canon 350d with eos utility ? please help

[deanok]

Hi all, new to this site but not new to astrophotography etc, I have an observatory in the nw uk and been pointing skyward for a few years now. I was at the kelling heath starparty in Norfolk a couple weeks ago and I managed to pick up a pristine canon eos 350d modified for astro stuff and was well chuffed. I currently use a 1000d on one of my rigs but not modded. I need some advice on how to use the 350 with the computer as I dosnt seem as simple as the 1000d with eos utility (thanks canon). do I need extra hardware to both fire the shutter and download the image using the same program (eos utility) or is this not the way to go.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Many thanks in advance

Dean

[tooth_dr]

The Canon 350d doesnt support USB exposures over 30 seconds, so you will need to buy or make a serial port cable to trigger exposures.   Perhaps not the news you wanted to hear unfortunately.

[deanok]

ah ok so there is a serial cable in the box.... so do I need to use both usb and the serial to jack in tandem ? 

[Cornelius Varley]

24 minutes ago, deanok said:

Hi all, new to this site but not new to astrophotography etc, I have an observatory in the nw uk and been pointing skyward for a few years now. I was at the kelling heath starparty in Norfolk a couple weeks ago and I managed to pick up a pristine canon eos 350d modified for astro stuff and was well chuffed. I currently use a 1000d on one of my rigs but not modded. I need some advice on how to use the 350 with the computer as I dosnt seem as simple as the 1000d with eos utility (thanks canon). do I need extra hardware to both fire the shutter and download the image using the same program (eos utility) or is this not the way to go.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Many thanks in advance

Dean

Hello and welcome to SGL. Unlike the more modern Canon cameras this one doesn't have a USB port (<edit> for camera control) so you need a special RS232 cable to connect between the camera and computer.

[tooth_dr]

27 minutes ago, deanok said:

ah ok so there is a serial cable in the box.... so do I need to use both usb and the serial to jack in tandem ? 

Yes, I used to image with a 300d which is a similar model.  The USB will allow you to download the images directly to your PC, and the serial cable will allow you to expose >30s ie bulb mode.  You will need to use both cables in tandem.

[deanok]

Ok thanks for the responses...... so I will need two desperate programs running ? One to fire the shutter and one to download the image , am I correct ? Sorry for all the questions it’s just driving me mad but worth the effort I think as the 350 looks in spot on condition for it

[GraemeH]

One other thing to point out (assuming you're using it via a Windows computer) is that you must use a 32 bit Windows OS - there are no 64 bit drivers for the 350d, and it simply will not work with any application in a Windows 64 bit environment.

[deanok]

10 minutes ago, GraemeH said:

One other thing to point out (assuming you're using it via a Windows computer) is that you must use a 32 bit Windows OS - there are no 64 bit drivers for the 350d, and it simply will not work with any application in a Windows 64 bit environment.

Thanks for this, I will have another bash at it this eve .... 

[tooth_dr]

1 hour ago, deanok said:

Ok thanks for the responses...... so I will need two desperate programs running ? One to fire the shutter and one to download the image , am I correct ? Sorry for all the questions it’s just driving me mad but worth the effort I think as the 350 looks in spot on condition for it

No you can use one program to do both. I would suggest trial version of APT

https://ideiki.com/astro/Download.aspx

[carastro]

Message Sharkmelley, I am pretty sure he used to use a 350D and got around this problem, I think it was with an extra cable. but he can tell you how to do it.

Carole 

[tooth_dr]

51 minutes ago, carastro said:

Message Sharkmelley, I am pretty sure he used to use a 350D and got around this problem, I think it was with an extra cable. but he can tell you how to do it.

Carole 

I think that's pretty much what we have all been saying Carole above!

[carastro]

Quote

I think that's pretty much what we have all been saying Carole above!

Yes I thought so, but I thought to get it straight from the horses mouth might make sure he does everything right.

Carole 

Edited October 15, 2019 by carastro

[deanok]

Ok so I have just tried the 350 with backyard eos..... my camera will only connect to pc when set to the print setting not pc connection setting via usb !!! What is going on ..... then, even though it’s connected it won’t fire .... (I realise I need the serial cable also) but even with this connected nothing happens .....

any ideas ?

[Mick J]

As above, do look at APT as per @tooth_dr above, lots of info and is for canon mostly, good info on the canon matrix page.

[JamesF]

It's probably worth checking that your copy of EOS utilities etc. still supports the 350D properly, too.  I have a sneaky suspicion that in more recent releases Canon have dropped support for older models.  I think a file called ksd291a_installer.zip (used to be downloadable from Canon) should do the job if you can find a copy of that.  I have a copy, but my broadband connection is quite unpleasantly narrow, so transferring it elsewhere is not that easy.

