Remote control of (photo)camera from PC and capturing screenshots

[bartnovsky]

Does anybody know are there any cameras that might be remotely controlled fom PC? I know that there's a program Cam4you (http://alkenius.no-ip.org/Cam4you/), which can capture from canon cameras, but the list of supported models seems to be a bit too old and it seems to me that i just can't buy any of the supported models nowadays.

Here's what I want:
to make automatically screenshots of a blackboard during a mathematical seminar.

[Blue_MiSfit]

Yes, if you have a Canon DSLR, most of the newer models can be controlled by the PC with software you get with the camera from Canon. I forget the name of it, but I did it with my Rebel XTi, and was pretty impressed with the thoroughness of the program.

Not sure about point and shoot cameras.

~MiSfit

[Ghitulescu]

Not sure about point and shoot cameras.

~MiSfit

Yes, some of them can be software controlled.

Also some HP cameras are PC-controlled, I remember when I was given a new badge and the camera was really shitty (lower grade consumer type) but it was remote controlled form a laptop. I paid at the time no attention, since I was not interested at all in such functions.

[tetsuox]

Here's what I want:
to make automatically screenshots of a blackboard during a mathematical seminar.

If you're physically attending a seminar and have a DSLR, you can buy a wireless remote trigger (relatively cheap) and manually take shots.

If you're not, then you can set up some kind of time-lapse automated trigger, for your camera to take shots at pre-specified intervals.

If you have a Canon Point-and-Shoot, you may be able to install CHDK (hacked firmware) if it supports your model, and some builds have built-in time-lapse functions. See here: http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK It's a relatively safe process whereby it loads via your SD Card, so you don't need to flash your firmware. I used it on my old Ixy (aka Ixus in the rest of the world, and SDxxx in the US). There are scripts on that site for time-lapse.

As blue_misfit posted, if you have a Canon DSLR (possibly other brands too, not sure, I'm chained to Canon atm...) you can do what he suggested which is tethered shooting. But I don't think that's necessary for your needs. Might be a bit over the top, and certainly requires more equipment. Advantages of tethered, is you can adjust the settings remotely. With the other options I mentioned, you'll have to change the settings on the camera.

[Schrade]

Breeze Systems PSRemote controls some Canon cameras: http://www.breezesys.com/PSRemote/

Pro series: Pro90IS, Pro1
G-series: G1, G2, G3, G5, G6, G7, G9, G10
S-series: S30, S40, S45, S50, S60, S70, S80, S1 IS, S2 IS, S3 IS, S5 IS, SX100 IS, SX110 IS
A-series: A30, A40, A60, A70, A75, A80, A85, A95, A300, A310, A400, A510, A520, A620, A640
Digital IXUS: SD100 (Digital IXUS II), SD110 (Digital IXUS IIs), S230 (Digital IXUS 330), S400 (Digital IXUS 400), S410 (Digital IXUS 430), S500 (Digital IXUS 500)

And here's the ones it doesn't support:

The following Canon PowerShot cameras do not support remote capture operation and therefore will not work with PSRemote:
A series: A410, A420, A430, A450, A460, A470, A480, A530, A540, A550, A560, A570 IS, A580, A590 IS, A610, A630, A650 IS, A700, A710 IS, A720 IS, A1000 IS, A1100 IS, A2000 IS, A2100 IS
Digital ELPH/IXUS: SD30, SD40, SD400 (Digital IXUS 50), SD430, SD450 (Digital IXUS 55), SD500 (Digital IXUS 700), SD550 (Digital IXUS 750), SD600, SD630, SD700 IS, SD750, SD770 IS, SD780 IS, SD790 IS, SD800 IS, SD850 IS, SD870 IS, SD880 IS, SD890 IS, SD900, SD950 IS, SD960 IS, SD970 IS, SD990 IS, SD1000, SD1100 IS, SD1200 IS
SX series: SX200 IS, SX10 IS, SX1 IS
Other: TX1, E1, D10