Looking for a camera w/ a very specific function

June 3, 2011 9:23 AM

I'm looking for a camera (or video camera w/ still-shot capability) that can do a NIFTY thing my Pencam can do, but with better image quality: I can set up my Pencam in a remote location connected to my PC via a cable, for example focused on some birds at a birdfeeder outside the window, and I can preview on my PC monitor what the Pencam sees & then take a pic with a mouseclick when the timing is right. Any chance?
posted by Shane to Technology (6 answers total)

Best answer: What you want to do is called tethered shooting; most DSLRs can do it but you may need additional software. I am not sure about non-DSLR cameras, but I would guess there are some that can. Here is a list of cameras that Lightroom 3 supports for tethered shooting (they call it tethered capture). Here is a similar document for Aperture.
posted by TedW at 9:34 AM on June 3, 2011

Best answer: It might be a bit technical, but take a look at gPhoto. It works with a bunch of older Canon cameras, as well as some other brands. This GUI frontend was just announced a couple of days ago. I haven't really looked at it yet, but it seems to just be a series of python scripts.
posted by natabat at 9:43 AM on June 3, 2011

Best answer: As far as I know, any DSLR comes with the manufacturer's software to do tethered shooting.
posted by notsnot at 9:44 AM on June 3, 2011

Best answer: For consumer cameras: Look into CHDK or PSRemote for Canons.
posted by wongcorgi at 9:44 AM on June 3, 2011

Best answer: Some canon digicams can do this - I have one, the powershot A520. Others are not so easy. Another option is to put CHDK on it and simply have it take pictures at regular intervals - later select the best one. I use GBTimelapse with my canon - it's not free but it's not terribly expensive either.

The reason your pen cam can do this so easily, btw, is that it's really probably a webcam. So you could also just get a nice webcam and do the same kind of thing.
posted by RustyBrooks at 11:07 AM on June 3, 2011

Response by poster: I'm old-school, I remember inline images allowed on MeFi, and I want them back, so, for example, I can post some cool graphic that says "Thank you, all" in a fun way without just saying "Thank you, all." "Thank you, all" is feeling really trite, but I'm a polite guy, so what's to do?

Thank you, all.
posted by Shane at 4:46 PM on June 3, 2011