K-3 Intervals... Again

imall_vol · 05-20-2015, 03:26 PM - **1 Like**

Good news. The intervalometer is a mess, but continuous shooting definitely works, so there is a viable workaround!

Attached Images

Aaron28 · 05-20-2015, 04:35 PM

wicked! what I got using the intervalometer on the K-r and wired one on an Olympus E-510

Youtu.be

richandfleur · 05-20-2015, 04:55 PM

Originally posted by imall_vol

Good news. The intervalometer is a mess, but continuous shooting definitely works, so there is a viable workaround!

Nice pic!

My problem with the intervalometer was that it would randomly stop. Was trucking along fine and then I realised it had been quite for a while.
No error message, just wasn't working anymore.
Read all sorts of similar comments on this forum from memory.

All jokes aside, you'd think this would be a pretty easy bit of software to get right?!

I had even thought it may have been a safety feature to prevent taking shots that would be over/underexposed, but nothing I changed seemed to have an impact.

It's another feature they get to put on the specs sheet, which is unreliable/doesn't work, like the mechanical stabilisation and focus peaking during video mode.
It would be a very handy feature to have. I use a gopro for this type of work now, and guess what, it just works!

imall_vol · 05-20-2015, 05:45 PM

Originally posted by richandfleur

Nice pic!

My problem with the intervalometer was that it would randomly stop. Was trucking along fine and then I realised it had been quite for a while.
No error message, just wasn't working anymore.
Read all sorts of similar comments on this forum from memory.

All jokes aside, you'd think this would be a pretty easy bit of software to get right?!

I had even thought it may have been a safety feature to prevent taking shots that would be over/underexposed, but nothing I changed seemed to have an impact.

It's another feature they get to put on the specs sheet, which is unreliable/doesn't work, like the mechanical stabilisation and focus peaking during video mode.
It would be a very handy feature to have. I use a gopro for this type of work now, and guess what, it just works!

Thanks! And yep. That's the exact problem I was seeking help for on this forum. Thankfully, this workaround was found, but it would be nice if Pentax could fix the actual issue.

And super cool video, Aaron28! What do you use to put your exposures together?

Aaron28 · 05-20-2015, 06:58 PM

thanks! starstax works great for me (plus it will save the combo of each step).........compile the video with nero 2014 (simple slideshows and then speed them up)
StarStaX - www.starstax.net

Gimbal · 05-21-2015, 12:16 AM

Originally posted by richandfleur

All jokes aside, you'd think this would be a pretty easy bit of software to get right?!

Is it really buggy? I call it user error until proven otherwise.

**interested_observer** · 05-21-2015, 05:50 AM

Originally posted by imall_vol

Good news. The intervalometer is a mess, but continuous shooting definitely works, so there is a viable workaround!

I don't know about the intervalometer being a mess, since I really don't use the functionality. Continuous shooting is so much easier and it minimizes the time between frames, so that you are able to get a much smoother set of star trails without the gaps.

richandfleur · 05-21-2015, 02:24 PM

Originally posted by Gimbal

Is it really buggy? I call it user error until proven otherwise.

Cripes man, you setup the interval, set a big number of shots you're after, press the shutter button and it starts taking shots.
Some time later, maybe 20 minutes in, it just stops, having actually taken a small percentage of the number of shots you asked it to.
No error message is shown, and no reason given why it stops.

Be proud and staunch all you want, but it doesn't bloody work.

**Fries** · 05-21-2015, 02:45 PM

I haven't used the intervalmeter with the long exposures mentioned in this thread and it always worked fine for me. Perhaps the problem is isolated to using those long exposures?

imall_vol · 05-21-2015, 04:20 PM

Originally posted by Fries

I haven't used the intervalmeter with the long exposures mentioned in this thread and it always worked fine for me. Perhaps the problem is isolated to using those long exposures?

Fries, I did test it with much shorter exposures and it tended to do what I asked; it's absolutely a problem of longer exposures that no adjustment of settings I've found will fix (if you want more than 118 frames).
I'll be really interested if anyone figures it out.

Gimbal · 05-22-2015, 03:54 AM

Originally posted by richandfleur

Cripes man, you setup the interval, set a big number of shots you're after, press the shutter button and it starts taking shots.
Some time later, maybe 20 minutes in, it just stops, having actually taken a small percentage of the number of shots you asked it to.
No error message is shown, and no reason given why it stops.

That happens if the set interval is to short (user error). The trigger signal from the intervalometer is skipped since the camera isn't ready. It's not that hard. But then I haven't tested it with several hundred pictures so...

Unregistered User · 05-22-2015, 04:00 AM

Originally posted by Gimbal

That happens if the set interval is to short (user error). The trigger signal from the intervalometer is skipped since the camera isn't ready. It's not that hard. But then I haven't tested it with several hundred pictures so...

If the trigger signal is discarded it should pick it up at the next trigger event, i.e skipping one frame once in a while.

There has been a discussion on this earlier when the mirror flopping was not adressed in the firmware. Then the camera started mirror flopping during interval photo. What may be the problem is that the camera starts to mirror flopp but the firmware stops the action and resets the camera.
This may be the cause to why it just stops.

richandfleur · 05-22-2015, 07:02 AM

The skipping thing happens on the k-30 which doesn't that've the mirror flop reset code in its firmware, so I doubt that's it. The k-3 mirror flop firmware doesn't stop it happening, it just auto resets for you, so you don't have to yank the battery out. That approach is a band aid on the real problem they don't appear to have identified and fixed.

If it's too small an interval related, then it's random as to why it works for many shots and then doesn't. If that is the case though then you shouldn't be able to select an interval that close in the first place. That's sloppy coding, not user error. Does it say anything about this in the manual?

