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John Trunek wrote:

> I'm looking for a camera that I can connect to a PC and capture images by
> software without needing to use the internal memory. Almost like web cam, but I
> have only seen web cams with 640x480 resolution, giving me an effective 0.3MP
> resolution. I don't need hi-res camera, but just need more than the 640x480.
> 1-2MP is sufficient for what I'm working on. Any recommendations?

Most of the Canon cameras come with the ability to run tethered to a
computer. Canon supplies 'remote capture' sofware to do this.

If you want resolution, you can try the Canon 1DS MkII and remotely
capture 4992x3328 images.

I'm pretty sure other camera makers offer the same thing...

I'm looking for a camera that I can connect to a PC and capture images by
software without needing to use the internal memory. Almost like web cam, but I
have only seen web cams with 640x480 resolution, giving me an effective 0.3MP
resolution. I don't need hi-res camera, but just need more than the 640x480.
1-2MP is sufficient for what I'm working on. Any recommendations?

John

John Trunek wrote:
> I'm looking for a camera that I can connect to a PC and capture
> images by software without needing to use the internal memory. Almost like
> web cam, but I have only seen web cams with 640x480
> resolution, giving me an effective 0.3MP resolution. I don't need
> hi-res camera, but just need more than the 640x480. 1-2MP is
> sufficient for what I'm working on. Any recommendations?
> John

It is much higher resolution that you may be talking about, but the
Canon 20D will handle it. 8+ MP

--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

Joseph Meehan wrote:
> John Trunek wrote:
>
>>I'm looking for a camera that I can connect to a PC and capture
>>images by software without needing to use the internal memory. Almost like
>>web cam, but I have only seen web cams with 640x480
>>resolution, giving me an effective 0.3MP resolution. I don't need
>>hi-res camera, but just need more than the 640x480. 1-2MP is
>>sufficient for what I'm working on. Any recommendations?
>>John
>
>
> It is much higher resolution that you may be talking about, but the
> Canon 20D will handle it. 8+ MP
>
You're right that this is much higher than I need. I've already got a decent
camera that I normally use, but it doesn't have the ability to run tethered.
The project I'm working on doesn't require very high resolution. I'm also a
student and have limited financial means to purchase equipment. Thats why I was
hoping someone here would be able to point me in the way of an older and/or
lower end camera that supported tethered operation that I could get relatively
cheap (perhaps used?).

John

John Trunek <> writes:

> I'm looking for a camera that I can connect to a PC and capture images by
> software without needing to use the internal memory. Almost like web cam,
> but I have only seen web cams with 640x480 resolution, giving me an effective
> 0.3MP resolution. I don't need hi-res camera, but just need more than the
> 640x480. 1-2MP is sufficient for what I'm working on. Any recommendations?

Many of the higher end Olympus, Canon, and Nikon cameras include the capability
to take a picture under computer control, and then the computer can upload and
delete the picture as needed. Sometimes the software needed is included as
part of the system, sometimes you have to buy it.

Under Linux, some cameras are supported by gphoto2. See http://www.gphoto.org
for a list of supported cameras. I've used my C-2100UZ in this mode.

A shareware app for many Olympus cameras is Pine Tree Computing:
http://www.pinetreecomputing.com/camctl.asp

--
Michael Meissner
email:
http://www.the-meissners.org

Michael Meissner wrote:

> Under Linux, some cameras are supported by gphoto2. See http://www.gphoto.org
> for a list of supported cameras. I've used my C-2100UZ in this mode.

Michael
Do you know if you can run gphoto to get an image from a camera
via a command line, so you could automate picture taking by a
shell script? I have an application for just this thing, and
this would be ideal. I also want to do it with linux.

Then the next thing I want to add is a motion detector to
sense motion and take an image when there is motion.

Roger

John,

I recently bought a Olympus C-5050 (Craig's List; $300 with some
goodies) which is a very nice "pro-sumer" 5-megger. With the free
program Cam2Com (Camera-to-Computer) at
http://home.comcast.net/~smenche/Cam2Com/ you have complete control of
the camera. It works mint with my Oly, and supposedly works with any
USB-connected Olympus.

-Ben H.

Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark) wrote:

> Do you know if you can run gphoto to get an image from a camera
> via a command line, so you could automate picture taking by a
> shell script? I have an application for just this thing, and
> this would be ideal. I also want to do it with linux.

The command-line tool does this stuff. I see that the 1DMkII and 20D
have PTP modes, which means that Canon finally woke up ... gphoto2 was
basically useless when I tried it (a year ago) with my 10D and its
braindead proprietary protocol. (There were(are?) amusing comments in
gphoto's source about Canon and its idiot policies re: technical
documentation..)

> Then the next thing I want to add is a motion detector to
> sense motion and take an image when there is motion.

Hm. Wildlife? You can get -- if not build -- simple, dedicated
electronics that will do this. Getting a "detect" bit into the
computer will be about as hard as getting it directly into the camera.

John Trunek wrote:

> I'm looking for a camera that I can connect to a PC and capture
> images by software without needing to use the internal memory.
> Almost like web cam, but I have only seen web cams with 640x480
> resolution, giving me an effective 0.3MP resolution. I don't
> need hi-res camera, but just need more than the 640x480. 1-2MP
> is sufficient for what I'm working on. Any recommendations?

John,

My Pentax Optio 750Z may be able to do that. I know it
can attach to the TV, but I've never tried it.

I have been able to download Pentax and Canon manuals
from the websites of those companies. I presume other
companies also put their manuals on the web.

If you find a camera of interest, you may be able to
download the manual and see if it does just what you want.

Alan

Ben wrote:
> John,
>
> I recently bought a Olympus C-5050 (Craig's List; $300 with some
> goodies) which is a very nice "pro-sumer" 5-megger. With the free
> program Cam2Com (Camera-to-Computer) at
> http://home.comcast.net/~smenche/Cam2Com/ you have complete control of
> the camera. It works mint with my Oly, and supposedly works with any
> USB-connected Olympus.
>
> -Ben H.
>
Thanks for that link. My sister has a 5MP Oly that, if I talk nicely, I can
borrow. I'll have to try it sometime and see if it works.