Feedback on Backyard Nikon Trial Version with Nikon V3 - Long exposure limits and focusing issues

[avishkaa@yahoo.co.in]

Thanks for Backyard Nikon—it’s a wonderful tool that gives new life to the Nikon V3. I primarily used the software for three reasons: intervalometer control, timed long exposures, and focusing using the laptop monitor.

The intervalometer function works beautifully. I was able to program five different settings in tandem, and all of them performed exactly as expected.

I did notice what seems to be a limitation with timed long exposures. The feature works reliably up to about 5 minutes, but beyond that the timer continues to run while nothing is recorded. I also tried a 20-minute bulb exposure using an external timer and encountered the same issue. It appears that while the software holds the camera in bulb mode, however the image was not recorded.

I also attempted to use the laptop monitor for focusing, but I couldn’t get that function to work at all.

I was using the trial version of Backyard Nikon, so I’m not sure whether these limitations—particularly with long exposures and focusing—are resolved or fully supported in the full version.

[astroman133]

First, when reporting an issue or requesting information about the software, please tell us what version of the software you are using. This is so important that the developers have made this request in the orange banner at the top of this page. Version numbers are like '2.1.3' or '3.5.0.RC9 X64'. The license type (Trial, Classic, Premium) may also be important.

If BYN behaves like BYE, there is no practical limit to the duration of a BULB exposure. Since the opening and closing of the shutter for BULB exposures is controlled by BYN there is no camera limitation involved. 

You said that if you set the duration to longer than 5 minutes that "the timer will go and nothing is recorded". Can you describe that behavior in more detail? Do you mean that for a 6 minute exposure, that the timer counts up to 360 seconds, the shutter closes, but no image is downloaded to the PC? Or is an image downloaded, but it is completely black? In other words please provide complete enough information about your setup and your operating steps that someone else can attempt to duplicate exactly what you are doing. 

Was this testing done on the BYN Imaging screen? or the Frame & Focus screen?

Did your 20 minute bulb exposure with an external timer also use BYN to download the image? 

Where were you saving the images? to the camera's SD card or to the PC. Did you look for the image in the Downloads folder and the BackyardTEMP folder on the PC?

Is this behavior consistent, or sporadic (sometimes it works but other times it does not work)?

Thanks!

[avishkaa@yahoo.co.in]

Hi ,

I was editing my post and I saw your answer. Thanks for your time.

I am using trial version 2.1.3.

If I use timed exposure The BYN will count for preset timer and no image will be recorded.

I thought I will use only BYN to hold the shutter open in bulb mode and tried a 20 min exposure. Its the same problem and nothing was downloaded at all. I was using BYN to download the image to laptop and not to the camera.

I was trying to focus using the frame focus screen.

I checked the log files and I didnt see any log files for that specific date. I checked my temp folders and amy download folders nothing in them either.

Behavoious is consistent.I think I tried 10 and 20 minutes. It does not record more than 5 minutes.

[astroman133]

I am still not seeing enough detailed information.

Are you using the Frame & Focus screen or the Imaging screen?

If you are using Frame & Focus, by default the image will only be displayed on the screen, but not saved. However you can select Save Snap Image to save the image to disk. The default behavior is because Frame & Focus images are only used for those purposes and do not need to be saved to disk.

If you are using the Imaging screen, but do not see a downloaded image either on the screen, or on the hard drive, it may be because your anti-virus software is preventing the image from being downloaded to the camera. This seems to be particularly true of Avast anti-virus software. There should be a way configure Avast to allow the images to be downloaded.

I hope this helps.

[admin]

 

Send me the log file.

 

 

 

[admin]

On 1/14/2026 at 8:29 AM, avishkaa@yahoo.co.in said:

I was using the trial version of Backyard Nikon, so I’m not sure whether these limitations—particularly with long exposures and focusing—are resolved or fully supported in the full version.

The trial is the full premium edition with all the bells and whistles, with the only difference being valid for 30-days.

 

[avishkaa@yahoo.co.in]

I dont have a specific log file associated with that particular date or time. I have attached the last log file in the folder.

 

Are you using the Frame & Focus screen or the Imaging screen?

I m using frame focus for focussing which I am not able to do and Imaging screen for capturing which happens with limitations.

 

In addition I dont have antivirus installed. Just using Windows defender.

 

logfile-[20251209-21h14m40s591]-[16164]-2025-12-12.txt

[astroman133]

OK. The log file that you attached is from early December. I would suggest that you delete all log files and then start BYN and try to do something simple. If it doesn't work as you expect then shut BYN down and submit the log file per the instructions here =>

Along with the log file, please explain in detail what you were trying to do what you expected to see and what you saw.

Do not try to put all the issues that you encounter into a single post. Create a separate thread for each issue.

To reiterate what Guylain already said...The Trial version of BYN has ALL features and functionality activated, just like a Premium licensed version. It is wrong to think that the Trial is crippled because it is a free license!

You have problems with Frame & Focus, not focusing. F&F behaves differently if the camera has a lens attached or it is attached to a telescope. If a lens is attached to the camera, make sure that the lens is in AutoFocus mode. This is the only way that BYN can drive the lens to focus. If the camera is attached to a telescope you can only change focus with the telescope's focuser.

You also talk about limitations on the Imaging screen. Please describe these limitations in detail. In a previous post you talked about experiencing exposure limitations. There are no such limitations so it is  likely that you are doing something wrong. In order to know what that is, you need to describe the steps in detail.

Thanks!