Canon - High-resolution Digital Still Camera for Webcam

[Marlin]

Hi guy's,

I've just started experimenting with my canon A520 using the Cam2Com software http://sabsik.com/Cam2Com/ and wondered if there's anyone out there using similar, I'm only in the beginning stages and no where near putting pics on my site yet and would love any info or comments on the best way to set it up and the necessary setup within WD.

Regards, Brian

[Marlin]

Sorted ! .... many thanks to Darrell http://itsyourweather.com/ 

[daveq]

Nice clear detailed picture.  Glad you're not my neighbor.

--Dave

[strandvejr]

Hi,

I've got a Canon Powershot G2 and I want to use it as my weathercam with high res pictures and all dayvideo files on my website www.strandvejr.dk - Any ideas how to make a setup to do that? I will either use Canon Remote capture or PS Remote from Breezesys.com Both excellent remote capture softwares.

My main problem is how to make the right setup - I want to upload a new picture to the web every 5 or 10 minute - and make a all day video every hour - and at the end of the day an "allday video" using.

Any ideas ?

It's the naming of the picture file, that's causing me the greatest trouble, because the remote capture software names every new picture with a different filename - and I need a static filename to upload to my website and overwrite the former picturefile. Or is there a different solution?


CU

strandvejr.dk

[NorCal Dan]

It's the naming of the picture file, that's causing me the greatest trouble, because the remote capture software names every new picture with a different filename - and I need a static filename to upload to my website and overwrite the former picturefile. Or is there a different solution?

Is the capture software time stamping the image?  Are you going to use the 3rd party setup in WD to alter the image or add an overlay to the image before uploading to your server?  Or does the capture software ftp the image directly to your server?

[strandvejr]

No timestamping in the capture software - filename like jpgwebcam001.jpg / jpgwebcam002.jpg etc
Yes -I plan to use the WD to upload the picture via generel FTP function without any alterations and yes I want to use the 3rd party setup in WD to timestamp picturefiles and create videofile.

[NorCal Dan]

If the files had been timestamped I think WD could handle it, but with just an incrementing filename like that I am not sure how to accomplish that with WD...sorry.  Perhaps someone else has an idea??

[administrator]

Nice clear detailed picture.  Glad you're not my neighbor.

With the right camera and lens your neighbour might be further away than you think. I was playing with my new camera tonight and took a snap of a hangar at the local airport (from home). The attached picture (cropped but otherwise unprocessed) was taken handheld with the light fading. The hangar is 1.75 miles away and is just a block on the horizon to the naked eye.

The lens was a 300mm film telephoto, which turns into a 450mm lens on a DSLR. I also used my 2x teleconverter turning it into a 900mm lens. Unfortunately the camera won't autofocus with this combination and the focus point is pretty sharp to get right manually so it might be a bit off. I must try the shot again in stronger light conditions.

Has anyone tried using a DSLR as a WD webcam...it could be fun!

[strandvejr]

Here is how I did it:

Canon Remote Capture takes 1 picture every 1 minute - saves on harddrive as jpgwebcam_01.JPG - Auto FTP manager ( shareware fra Deskshare) http://www.deskshare.com/resources/resources.aspx uploads the picture to my site http://www.strandvejr.dk/picture.php - then deletes the file on the harddrive. Picture is uploaded to my site every 1 minute.

Im not doing alldayvideo - yet. Havent had the time - but WD must be set to download the picture file from my http site.

 

[TokKiwi]

The lens was a 300mm film telephoto, which turns into a 450mm lens on a DSLR. I also used my 2x teleconverter turning it into a 900mm lens. Unfortunately the camera won't autofocus with this combination and the focus point is pretty sharp to get right manually so it might be a bit off. I must try the shot again in stronger light conditions.

Admin - I have trouble with my Oly Digicam at full Optical zoom of 63mm = 10x Optical or 380mm SLR equiv. (Not using it as webcam) Often I manually set the focus for infinity for say a moon shot (low light condition and I should use spot focus instead of multi-spot and get it dead centre) and still have problems.  My video cam with 12x Optical focus I am using now for my webcam has a narrow area focus in centre and struggles to focus in low light and just hunts in and out over a small range - esp in fog or full cloud or dark.  I hope it doesn't wear out!!  It is supposed to be able to turn the auto focus/auto aperture off but somehow it won't.

Impressive pic - and that was handheld!! OMG!!

TokKiwi

[administrator]

The auto-focus problem is a combination of the lens/teleconverter. I have exactly the same problem with my Minolta film SLR. As I rarely take photos using the teleconverter it's not a big problem.

[florianl]

hello from Durban South Africa

busy setting up a webcam to document a building site (see picture). Just bought an Olympus SP-350, and want to use cam2com software from Sabsik. The Milwaukee weather site http://itsyourweather.com/cam.html is stunning, that is exactly what I would like to do. Getting a bit lost though with the script and or batch files to get the system to run automatically. The time lapse feature is also challenging. Already trying to contact Darell.

any suggestions for software sites? any free samples of script files? many regards, from Florian

[TokKiwi]

florianl - you can click on the home button and then use Search and enter Olympus - you can get quite a few topical threads.  I hope these help...

[florianl]

hello tokKiwi, thanks - I have tried that just now
but the only two topics that come back are my first entry, and then your reply
my question is not so much olympus related,
it's more about script files to make programmes run automatically.
(downsizing pictures, producing a 24-hours time lapse movie)

???? regards, Florian

[jmcmurry]

Florianl,

I think the quickest and easiest way to get going with time lapse/movie capability would be to upload your photos to Wunderground.  You can then embed the videos in your web page.  Check out

http://www.wunderground.com/webcams/signup.html

Good Luck.  - Jim