Product Information for PSRemote

PSRemotePurchaseDownload

Online Support

PSRemote FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

PSRemote Pro Help Files - Online Program help pages in HTML format - Please note, this link opens in a separate window

Trouble shooting connections to Canon PowerShot Cameras
Please check the following if you are having problems downloading directly from Canon PowerShot cameras via the USB interface:
1) Not all current PowerShot models support remote capture. Please see the list of supported camera models.
2) Older camera models may require Canon USB drivers to be installed on the PC before they can be used with PSRemote. The latest Canon USB drivers are can be downloaded from Canon's website.
3) Some cameras have a camera/play switch and this needs to be set to "Play" mode.
4) Connect the camera directly to a USB port in your computer if possible as USB hubs sometimes cause problems.
5) Use the USB cable supplied with your camera or a short USB cable as longer USB cables are less reliable

Windows Vista Support: Now supported by PSRemote v1.5.8 for recent PowerShot models. Older PowerShot models are only supported if USB drivers for Vista are available on Canon's website.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How far can I setup my camera from the PC?
  2. Is it possible to use manual focus when the camera is connected to the PC?
  3. Can the lens be zoomed from the PC?
  4. Can live viewfinder images be displayed on the PC?
  5. What is the maximum frame rate when the camera is connected to the PC?
  6. Can I use the camera's controls when it is connected to a PC?
  7. Can I control the camera using a PDA?
  8. Why does my camera stop taking pictures during a long time-lapse sequence?
  1. How far can I setup my camera from the PC?
    The maximum length of a USB cable is 5m. USB repeaters can be used to extend the cable length to approx 20m and more expensive, fiber optic extenders are available for longer lengths. Suppliers of USB repeaters can be found by searching on Google with search phrases like "USB repeater" or "USB extender". You can also use a USB server which connects to an ethernet LAN e.g. the USB server from Keyspan.

  2. Is it possible to use manual focus when the camera is connected to the PC?
    No, but it is possible to lock the auto focus on a subject and use the same focus setting for several pictures.

  3. Can the lens be zoomed from the PC?
    Yes, it is possible to control the lens zoom setting from the PC when using cameras with zoom lenses.

  4. Can live viewfinder images be displayed on the PC?
    Yes, all recent PowerShot cameras that support remote capture can display live viewfinder images on the PC (please see the features page for a list of supported cameras). Live viewfinder display was introduced with the G2 in 2001. Older models (e.g. the G1 and Pro90IS) and basic models from 2001/2002 (e.g. A40) do not support live viewfinder display on the PC.

  5. What is the maximum frame rate when the camera is connected to the PC?
    This varies according to the camera model, the image size and quality and whether the images are saved to PC or the camera's memory card. When an image is taken in remote mode it has to be downloaded before the next shot can be taken. At the lowest JPEG resolution and quality, in manual exposure mode and with the AF locked, the maximum frame rate is approximately 3 secs/frame. With normal AF and auto exposure the interval between shots is approximately 3 secs plus 3 secs for every megabyte of the file being downloaded e.g. a 2Mb JPEG would take approximately 9 secs.
    Update: New cameras like the Canon PowerShot S2 IS, S3 IS, A620, A640, S80 and G7 have a USB 2.0 interface which is much faster.

  6. Can I use the camera's controls when it is connected to a PC?
    The only physical control on the camera you can use when the camera is connected to a PC is the shutter release. All other camera controls are disabled by the camera's firmware when it is connected to a PC. You can still adjust all the camera's major settings from the PC using PSRemote.

  7. Can I control the camera using a PDA?
    No, the Canon libraries and drivers used to control the camera are only available for desktop versions of Windows and can't be used on a PDA. You can use an ultra mobile PC like the Samsung Q1 to control a camera with PSRemote.

  8. Why does my camera stop taking pictures during a long time-lapse sequence?
    This appears to be a limitation in the camera firmware of some Canon PowerShot models and varies from model to model. The Canon PowerShot G5 and Ixus 430 have problems taking more than 3246 shots. Disconnecting and reconnecting to the camera before this number of shots appears to avoid the problem. This can be automated by running the time-lapse sequence from a script e.g. the interval_shooting.pl Perl script that is supplied with PSRemote.

 

Home | Products | Purchase | Download | Support | Reviews | About | News | Links

© Copyright Breeze Systems 2008

PSRemote - Online Support Help Files