camera trick

May 16, 2012 64 Replies

These big old Tek 11801 scopes don't put screen snaps on memory sticks or anything fancy like that, so I photograph the screen for manuals. To get a nice flat field, you have to back off some and zoom, and then you need a tripod to hold the camera steady. Light level is low, so the camera takes a long exposure. When you push the button, that jiggles the camera. The delayed exposure thing takes too long.



Here's the trick, which works with my camera: deliberately shake the camera as you push the exposure button, and step back. The camera's anti-shake logic will wait until it thinks it's steady, then shoot.



This seems to make sharper pix than any other way.



Zoom up on this one:



formatting link


I post-process with Irfanview.


John Larkin Highland Technology, Inc jlarkin at highlandtechnology dot com http://www.highlandtechnology.com Precision electronic instrumentation Picosecond-resolution Digital Delay and Pulse generators Custom laser drivers and controllers Photonics and fiberoptic TTL data links VME thermocouple, LVDT, synchro acquisition and simulation

There used to be camera mount that you could buy that slotted onto the front of the scope.

I'm damned if I can remember where I used it - either EMI Central Research thirty odd-years ago or Cambridge Instruments more than twenty years ago - but it did make life a lot easier.

-- Bill Sloman, Nijmegen

The old Tek 545 types had a special bezel that the Tek Polaroid camera would hook onto.

The 11801 has a big, somewhat curved screen, magnetic deflection, and you have to get a few feet back to get a reasonably flat field. Interestingly, the older b+w scopes look a lot better in photos than the color ones. I think the color scopes (11801A and such) used shadow mask tubes, so look pretty pixeleted.

John Larkin Highland Technology, Inc jlarkin at highlandtechnology dot com http://www.highlandtechnology.com Precision electronic instrumentation Picosecond-resolution Digital Delay and Pulse generators Custom laser drivers and controllers Photonics and fiberoptic TTL data links VME thermocouple, LVDT, synchro acquisition and simulation

No GPIB? I wanted to avoid it but I'm thinking about getting some GPIB gear to make screendumps. There seem to be several software package that support various Tek scopes.

Failure does not prove something is impossible, failure simply indicates you are not using the right tools... nico@nctdevpuntnl (punt=.) --------------------------------------------------------------

It has GPIB, but I don't. I does have RS232, which I've used for jitter analysis. All a nuisance. And I kind of like how the real pictures look in manuals, sort of authentic.

All the new scopes will dump a pretty color jpeg onto a memory stick.

John Larkin Highland Technology, Inc jlarkin at highlandtechnology dot com http://www.highlandtechnology.com Precision electronic instrumentation Picosecond-resolution Digital Delay and Pulse generators Custom laser drivers and controllers Photonics and fiberoptic TTL data links VME thermocouple, LVDT, synchro acquisition and simulation

It will print to a HP LaserJet nicely.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Anchor Steam OBA can fix that problem nicely :-)

Nah. I have a Prologix GPIB-USB adapter. Those also come for Ethernet and you could probably have your scope on the company network that way. The GPIB-USB works like a champ and I get "module spec ready" plots that way.

The only thing I've always wondered about is that red glow behind the HP3577. The Prologix has that illuminated all the time if a PC is connected. So I guess if it was a laptop it'll tug on the battery all the time. It's eerie, the big switch is in the "Off" position and there's something aglow.

I must admit yours really do look authentic and more lively. But when preparing docs for highly "official" use, like for agencies, I guess they'd frown if I did that. Or my clients would, who have to submit this stuff.

Some take half an eternity to complete though.

Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/

[snip]

Anyone have any tricks to do remote shutter on a camera not so-enabled? ...Jim Thompson

| James E.Thompson, CTO | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Thread a hole in the top of the shutter button, and attach a legacy "remote" button actuator. They work by air pressure bladder and a hose usually.

I know, the button likely would not take to drilling well, and is likely plastic too.

Cheaper to simply buy a new camera. There are hot offerings out there for cheap. You get more than remote shutter enactment too.

"Jim Thompson" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Which Camera?

If it?s a Canon, then maybe with CHDK and a USB remote hack.

formatting link

Cheers

"Jim Thompson" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

I usually use the self timer on a small tripod. That way you don't need to touch the camera during the exposure.

Olympus SP-800UZ ...Jim Thompson

| James E.Thompson, CTO | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Most of the new scopes have USB host on the front, why not simply hit the save ?

For those that don't have that on the front, many have the serial link option.

Also, I found using a web cam works well getting images from CRT scopes. I did noticed however, if you hold the camera slightly at an angle instead of straight on it seems to work better? I think it has something to do multiple reflection.

Jamie

"Jim Thompson" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Oh that one ;)

Looks like your out of luck unless you hobble something together. What about a strap-on? (grin)

Cheers

Hey, I put pics of whiteboard sketches in proposals and manuals.

John Larkin Highland Technology Inc www.highlandtechnology.com jlarkin at highlandtechnology dot com Precision electronic instrumentation Picosecond-resolution Digital Delay and Pulse generators Custom timing and laser controllers Photonics and fiberoptic TTL data links VME analog, thermocouple, LVDT, synchro, tachometer Multichannel arbitrary waveform generators

I have a local machine shop here (Horizon Machine) that's been doing some innovative work for me... maybe I'll just design my own "strap-on" ;-) ...Jim Thompson

| James E.Thompson, CTO | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Quite a few camera makers sell wireless remotes - although you do have to make sure it works with your model. Otherwise look for gadgets sold to birders and amateur astronomers for afocal photography through a telescope scope that essentially wrap around the camera and allow for a traditional cable release to press the shutter button.

You could make one yourself from 2mm alu strip.

Regards, Martin Brown

That one does have a self timer I notice. (2 or 12 sec)

My scopes and spectrum analyser don't have that. I tried a floppy-to USB emulator but that was too cumbersome to use.

Failure does not prove something is impossible, failure simply indicates you are not using the right tools... nico@nctdevpuntnl (punt=.) --------------------------------------------------------------

That's ok and makes them look alive. But a module spec for formal agency blessings is different, that would almost be like putting some smileys into a court document.

Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/

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