Want Voice Activated Shutter Release for a Nikon?

The software you need is:

  1. Microsoft Speech SDK 5.1
  2. DIYPhotobits.com Camera Control 2.1

Then to get voice activated shutter release:

  1. Install both.
  2. Turn on the Language Bar (in control panel, regional and language, languages, details, language bar)
  3. (Optional) Train Microsoft Voice recognition (in control panel, speech)
  4. Turn on the microphone (click the mic icon in the language bar)
  5. Run DIYPhotobits.com Camera Control 2.1
  6. Say “Voice command”
  7. (optional) Say “What can I say” then scroll down to the bottom of the list where it says “Menus and Buttons” and expand that list, ensure that “Shutter release” is one of the listed commands
  8. Say “Shutter Release”

And yes, of course this thought is inspired by ShutterVoice,  the Canon EOS front end that provides much better control via voice — with voice feedback even!

I wondered if I could do something like that myself — but when I checked I realized that basically everything I wanted was already either built in or a free microsoft download.  I’ll have a think about if I can adjust the UI of my script so more features can be voice controlled, but for now shutter release is fun.

All together now, say “Shutter release”.

Demo Video for DIYPhotobits.com Camera Control 2.1

I thought it was well past time that I did some more explanation of how to use the new features in DIYPhotobits.com Camera Control 2.1.

Turns out my video skills need a bit of work though as I ended up putting together a 10 minute video, the YouTube limit, and only covered half the features. Still, I hope this is helpful both to see what sort of thing the script is useful for — in this case I’m covering self-portrait balancing flash vs ambient ala Strobist.

 

(Click through and view the high quality version if you want to read the text!)

Equipment used:

  • 1 x SB-600 at camera left set at manual 1/4 power with a folding paper grid spot  on a bamboo light stand
  • 1 x SB-800 at camera right, also manual 1/4 power
  • Nikon D300 with a 18-55mm 
  • Pop-up flash on the D300 is the trigger for the flashes
  • Long USB cable, plus a USB extender cable
  • Thinkpad X31

I cover the use of the remote shutter release, combined with shutter, aperture and ISO controls to take and download images as well as using Bridge to view them.

What I ran out of time to do before the YouTube 10 minute limit was tethered shooting from the camera, and external viewer push.  Perhaps I’ll try to do another short video covering those, but I do really want to work on the next features!

While doing this demo I also noted some odd slowness of the script in some situations, particularly M vs P mode that I’m unable to explain at the moment, so will spend some time to investigate that and hopefully speed the whole thing up.

Sorry, no LiveView — but here is a thought

I’m afraid I’m probably not going to be able to support Nikon LiveView in DIYPhotobits.com CameraControl. It isn’t available via PTP or WIA but only via the Nikon SDK which I don’t have access to (and probably couldn’t program even if I could).

However here’s an great thought to get a similiar experience – at least in a studio situation.

Basically use the video out of the camera to to send to another monitor, while at the same time also tethering.

I haven’t tried this — nor I suspect has the person suggesting it — but it sounds like it would be good, presuming you have the two monitors required.

Tethering unplugged

So exactly what should happen if you are in the middle of a tethered – via usb cable – shoot and someone trips over the wire?

First, it shouldn’t rip the cable out of the camera and damage the usb connector on either camera or computer.

To that end it helps to put some sort of knot or fastening at both ends so the strain will not be taken by the USB connectors.   For the camera end it probably makes sense to attach to the camera strap or perhaps a tripod head plate, while on the PC end it may be as simple as clamping to the table.

But what if a really big pull is made on the cable?  In that case it is better the cable comes unplugged — so that’s a good reason to use a two part cable — USB extender plus cable — so that it can basically just come unplugged in the centre.

Ok so that’s the physical part, but what about the software.  How should the software respond?

I recently learned that Nikon CameraControl Pro 2 — which I have never tried — causes images taken during a tethered session to only be saved to the PC, not to the camera as well.  I’m quite amazed by that actually — when designing DIYPhotobits.com Camera Control I deliberately made the decision that the images would be in BOTH locations — it seems like an obvious backup.  In fact I’m a little concerned that it is saved in only a single location on the PC and I’ll be adding features (eventually!) that allow the images to be instantly backed up to another location such as an external drive, file server, or maybe even an internet service — imagine tethering directly to Flickr!

Anyway, the point is what happens when you realize the cable is unplugged and plug it in again?

1. Nothing happens — you have to restart the software 

This is typical it seems, that’s what my script does

2. The software notices the camera is gone and waits for it

And when it is plugged in it downloads any new images that were taken while it was unplugged

I think #2 makes a lot more sense don’t you?  It doesn’t sound that hard.  Ok when you plug in the camera again the annoying choice thing pops up but you can (I think) ignore that.  Or maybe I can look for it and send a Cancle to it.  Then the script can see the camera is back — look for any new images, download them, then go back to what it was doing before.

Ok sounds like a plan — or can you suggest an alternative, or maybe some options that would make sense?  I’m all ears.

What works and doesn’t work

This is a summary of what Nikon DSLR models have been seen working, or not working, with the script.

DIYPhotobits Camera Control 2.1 – Greens (updated with feedback upto 5.2)
XP Vista / Win7
D300 Yes
Yes
Yes
D40 Yes Yes (vista home, raw works)Yes (vista, raw ok)
D80 Yes No
Yes
D50 No
Yes
YesYes
D200 / Fuji S5 Almost
YesYes
YesYes
PartialYes, Win7, jpg only
D60 Yes Yes
D70 / 70s – yes Yes Yes (win7 32bit) but no mode changeYes (vista)

Yes (vista, jpg only)

D90 – yes /w issues Yes
D3 – yes
D2x – yes
D100 — nobody has this working yet, I think (not sure) it may be impossible due to it not fully supporting ptpD1 – No
D5000 Yes
D3000 YesYes
D80 – yes with 1.01 firmware, no with 1.11 firmware No (64bit Win7)
D300s – yes
D700  yes Yes (64bit Win7)Yes Win7 jpg only
D3100  Yes
D3200  Yes
D3000 Yes
D800/D800E  No
D7000 Yes
D5100 Yes

As you can see it is quite a mixed bag – I’d love to hear more input on what works and doesn’t work.