Multiple cameras

General Discussion about digiCamControl and related photography techniques.
marekglaser
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue May 14, 2013 4:45 am

These links might give you

Post by marekglaser » Wed May 15, 2013 3:13 am

These links might give you some further insight to triggering multiple cameras with USB connections:

http://www.breezesys.com/MultiCamera/index.htm
http://www.breezesys.com/MultiCamera/release.htm

I think there may be the possibility to reduce the time between shutter triggers based on those links but it also seems like there's a limit to this approach. Using the remote release connector of a camera is going to be better at this than the USB port, but that's a different wiring solution and a different approach entirely. But if you think you could manage to get digiCamControl to reduce the delay between triggers with the USB connections. it would definitely be a big improvement when it comes to shooting with multiple cameras, even if it's not feasible to make them trigger simultaneously.

These links might give you

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andy_s
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2013 4:13 pm

As you alluded to - that

Post by andy_s » Wed May 15, 2013 3:48 am

As you alluded to - that product does not cover the "tight timings" and neither can digicamcontrol ! that other product is immensely expensive [in my opinion, for what it does] - there is a definite gap in the market - I hope digicamcontrol can fill it [for alarge / expandable number of cams !

andy_s
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2013 4:13 pm

Hi Duka. I've forgotten most

Post by andy_s » Wed May 15, 2013 11:22 am

Hi Duka. I've forgotten most anything I ever new about computing - so I hope this query has some grounding in reality !

If a workstation has multiple cpu cores then is it possible that each "digicamcontrol thread" [for each camera] is simultaneously at the same instruction set machine cycle [in each core] ?

If there were then a single USB host controller / single usb bus are the multi-core machine cycles stored to a register before serial transmission on the usb bus ? [this being one reason for the big trigger differences between cameras]

Similarly,

If this imaginary multi-core machine had multiple usb host controllers and multiple usb buses then the requirement to "store" machine cycles for each thread is much reduced and a more "parallel" type transmission occurs and thereby [potentially] much less time interval between each "shutter trigger" command.

Is my "picture" very flawed ?

PS I just re-read this and while I "sort of" know what I mean i'll not be in the least bit surprised if you have absolutely no idea what i'm trying to get at :-)

Phil
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2013 3:05 am

Camera Shutter Control

Post by Phil » Wed Jul 10, 2013 3:11 am

The camera shutters will need to controlled by another circuit that plugs into the remote shutter jack for them to operate in sync. I've you have seen the USB option will lag between cameras with any software. Digicamcontrol is still a great option for controlling everything else with the camera array.

Phil

Alayax
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:06 pm

Synce release

Post by Alayax » Thu Jul 11, 2013 2:59 am

Hi Andy_s,

If multiple cameras (different models) were to be set to "mirror up" the curtain could be synced much closer, I think. DSLR's don't have a shutter any more, they just record the sensor output for the shutter speed time. If the shutter lag of various cameras can be calculated and compensated for, say if the trigger has a delay in it, so that they fire exactly the same time? Not an expert, so please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

Alayax
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:06 pm

Sync release

Post by Alayax » Thu Jul 11, 2013 3:52 am

Just to clarify. digiCam notes the time when the it triggers the cameras, and then compares that to the time stamp if the image it receives from the camera. The slowest camera becomes the default. Even if the USB host is triggering cameras randomly, it will hopefully be the same sequence in each session? So the shutter lag may be like a second or two, but it could be synced.

Duka Istvan
Posts: 867
Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:52 pm

I just started to work with

Post by Duka Istvan » Tue Jul 16, 2013 10:28 am

I just started to work with MSP430 microcontroller which is a very cheap and easy to use. This can be used to trigger virtually unlimited cameras with some additional electronic components. So if somebody i interested we can design a simple device and integrate with digiCamControl.

Behold
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 4:33 am

interested

Post by Behold » Sat Aug 31, 2013 5:21 am

I would most certyainly be interested in that!

Duka Istvan
Posts: 867
Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:52 pm

Theoretically speaking, how

Post by Duka Istvan » Sat Aug 31, 2013 8:54 am

Theoretically speaking, how many camera do you want to control ? and all cameras are same model ? In mean time a get more experience using MSP430 microcontroller. With a single MSP430 microcontroller can be triggered 5 camera , but this microcontrollers can be stacked. Specially for nikon cameras there are need two lines for trigger using camera release cable first one for focus second one for shutter. 

Behold
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 4:33 am

multiple

Post by Behold » Sat Aug 31, 2013 5:22 pm

Ultimately many.. as many as I can gang.
The issue we must remember is even breeze has limitations. With breeze you can only tether up to16 to one pc. It also cannot fire the shutters simultaneously with the pc release. There is a delay there as well. What breeze suggest is to fire them with the remote plugs connected to together. First they suggest to activate and ready the auto focus feature and then release the shutters.

In all seriousness I want to tether 10-15 for testing.

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