Canon EOS 5D Connection to BYE 3.0

[fdibbell]

Hi,

I looked through other connection issues with the Canon 5D and didn't see anything helpful, so I thought I would try asking a question  

I have a Canon 60Da which connects to my Win10 laptop running BYE 3.0.0 via USB just fine. 

I recently acquired a pre-owned Canon 5D (Hap Griffin modified + Astrodon L filter) and am now attempting to connect it to BYE.  I researched first and found out you need more than just the USB cable, so I purchased a DSUSB box and N3 cable.  Hooked up the 5D to my Win 10 laptop, connecting both the DSUSB and the USB cable to the camera, and fired up BYE.  The camera connects just fine, but the information window is empty, and any attempt to take a picture results in the following error message:  ERROR EDS_ERR_NOT_SUPPORTED : EDSDK.EdsSetPropertyData(cameraRef, SaveTo(11), 0, size(4), 2)

So... what am I doing wrong and how do I fix it?

Thx

Frank

[admin]

The only thing I can think of is that a windows update may have messed the drivers.  

This being said, always keep a copy of EOS Utility CD with you and if this happens again reinstall EOS Utility, this will reinstall the low level Canon drivers.

Regards,

[fdibbell]

OK... I had this thing working before going off to a remote site for imaging.  Camera and shutter cable connected to BYE 3.11, Everything working as it should.  I get out to the field, connect everything as I had at home, and guess what?  Doesn't work!  Back home and set it up on my test bench - all the same connections, and it does not work.  What could have changed?  As before, I connect the camera to BYE using the DIGIC 2 (Canon 210) option, the camera connects, but the camera information window is not populated.  Any attempt to take an image throws an exception.  I am back at Square 1 and have no idea why, when it was working perfectly before I left.  Frustration does not begin to describe what I am experiencing.... LOL  any ideas?

[astroman133]

The 5D is a DIGIC II camera and so is no longer supported by Canon. This means that support for that model has been removed from newer versions of the Canon SDK. However it is still supported by BYE, with a few Gotchas.

1) Your version of Windows must be 32-bit (there is no low-level driver from Canon for 64-bit versions of Windows). See the BYE Camera Support Grid which says that compatibility is limited to Vista, W7, W8, W10 (32 bits)!!!

2) You may need install the low-level driver from the software CD that came with the camera. I do not know if the XP driver that came with the camera will install on Windows 10. This may be a killer.

3) You must select the Canon210 version of the SDK when connecting BYE.

 

[admin]

If it worked before and no longer works something has changed, but finding out what changed can be frustration for sure.

Did you try with EOS Utility to see if it connects?

Regards,

[fdibbell]

Hi - thank you for your quick response!

You state that the version of Windows must be 32 bit mode..   I am running in 32bit mode (on my 64bit laptop) and selecting Canon210 drivers when connecting in BYE.  Is that the same?    

I do not have the CD since I purchased the camera used.  I can contact the original owner and hope they have the CD.  If not, is there any way to get a copy of the low level driver or a copy of this CD?

Best Regards

Frank

[astroman133]

We are not looking over your shoulder, so the more information that you can provide, the more quickly we will be able to diagnose your issue.

Did you verify that all cables were fully seated?

Are you trying to shoot a short Tv exposure or a > 30 second BULB exposure?

What shooting mode are you trying to use? You mentioned Program mode before.

When in full Auto mode, the camera selects appropriate values for ISO, f/stop, and exposure. When in Program mode, you select the ISO, but the camera still selects appropriate f/stop and exposure. Program mode is not typically useful for astrophotography. If shooting with an autofocus lens, the automatic exposure circuitry will not choose the correct exposure and f/stop and the camera will not be able to automatically focus on a dark sky. When shooting through a telescope, the f/stop is not changeable and the target is typically too dim for the camera to select an appropriate exposure. So don't use Program mode.

You should be in M (manual mode) and or B (Bulb mode) for astrophotography. Some models have both M and B positions on the rotary dial. You must use M for Tv exposures and, if your camera as a B  position you must use it for BULB (> 30 second) exposures.

