Tuesday 29 November 2011

Synchronisation


SLR Shepherd

Synchronisation of the 2 shutters remains a problem even with my twin cable release - with a small but sometimes significant random time delay. I seem to get a better sync. by pressing either of the camera body shutter releases (with the twin cable release attached of course). I understand now that there is no perfect solution to this problem. I could purchase an 'SLR Shepherd' which claims to achieve optimal shutter sync. but at $630 this is a luxury I am forced to live without - for now.

Saturday 14 May 2011

Flickr

Just created flickr account onto which I've begun uploading my 3D images.

Wednesday 11 May 2011

Ready for Action

My Canon 10D's fronted by cheap 28-80mm lenses (remember great depth of field required for effective stereo photography so aperture will typically be set smaller than f11) and attached to vertical mount with my twin shutter release connected. All sat atop a Manfrotto 222 joystick mount.

twin cable release for £2

To release shutters simultaneously on two Canon EOS's;
1. buy 2 cheap cable releases (RS-80N3 for 10D, 5D, 1D costs just 99p on ebay from China!).

2. remove 3 connecting wires from one switch box and solder onto the corresponding contacts in the other (wires are colour coordinated and the 'Shoot' release I purchased even had spare contacts to solder onto).

3. use a craft knife or file to extend the opening to accomodate the second cable.

4. put back together after ensuring that the 3 new wires will not slip between the switch contacts (I used sticky tape to keep them to one side of the box).

That's it!

Tuesday 10 May 2011

£400? £10? no - best solution 99p!

The Yongnuo 128's did not work well. 2 problems;
Firstly there is often a delay of a second or two before the shutters released. Secondly - and more serious for stereo photography - the cameras did not always fire simultaneously. There seemed to be a random time difference.
Now using RS-80N3 remote cable release. 

99p from China! (plus 99p postage) - How do they do that?!
Bought two. Simple task to remove cable from one and solder wires into the other - there's even a spare set of contacts to solder onto! Used craft knife to extend hole at top end to accomodate second cable. Now one switch really does control two cameras simultaneously. 

Saturday 30 April 2011

£400 or £10 ?

Need a remote shutter release to control the 2 cameras simultaneously.
Here's one way - using stereo headphone connectors to splice together 2 cable shutter releases:  http://vimeo.com/6404815
Decide instead to purchase radio controlled release. But which one? Canon RRP £400 or Yongnuo £10 ?
After thinking for a nanosecond or two I made my decision and bought 2 Yongnuo 128's from ebay.

Only hope it works. (i.e. that one remote will control 2 receivers to operate both shutters simultaneously).
Tried to find out by reading the instructions. Here are some excerpts:

Pretty shape - filled the smoothly modern feeling design, it's the best commune with machine

Okay so it looks nice

Pretty shape, it has the decoration function modern modelling, facile exquisite, whole set only like palm size, facilitates to carry.

So it looks nice and it's small - but can one transmitter control 2 receivers? I think the answer may lie in here but I can't be sure...

Because of the muti-wraps wireless will simultaneously use will have based on this the mutual influence, therefore the launcher and the receiver have established four digit switch codes, can avoid in the certain extent the disturbance. when the use group racket function, need transmitter's digit code switch to establish completely only as loon, then all receivers implements the active control to the region, realizes to camera focusing, the shutter and the B mode control.
 
Almost worth buying just for the Chinglish! 

Saturday 23 April 2011

Brian May's book & Owl viewer

My first stereoscopic viewer arrived today - The 'Owl viewer' - part of a package with the book 'A Village Lost and Found' by Brian May (of Queen fame) and Elena Vidal.

Beautiful book. Bargain price from Amazon. Used the viewer on images on this blog - reasonable effect but images must still remain fairly small resulting in pixels becoming evident.  Looking forward to arrival of viewers from California designed for viewing larger on-screen images.

Friday 22 April 2011

1st step - 3D mount is on its way!

Just ordered a mount from California. The only company on planet Earth - it seems - which manufacture a bracket for mounting  2 SLR cameras vertically and close enough together to give a realistic stereoscopic effect is Jasper Engineering. Bought mine through www.Berezin.com also based in California.

Already have 2 Canon 10D's to which I will attach recently acquired cheap 28-80mm lenses (thanks ebay). I'm on the way to shooting in 3D!