Discussions

how to hack a camera to allow remote triggering

Posted by crystal garris on May 22, 2008 at 7:53pm

step 1 get cheap camera your not afraid to frystep 2 carefully remove back cover (be VERY careful not to touch any circuitry used by the flash or it will ZAP you )step 3 locate button on circuit boardstep 4 use volt meter to determine the voltage polarity across the bottun (positive reading when red it touched to something positive)step 5 carefully solder leads to both sides of button(at this point you can put batteries in and touch the lead together and the shudder should click)step 6 cut hole in case for wire to escapestep 7 carefully reassemble cover and add some hot glue to wire exit to securestep 8 attach to you favorite microcontroller neg lead to ground pos lead to pin ,to trigger bring pin low

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Replies

NorthSweden June 5, 2009 at 2:32am

The microcontroller.
NorthSweden June 4, 2009 at 2:47pm

I have one suggestion about this hack! why not use a transistor to trigger the camera!
bGatti June 4, 2009 at 1:36pm

I love it, explaining how to use a voltmeter in a project which requires the use of a microcontroller.

So that's why I'm late to the party, I spent to many years just figuring out the damn voltmeter ;)

- kidding - I'm really just acknowledging the endless effort to find the right balance of technicality when explaining technical projects. Been there, done that, got the headache.
Ben
Infinite Aerospace June 3, 2009 at 9:08pm

Here is the system I used, utilizing a sub micro servo to actuate the shutter button. Works well, self titled the "Orion 1.1 / 1.2" system. Works well on the Parkzone Radian electric sailplane.
James Cohen May 22, 2009 at 7:29am

Great write-up.

Can I suggest:

step 1.1 remove battery
step 1.2 wait 1 hour

I'm guessing an hour would be enough time for the flash capacitor to discharge?

To be honest I would do:

step 1.1 remove battery
step 1.2 get impatient after 10 mins
Neal Kelley May 22, 2009 at 6:48am

I used a refurbished Kodak C913 ( 9.3 megapixel camera. ).. after figuring out the the button to trigger the flash. .i soldered wire to it. the cool part is that I got a small micro switch and attached a micro servo to it.. and glued it all together.. ( Camera, Servo and Microswitch ). I plugged the servo into the retract port of the reciever.. and now when ever i trigger the retract button.. the camera flashes... Microswitch was about $1.29 from Fry's electronics.. and microservos are about 8 or 9 bucks..
Jim Haliburton May 27, 2008 at 4:33pm

if you want a pic based controller for RC aerial camera control use see

http://rc-cam.com/project1.htm

I have used this for several cameras. Samples of the photos and how the camera is mounted are here:

http://www.lobstercove.ca/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1160323567

Jim H
Jacob May 26, 2008 at 8:12pm

so how woudl the microcontroller know to take a picture of something you want a picture of, say your doing recon or something, then your like oh i want a pic of that, how does the microcontroller know you want a pic of it? are you sayin you hit a button to activate teh cam?

im confused, im not to clear on this micro controller thing.
Jacob May 26, 2008 at 7:41pm

What about just adding a servo on? On a seperate channel?
Jack Crossfire May 23, 2008 at 2:21pm

Breaking open the camera is the most fully functional way but makes it more fragile. U get direct control of the shutter button in the least weight. For the cheap Canon's there's CHDK, which can trigger the shutter merely by applying 5V to the USB V++ pin. U can't download by USB of course.