In this video, I go over how to trigger a Canon s95 camera through an rc transmitter, without taping a servo on top to push the shutter button. Canon cameras use a firmware hack called CHDK that allows shutter control through the usb port. With a simple switch from Turnigy, we can trigger the camera from the transmitter.
Turnigy switch: http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__8833__Turnigy_Receiver_Controlled_Switch_.html
Canon CHDK download and info: http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK
Comments
To my understanding, you can setup different functions at different pulse widths. So, a specific pulse width could trigger the shutter. A different pulse width could zoom the lens, switch to a different photo mode, etc.
The power via usb is to trigger the camera shutter. One of the many functions of CHDK is that it allows you to use the usb port to trigger the camera shutter since most of these small cameras don't have infrared triggers. So once you have CHDK running with camera triggering enabled, any time you send 5v to the usb, it will trigger the shutter (and other functions as you script them).
@Matt,
Good tutorial
Quick dummy question:
1. Why do you need to add power( +5 and ground/negative to usb connector) ? is it coz you don't want camera to go to sleep mode or some think like that as the camera has built in power/batt too.
2. Why does the power have to come from separate channel on the receiver as it would occupy one port in RXver for no other reason other than supply power to USB port of camera? Yes I under stand that it would be easiest to tap/get 5 V from there.
3. can't you by-pass this power bus connection to input side of the turnigy switch cable which also gets the supply from same receiver and therefore both the switch and USB connector gets power from same channel connector/port?
Great video! CHDK is very nice indeed! I've been using it for a while now for triggering the shutter. What I'd like to do next is figure out the scripting to retract the lens for landing and go into the photo review mode on the camera all using CHDK.
@all, If you have certain types of Sony cameras, there is a hack project going on here- http://www.nex-hack.info/
@ Matt and Jasja ,
I stand corrected. CHDK does not work for other brands coz it is cannon F/W specific hack. After a quick search , I found lot of wishes for non cannon camera hacks like chdk , except one nikkon mild/hack decripted F/W , non seem to have progressed any more than wishes so far :(. Hope some one down the line comes out with it. Until then I guess I will have to Plug and pray when I shoot my cannon :)) towards the sky. Cheers
@Matt,
Discovered/read it some time/couple of year back and I bought a cannon too to play but never got to play ;(, I may be wrong abt it working with other brands . There was quite a amount of discussion in some forum and how to use the utility with homebrewed interface or some thing like that. Any way let me search.
@Jasja, Tnx , didn't know the abbreviation stands for. Now it makes sense :).
It would be great if it did work on other brands, but Nomen est omen. Canon Hack Development Kit.
I myself use this but with Stereo Data Maker, which is nicer in use.
CHDK does not work for other brands. I would love to see a link to prove otherwise.
BTW chdk works for most of Cannon, Nikon, and many well know brands of cameras too. One of the best firmware hacks that I have seen.
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