Using a canon Powershot camera with labview.

[anthonyyiangou]

Hi I have a Canon Powershot A95 camera and am hoping to use it with LabView as part of a program that will allow me to control a microscope remotely.

Using a LabView Toolkit from HYtek Automation (seeLink below)

http://www.hytekautomation.com/Products/PTPCam.html

I can take a picture with the camera. 

However I need to be able to see the subject on screen before I take the picture which is not possible using that toolkit.

I was wondering if anybody has got a way of getting a live image from a Canon camera.

I have found software that allows me to view and take a picture but it is non Labview software so I don't know if it would be possible to incorporate it into the overall program.

This is:        software supplied with the camera

                 and a program from this website: http://web.axelero.hu/rugo100/rc.htm

Has anybody done something similar? I would be grateful for any help or sugestions.

[Hillman]

 Hi anthonyyiangou,

Good Morning and I hope your well today. Thanks for your post! 

I have been looking into your application and questions. I have some comments to make and some suggestions also. 

Firstly, "Getting a Live Image from Canon Camera".

I believe this camera doesn't support live video feed. This feature starts to be avaiailbe in Canon 3 digit processor range, A450D+. If you meant a way to take several still images in a sequence to generate a 'continous' image then I believe this is possible. This is known as a grab. 

Generally, for using usb cameras (such as yours?) I would recommend using the NI IMAQ for USB Cameras. Please note: this is not offically supported by National Instruemnts Corp. At this link, you will find a library which will allow you to acquire images from USB Cameras which support Microsoft Direct show. Does you camera work in Directshow? I assume it does as you can using the LabVIEW Toolkit from HYtek Automation.

With the NI IMAQ for USB Camera Driver you could use an example such as NI-IMAQ for USB: Grab and Save Image with USB Camera from the NI Community. This would allow you to acquire multiple images.And then when your happy with the image and 'snap' a picture, you'll just save the last one to file.. or whatever.

Please also note: The NI USB Driver does not support the Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP).

Once having these images, using them with the LabVIEW Toolkit should be ok. Just make sure you don't reference the camera at the same time. You could only use once program at a time. So firstly, use one program to acquire multiple images, close the reference. Then start the application you have with  the HYtek library. I would also consider speaking with HYtek for guidence, as they maybe able to help you. 

 I hope this helps, and please let me know your thoughts.

[anthonyyiangou]

Hi Hillman,

Thanks for your reply.

I'll first tell you a little more about the aplication. the Camera will be fitted to the microscope and so will see the magnified image of whatever is under the microscope. The user will have to look at what the camera sees and move the specimen or ajust the Z-axis to focus. 

Because of this I think that having a live feed from the camera would be best. Failing this I am considering tking a picture,ajustng the microscope, taking another picture and so on until an acceptable image is optained.

With regard to "Live image from the canon" the software, using the software supplied by cannon and the and the software I mentioned in my first post  I can get a live feed from the camera. when that software runs the sutter remains open and I can see what the camera sees on screen.

However when I use the HYtech toolkit the shuter only opens when I ask it to to take a picture and.

Would this still mean that I wont be able to get a live feed from the camera in Labview even though I can with there software?

Thanks

Anthony

p.s. I will also have a look at the other things you suggested but it woul be great if we could stick with this camera because we bought  an attachment for it to fit onto the microscope. 

[Hillman]

Hi Anthony,

Thanks for your reply and I hope your well today.

I was being fairly general. From your observations it would appear you camera does allow live feed. 

But from my understand of the NI USB driver this isn't supported. But, there clearly is a way to do this. I would recommend contacting HYtech, as you've already invested in them they ought to be able to help you further. 

Thanks,