Common BULB Difficulty

[tedabney]

I have the common problem of failure to image with Bulb setting using BYN with my Nikon D7000 - receiving the error message about needing a serial connection.  Using the mini-USB (8 pin) to standard USB to laptop just will not work and allow for long exposure photography....many, many attempts, including removal of the SD memory cards from the camera....making certain the setting on the camera is at Bulb also.

 

So, I have read all of the Support postings....some of which going into re-wiring etc are not an option for me.

 

It appears that my ONLY options while using the D7000 are to acquire the Shoestring Astronomy cable set for my camera specifically, change the BYN setting to DSUSB instead of Camera USB, and hope for the best.

 

I am NOT married to the Nikon, and I have spoken with staff at a major Los Angeles retailer of Canon cameras (specifically the T5 (now replaced with the T6) that use them with BYEOS and have no issues with BULB using the standard USB.  Can you suggest a specific Canon or Nikon body that you know for a certainty that the "Camera USB" will work without question for Bulb long exposure using your respective software for each?.....I just want the current cabling issues resolved.  I am 70 years old and can no longer bend and stoop to see images in the camera viewfinder of LED...you have a great product, and the work you have done is staggering....as a customer I want to do everything I can to best use it!

 

Thank you in advance for any help you can give me....I want to be prepared if these cloudy nights ever disappear!!

 

Tom Dabney

tedabney@aol.com

[astroman133]

Tom,

 

Connecting a Shoestring Astronomy DSUSB cable between your remote shutter jack and the PC, in addition to the current USB cable, will allow you to do BULB exposures with your D7000.  Lots of people use this cable, so I am not sure what you mean by "and hope for the best".

 

If you absolutely do not want the DSUSB cable then the camera support grid tables for BYE and BYN have the information that you want. Just scan down the BULB column for entries with 'Yes' or 'Yes (USB)', but not 'Yes (serial)'.

 

BYN camera support grid --> http://www.otelescope.com/index.php?/store/product/4-backyardnikon-10-premium-edition/#cameragrid_bookmark

 

BYE camera support grid --> http://www.otelescope.com/index.php?/store/product/2-backyardeos-31-premium-edition/#cameragrid_bookmark

 

If you ask in this forum, you should get information from other Nikon users who are successfully using the DSUSB cable for long exposures. Purchasing the cable is certainly less expensive than purchasing a new camera.

[tedabney]

Galactic Halo - Thank you so much!  My questions have been answered, so I will be able to decide what to do....I so want to be able to use and master, to the best of my ability, this fine program.

[admin]

The DSUSB cable is on the expensive side as far as serial cable goes, but it is very reliable and consistent, it just works.