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Viewing camera image live on a laptop?


squeaky

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Hi all,

I'll be having friends round on June the 6th hoping to see the Venus transit.

It occurred to me that I could put my Nikon D3100 on my scope and, with a suitable cable and software, could have a nice big live picture on my laptop.

Question is... what cable do I need and what software? (Any free software?)

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Ah... ye-es... time to go back to the 224 page manual.

Thanks ;)

(My brain hurts - I'm trying to learn too much at once... how to get the best set-up on my scope, how to use my planetarium software to control the scope, and how to get the best out of the camera - plus viewing on the laptop. All before the rain stops and I get a viewing night.)

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Oh I'll be sticking with it all right! ;)

Hokay... I have "a" cable - but the manual ONLY talks about uploading photographs already taken from the camera.

So can I watch "live" from my Nikon D3100 DSLR or am I going to have to get a webcam, or something? I'd really, really, REALLY like to be able to output my camera's live view to my laptop.

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I would have thought having 'Live View' and USB 2 output it should be possible, but I don't have a NIKON, I have a Canon, I plug in my USB 2 cable in the camera and Laptop the software comes up with options and I press live view and away it goes.

Sorry not much help

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Just had a snout on the net ref controlling the D3100 with a computer . Unfortunately it appears that you cannot do it !

I was just looking as well and come up with yes.

  • Higher resolution sensor (14.2MP vs. 10MP)
  • Ability to shoot Raw + Fine JPEG
  • Socket for connecting Nikon GP1 GPS unit
  • Optional wired remote via GPS socket
  • No wireless remote option
  • Live view
  • 1080p HD movies
  • HDMI output
  • Wider ISO range
  • Full-time AF mode (AF-F in live view)
  • Revised focus screen (different AF point illumination)
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Erm, nope.

They're talking of editing pictures that you have already taken. The camera has a number of on board image editing options - the software they are talking of looks to be more flexible.

The clincher is this...

I should point out that the D3100 cannot be controlled from your Mac or PC, unlike Nikon's more expensive models.**

So it seems that I cannot watch my live view on my PC, nor use software such as SharpCap to grab the movies.

**<grumble> At over £400 I'd call this model expensive! Sheesh!</grumble>

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maybe use a webcam [asda cam for under £2 will allow a live feed to laptop using sharpcap i believe [i have the xbox modded one and can track moon/planet etc with no problem

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So what would be the route to go...?

A different Nikon, or a Cannon equivalent?

It's a good camera, just won't link up live view or movies with a computer.

One thing I've yet to try is the multiple photo option. I'd get a stack of full size .jpg's (4608x3072) that R6 or AS2 should be able to work with. For planetary shots that might turn out to be amazing.

Oh and the videoconverters I have would be able to batch crop those images to a size the stackers could deal with.

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maybe use a webcam [asda cam for under £2 will allow a live feed to laptop using sharpcap i believe [i have the xbox modded one and can track moon/planet etc with no problem

A webcam at 640x480 yes?

See my post above this one.

Even the movies on my D3100 will do 1920x1080. So the possibility for good shots is there. I just can't do it live.

I've got an old webcam kicking around the place, so will certainly give it a go.

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640 yes but at least live feed [would seem better to view it as it happens in a lower resolution ] than a delayed event using avi's

or maybe a hi res web cam[they are usually £20-30 but don't know how adaptable they would be :(

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Hmm... well, it'll have to wait. We might just get a couple of hours of sunshine today so my target is some solar shots. They'll be my first, so I need the practice prior to the Venus transit.

Will try stacking some .jpg's too, and do a movie to give me some first time practice using all the software.

No clear skies here tonight though, but a good possibility tomorrow. So that'll be another load of stuff to practice.

RL is then going to be quite busy for me through the next two weeks, so weather aside I have no idea how much else I'll be able to get done.

Oh, and my Mak50 is due from FLO's sale today... that'll be something else to learn my way around.

Hmm, hi-res stuff on the 300P, and live on the Mak ??

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  • 3 months later...

Hi, I have the Nikon D5000 and I use some software from Breeze systems called 'NKRemote' all works fine, allows Live View on laptop and you can control all the camera settings from it...

You can also take photo's and save the files directly onto the hard drive..

The only thing I have found I can't do is use the 'bulb' mode

give it a go and see if it works for you

Cheers

Paul

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