What was the exception that you got at your dark site? Was it the same exception as you reported in your original post?

Where are you saving your images? PC? camera? both? If saving to the camera, do you have a good memory card with free space for images installed in the camera?

[admin]

No, running a 32 bits app on a 64 bits Windows won't work.

Windows itself has to be 32 bits version, not 64 bits.

This is because Canon has no drivers on 64 bits OS for DIGIC II cameras

See image, your PC must be 32 bits.  Mine is 64 bits in image below.  Yours needs to be 32 bits,  Otherwise it will never work regardless of what you try.

[fdibbell]

First, thank you for all the assistance you are giving me - I will of course provide all  the info I can.  My first suspicion was that something had changed - but I know not what.  I didn't add new software, I used the same ports I had used in testing, etc.  But clearly *something* changed.  The only thing I can think of is that the camera and computer were in a case in my truck for 6 hours as I drove to my site in 100 degree heat, and that perhaps the extreme heat made something sick.  Or, in my age-addled brain perhaps I *did* change something and not remember it.  In my experience of 30 years in the software industry the problem is almost always caused by the last thing I changed, but I have no recollection of doing anything but packing the equipment up!

So... what I did do is the following:  clean off all the Canon software, drivers, etc from the laptop (including removing all registry keys and folders/files missed by the uninstall) and start with a fresh clean system.

First step:  Load the Canon 5D XP driver and set the compatibility mode to XP

Next:  Install *only* the EOS Utilities from the install disk, and none other of the progams on the disk, and set the compatibility mode to XP

Next:  Turn on the camera and verify the Communication mode is PC-Connect, and the camera is in B mode

Next:  Plug the camera USB cable into a designated USB port on the laptop.

Result:  Windows indicates the drivers installed successfully.  Checking the Device manager I see the camera mounted as an Imaging Device.  So far so good.

Next:  Fire up BYE 3.11, and connect via DIGIC2.

Result:  Success!  Don't ask me why, but now it works again.

Next:  connect the shutter cable via DSUSB and click Cable Test. 

Result:  Successful connection of the shutter cable.

Next:  Take a 30 second exposure on B, downloading images to the computer.

Result:  30 second exposure taken and downloaded.

Conclusion:  reinstalling everything from scratch on a clean system fixed the problem I was having.  It doesn't help me understand what went wrong in the first place, but to aid in future issues I documented in detail the process I went through to recover, so if it ever happens again I will just repeat the recovery steps.

Followup:  To simulate a tear down and set up at a remote site, I shut everything down, disconnected all cables, and moved the setup downstairs.  Then connected everything, fired up the laptop, and got everything to connect again just fine.  If I didn't know better I would swear someone hacked my camera just to mess with me 

Again, I cannot thank you enough for your assistance and patience...!  My next step is to proceed from the living room to the back yard and try it on the scope.

Clear skies

Frank

 

 

 

 

[astroman133]

Sorry, I did not say that "Windows must be 32 bit mode". I said that it must be the 32-bit version of Windows. These may not be the same thing. For example, you cannot run the 64-bit version of Windows in 32-bit mode. You need to install the 32-bit version of Windows, instead. This would mean that 64-bit apps, like PixInsight, would not work any more.

Look at this post to see how to determine whether your version of Windows is 32-bit or not --> https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/21726/how-do-i-know-if-im-running-32-bit-or-64-bit-windows-answers/

I looked at the Canon web site and could not see a way to download the kernel-level driver for the 5D. So it may be that the driver is pre-installed in Windows 10. If you determine from above that you are running 32-bit Windows 10 then you should connect the camera to the PC and turn on the camera. If, after a few seconds, you can see the camera listed in the Windows Device Manager then you have the correct low-level driver installed. If the camera is not displayed, then you will need to find the driver from somewhere else.

[astroman133]

Frank,

I believe that installing the Canon CD should install the correct low-level driver.  Installing the EOS Utility should not be necessary. However, having the EOS Utility on the PC is not a bad idea, because it can be used for troubleshooting. For example, if neither the EOS Utility nor BYE connect then the problem lies elsewhere.

