IRIS TUTORIAL
Remote control of Canon EOS digital camera
 

The digital cameras Canon EOS (10D, 300D, 350D, 20D, 20Da...) can be controlled by Iris via Acquisition dialog box of Digital photo menu:

The control is carried out through USB interface (nominally an USB2 interface for efficiency reasons). The figure below gives synoptic of the configuration:

 

The QuickRemote interface is a low cost device used to open or close the Digital SLR shutter through the dedicated connector. The shutter command is sent to the QuickRemote interface through USB link. If the DSLR is adjusted on the "Bulb" position, Iris controls the time of opening of the shutter and thus the exposure time.

QuickRemote is available from:
Essentiel Electronique
3 rue Montmorency
31200 Toulouse - France
Web :
http://www.essentielelectronique.com
Email :
raymond@essentielelectronique.com

For a technical description of QuickRemote, click here.
Download here the latest QuickRemote driver (decompress the zip file in a directory, connect the interface and indicate the directory to the driver installer).


QuickRemote interface. A 8-bits output port is also available for future applications (autoguiding for example).

At the end of the exposure time, the EOS stores the image into the CompactFlash, then automatically, the last image is read by Iris using the dedicated USB link between the DSLR and the computer. The image can be JPEG or RAW type, function of the setup of the digital camera.

To be able to control the DSLR you must have the QuickRemote interface. You must also have installed the drivers of your camera (installation CD provided with your DSLR). It is important to select the option "PC connection" in the EOS menu, as on the image hereafter:

 

For an optimal operation, select "M(anual) mode", and if you use photographic lenses, disconnect the autofocus mode:

Note: In some situation, for a correct download of last image stored in the CompactFlash, it is necessary to erase the card content before.

Example. Select RAW mode (or RAW+L) and Bulb shutter speed. You can also use "EOS Capture" application to carry out these adjustments.

In the dialog box of Acquisition choose an exposure time of one second (for example), then click on GO. After a few moment, an image RAW is displayed on the computer screen (a pur raw frame, you can see the CFA Bayer matrix - click here for details).

By choosing the option "Conversion RGB", RAW image is automatically converted into an true colors image (48-bits format).

If you select  "Retail original RAW", not only Iris display the RAW image, but also store automatically in the working directory a copy of the image acquired in the CompactFlash (the name is identical).

The option "Shutter only" command the shutter and the current image acquired is stored in the CompactFlash only.

The possibility exist to acquire sequences of images in an automatic way. For example

This setting takes 7 x 60 seconds acquisition, and save the images undes the names n255-1, n255-2..., n255-7 on your hard-disk.

A delay can be programmed between two successives acquisition, for example survey an event slowly variable.

Lastly, the "Focus" option permit to acquire an enlarged crop of the DSLR original image. To choose the crop zone, define for example a rectangular area with the mouse in full a format image already displayed (for example around a star). The crop is centered on the selected zone. Then click the button '...' located left the "focus" selector button. In the new dialog boxes select the parameters of the focus acquisition (enlargement, crop size,...):

 

Tips:  The ACQ_DSLR command take an image from the console. The parameter is the exposure time in second. The GET_DSLR command download the latest image stored in the CompactFlash card.


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