Linking multiple DSLR cameras to fire simultaneously

[Frikkie5000]

Hi everyone. We are currently building a face scanner that can provide us with 3D facial models for research purposes. We'll be using Agisoft PhotoScan. The scanner will comprise of 10-20 Cannon 1200D DSLR cameras.

There are some challenges that we hope camera enthusiasts can help us with, as we don't know that much about photography. The most pressing problem is the triggering of the cameras.

How do you link these 10+ cameras to fire simultaneously? We thought about using something like Breezesystems software to trigger them via USB, where the cameras are all connected to a 10 port powered USB hub. USB is not going to work though because there is a 150ms delay between the triggering of each camera, leading to a 1.5 second delay between the first and last camera. Participants can easily move in this time and any movement messes with the accuracy of the 3D model.

Another option is a passive type relay (Esper Shuttercell) where all the cameras are connected to the relay via the 2.5mm jacks. A single remote trigger can then be used to trigger all of them? We're not sure if this will work though.

Any other ideas or ways we can do this without having to import equipment?

 

[thehuman]

on a safe side a relay per camera
then a master relay to trigger camera relays
but a esper shuttercell then open it and make ur own

 

[bwana]

Cant think of anything easier than x number of 2.5mm stereo jacks, x number equal lengths of cable, and wire them to one button.

 

[Progenix Oj101]

Cant think of anything easier than x number of 2.5mm stereo jacks, x number equal lengths of cable, and wire them to one button.

What about one IR trigger?

 

[bwana]

What about one IR trigger?

Could work but given the cameras are likely to be in a circle around the subject and the IR sensor (IIRC) in in the front of the camera how do you get the IR signal to spread to all of the cameras?

 

[Nanfeishen]

Interesting

Another option is a passive type relay (Esper Shuttercell)

Looks pricey

Any other ideas or ways we can do this without having to import equipment?

Read what the poster called Magnus says in post #4
http://www.agisoft.com/forum/index.php?topic=1426.0

A few Belkin RockStar 5-Way 3.5-mm Headphone Splitters - (available locally ???)
http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-RockStar-3-5-mm-Headphone-Splitter/dp/B0017PG8KS

A few 2.5mm -3.5 adaptors as required

Some cabling and a wired remote - from what i gather from his posts is that the half press focuses all the cameras simultaneously.

 

[gregmcc]

You could put this together with an Arduino and about 5 lines of code. An easy 30 min project.

 

[Progenix Oj101]

Could work but given the cameras are likely to be in a circle around the subject and the IR sensor (IIRC) in in the front of the camera how do you get the IR signal to spread to all of the cameras?

From directly above the center of the circle? I haven't tried it, but the working angle of the IR remotes is quite large. A generic (eg Phottix) IR remote can be had for a pittance.

 

[Frikkie5000]

Thanks for the suggestions eveyone. The Arduino and "splitter-orgy" solutions look to be the most promising candidates.

Triggering via IR is an option, but suw to the cameras being positioned semi-circle it doean't seem to be as reliable as we need.

 

[Swa]

Most sure fire way is to connect a relay to the shutter button. Few people would want to mess with electronics though so the easier solution is to work through the battery grip interface. Focusing is going to be the biggest problem as each camera will take its own time to focus. So you'll need two relays on each camera, one for the half press focus and one for the full press shutter release. Controlling the relays from a common power source is the easy bit.

 

[adsl2]

Most sure fire way is to connect a relay to the shutter button. Few people would want to mess with electronics though so the easier solution is to work through the battery grip interface. Focusing is going to be the biggest problem as each camera will take its own time to focus. So you'll need two relays on each camera, one for the half press focus and one for the full press shutter release. Controlling the relays from a common power source is the easy bit.

Manual focus?

 

[Swa]

Manual focus?

Could work.