New user needs help

[JosephUlowetz]

I downloaded the trial version of BackyardEOS (version 3.2.3) for use with my Canon EOS 450D / Rebel XSi, manufactured in 2008. BYE reports it is able to connect to the camera; I am using the top camera driver option for cameras manufactured after 2008. (I've tried using the lower driver but it doesn't work, apparenly because I'm using 64 bit Windows)

Whenever I try to take an image with the shutter set to Bulb, there is an error (ERROR EDS_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR; I will attach the log). I can take images using shorter shutter exposures, but not with Bulb, which is what I really want to do for deep sky imaging.

I am running Windows 10 Pro with 16 GB of memory. The USB cable from my camera is plugged directly into my PC. Is there any other info I should provide to help understand what is going on here?

Thanks, -Joe

logfile-[20240616-21h50m48s763]-[8564]-2024-06-16.txt

[admin]

You should be able to use 32 or 64 bits just the same on a 64 bits windows.

This said, and internal camera is something I have no control on usually. I suspect there are other in-camera settings not playing nice with BYE. Have you tried a factory reset on your camera?

[astroman133]

Joe,

Welcome!

I should first correct some of what you said on your post.

1) You did not download trial version of BackyardEOS (version 3.2.3),

You downloaded version 3.2.3 and then applied a Trial license to it. The Trial license activates all the features for 30 days. If you purchase a Classic or Premium license you can apply it to the same software by replacing the Trial license with the purchased license.

2) BYE 3.2.3 is not a 64-bit app.

It is a 32-bit app which will run just fine on both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows. There is a 64-bit only version in the Pre-Release download area, but with your camera, I am not sure what that buys you.

3) The 450D/XSi is a DIGIC III camera and so both the Canon and Canon210 versions of the Canon SDK should work, but you should prefer the Canon option since it is newer and may contain fixes that the Canon210 version of the SDK may not. Canon210 is intended to allow BYE to try to support the very old DIGIC II models that Canon no longer supports with newer versions of the SDK. Since the Canon version connects and recognizes your camera this is what you should use.

4) When you are trying to take a picture, it is a 1 second BULB exposure with JPG image quality. Have you tried to take a RAW image?

5) Is there a lens attached to the camera? A lens with a lens cap? A telescope? A body cap?

The error is:

2024-06-16 21:51:12,668 [CameraTakePictureOnMessageRecieved] DEBUG - Device Busy trying to start BULB sequence
2024-06-16 21:51:12,730 [CameraTakePictureOnMessageRecieved] ERROR - ERROR EDS_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR : EDSDK.EdsSendCommand(CameraRef, 2, 0)
2024-06-16 21:51:12,730 [CameraTakePictureOnMessageRecieved] ERROR -    at BinaryRivers.Common.ProviderInterfaces.Camera.CameraControllerBase.RunAndThrow(Func`1 function, String info)
   at BinaryRivers.Camera.Canon.Extentions.CameraModelExtentions.<>c__DisplayClass2_0.<TakePictureSdkBulb>b__0()
   at BinaryRivers.Common.ProviderInterfaces.Camera.CameraControllerBase.DoWithCameraLocked(Action action)
   at BinaryRivers.Camera.Canon.Extentions.CameraModelExtentions.TakePictureSdkBulb(CameraModel cameramodel, Boolean start, Single mirrorlockseconds)
   at BinaryRivers.Camera.Canon.CameraModel.DoTakePictureBulb(Boolean start, Single mirrorlockseconds)
   at BinaryRivers.Common.Model.CameraModelBase.TakePictureBulb(Single durationseconds, Single mirrorlockseconds, String progresstext)
   at BinaryRivers.Common.Model.CameraModelBase.<>c__DisplayClass79_0.<CameraTakePictureOnMessageRecieved>b__0(Object state)
 

I might expect to see a similar error if the camera was trying to autofocus, but was not successful. This could happen if you have an EF lens with a lens cap or with an indefinite field of view where the lens cannot focus.

I used to have an XSi and used it with BYE several years ago. I never had any issues when using it with BYE.

Let us know whatever new info you can provide about your setup.

Thanks!

If something is making the camera busy, this may be a camera problem that BYE cannot fix.

[JosephUlowetz]

Hi,

I just tried a factory reset; it didn't seem to change anything.

Yes, I was trying 1 sec BULB exposure; I've also tried longer than 1 second. I tried RAW+Jpg, RAW only, JPG only.

The camera is attached to a telescope w/ a T-adapter, but the telescope is capped during the daytime. I wondered if it needs light so I took it off the telescope and put on a camera lens, AF OFF, but no change.  In all configurations I can take exposures if not set to BULB, but it does not take exposures when set to BULB.

