos using an electric trigger and SDM?

Post by freemab »

I still can't figure out how to use SDM with an electronic trigger. I am still trying to wade through the documentation. The "getting started" webpage has a good deal of information, but it leaves so much ambiguous or unanswered. http://stereo.jpn.org/eng/sdm/quick.htm

To cut to the chase: I have successfully installed SDM on a 2GB SDHC card and it "works" on my camera (an A590IS). I have made an electronic trigger that works. But I cannot trigger photos that I can use. This is partly because the camera ended up in "time lapse" mode, which does not happen when I insert a SDHC that does not contain SDM, and I only figured out yesterday that that was due to the config file SDM somehow defaulted to. (The "getting started" page says nothing about that or what to do about it.)

I have spend many days getting even this far with SDM: I can't use may 32GB SDHC card because the procedure in the documentation for partitioning it doesn't work for me. I can't use the electronic trigger anyway because the photos come out either too low-resolution or merely too blurry (due to time lapse?), if the camera even triggers at all. (I haven't figured out exactly how the remote trigger is to be used -- short presses, long presses, what does it take to shoot a photo? It works sometimes but not others.) I have no idea what to do about any of this, because all the promised SDM features (like editing the config file) are hidden away in the documentation where I have yet to find them. I've used Notepad to view the config ("bas") files, but I don't understand what they contain. Part of the problem is that I have no particular background in either photography or programming, so I don't speak those jargons.

With far less effort I could already have made a mechanical trigger (a bicycle brake mechanism would work lovely) and I'd already be scanning books -- perhaps even with a pair of cameras that do NOT accept CHDK but which are cheaply available anywhere. My entire book-scanning effort is weeks behind what I'd expected due to all these complications.

Most of what I've actually learned has come through Google searches for information here, on the SDM yahoo group, etc. The best instruction of how to even use the SDM software on the camera is here http://www.mind2b.com/component/content ... n-software and THAT appears wrong. (Instructions 7 to 9 do not compute.)

So, is there or will there be any real support for us novice SDM users? Will somebody tell me just what the camera settings should be and what config file I need for photographing book pages, where to find it, and where the elusive config file editor might be hiding? Because if that info is on this forum or on the SDM yahoo forum, I sure haven't found it yet. In fact, a Google search (site:www.stereomaker.net "book scanner") yields NOTHING but the one animated photograph of a book scanner.

Or should I just dig out an old bicycle brake and get to work on that? Life is too short to continue this futile pursuit.
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daniel_reetz
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Re: How do I take photos using an electric trigger and SDM?

Post by daniel_reetz »

I'm going to try to get you through this. I hear you that these things can be quite difficult to navigate. It is the curse of many projects.

The "time lapse" mode is happening because you are running a script. It is the default script that comes with SDM. Offhand, I can't even remember how to start it, much less disable it, but it sounds like you have that much sorted.

The default trigger mode of SDM requires two clicks. One to "arm" the camera, and one to "fire it".

You shouldn't need to set anything beyond that, though. Can you share one of these incorrect photos here, attached to a post? I need to read the settings from inside the photo to see where you're going wrong.
freemab

Re: How do I take photos using an electric trigger and SDM?

Post by freemab »

I have made some progress. The triggering problems I had were entirely due to that default "time lapse" script. I now find that a quick press focuses the camera, and a second press takes the photo -- which is what the documentation claims.

I also found it necessary to turn off the flash, to set the resolution to "L" and the compression to "superfine". This may be overkill, but I'd rather a useful photo that is a memory hog than a smaller, useless photo. And I should be able to get 500 or so of these mega-photos on my 2GB card. It seems that the resolution and "superfine" are maintained when the camera is turned off, but that the flash must be turned off manually each time the camera is turned on. A pain.

I presume that either a script or the configuration file would allow me to set up the camera as I wish, but since I cannot figure out how to program scripts, and I only just learned how to access the configuration editor (CFGSDMEDIT.jar), that all does me no good.

The problem with SDM seeming inactive on the camera turned out simple, though mystifying: I had forgotten to lock the SDHC card. Unlike all rational software, SDM requires the SD card to be LOCKED, lest it not autoboot on the camera. Of course, this is completely counter-intuitive, as one expects to need the card unlocked to record photos, but SDM records photos despite the lock. Turn off the lock -- you turn off SDM. Handy to know.

So, the immediate problem is solved. How much trouble it is going to be to use this camera without a custom configuration file or script remains to be seen.
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Drake Ravensmith
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Re: How do I take photos using an electric trigger and SDM?

Post by Drake Ravensmith »

I'm glad you got your time lapse problem sorted out. I wonder if you seen either Daniel's original book scanner instructional or glanced over mine.

http://diybookscanner.org/forum/viewtop ... sion+cable

I basically copied Daniel's camera settings since we were both using a590s at the time except I had to set the shutter speed from 1/50? to 1/5. I'm wondering if you have the camera set to Manual mode. You shouldn't have to turn the flash off every time. Most of the time, I found that all of the setting remained the same between scans except for the manual focus would occasionally reset.

You don't seem to mention why you want to mess with the SDM config file. Besides electronic triggering, what else do you want the camera to do?

I recently switched from SDM to CHDK because my new camera accessories demanded it. I only use it to trigger the cameras and it only takes one button press which seems to be a time saver. You do have to enable the remote function the first time you use it but then it's clear sailing. If you'd like to try it, you can find the installation guide here:

http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK/Install ... Cardtricks

And the most current version of card tricks here:

http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,964.0.html

I am most certainly NOT an expert at this but I know how frustrating new software is. I'm certain someone on this forum will have your answers. :)
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