Disassembly of a Cannon A620 Powershot camera

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

08/07/2006 11:47:11 AM · #1

Hello-

A bit of a vague and random question, I admit... but I am looking to take apart said camera. I am doing so under a student NASA funded project, so please dont jump the gun and say why waste your money. apologies on the double post, although I have been on here for a little I havent posted much and didnt notice which forum I first posted in. If necessary, plese delete the inappropriate one.

I built a circuit which I hope to interface to this camera, to take pictures every 120s. I need access to the shutter terminals and also the on/off terminals.

The circuit is very simple and is completely self sufficient and standalone from the camera's main circuitry.

Any advice you could offer before I delve into the camera would be much appreciated. I have significant background in electronics, and an ample lab to carry out this process... so please do not hesitate to be specific in your replies!

Thanks!

Sebastian

Steveo77z

Nikon D70s

08/07/2006 11:52:03 AM · #2

take lots of pics and post them up!

Chiqui

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro

08/07/2006 11:55:24 AM · #3

nm

Message edited by author 2006-08-07 11:57:03.

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

08/07/2006 01:09:26 PM · #4

Sounds like an interesting project.

One thing I would just add is that some Canon cameras features something called an Intervalometer which allows you to take intervaled images... I had a bit of a suspicion that the 620 might have this... Check your manual first?

My S2 IS has it. My 30D doesn't.

The 620 is a more recent camera than the S2, but slightly lower end...

Still would be fairly surprised if it wasn't there...

The intervalometer function is tunable from 1 to 60 mins on my cam. I don't know exactly how accurate the 2 minutes are, but I would imagine that they are fairly accurate.

darnok

Nikon D850

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35 f/4 ED VR

08/07/2006 01:26:15 PM · #5

At lot of the Canon cameras can be operated from a PC, this would be one way to do this without dismantling the camera.

If the camera has support for a remote release you could always hook your circuit up to that, will be much easier to dismantle. The on/off could be controlled by building your own power supply to wire to the battery terminals, this way you could switch the power off with a relay, or just control the power supply directly.

If you still want to dismantle the camera, you could just take the plastic cover off carefully so that nothing comes off, and just connect some wires to the switch that operates the shutter release. It will be a 3 stage push-button, and you'll have to have a seperate switch for the autofocus, and then one for the shutter. The only camera I've dismantle is a dosposable, and a bit of advice is to stay away from the capacitor that powers the flash. I've put burn marks onto a screwdriver that I used to short it out.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35 f/4 ED VR

08/09/2006 01:37:52 PM · #6

Originally posted by eschelar:

Good question... I will consult my manual when I get off of work! I dont recall reading about this function but I would love to be corrected!!! Certainly make things a lot easier, huh?

Originally posted by Raziel:

Thanks for the reply, I dont believe I can use a PC simply because of space requirements.

I looked into remote release and I dont believe it has that function, although as mentioned above I left the manual at home :o(

My power supply that I built uses (2) 12v lithium battery supplies fed through a 5v regulator. When one battery dies, the other one takes over. I used lithium due to the extreme temperatures the box may see.

Do you happen to know the operation behind the three stage button? I am aware you have to depress it halfway to focus, and all the way to capture... I was more curious if halfway provided +5v to one circuit, and all the way provided +5v to the other (and first also) circuit? Or rather, if each push closed two separate contacts. If the latter, would the first set NEED to be closed while the second set is closed also?

I know these are some specific questions, I am just trying to ready myself before I open the camera tomorrow. Unfortunately, my experiment has to be done in less than two weeks before it gets shipped out for flight :o(

thanks for the replies!!! Keep them coming!

darnok

Nikon D850

08/10/2006 06:25:48 PM · #7

How 100% sure of how the shutter button works, but I'm guessing pressing the release halfway closes one circuit and then fully pressing it closes another (the first circuit still being closed). I assume that if you want to take a photo you would just close both circuits at the same time (maybe use a SCR or transitor switch for both), then the camera would start to focus and then take a photo as soon as it looks focus.

If you're not taking photos at a regular enough interval the camera can automatically turn off between uses. You'll also have to see if you can disable the auto power-off, otherwise you will need to use a sensor to check if the camera is on (maybe a phototransistor over the power LED), and turn it on if it is off. If you can disable the auto power-off, you can just run it from your power supply (will have to bring it down to what the batteries would normally supply), and then switch the camera off by cutting power to it.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

08/18/2006 10:34:48 PM · #8

Everyone-

I got it apart! And I sucessfully interfaced my circuit to the camera!!!!

For those who are interested... its very very very easy! The shutter button is a two stage momentary button - halfway depressed closes one circuit, and fully depressed both closes the prior circuit, and another one.

So, in short... if you use the 'fully depressed' contacts, you can fool the camera into thinking the button was already halfway depressed. Does that make sense?

I set my camera up on its own power, and my circuit on its own power and returned 8 hours later. As expected, my circuit took a picture every 180s, and the camera was still going strong!!!!

The flight is expected to last ~10 hours, with float altitude reached in only 2 hours. So, in short.. I will have pictures of the balloon on ascent, and many many high resolution pictures at float altitude. Even is ice forms on the lens on ascent, it will sublimate out as soon as it reaches the upper atmosphere.

Expect a picture of my setup within a week (as I have to ship this off very soon for its final integration into the NASA mission) and also, expect pictures of what I recieve back!

If anyone has any questions, feel free to contact me at

seb.stewart@gmail.com

with any questions

Regards,
Sebastian

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

08/19/2006 09:18:02 AM · #9

Good stuff man!

I've been playing around with a custom external trigger unit for my 30D as well. Lots of fun when it works...

Sounds like you have the information well in hand.

Sounds hardcore.

I'm interested to see more progress.

darnok

Nikon D850

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35 f/4 ED VR

08/19/2006 09:22:54 AM · #10

Good to hear you got it working.

Apple iPhone 5

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

08/19/2006 10:06:49 AM · #11

Sounds like a great project!

Don't forget to take off the lens cap.