USB control

T

treynolds

Well-known member
So canon users have these really cool usb based controllers fort he camera.

the v-focus here
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DSLR-Camera...744?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d422bedf0
okii controller here
http://store.zacuto.com/mc1-usb-mini-controller/

And i wanted something kind of similar for my nikon. Ideally to control starting and stopping camera but if it could also handle changing settings as well that would be awesome. Focus control over USB isn't something i care about because I know it will most likely be rather jerky on all Nikon lenses.

i know there is an open source API that can handle controlling basically all of the camera functions over USB. I wonder if anbody has seen a small device like these that works for nikon? I know Apurture has talked about a nikon version but i have seen nothing of it yet.


Maybe its time to see if i can get the API working in linux and make a raspberry-pi controller ;)
 
I'm not sure if this is what you need, but I've been using the android program DSLRDashboard on my Nexus 7 tablet to control my Nikon D600 via usb cable.
Works great. It also works via wireless connection to the WU-1B receiver but the connection tends to be iffy for me via wireless.
 
I used to use the same app with my t2i and an HTC evo 3d and my hp touchpad. Both of them took an extra usb battery and a y cable and stuff. lots of hassle but it worked as a nice monitor with the 9"display of the touchpad. I'm looking for something that i can use without looking so i can integrate it into the handle of a rig. At least to trigger recording.

I will have to look at the app again for my nikon and see if its useable.
 
see again that camranger looks like a great wireless solution. I am looking for something a little more physical.
 
digicamcontrol (http://digicamcontrol.com/) is an open-source, free offering that runs on Windows. You can run it on a compatible tablet, and it has a lot of features. Otherwise the DSLRDashboard suggestion for Android tablets is the 2nd best option.

I think for now, the Wifi solutions (CamRanger, etc) are over-priced, too bulky, oddly implemented; and give spotty performance (Camranger has ALL these disadvantages). Triggertap is the only wireless solution that has a well thought out approach (http://connect.dpreview.com/post/24...urce=news-list&utm_medium=text&ref=title_0_22)
 
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I already use Digicamcontrol for tethering while im shooting stills and i really rather like it. I find some small annoyances with it defaulting to TIFF files and its a bit slow. I have played with other software that i had far less success with so i am happy to stick with the open source offering.
 
I should have looked at your links before I responded.... :)

I wish we had offerings like this for Nikon, especially the video control features. Is that a limit of the API does anyone know? I would really love the start/restart feature on the Okii MC1, and the controller on the V-Focus is very capable looking.

Frankly, it's really tough being a photographer who increasingly wants to do more video...and has Nikon gear. Magic Lantern, tools like this....I really love my D800E, but long-term I don't see future investments in Nikon gear. The likelihood of them even adding basic things like focus peaking, zebra, false color etc. appears unlikely (FIRMWARE FIXES). Sony, Panasonic and Canon increasingly go after shooters like us and Nikon appears largely ambivalent. Pretty sad.
 
I have had a lot of similar thoughts. I started on canon and transitioned to Nikon because i was doing a lot more photography work with another shooter who was all nikon. I was shooting 2nd camera for weddings with her and wanted to be able to share some of her quality lenses. So when it came time for an upgrade i sold my t2i and the few cheap lenses i had and got a d600. The other reason i got it was because i wanted to move to a full frame and the canon offerings were out of my budget.

I am constantly looking at the nikon hacker website for some little morsel of an upgrade in this area and the d600 and d800 have nothing.

Now i know that the USB follow focus devices are all rather jerky just because of the motors in canon lenses. I have yet to see one used with the new STM lenses which may be a little smoother. I am more looking for something like you said, start/stop button that i can put on the hand grip of my shoulder setup. I would love to be able to change some settings with it as well like ISO or shutter speed (since aperture control is out for me) so i can adjust exposure during a shot.

Maybe somebody with a bit more linux experience can chime in here. I was debating trying to get the API working on a little rasberry Pi board and running a physical button on one of the GPIO headers and making a trigger out of that.
 
Are you looking for something like Helicon Remote (PC or Android, maybe iPhone by now) or DSLR Dashboard (Android app)? I believe there are other iPhone apps, but -- not using an iPhone -- I am not familiar with them.

My apologies. Somehow when I started reading this thread, I popped right past the early responses.
 
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