BTW, don't forget to take the Canon CD with you in case you might need to re-install it in the field.

Good luck!

[fdibbell]

Thank you for the clarifications.  I have found a refurbished Dell laptop running Windows 7 (32 bit version of Windows) for sale that I am purchasing.  Hopefully this will solve my issues.

Will keep you posted.

-Frank

[fdibbell]

That may have been it - Windows DID download an update before  I went to the field.  I have since turned Windows Update off.  Yes - I always carry a 128G static drive with me with ALL my astro software and related license keys etc in case I have to do a clean install - great advice.  The only thing is the EOS Utilities 2.0 was required.  Without it the driver did not load to the camera.  But then, I technically do not have the original CD; I downloaded the software from the Canon site (bought the camera pre-owned and the original owner did not have the CD).

Again, thanks to both of you (Admin and astroman133) for your patience and assistance!

Regards

Frank

[Zeranoe]

You will need drivers for the 5D, since Windows 32-bit doesn't include them.

For some reason Canon hasn't posted the driver for the 5D on the U.S.A. support page, however you can download the driver from another region (Canada).

Keep in mind that when browsing for the driver you will need to look under Windows Vista, since Canon hasn't released anything since 2009.

Here is a direct link to the latest: http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/3/0900000193/01/VU600EN.exe

After you install the drivers you should be able to connect your camera. I use these drivers on Windows 10 32-bit with success.

[fdibbell]

Astroman - thank you for your help on this.  I have a Dell Latitude 32 bit computer running Win 7 now, and downloaded and installed the EOS Utility software from the Canon site.  I plug the camera into the USB port, and it does its thing and says it is successful.  I go to BYE 3.0 and fire it up.  I connect using the DIGIC II option, and the camera connects.  But that is all it does.  I have no camera control.  Any attempt to take an exposure gives me the same error message in my original post.  So I go to the Device Manager, and under USB is my "Canon Digital Camera", with a message "drivers are not installed".  Clicking Update Driver gets me nowhere because it is looking for a CD.  Thus back to square 1:  I need the drivers for this camera.  On a semi-related note, I have the DSUSB box connected, and in running the DSUSBCheck utility I am able to control the shutter on the camera, so at least *something* is working

An aside to Zeranoe - I thank you for the link to the driver, but I am rather hesitant to click on it as it does not appear to be a link to a legitimate website.  Plus, as a matter of caution I never click on any link that has an executable which I cannot control.

[fdibbell]

Update to my own post:  I guess I should learn to read the words on the Canon website - there ARE NO drivers for the 5D for Win 7.  Canon stopped supporting the camera by the time Win 7 came out, so they never bothered to create drivers for that OS.  However, there ARE drivers under WinXP.  I downloaded those and installed them, and it has me half-way there now.  I now can connect the camera to BYE 3.0, and I get the camera details displayed in BYE's window, but still cannot operate the shutter.  (Well I can, manually through the DSUSB Utility checker).   Now all I need to figure out is to how to get DYE to recognize the DSUSB box/shutter control

 

[admin]

Now now need to select DSUSB in BYE's cable shutter option in the capture plan.

[fdibbell]

Ahhh thank you.  I changed Cable Support to DSUSB, and I have to change Shutter to PROGRAM, and that seems to sort of work.  I have the Test Cable button now, and that works when I click on it.  My issues now are how to take an exposure longer than 30 secs.  With my other Canon DSLR I use BULB in the Shutter field and I can set the exposure length to whatever I wish.  Getting there slowly...!

[astroman133]

fdibbell,

You are making progress! That you are able to connect is a good sign. With the camera in Manual mode, you should be able to take short TV exposures without the need for the DSUSB cable.

In your posts you mention that you are using BYE 3.0. That version is pretty old and you should plan, at some point, to upgrade to the latest version (currently 3.1.11). There is no cost but you will need to use your current 3.0 license to get a new license key for version 3.1. There are upgrade instructions on this web site to take you through the process. You can download and install 3.1.11 to a different folder so you can still use 3.0 until you are satisfied that the new 3.1 version is working.

