Sync'ed my 2 digital cameras

[Freke1]

I have 2 Canon digital cameras:

(shown in waterproof bag)

which are on this list: http://stereo.jpn.org/eng/sdm/index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
which means I can sync them with a switch like this:



All You do is connect the switch to the cameras, download the correct zip file from the list above and install the unzipped small program on both memory cards (SD), lock them and put them into the cameras (the locking is not a problem).
Here's the resulting sync (= same 1/100th of a second):



and here are some 3D pics of RC jets (I want one damn they are kool!) I took with the sync'ed cameras:

dl link: http://www.3d.wep.dk/3D%20pictures/RC_j ... resize.jps" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

dl link: http://www.3d.wep.dk/3D%20pictures/RC_j ... resize.jps" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

dl link: http://www.3d.wep.dk/3D%20pictures/RC_j ... resize.jps" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

dl link: http://www.3d.wep.dk/3D%20pictures/RC_j ... resize.jps" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

dl link: http://www.3d.wep.dk/3D%20pictures/RC_j ... resize.jps" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

dl link: http://www.3d.wep.dk/3D%20pictures/RC_j ... resize.jps" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The total price for the 2 cameras and the switch has been around 540$.
The switch can't sync when recording video.
But if You want a 3D setup that shoots 3D pictures there needs to be sync.
Something like a small digital camera from Canon (plus the sync switch) that shoots HD video and are on the list would be perfect for high quality 3D pictures and high quality 3D video in HD. All in one setup.

[Likay]

Nice find. Reduces the need for internally connecting the cameras. Great indeed!

[yuriythebest]

Nice, however

I have 2 Canon digital cameras:

(shown in waterproof bag)

The total price for the 2 cameras and the switch has been around 540$.

VS


for 600$



honestly if you have the cash I'd rather have bought the fujifilm one for the extra 60$
-less "gimmiky"
-instantly can create side by side video
-3d preview, adjust 3d appearance on the fly

plus wait 1-2 years and the price should go down anyhow

[cybereality]

Cool man. Those are some quality pictures right there. Nice depth.

And yeah, I'm agreeing with Yuri here. When put in perspective the Fujifilm W1 seems like a deal.

[Freke1]

Thx, yes the Fujifilm camera looks nice.
I mainly shoot video and for 700$ You can get 2 Canon Ixus 110:
[youtube-hd]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIKnFEOYALo[/youtube-hd]
which I would prefer.
There's even the Casio Exilim EX-FS10 which costs 240$ and shoots Full HD video:
[youtube-hd]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALMzzANLJgQ[/youtube-hd]
I don't know if it's possible to sync the casio?

[Likay]

I agree on the dual vs fuji but as Freke (and many others) i also have two cameras. Myself i wired the "Fire"-button together which demands opening the case and some sometimes picky soldering. If i had known about this i would personally had gone for the syncswitch instead (warranty etc....). So, even if i do have some interest in the fuji i will have mine for quite some time more. So the idea with the syncbox isn't out of time since many do shoot their shots with two cameras. What i miss is the oppurtunity to view shots directly (can't do parallell at the cameras distance) without disassembling. That and of course being without the "goofy" look (camerawise). Even though it's really great knowing this exists.

[Freke1]

Nice work

Here is a clip from the 3D video I'm putting together:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=AHGFOSMG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
the jets cost around 10.000 - 15.000$.

[AWoods]

Good on you Freke1! It's good to see "StereoData Maker" get some exposure here.
I own two twin-rigs like Freke's:
This one is based on a pair of Canon TX1 cameras:
This one is based on a pair of Canon IXUS860 cameras:

I will probably also get one of the Fuji 3D cameras when they come out because of their ultra-convenience factor, but there is one limitation - the lens separation is fixed at 77mm. This can be a bit limiting for ideal stereoscopic image composition in all situations. With the TX1 rig above, the separation can be as little as 32mm for close-ups. With the IXUS860 rig the maximum separation on that bar is 170mm - which is good for long shots, scenics, etc.

Regarding Likay's twinned IXUS970 cameras - nice work!
You may be interested to know that the latest version of "StereoData Maker" (version 1.81 - released last week) now supports the IXUS970 cameras.
The advantage of SDM over hardwiring the shutter releases is significantly more accurate sync between the cameras.
With SDM, some cameras are able to get sync of better than .01ms between cameras.
With hardwiring of the shutter releases, the sync is on average 10ms (sometimes as bad as 20ms).
This isn't a problem for slowly moving scenes, but if there is any scene (or camera) motion, good sync is important.

As a supplement to the SDM site, I recently setup a list of the cameras supported by SDM here: http://www.3dmovielist.com/3dcameras.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(I'm yet to add the cameras recently added by SDM 1.81).

[Likay]

Just awesome vid Freke! One got to just love the sound of it! I know it's a miniature jet engine but it's quite mighty in it's own way. Pretty fast too. Really nice shot!

Great info AWoods. I already seen my cameras were supported which gets me eager to try!
Hardwiring the canons was very easy in comparision with the olympys something i once tested with. Everything was working in those but i had problem zooming becasue of the wiring. No such problems with the canons.

Shooting stereophotos are usually entirely problemfree in daylight without flash (sync seems to be perfect every time as well).
In dimmer conditions the cameras at rare occasions can choose totally different photoconditions, like flash on one and the other not. This give both bad sync and bad colors. Usually it's enough just taking another shot straight after.

However: Shooting with flash does more than often results in one image being darker than the other. This is indeed a sync issue and until now i couldn't imagine how to get better sync since hardwiring really should be "flintstone basic".

