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BYN 3.5 Pre-release RC6 Nikon Z9 doesn't connect


aorr

Question

I've just tried downloading the new version of BYN pre-release (RC6) and my Nikon Z9 isn't connecting to the software. Is there anything you need to do to force the application to run in 64 bit mode or should that just be done automatically when downloading the new software? If there are log files that would help in troubleshooting this, please let me know where I can find those and I'll happily include them. For whatever it's worth, I'm connecting the Z9 to the computer with a Thunderbolt 4 (although it's probably really acting as USBC) cable.

Thanks! It's exciting to see that there is work being done on supporting the Z9 since you, as far as I know, are the only astrophotography software actively supporting it.

Andy

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There are two pre-release versions of BYN.

The version labelled BYN 3.5.0.RC6 runs on both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 10 and 11. It uses an older 32-bit only version of the Nikon SDK that does not support newer cameras. Nikon decided that newer cameras will only be supported in a 64-bit only version of their SDK. This is one of the things that led O'Telescope to produce a 64-bit version of BYN.

The other version, labeled as BYN 3.5.0.RC6 X64 is a 64-bit only version of BYN. It will only run on 64-bit versions of Windows 10 and 11. It uses the 64-bit version of the Nikon SDK which is the only version of the SDK that will support the Z9 now, and newer cameras in the future.

To connect to the Z9, you need to download and install BYN 3.5.0.RC6 X64. There may also be other settings in the camera that will impact BYN's ability to connect. One example is that you may need to disable WiFi in the camera and connect the camera to the computer with the USB cable that came with the camera, or other compatible USB cable.

If you install the X64 version of BYN and you are still unable to connect BYN to the camera, please post as much detail as you can about the steps that you are using to cause the issue, and exactly what you are seeing. Submitting a log file that shows what is happening may be useful.

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Rick, thanks for the quick response. 

I confirmed that I have the x64 version of RC6 and that it is running in 64 bit mode according to Task Manager.

For connecting the camera, I've tried turning it on and off with the app open and also closed. Windows sees the camera (it shows up as a drive in Windows Explorer).I've confirmed that WiFi is turned off and I am using the USBC cable it came with.

I've used other tethering apps (like Smart Shooter) which I believe use the SDK from Nikon and it reads the Z9 fine. 

I've attached the log below. Very strange.

Andy

 

logfile-[20240112-13h29m46s765]-[15180]-2024-01-12.txt

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Smart Shooter does not use the Nikon SDK, they use PTP. I say this with some level of confidence because they support the Nikon D3### series and Nikon does not have an SDK for the 3### series.

Looking at the log file, the Z9 SDK with properly loaded, which tells me you have all the c++ redistributable installed. 

 

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Thanks, I appreciate the correction on Smart Shooter. I will probably end up using that software for capture since it allows tiny lens focusing adjustments from the app which is a very valuable feature to use. I have been using 600 and 800mm lenses from Nikon and the focus drift (or change) as the lens changes temperature at night is nice to control from software mid-shoot.

Thanks for everyone's help. I'll try the software again after it goes final to see if it ends up working for me after all.

Andy

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Andy,

Perhaps you could try a few things to help yourself and other users connect BackyardNikon with their Z9 camera. If your issue is not something that the authors of BYN can correct then you would likely see the same result if you install a new release of BYN. If you work with us you may be able to resolve your issue with the current version of BYN. This would help you, as well as other new users who may experience the same symptoms as you have.

You say that Windows shows the camera as a disk drive. This may be part of the reason why BYN is unable to connect to the camera. When the camera is plugged in to the PC and powered on, the Windows Plug and Play subsystem sees the camera device and needs to load an appropriate driver for the camera. There are multiple low-level drivers that are part of Windows, not part of BYN. Windows provides a popup window to ask you how you want to use the camera device. At this point you need to make the correct choice in order for BYN to be able to connect.

If Windows sees the camera as a disk drive, then it would provide you with access to the SD card in the camera for the purpose of downloading images from the card to the PC. This is not the correct option if you want to control the camera to capture new images or use LiveView.

In order to change how Windows is to treat the camera and get it to load the correct low-level driver, Windows should ask you how you want to use the camera. To use the camera with BYN and the Nikon SDK you need to choose "Take No Action" when prompted by Windows. This may solve the issue and allow BYN to connect to the camera through the Nikon SDK. However, you would no longer see the SD card as a disk drive.

