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USB control of a canon camera using a microprocessor

Hello camera gurus.

I am trying to use a microcontroller to control a canon SLR's many functions via the USB port. I know the SDK's can be used for writing programs that will run on a PC or MAC but is there anyway to do this on a microcontroller? I imagine it is a case of knowing what the actual USB commands are and mimicking them from the MCU's USB port. Anyone know how to do this? I know it is possible to use the small stereo plug to control focus and shutter but I am looking at much more in depth control of more complex functions... Any ideas would be great.

Thanks.

SDK newbie
Wed, 22 Oct 2008 23:56:42 +0000

Look into SiLabs' toolstick platform, the 8051F34x series has USB onboard and a bunch of example code to show you how to use it. Unless the SDKs document it, you'll probably have to reverse-engineer the actual USB protocol used (I'd suggest using the available SDKs to knock together PC/Mac code and sniffing the USB bus to work out what's being sent, as you have full control over what's being done, this should be a lot easier than reverse-engineering "blind")

Simon

Simon
Thu, 23 Oct 2008 07:28:16 +0000

Hi Simon,

That's more or less what i figured I would have to do... I guess, as they say, "nothing worth doing is ever easy." I'll look into SiLabs as you suggested. Most of my embedded device programming has been done on the PIC platform but it never hurts to check out other platforms... Thanks for the advice, and if anybody else happens to have any other advice, information, or suggestions it would be much appreciated.

Thanks again

SDK newbie
Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:56:16 +0000

There may be a simpler answer. You are looking for full source/protocol info for communication with the camera, avoiding any binary-only libraries (which I assume are a limitation of the official Canon SDK).

How about checking out the Linux projects that talk to the Canons and do remote capture?

gPhoto.org
capture.sourceforge.net

Full source is available.

Regards,

Doug

DSchafer
Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:47:38 +0000

How is your project with micro controller and Canon SLR coming? Just curious.

TX.

eliab
Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:08:38 +0000

Any success with this? I'm trying to do something similar with an arduino and a canon g2 or g5 for aerial photography.

Daniel Agar
Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:30:39 +0000

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