focus control

[scartinhour]

I'm a new BYN user. I am taking sky images with a bare-bones Nikon D7100, a 50 mm lens, and a light pollution filter. The camera has an auto-focus feature that is useless for focusing on stars (as expected). But I am wondering if it would be possible for BYN to directly address the D7100 focus motor to adjust focus? Of course I can twist the lens by hand, but the motions are so jerky that it is very difficult to converge on focus. It would be nice to be able to "tap" a button in BYN and control the focus motor to move the lens in small increments.

Thank, you,

Sam

[admin]

Focusing a lens is hit and miss and requires for both the Camera + Lens to support it.  Basically the camera body has to let the command (sent via the SDK) through and pass it to he lens because the focus motor is actually in the lens.  

This works for most Canon body but sadly I think this is not the case with Nikons.

This is not working with the D7100.  Sadly even if it would it's not practical because the focus motor is engaged only when the lens is set to auto-focus and you would need to set the lens to auto-focus, then control the lens remotely, then touch the camera again to flip the auto focus off.  Either way you have to touch the camera... either to focus manually or to toggle on/off the auto focus switch... it's a lose/lose situation :(.

Regards,

[scartinhour]

46 minutes ago, admin said:

Focusing a lens is hit and miss and requires for both the Camera + Lens to support it.  Basically the camera body has to let the command (sent via the SDK) through and pass it to he lens because the focus motor is actually in the lens.  

This works for most Canon body but sadly I think this is not the case with Nikons.

This is not working with the D7100.  Sadly even if it would it's not practical because the focus motor is engaged only when the lens is set to auto-focus and you would need to set the lens to auto-focus, then control the lens remotely, then touch the camera again to flip the auto focus off.  Either way you have to touch the camera... either to focus manually or to toggle on/off the auto focus switch... it's a lose/lose situation :(.

Regards,

Thank you for your quick response -- I will simply have to learn to be a bit less clumsy!

 

[dkerber]

I don't recall the brand name, but there is at least one camera focusing system out there that works with manual or auto focus lenses by using a separate stepper motor with a pulley and a belt that goes around the focus ring on the lens. The software controls the motor, which then moves the focus as ordered. I believe it's ASCOM compatible, too.