Hack 97 Remote-Control Camera

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Hack 97 Remote-Control Camera

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You don't always need to have your finger on the shutter release to control your camera. You might prefer to click the mouse button instead .

One of the things people often overlook when comparing digital cameras is the software that comes bundled with them. Throughout this book, it's clear that I think Photoshop Elements or its big brother, Photoshop CS, is essential software for digital photographers. A bundled copy of Elements is certainly something to keep an eye peeled for when shopping for a camera.

Beyond that, however, many manufacturers also include their own software to enhance the value of their product. This hack introduces another of my favorite bundled applications: remote-control software. I'll be working in Canon's excellent RemoteCapture program, which comes free with their cameras, but Nikon offers Nikon Capture, Minolta has DiMAGE Capture, and other manufacturers make similar products that are equally compelling.

RemoteCapture allows you to think about your camera in a whole new way. Instead of always needing to join photographer and camera at the index finger, you can mount your camera on a tripod, connect its USB cable to your computer, and watch what it sees on your computer monitor, as shown in Figure 8-31. You can even adjust its controls right from your keyboard. When you have everything the way you want, click the mouse to take the picture.

Figure 8-31. RemoteCapture setup
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One of my favorite uses for this setup is photographing birds and other local wildlife that are shy around humans . Using a laptop computer, I can mount the camera on a tripod close to a bird feeder and then watch the activity on my computer screen. With RemoteCapture, I can zoom the lens in and out, control the flash, adjust exposure compensation, and even change the white balance, as shown in Figure 8-32. Once I take the picture, it appears on my computer screen for review. Based on a quick review of the shot, I can make further adjustments and take another shot.

Figure 8-32. The remote-control panel for my digicam
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If your USB cable isn't long enough for you to hide out of sight, you can add a USB hub on a cable to give yourself more working distance. Be sure to have an extra camera battery in your pocket if you plan on an extended shoot. RemoteCapture does turn off your digicam's LCD viewfinder, but the electronics are still active and draining the battery.

With this scenario, the power of your computer is extending the shooting capability of your camera. RemoteCapture's Time Lapse feature illustrates this point well. Using your computer, you can program your camera to take a picture at a specific interval over a designated period of time. The classic time-lapse series that we've all seen shows a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. But this technique has many other applications, including surveillance of an area when you're not present.

You will need an AC power adapter for both camera and computer. But who would have ever thought that your budget digicam could perform such sophisticated tricks?

Canon's RemoteCapture is a terrific enhancement to its digital-camera software bundle. If you're interested in pursuing these shooting options, be sure to investigate the bundled software, as well as the camera, when shopping for your next digicam.

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Digital Photography Hacks
Digital Photography Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools
ISBN: 0596006667
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 161
Authors: Derrick Story

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