Canon A640 ?'s

[GGoodrum]

Originally Posted by GJestico

Well I gotta hand it to ya that is good work. How do you avoid getting a large chunk of the Tail rotor in one of the pics ?

I had moved the tail slightly, once I started panning. Not by design, but the wind was tricky, and it was easier to hold after I moved. Just a little gust really. The tail usually just comes into play in the top portion of one shot, when the tilt angle is in the middle, and then I just Photoshop it out. The trick is doing the upper shots.

-- Gary

[dreslism]

Nice Job Gary!

[Art-Tistic]

Happy New Year Guys!!!

Can anyone tell me what size the the external power jack is and what polarity it uses? (eg... tip (+)) thanks for the help!

Regards,
Anthony

[AZ ChopperCam]

4x1.7mm + tip

[Art-Tistic]

Thanks DJ!

Hope 07 kicks for you!
Regards,
Ant

[Art-Tistic]

Is anyone using the blip switch with an A640? I can't for the life of me get it to take a pic. The instructions say to have the unit in playback mode and that's the only way I've gotten the unit to reconize the cam but it shoots a pic that is black and there is no display on the LCD.......what gives?

Regards,
Anthony

PS I've tried uploading the latest software/firmware revision and still get the same results????? My Optio was much easier to use

[dreslism]

I have the blip unit running with my A620. Took about 2 months of constant prodding to get the guy to get the thing going.

It may be possible you're the first to use the blip on the A620.

Yeah playback mode is what you need to leave it in. On the A620 there was no video out at first, he had to fix it with the latest firmware, but it sounds like you have tried that.

I think you would power up your Rx first, which would power up your urbi, then with your camera in playback mode, turn on your camera. The urbi will then connect, and then your lens should come out of your camera.

On the A620, it supported auto, tv, av, and manual, but defaults to Tv mode.Below are instructions to get it into other modes.

Here were the last instructions I got from Ben the creator.

==============================
Connect your camera as normal.
When the URBI powers up, and after it has connected with the camera, you will see the GREEN led will be indicating the camera mode using flashes.
It always starts on Mode 2.

1 flash = AUTO
2 flashes = Tv
3 flashes = Av
4 flashes =M

If you push the button briefly (less than one second), the mode indicator will cycle. It's a bit glitchy for some reason, and I'll fix that later.
When it is displaying the mode you want, HOLD the button for more than 1 second, then release. This will set the camera.
The GREEN LED should light solid and the camera is ready to use.

On your heli/model the URBI starts up in mode 2 (Tv) as normal. If you trigger 1 shot using the R/C it will jump straight out of this setup mode.
It saves you pushing the button if you are going to use Tv mode.

I've tested it on the A620 and verified the video out is still working. Please give it a test before you head out into the field with it, of course.

[AZ ChopperCam]

Anthony, make sure you set your Tv mode for 1/1000 shutter speed AND turn on Safety (under the main menu towards the bottom) then save the settings. I suspect you make have a really high shutter speed with safety turned off and your image is severely under-exposed

I just got my Blip today. just hooked it up to my A640 and it works great, BUT

I dislike the fact that it has to be in playback mode because I lose the onscreen display. I like seeing the pics remaining countdown and I also like to see my shutter speed. I know it defaults to Tv and as long as Tv has been saved with the desired speed it'll be ok, but something about seeing it on the display makes me feel good inside.

I also dislike the how slow it is in continuous drive, but it's easier than rubber banding a servo to the top as I have been doing.

I'll use it for a few weeks and see if I end up going back to a servo.... time will tell.

[dreslism]

I think DJ is probably right, if your exposure is not setup right, and your in your office taking picts, the default is TV mode, so it will happily crank you out a black screen. Try setting it to another mode to test it like auto mode or something.

Same complaints here DJ.

I bought mine when they first came out based on claims made by the creator. "Shoots as fast as your camera allows." Sorry, not even close to holding down the shutter in continuous. When it first came out, it cycled about once every 5 seconds. After riding him and complaining he got the A620 down to about 1.3 seconds for every shot.

What rate does yours cycle at?

I also like the OSD stuff. Fill your card up and see what happens. Before with a servo I would get memory card full error written on the screen.

My 6 year old running the camera could look at the downlink and say Dad the card is full.

Now you get nothing. Ben said there is nothing he can do about it. When it goes into remote mode using PTP protocol then it is what it is.

Anyhow, I HATE!!! servos, that is why I bought this think out of the shoot.

Now I'm flying around my DSLR so I don't use this as much.

I'll use this on my logo as I won't carry the DSLR with my logo.

Anthony, you running yours on your logo also? (I think I recall a post from you about a new logo not too long ago.)

LOL, logo's and A620-640's for everyone!!! It is a nice, affordable, reliable and well producing package.

[Art-Tistic]

yep, on the logo Scott. I love the little heli. I'm also starting to build my custom vario silence. It's a "love-child" of of DJ, Askman and mine...Pics will have to wait. I've got a convention in FL next week and I have to put together a memorial video for my high school sweetheart. I found out yesterday that she died suddenly of a brain anuerism on New Year's Eve. She just turned 39 and has 4 young children....Guys life is too F-in short!!! Don't let BS swarm your lives....breathe and live loose.

Health & Happiness!
Regards,
Ant

ps the problem was just as DJ said, too high exp with safety off.

[GJestico]

Heres a wacky idea, what about dissasemble the camera and hard wire right to the shutter switch using an E-switch ?
Let the Hacking begin ! Im gonna do it on my A620. Mebbe I post pics if you all are nice.

Greb

[AZ ChopperCam]

Heres a wacky idea, what about dissasemble the camera and hard wire right to the shutter switch using an E-switch ?

yikes! I did that to my Nikon L1 and I vowed to not attempt this feat on the A640. A delicate job that tested my skills on the Nikon. The Canon looks harder to do. I'll leave that task to someone with more balls than me.

But it sure would be the best solution!!!

[oscillator]

So has anyone tried the G7? It does cost more and weigh more, but it has image stabilization (which might or might not be useful) and perhaps the USB trigger works better since it is supposed to be more of a "professional" camera.

My preference is for the A640, but I keep holding off due to the shutter trigger problem.

[advoloastra]

My preference is for the A640, but I keep holding off due to the shutter trigger problem.

I did not know there was an issue with this camera?

[AZ ChopperCam]

there isn't one to speak of... just that the Blip trigger is not the optimal method and servos are kind of clunky, but either method will get the job done without fail.

[askman]

so, shutter servo option is still the best for a640? hmm. that is too bad about the usb switch needing playback mode. too bad it does not have a hotshoe. I saw a very clean servo mount using it.

[oscillator]

Originally Posted by askman

too bad it does not have a hotshoe. I saw a very clean servo mount using it.

The G7 does. Now if I can just find a cheap one and put it on a diet.

[GJestico]

Originally Posted by N74DV

yikes! I did that to my Nikon L1 and I vowed to not attempt this feat on the A640. A delicate job that tested my skills on the Nikon. The Canon looks harder to do. I'll leave that task to someone with more balls than me.

But it sure would be the best solution!!!

:glasses2: I did it. This is an A620 but the new A640 looks indentically constructed.

[AZ ChopperCam]

do tell..... how did you remove the top cover? I see no screws and I don't wish to force it.

edit - I just looked under the batteries and see a few screws in there that appear to be for the top cover.

[GJestico]

Heres the how-to:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=622537