[Gphoto-user] PowerShot S90 and and Lumix DMC-FX580 compatibility

[Antoine Beyeler]

Hello All,

I’m new to gphoto2 and I’m on the market for a gphoto2-compatible camera that is as lightweight as possible but has manual modes. The following two cameras are good candidates:

Canon PowerShot S90
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580

However, neither of them is listed in the supported camera list of gphoto2. I’ve seen hints that the S90 is functional (as is a large range of Canon’s camera), but I’m unsure about the Lumix. Is my intuition correct that the Canon is more likely to be compatible than the Lumix? I’m looking for image transfer and remote triggering.

Thanks in advance!
Best,
Antoine

[Marcus Meissner]

Post by Antoine Beyeler
Hello All,
Canon PowerShot S90
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580
However, neither of them is listed in the supported camera list of gphoto2. I’ve seen hints that the S90 is functional (as is a large range of Canon’s camera), but I’m unsure about the Lumix. Is my intuition correct that the Canon is more likely to be compatible than the Lumix? I’m looking for image transfer and remote triggering.

They are functional in the way that you can download images.

Both are unable to remote trigger (to our current knowledge).

Ciao, Marcus

[Antoine Beyeler]

Post by Marcus Meissner

Post by Antoine Beyeler
Hello All,
Canon PowerShot S90
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580
However, neither of them is listed in the supported camera list of gphoto2. I’ve seen hints that the S90 is functional (as is a large range of Canon’s camera), but I’m unsure about the Lumix. Is my intuition correct that the Canon is more likely to be compatible than the Lumix? I’m looking for image transfer and remote triggering.

They are functional in the way that you can download images.
Both are unable to remote trigger (to our current knowledge).

Thank you for your quick answer. So I gather that, as far as Canon is concerned, remote triggering is possible only with the Gx and EOS series.

I have another question you may be able to answer regarding these camera. Is it possible to use them manually with the USB cable connected (but gphoto2 inactive)? Or do they enter the "photo transfer" mode as soon as they are tethered?

What I’m looking at right now is a completely automated setup where photos are triggered automatically and transferred on a linux system. I’m willing to explore alternative ways of triggering photos but I must ensure that tether-ness or gphoto2 is not going to interfere...

Thanks for your help,
Antoine

[Marcus Meissner]

Post by Antoine Beyeler
Thank you for your quick answer. So I gather that, as far as Canon is concerned, remote triggering is possible only with the Gx and EOS series.

Well, the exact list of capture capable cameras is on the Canon site.

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=SDKHomePageAct&keycode=Sdk_Lic&fcategoryid=314&modelid=7474&id=3464

Canon has stopped Powershot remote control support altogether, including
the G series.

Post by Antoine Beyeler
I have another question you may be able to answer regarding these camera. Is it possible to use them manually with the USB cable connected (but gphoto2 inactive)? Or do they enter the "photo transfer" mode as soon as they are tethered?

The Powershot cameras will lock their UI on plug-in (or first access? not sure).

The EOS cameras are so-and-so ... for regular download they will lock
their UI, but you can unlock it programmatically. Just plugging in the cable
does not lock the UI.

The EOS support a "wait for event mode" which can be triggerd using
gphoto2 --wait-event-and-download
where you could use the camera tethered as usual and where it would
transfer images that you took on the camera.

Post by Antoine Beyeler
What I’m looking at right now is a completely automated setup where photos are triggered automatically and transferred on a linux system. I’m willing to explore alternative ways of triggering photos but I must ensure that tether-ness or gphoto2 is not going to interfere...

Ciao, Marcus

[Antoine Beyeler]

Marcus,

Thanks for the valuable information.

Do you have any idea how the Lumix is behaving when tethered? Any chance to trigger it while connected to the USB?

Best,
Antoine

Post by Marcus Meissner

Post by Antoine Beyeler
Thank you for your quick answer. So I gather that, as far as Canon is concerned, remote triggering is possible only with the Gx and EOS series.

Well, the exact list of capture capable cameras is on the Canon site.
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=SDKHomePageAct&keycode=Sdk_Lic&fcategoryid=314&modelid=7474&id=3464
Canon has stopped Powershot remote control support altogether, including
the G series.

Post by Antoine Beyeler
I have another question you may be able to answer regarding these camera. Is it possible to use them manually with the USB cable connected (but gphoto2 inactive)? Or do they enter the "photo transfer" mode as soon as they are tethered?

The Powershot cameras will lock their UI on plug-in (or first access? not sure).
The EOS cameras are so-and-so ... for regular download they will lock
their UI, but you can unlock it programmatically. Just plugging in the cable
does not lock the UI.
The EOS support a "wait for event mode" which can be triggerd using
gphoto2 --wait-event-and-download
where you could use the camera tethered as usual and where it would
transfer images that you took on the camera.

Post by Antoine Beyeler
What I’m looking at right now is a completely automated setup where photos are triggered automatically and transferred on a linux system. I’m willing to explore alternative ways of triggering photos but I must ensure that tether-ness or gphoto2 is not going to interfere...

Ciao, Marcus

[Marcus Meissner]

Post by Antoine Beyeler
Marcus,
Thanks for the valuable information.
Do you have any idea how the Lumix is behaving when tethered? Any chance to trigger it while connected to the USB?

I do not know it ... But it is very unlikely.

Ciao, Marcus