Cameras Unsupported By newer OS. Read this it will fix you right up

[Gutross]

If you have an older camera with out live view, and the drivers are not supported on newer Operating Systems

this will be a real game changer 

First I have a Canon 350D/XT DSLR. These cameras can be controlled completely by computer, If and only if you have a Win XP 32 bit computer to control it. 
I first toyed with the idea of doing a Dual Boot drive Win7/XP. but it would require me to
-make a partition
-enter BIOS and set the HDD to IDE or compatable
-install XP
-reboot
-finilize XP
-Set bios back to SATA
-boot into windows 7
-run VistaBoot( or another MBR repairer )
-Reboot
-see the boot menu
( now at this point the computer will blue screen every time you try and run XP )
-set bios back to IDE when you want XP
-Set bios back to SATA when you want to use Win 7

 

This is a total pain in the ass, and i read from several forums it taking some people upwards of 10 hours to get it right.
I tell my Friend Kenny Casey about this and he asks, " What about a VM"
Mind you this is the very first time ive heard the term.
He tells me what it is.

I find a completely free VM
-install
-download Daemon tools
-mount the xp iso
-start the VM
-Install XP
DONE!
In 25 Minutes to BOOT
So i Install the Canon Utility suite
hook up my camera
BAM!!
a control window pops up right away!

 

Now i can 
-activate the shutter
-change any and all settings
-view the picture immediately after taking the shot

Now i had issues accessing the pictures on the VM.
so i try and mount it as a drive in Daemon tools!
Yup thats the ticket.
 

the best thing about this is, I dont need a serial cable that costs an arm and a leg to get communication.  I just used the usb cable that came with the camera!

 

 

[kendg]

Yes, VMs come in very handy at times.

Glad it works for you.

[Psychobilly]

IIRC the 350D/XT doesn't support bulb exposures over USB... So if you are planning exposures longer than 30s then you might still need that pesky serial shutter cable...

Peter...

 

 

 

[Gutross]

22 minutes ago, PBS said:

IIRC the 350D/XT doesn't support bulb exposures over USB... So if you are planning exposures longer than 30s then you might still need that pesky serial shutter cable...

Peter...

 

 

 

luckily i dont have to worry about that right yet, my current telescope wont support more than a 5 second exposure!  but thats good to know  thank you

[Psychobilly]

The 350D was my first "dedicated"  astro DSLR  I did a full spectrum mod on it (filter removal)...

For your 5s exposures you should be able to use the timer mode in Eos utils  to grab a sequence of images .. that's how I started with it...

The serial shutter cables are pretty easy to make if you know which end of a soldering iron gets hot...

http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/dslr/CanonRelease.html

There are some of my early pics with the 350D on here...

https://picasaweb.google.com/PsychoBillyUK/AstrophotograhyMainlyCPC800AndMegrez72

Peter...

 

 

 

[Gutross]

2 minutes ago, PBS said:

The 350D was my first "dedicated"  astro DSLR  I did a full spectrum mod on it (filter removal)...

For your 5s exposures you should be able to use the timer mode in Eos utils  to grab a sequence of images .. that's how I started with it...

The serial shutter cables are pretty easy to make if you know which end of a soldering iron gets hot...

http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/dslr/CanonRelease.html

Peter...

 

 

 

thanks ill look into that, yea i was excited when i tested the "time lapse" feature to do a set of images in the house. great potential for really helping me get focus. and for taking a series of images

 

i like that i can take an image and adjust any setting untill i get what im looking for. i will definatly be keeping notes for sure on what settings to use for various targets. 

 

stoked for the first clear night that i dont have to work the next day

 

[Psychobilly]

There used to be an a program called DSLR focus that I used to use.. it would take looped exposures and analyze the image ...  A Bhatinov or Y mask makes critical focusing a lot easier...

Some of the brighter targets will work well with lots of 5 second exposures...

Image upload over USB 1.1 is guite slow.. so once you have got focus / framing sorted you might want to capture just to the card... But checking the images on a monitor screen is much easier than the tiny screen on the back of the 350D...

The relatively low MP count of the 350D means quite large pixels which can be a good thing...

I hadn't looked at my 350D images for a few years but was pleasantly surprised looking at them again just now...

Modifying the 350D needs a bit of de-soldering and re-soldering - there a metal screen over the back of the imaging unit that's solderd to the pcb the HA response is greatly improved if you do it...

Peter...

 

[Gutross]

13 minutes ago, PBS said:

The 350D was my first "dedicated"  astro DSLR  I did a full spectrum mod on it (filter removal)...

ive been toying with the idea, but the canon is a daily shooter for me now, once i get another to replace it i plan to cool it and mod it

[Gutross]

19 minutes ago, PBS said:

There used to be an a program called DSLR focus that I used to use.. it would take looped exposures and analyze the image ...  A Bhatinov or Y mask makes critical focusing a lot easier..

 

its a shame there is no trial version of DSLR focus, I do like to know if something will work for me before investing even a nominal about.

 

I did make a mask the other day as well, so im ready to play with that as well. Boy who thought using an exacto blade would hurt your hands .  soo many tiny pieces cut out