5x live view planetary video capture 7d mark ii

[paisen]

I am using 3.1.3 Permium with my Canon 7d Mark II for planetary imaging.  I am unable to record 5x live view video.  I get either no response or program crash when I try the 5X button.  Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

 

Paul

[jcurbo]

OK, I got 5x mode in BYE to work, but how I got there is very interesting.

 

First I was following Guylain's instructions and not getting anywhere.  The zoom button on the back doesn't seem to do anything when the camera is connected to BYE (nothing does really).  So I disconnected and went looking through the manual for the camera to make sure there wasn't something I missed.

 

There isn't just a single button you press to do zoom in the camera's Live View mode.  To start the zoom, you press the magnifying glass button (left side of the camera).  Pressing it once doesn't change the view yet, but just overlays a bracket showing where the 5x will be, which you can move around.  Pressing zoom a second time zooms on that bracket, and pressing it again goes to 10x zoom (but in the center of the 5x zoom, no option to move it).  An additional detail is that there are three AF modes during Live View - Face+Tracking, Flexizone-Multi, and Flexizone-Single.   Zoom is not available in Face+Tracking and I think it's the default mode.  Once I switched to FZ-Multi, zooming worked.  Keep in mind, this is all in the camera, and not connected to BYE.  If you want to read about this, it's all in p. 299-311 of the manual.  Specifically, p. 305 says that zoom is not available in Face+Tracking mode.

 

Now, after I did all that, I plugged my camera back in.  Once in BYE I tried 5x - and it worked.  I was able to get 5x working in Frame & Focus and Planetary mode.  I changed the camera back to Face+Tracking to confirm, and it did not work then.  The logfile for all of this is here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1937605/logfile-%5B20160207-14h40m18s751%5D-%5B6100%5D-2016-02-07.txt

 

So in summary, if you want to use 5x, go into the camera first (while not connected to BYE), activate Live View (Start/Stop button), press the Drive-AF button on top, and use the dial to change it to either Flexizone-Multi or Single.  I shut my camera off and back on and it still kept the setting, so it seems to persist.  Note that this all seems to work for me (although I haven't tried it outside yet) so any confirmation from other 7d Mark II owners is welcome.

 

 

[drjamesr]

Thanks for the info about changing the focus mode. I had the 5x function not working with the 750d, changed focus mode and all now working. Thanks!

[paisen]

17:58:58  Attempting to connect camera...
17:58:59  Canon EOS 7D Mark II CONNECTED!
17:59:04  Unable to set LiveviewAutoFocusMode, current setting is assumed!

[s3igell]

Guylain, is there any option in the SDK which allows you any control over Focus Mode??

Given that Face-Tracking is becoming derigur across the xxxD and xxD and xD Model lines, there'll be lots of users facing (pun) this issue.  And many will be frustrated if it must be left to their own MEmory to Toggle this entry ON for Daytime Use and OFF for AP Use.

[admin]

Guylain, is there any option in the SDK which allows you any control over Focus Mode??

Given that Face-Tracking is becoming derigur across the xxxD and xxD and xD Model lines, there'll be lots of users facing (pun) this issue.  And many will be frustrated if it must be left to their own MEmory to Toggle this entry ON for Daytime Use and OFF for AP Use.

 

Good question... and the short answer is i do not know, I would have to check.  Chances there is a function I can call.  The SDK does expose a lot of capability and it would not surprise me that it would be there.

 

However, I'm always reluctant to set subtle properties like this one.  I have found over the years that it is not always possible to set it back always when the camera is disconnected or shuts off... then the user will be left with a setting not set as he/she remembers it to be.  It is a double edge sword.

 

Regards,

[s3igell]

I have found over the years that it is not always possible to set it back always when the camera is disconnected or shuts off... then the user will be left with a setting not set as he/she remembers it to be.

