Nikon IR intervalometer using LCD shield

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) General Exhibition
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Hi there

my first real post about a completed project... :slight_smile:

I've always fancied doing timelapse with my D90, and the last time I looked, there was only 3rd party wired-only units that were limited by their own designs (only 999 pictures or so forth, preset timers, expensive). So a while back I looked again and saw that a few people had made various incarnations using their arduino and things like variable resisters/rotary encoders, etc. I always liked them, but didn't have any of that kit hanging around. So I used what I had... :smiley:

So, my implementation uses a nuelectronics LCD shield instead...
http://www.nuelectronics.com/estore/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2
I figured it also can give feedback on the number of photos took, when the next one is due to be taken, etc. It also means that the settings are menu driven - for example, intervals can be displayed as 1s, 5s, 1m, 1h, etc, and the no of photos can be chosen directly too.

The sketch for it is here: http://www.hagane.org.uk/arduino.php if anyone's interested in taking a look? I welcome feedback and (if anyone actually thinks it's usable?) feature requests.

On the hardware side, it just needs the LCD-shield and an IR LED hooked up to pin 13. The input buttons are (from left to right) start/stop, decrease interval/no of photos, up, down, increase interval/no of photos, reset.

A few notes:

  • Uses the Nikon IR Library from Gustav von Roth. It's awesome, and I don't think I'd have had the knowledge/skills to find the IR timings myself... :frowning: http://www.vonroth.com/Arduino/NikonIrControl/
  • Uses the LCD_4bitmod library from nuelectronics, as their shield's geared up to use it.
  • I know the code/variable naming is on the messy side. I'm rusty from my last 'real' coding stuff 6 years back. I do plan to clean it up sometime.
  • Would be nicer if it used interrupts. Unfortunately the shield's buttons are on an analogue pin, and from the hour or so research I did when I was sketching, you can't use arduino interrupts on analogue pins. Please correct me if I'm wrong? :slight_smile:
  • I am relying on delays. I know this is bad (boo, hiss, etc) and have been thinking of changing over to millis timing, but for me this is a 1.0 release. Wanted to see if anyone would actually be interested in me developing it further or whether everyone's happy with the other solutions out there...
  • If anyone wants photos, let me know. At this stage it's just naked, on a seeedstudio acrylic harness.
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I am beginning to start my project with this thread as an inspiration. =D

Could you upload photos for me to look off of? This is my first try with any arduino project, and I don't have the LCD shield. I'm going to try some proof of concept/playing around work without it.

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Sounds good! Look forward to seeing your implementation too!

also, my webhost's now moved (unfortunately)

so the sketch is now at http://www.kinyobi.co.uk/arduino.php

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Sorry, edited my original post after you replied. I'd like to see some pics of yours, if I could. I've not gotten an LCD shield yet, so i'll be venturing off without it. =D

I've got the D3000, which works with the ML-3 remote, so I should be good to go. Also, could you show how you mount yours up on a tripod?

Thanks,

Cory

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Andy, I had already made a arduino ir intervalometer for my nikon d50 and the first thing i wanted to be able to do was make field adjustments without having to use a laptop, i was thinking of using some dip switches to set the times and then found your project, so i ordered a lcd unit which arrived today and about 10 minutes later i had it working and taking photos.

so great work, it works and seeing as you were looking for feedback, i thought I would throw you some ideas.

  1. is theere a way to turn off the lcd backlight, until there is a button press (to save power when running on batteries)
  2. could you add a menu to select from a range of different cameras IR command structures (say f you want to change from a nikon to Canon camera)
    3, I also made a shield to take a photo when lightining is detected and was wondering if that would be an idea to include as well.

regards richie