In article ,
Don Foreman wrote:

On Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:08:39 -0600, nick hull wrote:

In article ,
Don Foreman wrote:


Digital cameras, at least some of them, only turn themselves off
after a period of no activity. Many or most digital cameras have a
"focus" or "lock exposure" function when you half-press the shutter
button. Just do that periodically, and the camera will stay on, while
taking photos only when the button is fully depressed.

An idea worth trying Would prefer to do it electrically instead of
mechanically to avoid camera shake.

Many also have some means of remote actuation. The Olympus I rigged
up for a guy to take wildlife photos remotely (by radio control) had a
connector on it. The remote had two resistors and a two-position
button. The camera would focus and read exposure with one resistance,
operate the shutter with a lower resistance. I just replicated the
remote with a radio. He never mentioned having problems with the
camera shutting off, so it may be that it would stay on when the
remote was connected.

My old Oly C2500 has infrared remote control, which would be even
easier -- no connector.

I'm trying to do it with a Olympus 300 which has an IR remote if I can
keep the camera on. If it goes off I have to manually push buttons to
get it back to remote operation. Would love to attach wires to do it as
long as I can keep the camera on.

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/

Check your camera menu -- or (shudder) manual if you still have it. My
Oly C2500 of similar vintage can be set to not turn itself off. Also,

Could not find such an option in menu or manual ;(

with the shutoff time set at one minute, I found that doing something
with the IR remote (which I think is the same as used on the D300)
periodically keeps the camera on. I just hit the W and Z zoom
buttons.

My remote only has ONE button, to take the picture ;(

The camera would need an external power supply of course, or the
batteries will be consumed in a couple of hours. The IR remote could
be simulated with an IR LED and appropriate drive elex.

I have an external power supply, but the camera goes to sleep and
retracts the lens in a couple of minutes anyway.

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