pyKake - DSLR Remote control
 

Hello there!

This is my first Maemo application, so be gentle if I do something wrong and in the same reason, every good tip and hint how to continue from this point is gladly taken :D

I got the basic idea for this application, when I tested Shutter, it was good, but it left me missing some options (most important thing was Bulb). So I decide to do some coding practice and create my own, with those missed options included. Like Shutter, this one is written in Python and uses Lirc to handle infrared. UI is currently in GTK, but I think I will change it in Qt in somewhere in the future (when the main functionality is ready, and pr1.2 is out). Currently pyKake only works as Olympus RM-1 but in future I will add support for other remotes to (at least from Canon, Nikon and Pentax). But more about this in the future (in next release I hope and if everything goes like I hope, it will be a first deb). The Name pyKake comes from two words py=python and Kake is a Finnish nickname for remote.

Update:

Changes: New windowed UI. Added support for Canon, Nikon, Olympus and Pentax. Bulb timer. And installable from Extras-devel.

PyKake is now in Extras-devel. So you can install and use (and test it) in you device at your own risk. It should work correcly, so there shouldn't be any risk to brick your N900, but it is still in development (so I don't give any guarantee for it). So here's the warnings:

The software hosted in extras-devel is not ready for normal users!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't play with it unless you really know what you are doing. Be ready to file proper bug reports instead of posting complaints.
Expected problems: crashes, battery drain, poor system performance, full disk space & more - SERIOUSLY!
Don't play with Extras-devel if you haven't backed up your data or aren't prepared to re-flash your device.

Short manual
Install pyKake from the Extras-devel and you find it from application menu.
In the first start there should be a Settings dialog open at the begining. Select your camera and set time interval of notify beebs in Bulb mode in what you want it to be and click Save (you can also change settings at any time, from main menu under the "Settings" selection).
Program should work right after the install, but if it won't, you maybe had to restart the device (and this means there is some problems with reloading lirc, so please note me). After the Settings dialog you will see the main window, here you can select the mode to use:

1. Basic: Basic mode, here you can take photos, just clicking the "Shutter" button. For Canon cameras, there is also "Activate/Deactivate 2sec mode" button, when it is activated, photos with 2 seconds interval can be taken (in other manufacturers you had to select this function from camera).

2. Bulb: This is front end to take photos in Bulb mode. This includes "Bulb on/off" button, timer and "Add time" button (and for Canon cameras, there is also "2 sec mode" button). To use Bulb first set up your camera in bulb mode and then add time or click Bulb on button. If timer is counting up, you get sound notify in the time interval, which set up in settings (30 sec, 1 min, 10 min or Off). If timer is counting down, you will be alarmed when time is out. (The app won't send the end command to the camera automatically, you haft to do it yourself.) Timer won't understand 2 sec delay (if you use it), so you had to count it by yourself.

3. Viewer (only Olympus): There is 4 buttons in this mode: Zoom in, Zoom out, Previous and Next. You can use this to remote control your camera in View mode (Zooming in and out in picture, going to next/previous picture), this is handy if you example show your pictures in TV :p. There is probably some more better use for these buttons too (these are from RM-1 remote), but I haven't found those (maybe used in more advanced cameras than e-420) so if you have some kind of knowledge, please send note about it to me :).

If there is problems in program, or something else, you can write it up to this thread or send me an email. And thank you for your interest :)

Screenshots:

Main window:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_48abYbuby8U/S_...aQ/mainwin.png

Bulb mode:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_48abYbuby8U/S_...GY/bulbwin.png

Settings dialog:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_48abYbuby8U/S_...ttingsdial.png

And the license is GPL :)

Re: pyKake - DSLR Remote control
 

thank you for working on this. i'll be happy to test and give feedback once you've got support for Nikon.

Re: pyKake - DSLR Remote control
 

Really excited about testing this out with my 5d once it's supported.

It would also be nice if there was a small stop-watch type timer on screen as well for timing your bulb exposures.

Re: pyKake - DSLR Remote control
 

Many thanks for this app. I've installed it from repos and tried with Pentax k100d. Everything works except bulb. When I press "bulb on", it just take photo.

Re: pyKake - DSLR Remote control
 

Doesn't seem to work with Canon SX1 IS? Tried it, pressed the buttons and nothing happened. Might also be user error, don't know for sure since the lack of instructions on how to use the program and what it should print from each action.

Re: pyKake - DSLR Remote control
 

rantom, I had to restart my phone and select my camera in settings to make it working.

Re: pyKake - DSLR Remote control
 

Do we still need to get the correct lirc config file as per instructions? (i own a canon xsi). Or have the config files for all the manfufacturers been included?

Re: pyKake - DSLR Remote control
 

Nope, didn't help. I see no action on my camera and I can't even really tell, what's supposed happen, due to lack of instructions, as I said earlier on.

Re: pyKake - DSLR Remote control
 

Hello again :) I haven't update this thread yet (it's my mistake, I have just move it on and on), but I will update it today :rolleyes:. It is nice to see, this application has wake interest because I made it mostly for my own need, but I also try to make it usable to others too, of course. Like you probably have already notice, it is now in Extras-devel (and all those updates there are updates to get deb work correctly).

No, should work whitout hacks, just choose correct camera from settings dialog. PyKake uses mainly same lirc config files as is used in shutter widget (exception is Olympus, which uses different remote, to get more functions). All needed files (for Canon, Nikon, Olympus and Pentax) are included in package and you only need to choose correct manufacturer in Settings dialog, which will also be shown when you start the application at the first time). But because I only own Olympus DSLR, I have only tested with it, and there is no 100% proof that it will also work with others (and I already have get some feedback that there is errors with Nikon D90).

Have you set the camera itself in Bulb mode? Because in pyKake Bulb mode is only a front-end which includes shutter button (named as "Bulb on" and "Bulb off" depending the status of button press) and timer + Time add button. It will also play some nice little sounds (when counting up, it uses time interval selected in Settings dialog to play beeb sound and when counting down it will play alarm sound when time is up). Anyway the Bulb commands are just basic shutter commands (exception in the Olympus, which has own special commands), so you need to check from cameras own manual how to use bulb mode in it (example in Olympus e-420 you can take bulb photos only in M-mode, when you have set shutter speed in "BULB", the longest one) and this guideline works also for the normal use of remote, pyKake will not automatically set your camera in remote/bulb mode, you had to do that yourself (and best way to find how to do this is read the cameras manual).

There is no feedback system in current version of pyKake, but it will be added later, it is major "bug", because I didn't need those (all debug and testing is done in X term, so all warnings and messages comes in there too), so I forgot to add them, sorry.

I will update the first post of this thread with better instructions and small changelog as soon as possible (it will take 1-2 hours from the moment I post this one).

And because pyKake is in Extras-devel (and even it should be perfectly safe to install, use and remove it), I will put this warning message here ;) :
The software hosted in extras-devel is not ready for normal users!PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't play with it unless you really know what you are doing. Be ready to file proper bug reports instead of posting complaints. Expected problems: crashes, battery drain, poor system performance, full disk space & more - SERIOUSLY!

Don't play with Extras-devel if you haven't backed up your data or aren't prepared to re-flash your device.

Re: pyKake - DSLR Remote control
 

Yes, camera is in Bulb mode. Pentax k100d has 2 options for remote: one takes picture when pressed and second takes picture after 3s delay. When I set first option and select Bulb mode, picture is taken with time 0.7s despite of settings.
When I set option with 3s delay and select Bulb mode, picture is taken with time 0.3s.

User manual says:
I've tried that but it doesn't work.