 

Perhaps you could:

1. Record original Setting Status
2. Change Setting as Needed for Proper BYE/BYN Functionality
3. At end of Session, Advise User of Original Setting
4. Ask if User wishes BYE/BYN to Restore that Setting
5. If so, Attempt the Restoration
6. Then Check the Restored Setting and Report to the User whether Success or need for User to Manually Set

[admin]

17:58:58  Attempting to connect camera...

17:58:59  Canon EOS 7D Mark II CONNECTED!

17:59:04  Unable to set LiveviewAutoFocusMode, current setting is assumed!

 

This is not sufficient

 

The log files are in "My Pictures\BackyardTEMP\logs". 

 

Send them to support@otelescope.com.

 

Regards,

[admin]

The issue is not when the user diconnects properly, it is when they do not, when the camera loses power, or for whatever reason... then there is no opportunity to reset the setting.  I actually did that with some setting in BYE a few years back and had o remove it because the outcome was more confusing to users

[s3igell]

After an "Abrupt/Unexpected" Disconnect, you could post the "These Settings Were Changed:" Message to the BYE/BYN Screen.

 

And, if you wished to be "Safe", you could manage this BYE/BYN Behavior with a Setting Screen Selection.

 

I, for one, would appreciate the functionality of BYE/BYN making sure that the "Needful Settings Changes" for a certain BYE/BYN Imaging Mode are Automatically Asserted - rather than needing to Climb back onto my Imaging Rig (or even partially Disassemble) in order to access the actual DSLR Settings and Control Buttons.  But, other Imagers may have other Priorities...

[artcole]

Can anyone comment on whether or not this is still an issue with the latest version of BYE?

[admin]

Did you try it?  It may still be an issue.

[astroman133]

I have heard of the same issue with the 7D Mk II when using a different camera control program.  My guess is that it is a bug in the Canon SDK.  Since the SDK is "unsupported" by Canon, there is not even a mechanism for reporting the problem.  You can only hope that it will be fixed in the next release of the SDK.  Canon must be psychic to hear about user issues!

[artcole]

Can't try it... thinking of getting a 7DII and would like to know if it works in BYE.

[admin]

I didn't change any code for this issue but I did upgrade the SDK to support the 750D in the last release.  I doubt that Canon changed anything for the 7DII in the new sdk release but I can't be sure.

 

Regards,

[artcole]

OK, thanks Guylain.

[admin]

I finally got the log file from a user with a 7DMkII.  Thank you for that.

 

As it turns out the 7DMkII does not use the same property for live view zoom as any other Canon models

 

2016-02-05 20:32:40,172 [Main] INFO - Registered Property LiveviewZoom = 'Not supported'
2016-02-05 20:32:40,172 [Main] INFO - [1, Fit]
2016-02-05 20:32:40,172 [Main] INFO - [5, 5x]
2016-02-05 20:32:40,172 [Main] INFO - [10, 10x]

 

 

The property BYE uses to read/set this property in returning a "Not supported" for the 7DmKII.  This means Canon is using a different property and due to the lack of SDK documentation it is going to be very difficult to find which on it is. 

 

I'll try and see if I can find any other reference that could help finding out what the new property.

 

Thank you for keeping this issue alive be sending your log files

[jcurbo]

Thanks Guylain, much appreciated.  (I was the guy who sent in my log files, since I ran into the problem last night - first time trying my 7D Mark II for planetary work)

[admin]

Can you run a test for me.

 

1) Connect your camera and go to Frame&Focus.

2) Make sure live view is streaming and DO NOT press 5x zoom

3) Using the camera body buttons, activate 5x zoom.

4) Send me those log files, I might be able to see what property event the camera is using when going into live view zoom.

 

Thank you.

[astroman133]

The Face+Tracking mode must only be available on high-end cameras.  It is nowhere to be found on my T5i. That is why I was not able to suggest any change.

 

I'm glad that you figured it out.

[admin]

Awesome work in getting 5x zoom to work on high-end cameras with Face+Tracking.  

 

Hip Hip Hooray

[ajk]

This also worked for my 760D (T6i). Thanks

[admin]

Send me the log file and I'll take a look.

 

Thank you.