One thing I can mention is that, using the Canon EOS software, I have to use EOS2 not EOS3 with my camera because it is so old. I don't know if this helps explain anything.

I think I answered your questions; let me know if I missed something.  I appreciate the help.

Thanks, -Joe

[admin]

Scope cover has no impact.

With EOS Utility 2, can you take bulb images?

[JosephUlowetz]

Hi,

I just tried a factory reset; it didn't seem to change anything.

Yes, I was trying 1 sec BULB exposure; I've also tried longer than 1 second. I tried RAW+Jpg, RAW only, JPG only.

The camera is attached to a telescope w/ a T-adapter, but the telescope is capped during the daytime. I wondered if it needs light so I took it off the telescope and put on a camera lens, AF OFF, but no change.  In all configurations I can take exposures if not set to BULB, but it does not take exposures when set to BULB.

One thing I can mention is that, using the Canon EOS software, I have to use EOS2 not EOS3 with my camera because it is so old. I don't know if this helps explain anything.

I think I answered your questions; let me know if I missed something.  I appreciate the help.

Thanks, -Joe

[JosephUlowetz]

Yes, I can take BULB exposures with no problem using the EOS2 utility program.

-Joe

[admin]

ummm, I'm sure where to go from here given the internal error.

 

[JosephUlowetz]

I know my camera is a very old model; it was a good price so I bought so I bought it to photograph the solar eclipse, which it did well. I was hoping I could also use it for deep sky photography, but I'm not too surprised that it might be too old to be supported any more. 

Thanks for trying to help, 

-Joe

[admin]

It should still work. I remember back in the day there were some issues with older models and Canon had a special 2015 SDK. I removed this in 3.2 some 4'ish years ago.... perhaps your 2008 model would have been better with that. I suspect EOS2 is built on this 2015 SDK whereas EOS3 is built on the latest just as BackyardEOS.

[astroman133]

To me it seems that it is either a problem in the SDK or the camera is broken. It broken then I would expect other apps to fail, as well.

Did you say that the Canon210 SDK also fails the same way?

 

[JosephUlowetz]

I'm not in front of it right now, but if I choose the Canon 210 driver when trying to connect to the camera in BYE, it doesn't connect. Instead it puts up a text message about making sure the Canon EOS app is not running and some other suggestions including (I think) that it doesn't work under 64-bit Windows and to only use 32-bit Windows for that option, and I'm running 64-bit Windows (unless I misunderstood what it was saying). So no, it fails in a different way and I can't even get to the point of trying to take a blub image.

Unless there is a version available of BYE build with the older SDK, I think I'll have to move on and look for other solutions.  Since the EOS2 tool works for bulb, I'm considering just using that instead.

Thanks, -Joe

[admin]

There is, but trial keys require the latest and the older versions will require a key that was generated back in the day to work on any version older that 3.2.x.

[astroman133]

Sorry, but there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of users of BYE who are using the 32-bit version of BYE on the 64-bit version of Windows 10 or 11. This is a major design requirement. The 3.5.0x64 version of BYE is brand new and in pre-release status.

What ever your issue is (either SDK or the camera itself, or perhaps cabling) it is not due to some incompatibility of BYE with 64-bit Windows.

[JosephUlowetz]

Does anyone know if there is a process for requesting an older version key? Is there someone I should contact besides posting this forum message?  If that's not possible, I understand. I just thought I'd ask.

Thanks, -Joe

[admin]

There is not without having to do some gymnastic.

 

[astroman133]

Joe,

I have been using the same key for several years. You could get a current paid Classic or Premium key and use it with any version of BYE going back to 3.1.17 which is about 7 years old. You may even be able to go back earlier with some guidance from Guylain.

To prove out what I said, I just installed BYE 3.1.2 that I downloaded in 2015 and used it to control my T5i, with my same license key that I use with BYE 3.2.3 and 3.5.0.x64.

[astroman133]

That said, my bet is that the issue is with your camera and it won't matter which version of BYE or the Canon SDK you use. Still it was simple enough to test out. The biggest issue is that I have a paid Premium license, not a free Trial license.

[JosephUlowetz]

Rick,

I will think about it. Thanks, Joe

[astroman133]

Another thing, I know that you said that you did a factory reset on the camera, but did you try the camera with BYE 3.2.3 and the Canon driver before doing any customizations like Long Exposure Noise Reduction or Mirror Lockup. Some of those settings could affect BYE's ability to control the camera.

[JosephUlowetz]

I don't think I changed those settings, but I will check. Thanks for the suggestion.