James

[deanok]

2 hours ago, Mick J said:

As above, do look at APT as per @tooth_dr above, lots of info and is for canon mostly, good info on the canon matrix page.

Thanks, worth a look at the matrix page just for info on all canons alone !! ..... I’ll keep plugging on with it till I get it to do what I want then I’ll post on here how I did it .... hopefully !

[carastro]

Quote

It's probably worth checking that your copy of EOS utilities etc. still supports the 350D properly, too.

Good point, might need an older version.  Do you still have contact with the chap that sold you the camera?  He should really have passed you the software for the camera when he sold it to you.

I must admit when I changed canon cameras I was quite surprised to find my version of Canon Utilities which worked fine on my previous 450D was not compatible with my replacement 1100D, can't remember now where I got the new software from.  Neither were the spare batteries and cabled battery compatible.  

Carole 

Edited October 15, 2019 by carastro

[michael8554]

On the original Stark Labs PHD website you can download DSLR Shutter for PC which will run your serial shutter. 

Michael 

[deanok]

20 hours ago, carastro said:

Good point, might need an older version.  Do you still have contact with the chap that sold you the camera?  He should really have passed you the software for the camera when he sold it to you.

I must admit when I changed canon cameras I was quite surprised to find my version of Canon Utilities which worked fine on my previous 450D was not compatible with my replacement 1100D, can't remember now where I got the new software from.  Neither were the spare batteries and cabled battery compatible.  

Carole 

Yes I have all the disks with software and all installed just camera not playing ball .... it will connect to backyard eos but only with usb and only when camera is in print mode not pc connection mode !! Camera flashes busy and not a lot else .....The serial port shutter control lead does nothing .... even in seperate dslr shutter program, having tried all ports .... It’s driving me crazy !!

[GraemeH]

10 hours ago, deanok said:

Yes I have all the disks with software and all installed just camera not playing ball .... it will connect to backyard eos but only with usb and only when camera is in print mode not pc connection mode !! Camera flashes busy and not a lot else .....The serial port shutter control lead does nothing .... even in seperate dslr shutter program, having tried all ports .... It’s driving me crazy !!

It's a while since I've used my 350d, but I think this sounds like the behaviour I remember when I tried to connect it to a 64 bit Windows system. Are you definitely using a 32 bit system? 

[deanok]

11 hours ago, GraemeH said:

It's a while since I've used my 350d, but I think this sounds like the behaviour I remember when I tried to connect it to a 64 bit Windows system. Are you definitely using a 32 bit system? 

That’s it Mate nailed it ...... my windows is 64 bit !!!

i assumes cos it was Okd it would be 32bit but alas it’s not

am I screwed then or is there a workaround ? 

[GraemeH]

3 hours ago, deanok said:

That’s it Mate nailed it ...... my windows is 64 bit !!!

i assumes cos it was Okd it would be 32bit but alas it’s not

am I screwed then or is there a workaround ? 

I believe you can install 32 bit Windows in a Virtual Machine inside your 64 bit Windows computer.  I can't give you any pointers on this as I don't fully understand how it works myself, but what I do know is that the Virtual Machine behaves like a completely separate computer so you would need to install all programs that you want to use with the camera again inside the Virtual Machine, even if you already have them installed in the main computer.

[michael8554]

You can download 64bit versions of Zoombrowser EX, which will download and display images from the camera down the USB connection, and run DSLR Shutter ito fire the shutter. 

Michael 

[deanok]

Ok so just as a follow on to this problem I have found a solution of sorts....... Staying with my 64bit Windows 10..... Also With a usb to serial adapter I can fire the shutter on the 350d using 'dslr shutter control' and choose exposure time, lock the mirror etc all good . Once an image has been taken in order to view it on screen I have to switch the camera from 'PC connection' to the print setting then using the normal usb lead Windows will recognise the camera and I can go into and view images using file explorer.  Unfortunately I haven't found a way to both fire the shutter and view image without faffing around with the camera settings etc so not quite as easy as using EOS utility on newer camera models but, that said, I'm happy I can use the camera on my 64 bit machine .......

i will continue to research further to find a way to do both actions without messing with the camera but in the meantime at least I can use the 350 👍

[Science562h]

How do you have an observatory & image, with an unmodified DSLR? You sure, it isn't your backyard? In the U.S, private observatory cameras are still $10-$30K & those 'scopes still use spectrometers. 2-4 hr continuous recordings, at minimum, for private amateur non-sponsored state observatories.  They wil still not be sponsored, by the state or nation.