I'll try sdm and see what happens. Besides more precise sync it would really be fun that some other functions is synced as well.

Edit: N.mind. Think i seen an option that might works for testing anyway.

[Likay]

Small update about syncing cameras: Hardwiring vs StereoDataMaker and simple usb-switch (no Ricoh CA-1 Cable Switch yet). Cameras are ixus970is.

Syncing when hardwiring the cameras (especially with flash) might cause delays of maybe 1/10 of a second. It doesn't sound much but at some occasions it can really ruin a picture. With no flash i get quite equal and good synced pictures wether or not i use the usb-switch or the wired buttons. So without flash wired works just fine.

Syncing using SDM and usb-switch is as perfect that it can be! I took several photos of 120mm fans rotating with 2850 rpm's. Before starting i put some marks on them with a pen. By a direct comparision and 5 pictures taken in a row all of them shows exactly the same angle at full speed. 1mm shift (which i didn't have) is almost equal 50 microseconds but this method isn't precise enough to see any difference at all. Let's just say it's below 50 microseconds.
Taking photos of the fans with flash on and wired buttons causes totally random shotangles of the fans which it should if the shift might be as much as 1/10 seconds. Maybe more...

The syncing using the usb is really desireable when taking photos with flash. No difference in brightness and perfect timing every time. Me absolutely want, but:
I have great problems making the computer take the 4gigs sd-cards (most probably need another cardreader) so i have to use the 32meg cards that came with the cameras.... I tried a couple of drivers to help this but the only thing that happened was that the cardreader became unavailable until deinstalled and comp rebooted. :/
No possibility to put card in comp means no SDM.
The location of the usb-outputs of the cameras forces me to change the holder entirely. Either by putting one of the cameras upside/down or turning both of them 90° and take "standing" pictures. This way the cables easily can be hidden though and so a homemade timingdevice for the switch.

[mediavr]

"sync is as perfect as can be" .. with StereoData Maker stills
Well that is stretching a point. It is extremely good is what I would say.
Btw quite a few people -- like myself -- use SDM with more than two cameras -- for lenticular prints, autostereoscopic display content making, experiments with head tracked 3d displays, mini time slice wiggle movies etc.

I have a 9 camera TX1 array -- if you have Shockwave you can see a wiggle movie from 9 cameras of a fountain -- which gives a good idea of the sync -- excellent but not perfect
http://www.mediavr.com/fountain.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (4meg)

Or the animated gif of an acrobat on the bottom of this page of my 3d blog
http://www.mediavr.com/3d/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Btw Canon 5Ds DSLRs (and other Canon DSLRs too I guess) can be synced with excellent accuracy just by wiring two (or more) cable releases together. I have a Canon 5DMkII too and it can do good stereo video with a Loreo lens attachment -- but Ive not heard of anyone syncing the movie output of two 5DMkIIs.

I wonder who will be the first to hack the Fuji camera. If you could sync multiples of those that would be interesting! Is there a remote for it?

The Casio high speed cameras are interesting for stereo movies -- at the high frame rates they can shoot at you could sync them in software perfectly, if the frame rate is 100fps+ one would think
People use one Casio high speed camera for lenticular portraits -- sliding the camera quickly along a bar as it fires off at high speed.

Peter M

[Freke1]

Those are totally impressive
http://www.mediavr.com/3d/wp-content/up ... robat1.gif" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.bbcmotiongallery.com/Custome ... e=Category" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
sort of panning in frozen reality magic - with Your 9 cameras You can do it in 3D like this:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HQV3YPYG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (15.5Mb 3D video from frozen reality)

[cybereality]

I have a 9 camera TX1 array -- if you have Shockwave you can see a wiggle movie from 9 cameras of a fountain -- which gives a good idea of the sync -- excellent but not perfect
http://www.mediavr.com/fountain.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (4meg)

Very cool. Excellent work.

[Likay]

Wow!!!

And a small update: Made some measuring and found out i'm very lucky!
Since the external signal is suppoused to be connected to the v+ of the usb there's no need to worry if i simply draw another wire out of the case and make the trigger electronics+switch in the case (if one of the transmitpins were used i could most probably not use a wire since it works like an antenna and ruins the signal). The connectingdevices i use have 3 contacts but only two are used for the firebutton as is now.
Doing this with the 970is is very easy because: Common node for all the buttons on the cameras is connected to the ground (camera case). The usb 0v is also directly connected to the case. Since i use an aluminium bracket this means that the ground is connected from camera to camera which eliminates needs for a "common" wire. So by drawing one extra wire for the usb-5volts and shielding the connectors from the bracket will work great and i should be able to use both solution easily.
I need 5 volts for the external signal and for now i think i use an external small battery since i don't have any more contacts and is reluctant to draw a power wire from camerabattery outside the casing (short circuit). Only "nag" i think.
Ps: The sd-card issue is simply that my cardreader is too old.

[relaxman]

Hi.

I like this topic, because i also have 2 synced A460s.
I use it for stereo, for HDR, and for motion detected pictures.
Before i have two hardwired Olympus c370, but the sync wasnt very good for a ball game or something, and at evening, when flash used, was totaly mis-sync.
I like the canons, i can make such pictures http://www.relaxvideo.hu/csuszda.jpg
Others are here: http://www.relaxvideo.hu/3d-kepek.html

Mediavr's job is fantastic!
Can you tell us more about lenticular printing?
What do i need, what is the cheapest solution (to order) for a 4x6" print?
Will it work with a Canon IP4500 printer?
Can i use it with my 2 cameras if i dont want to move my head, and want to see the 3D scene from just ONE viewpoint?

thank you,
Relax