[fdibbell]

OK - upgraded to v3.1.  But that seems to have taken me back a step - it is now like my D5 driver is no longer there.  I am back to not getting any camera data in the Camera Info Window, and nothing happens when I click on the Test Cable button.  Worse - even though I installed it into a separate folder, it seems to have clobbered v 3.0 - that no longer works now.  I have the app still, but executing it no longer works the camera.  How frustrating....! Will get a good night's sleep and give it another go tomorrow.

[Zeranoe]

3 hours ago, fdibbell said:

Astroman - thank you for your help on this.  I have a Dell Latitude 32 bit computer running Win 7 now, and downloaded and installed the EOS Utility software from the Canon site.  I plug the camera into the USB port, and it does its thing and says it is successful.  I go to BYE 3.0 and fire it up.  I connect using the DIGIC II option, and the camera connects.  But that is all it does.  I have no camera control.  Any attempt to take an exposure gives me the same error message in my original post.  So I go to the Device Manager, and under USB is my "Canon Digital Camera", with a message "drivers are not installed".  Clicking Update Driver gets me nowhere because it is looking for a CD.  Thus back to square 1:  I need the drivers for this camera.  On a semi-related note, I have the DSUSB box connected, and in running the DSUSBCheck utility I am able to control the shutter on the camera, so at least *something* is working

An aside to Zeranoe - I thank you for the link to the driver, but I am rather hesitant to click on it as it does not appear to be a link to a legitimate website.  Plus, as a matter of caution I never click on any link that has an executable which I cannot control.

That's a direct link to the drivers. If you download the ones for Windows Vista from the official Canon website and look where the download originated from you will see that URL. No it isn't on a canon domain, but that's where they're directing users to.

Also, you installed the Windows XP ones, which are older than the Vista ones I linked. Look under Canon Canada support page for Vista and you'll see them.

[astroman133]

If you select the Canon210 version of the SDK when you connect from BYE 3.1.11 and are able to connect to your camera then it means that the Canon kernel-level driver is correctly loaded. 

Initially, don't worry about the Test Cable button. The DSUSB cable is only needed for shooting exposures that are longer than 30 seconds. At first, just try to shoot short exposures. Only when all is working with short exposures do you need to worry about the DSUSB cable.

Installing BYE 3.1 to a different folder from BYE 3.0 should not affect the installation of 3.0. If they are in separate folders they will not affect each other. Of course I would not recommend trying to run both versions at the same time.

When you said "I am back to not getting any camera data in the Camera Info Window" does this mean that you successfully connected to the camera from BYE 3.1.11? Data will not show in the Camera Information Center area of the BYE window until BYE has connected with the camera and read the values. If you believe that you are connecting, but do not see any values in the Camera Information Center then you may need to follow the How To post which describes how to provide BYE log files for troubleshooting.

[fdibbell]

Hi guys!  Guess what?  I went out last night to my favorite dark sky site to do some imaging with this camera, and everything worked like a charm!  Thank you all again for your help - I now consider this problem fully resolved.  Now... due to the local forest fires I was unable to take any decent photos because of all the smoke, but that is a different issue

[fdibbell]

Thank you everyone for your help on this - my problem is now RESOLVED.  I apparently and inadvertently wiped out the EOS Utilities app when upgrading the 5D drivers.  Reinstalling the EOS Utiility fixed my problem.  My Canon 5D is now working fine on my Win 7 system with BYE 3.1.11.  And to Zeranoe, thank you as well -  I was able to get the driver from the official Canon site.

Now comes the real challenge.... *imaging*!

[admin]

1 minute ago, fdibbell said:

Thank you everyone for your help on this - my problem is now RESOLVED.  I apparently and inadvertently wiped out the EOS Utilities app when upgrading the 5D drivers.  Reinstalling the EOS Utiility fixed my problem.  My Canon 5D is now working fine on my Win 7 system with BYE 3.1.11.  And to Zeranoe, thank you as well -  I was able to get the driver from the official Canon site.

Now comes the real challenge.... *imaging*!

This is great new.

Regards,

[astroman133]

I am glad that you are moving ahead!