I examined the log file that you provided and saw that there was a significant delay between the time when the SDK was loaded and when BYN issued the "Camera Not Found" message. This could occur if the SD card in the camera has lots of images on it. This is a quirk of the Nikon SDK that BYN cannot work around. The common fixes are to delete all the images on the SD card or install a blank SD card when using the camera with BYN.

Also, with BYN, while in LiveView you can adjust the lens focus to re-focus as a result of temperature changes. Of course, the lens must be a Nikon-compatible autofocus lens.

One issue when using LiveView to focus is that only the brightest stars are visible because the LiveView images are only a few milliseconds long and are not adjustable in duration. As an alternative you can take short Snap images of say 4 seconds duration for focusing. This will show much dimmer stars and allows focus adjustments without slewing the mount. You would also need to abort any capture plan in progress to switch from Imaging to Frame & Focus. An advantage is that once BYN is in Frame & Focus mode it measures the diameter of whatever star you select to allow an accurate focus. Then it is easy to switch back to Imaging and restart the Capture Plan once your re-focus is complete.

I understand that this workflow is more involved than it could be, but it is workable and highly usable.

I hope this helps.

Please let us know if you have any questions and keep us updated on your progress.

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Hi Rick,

Absolutely willing and able to help troubleshoot this. To be honest, I just felt guilty taking up you and the developers' time on what could be a one-off issue. That being said, I'm game to keep working through troubleshooting this in the off chance it may help anyone else down the line.

I have just preformed a full reformat of the memory cards that are in the camera. Both are completely empty. (Note that I've also tried connecting without memory cards and that was also a no-go).
I've removed the Z9 so that it doesn't show up as a disk in Windows Explorer. I've set the preference when it is connected to "Ignore". 
I've tried many iterations of connecting and turning on and off the camera while the software is open or closed and tried connecting. None of these iterations seem to have any luck connecting.

Could it be that the firmware (camera firmware 4.10) is not supported in the SDK you used?

I appreciate the comments and workflow option for autofocus with the lens. What I didn't say is that I typically sleep in my car with my laptop running beside me in the winter. Getting up in the middle of the night to refocus the lens outside is pretty cold and not always the easiest (mentally) to get up to do. 🙂 Small problems I know. 🙂  I only mention this since I've had a few evening imaging sessions where I see the focus drift out over the course of the night and being able to correct and monitor this without getting out in the cold is ideal. But I think there are still options.
 

Thanks again for any thoughts you have on troubleshooting this - and I also understand if it's not something you want to try to tackle if other people have had no issues connecting their Z8/Z9 cameras. If you do want to keep working through it, I'm happy to keep trying things out!
Andy

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I am a long time user of BYE, not BYN, and a long time contributor to these forums. Otherwise I am not affiliated with O'Telescope. I am a user of their software, just as you are.

I don't know whether the SDK with BYN 3.0.5. RC6 X64 is compatible with the 4.10 version of the camera firmware or not. However, I have seen people report that a firmware upgrade broke the SDK and also BYN. If the firmware release is newer than the release of the SDK then that could cause connection issues. There are only 2 ways to address this. One is to restore the original firmware and the other is to wait until BYN incorporates a new version of the SDK that supports the 4.10 version of the firmware. For this reason it is not recommended to upgrade the firmware unless you need to fix some issue that is impacting your ability to use the camera.

When BYN is not connected to the camera turning the camera off and on should not cause an issue. On the other hand, turning the camera off while BYN is connected could cause BYN to hang and require you to kill it via the Task Manager. Of course, this would not be a problem until you are actually able to connect BYN to the camera.

If you are using a Nikon autofocus lens, then BYN can control that lens from the PC so you could re-focus while sitting in the car.

There are some camera settings that BYN cannot "see" or change. As a last resort, you could try to reset the camera to factory settings, and then disable WiFi. Then try BYN again.

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Thanks Rick - and I understand now that you're a user rather than affiliated with O'Telescope. I appreciate your time helping me on all of this just as much.

Unfortunately, downgrading the firmware isn't the best idea for me since my primary use for the camera is wildlife photography and the firmware updates are pretty critical to the camera's use for that kind of photography. I do think that we've probably narrowed it down to the firmware and SDK version as a likely culprit. Perhaps at some point one of the developers will weigh in on that. 

I have a work trip coming up soon that I need the camera set up as its currently setup for, but once I come back from that trip I can try resetting all the default settings on it and see if that works also.

Have a good weekend!

Andy

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I don't think this is related because the SDK dll does load according to the log files you shared, but can you make sure the "c++ redistributable package 2017 64 bits" is installed on your computer?

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170#visual-studio-2015-2017-2019-and-2022

 

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