BYN Mirror up functionality.

[Billgriz]

Playing with BYN 2.0.5 RC trial. I've run into a few problems when trying to use the mirror up function with a D7000. Seemed to have a lot of program hangups...then suddenly the issues all seemed to clear.

I've worked out most of the problems and found that you can't do live view with MUP enabled on the camera. Not a problem once I realized that but there was no indication as to why live view wouldn't function.

The real question I have is that I would like to be able to make a series of exposures (0.5-1.0/sec) and keep the mirror up. I don't know if this is even possible but everything I've tried has not worked. I'm hoping to image the upcoming eclipse with a 2+ minute series of images (every 1-2 secs) without any undue scope vibration by bringing the mirror up at the beginning of the series and keep it up.

If this is possible, any enlightenment on how to set this up would be appreciated.

I am using a shutter release via com1.

Regards,

Bill G.

[astroman133]

Are you sure that the mirror flipping up causes "undue scope vibration" that will show up in the images?

[admin]

Mirror up is not supported in BackyardNIKON.  Please see camera support matrix here.

https://www.otelescope.com/store/category/4-backyardnikon/

 

In addition, it is not possible to keep the mirror up between exposures on any Nikon or Canon cameras.

Regards,

[admin]

Mirror up is not supported in BackyardNIKON.  Please see camera support matrix here.

https://www.otelescope.com/store/category/4-backyardnikon/

 

In addition, it is not possible to keep the mirror up between exposures on any Nikon or Canon cameras.

Regards,

[Billgriz]

Astroman....In this case I will be taking fairly short exposures. Based on past experience, I suspect it will have a minor effect. Just want to eliminate as many variables as possible.

Guylain. What do you mean by not supported? The mirror up (lock) function seems to work fine with the D7000 with the exception of between exposures that you clarified for me in your second statement. All other times it seems to function as expected with the exception of using liveview in focusing mode. Then I have to go out of the MUP setting on the camera dial for liveview to respond. When in the MUP mode, I seem to be able to control the "Up" time with the program and the "anti=vibration "time is added into the sequence. Am I confusing the terminology? Is this why I had some hangup issues...though all seemed to clear later..? The comment "run into a few problems when trying to use the mirror up function with a D7000" referred to having issues getting my usb-rs232-shutter control working, not SW issues.

Thanks for the responses!

Bill G.

[astroman133]

It seems as though your camera is the exception to the rule. I would imagine that Guylain put code into BYN to use the Nikon SDK for the camera to raise the mirror at the start of the anti-Vibration period. However, for the most part it does not work. Your D7000 appears to be an exception.

Are you saying that when MUP is selected that LiveView does not work at all? That is unfortunate. It just points to opportunities for Nikon to improve their 3rd party support. It also precludes remote use of the camera. Canon made a similar design error with cameras that require you to manually switch between BULB and Manual modes.

[Billgriz]

Interesting.....so good to be lucky sometimes 

Yes, with MUP selected, the LiveView does not work. Generally I only plan on using LiveView for focusing, so I don't see it as a problem. Once focused I can turn it back on if needed. Now I'm more concerned with future changes in BYN that might prevent MUP from working. Guess I can stick with the current package if needed.

[admin]

BYN has no code to activate the mirror lock for any cameras.  ML requires that 2 open shutter commands be sent and BYN will only send one.  If your camera somehow works with ML it means the firmware is somehow doing the operation... But I suspect it does not and because it requires 2 shutter operations I think you will get only 1 picture for every 2 pictures in your plan.

[Billgriz]

Ok, let me modify my statement. The mirror lock works as expected when using bulb mode (with camera MUP setting). I was doing additional testing this evening and as long as I used bulb mode (with shutter via usb adapter to com 1), the mirror lock functioned. All other controls functioned as well. I could go all the way down to bulb minimum of 1 sec and sequence was correct. Did several plans of 5 exposures and 2 plans at 10 exposures. All were correct. All exposure times used (1sec, 10sec, 35sec, and 200sec) also appeared to be correct.

But.....When I tried to use mirror lock in any other mode, then it did not work correctly and program display was erratic. That explains my earlier comment about having issues that suddenly cleared up. Appears to have cleared up when I went to bulb mode.

So, I don't have an answer as to why it works in bulb, but it does (and I'm not complaining!). My hope was that it would work with shorter exposures but that is not the case so benefit may be less noticeable. 

My firmware is 1.04 (With "Stareater" Hack - no other mods) but I have also tried it with factory 1.05 with the same results.

Screen cap showing quick test.....5 exposures in plan, 5 exposure thumbnails. 

Sequence on screen is  "Cable Init"/"Anti-vibration"/"1 of 5"/"Busy-Downloading"/"Pausing" repeat for next exposure. 

I do hear the mirror come up at the beginning of anti-vibration then shutter open/close  at the end of the anti-vibration countdown. Mirror drops after the exposure completes. Even moved the camera during the mirror up phase to ensure it wasn't exposing.

Regards!

Bill G.

An additional thought.....When using MUP, the camera will automatically expose if the shutter is held for 30sec without a second shutter activation. Is it possible that BYN modifies that delay to the programmed value in the plan? Then it would work with only one shutter activation.....just a thought.....

[astroman133]

Well, perhaps Mirror Lock appears to work for BULB exposures because you have configured BYN to use the DSUSB cable, whereas it uses different logic for timed value exposures.

In any case, it is what it is, since it the functionality is not actually supported by BYN. I'm actually surprised that you can even set a value for Mirror Lock since Guylain has said, since the initial BYN release, that it is not supported.

[admin]

Oh, in that case go to Settings -> Advance Settings and enable "Force use Serial Cable".  Will will force BYN to use the serial cable event for non-bulb images.  Who knows, it may work.

Regards,

[s3igell]

Perhaps Bill should test MUP Functionality on the Camera in non-Bulb Settings without using BYN - just to confirm whether the DSLR does indeed perform MUP in any other Capture Mode.

My older Canon's (400D, 550D) only support MUP in Bulb.  This is by Design.

In the Camera Designer's Defense:  Since a DSLR is designed to be a Stand-Alone Device, and all of the Metering and Focusing Functions REQUIRE the Mirror to direct the Incoming Light onto the Metering and Focusing Sensors, there just is not a Logical Case for them to have extended MUP Functionality into Modes other than Bulb/Manual.

[Billgriz]

Thanks for the responses!!

Tried the "Force use serial cable". Did not change anything.  Again, as long as it works with bulb mode...I'm good...

But... s3igell....great suggestion!! I had not tried any other shutter release packages since I made my usb-rs232 release cable. I had played with MUP a little bit in other modes just to see how it functioned but not since making the cable. I tried another package that does provide the MUP pulse and it does work. The package only provides shutter control but it does work in any mode. Most of the time I will be using BYN in bulb mode because of all the functionality it provides....but in those cases where I want the MUP functionality for exposures less than 1 sec., (which won't be very often once the eclipse is over) then I still have pretty much all options available.

You are correct about the metering (though you already knew that!). Your comment got me doing some testing for my own information and if I cover the lens at the beginning of the MUP, then uncover before the exposure starts, I get a long exposure. That won't be an issue...

So, thanks again for the responses. You comments and questions got me where I wanted to be.....

Billgriz