By contrast on the gopro, you set the interval and it just goes. As before, this shouldn't be that hard to code right!

Gimbal · 05-22-2015, 07:50 AM

It all becomes logical in those cases where the interval is much longer then the exposure.
For instance, I want a picture every 5 minute with a normal fraction-of-a-second long exposure. No problem.

But when you invert the relationship and use exposures that is longer then the interval, then all of a sudden people don't understand how it works. They try to set the interval shorter then the exposure, and thus the camera triggers the shutterbutton several times while there already is an exposure going on. And then complain that it doesn't work.

The interval is NOT the time between end of exposure and the next exposure, it's the time between the shutter button is "pressed". This could of course be explained better in the manual.

richandfleur · 05-22-2015, 05:35 PM

I fully agree Gimbal, now worries there.

But when it's working well, and the exposure time is getting less and less, (as in say a sunrise), and the exposure is less than the interval anyway, then why does it suddenly stop?

In the case of long exposures, yes, could happen.
Otherwise, this explanation is not sufficient.

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05-20-2015, 04:55 PM	#18
richandfleur Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Palmerston North, New Zealand Photos: Albums Posts: 1,788	Originally posted by imall_vol Good news. The intervalometer is a mess, but continuous shooting definitely works, so there is a viable workaround! Nice pic! My problem with the intervalometer was that it would randomly stop. Was trucking along fine and then I realised it had been quite for a while. No error message, just wasn't working anymore. Read all sorts of similar comments on this forum from memory. All jokes aside, you'd think this would be a pretty easy bit of software to get right?! I had even thought it may have been a safety feature to prevent taking shots that would be over/underexposed, but nothing I changed seemed to have an impact. It's another feature they get to put on the specs sheet, which is unreliable/doesn't work, like the mechanical stabilisation and focus peaking during video mode. It would be a very handy feature to have. I use a gopro for this type of work now, and guess what, it just works!

05-20-2015, 05:45 PM	#19
imall_vol New Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Tennessee Photos: Gallery Posts: 21 Original Poster	Originally posted by richandfleur Nice pic! My problem with the intervalometer was that it would randomly stop. Was trucking along fine and then I realised it had been quite for a while. No error message, just wasn't working anymore. Read all sorts of similar comments on this forum from memory. All jokes aside, you'd think this would be a pretty easy bit of software to get right?! I had even thought it may have been a safety feature to prevent taking shots that would be over/underexposed, but nothing I changed seemed to have an impact. It's another feature they get to put on the specs sheet, which is unreliable/doesn't work, like the mechanical stabilisation and focus peaking during video mode. It would be a very handy feature to have. I use a gopro for this type of work now, and guess what, it just works! Thanks! And yep. That's the exact problem I was seeking help for on this forum. Thankfully, this workaround was found, but it would be nice if Pentax could fix the actual issue. And super cool video, Aaron28! What do you use to put your exposures together?

05-20-2015, 06:58 PM	#20
Aaron28 Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,131	thanks! starstax works great for me (plus it will save the combo of each step).........compile the video with nero 2014 (simple slideshows and then speed them up) StarStaX - www.starstax.net

05-21-2015, 12:16 AM	#21
Gimbal Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,106	Originally posted by richandfleur All jokes aside, you'd think this would be a pretty easy bit of software to get right?! Is it really buggy? I call it user error until proven otherwise.

05-21-2015, 05:50 AM	#22
interested_observer Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Tumbleweed, Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,707	Originally posted by imall_vol Good news. The intervalometer is a mess, but continuous shooting definitely works, so there is a viable workaround! I don't know about the intervalometer being a mess, since I really don't use the functionality. Continuous shooting is so much easier and it minimizes the time between frames, so that you are able to get a much smoother set of star trails without the gaps.

05-21-2015, 02:24 PM	#23
richandfleur Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Palmerston North, New Zealand Photos: Albums Posts: 1,788	Originally posted by Gimbal Is it really buggy? I call it user error until proven otherwise. Cripes man, you setup the interval, set a big number of shots you're after, press the shutter button and it starts taking shots. Some time later, maybe 20 minutes in, it just stops, having actually taken a small percentage of the number of shots you asked it to. No error message is shown, and no reason given why it stops. Be proud and staunch all you want, but it doesn't bloody work.

05-21-2015, 02:45 PM	#24
Fries Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Gauw Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,582	I haven't used the intervalmeter with the long exposures mentioned in this thread and it always worked fine for me. Perhaps the problem is isolated to using those long exposures?

05-21-2015, 04:20 PM	#25
imall_vol New Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Tennessee Photos: Gallery Posts: 21 Original Poster	Originally posted by Fries I haven't used the intervalmeter with the long exposures mentioned in this thread and it always worked fine for me. Perhaps the problem is isolated to using those long exposures? Fries, I did test it with much shorter exposures and it tended to do what I asked; it's absolutely a problem of longer exposures that no adjustment of settings I've found will fix (if you want more than 118 frames). I'll be really interested if anyone figures it out.

05-22-2015, 03:54 AM	#26
Gimbal Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,106	Originally posted by richandfleur Cripes man, you setup the interval, set a big number of shots you're after, press the shutter button and it starts taking shots. Some time later, maybe 20 minutes in, it just stops, having actually taken a small percentage of the number of shots you asked it to. No error message is shown, and no reason given why it stops. That happens if the set interval is to short (user error). The trigger signal from the intervalometer is skipped since the camera isn't ready. It's not that hard. But then I haven't tested it with several hundred pictures so...

05-22-2015, 04:00 AM	#27
Unregistered User Guest	Originally posted by Gimbal That happens if the set interval is to short (user error). The trigger signal from the intervalometer is skipped since the camera isn't ready. It's not that hard. But then I haven't tested it with several hundred pictures so... If the trigger signal is discarded it should pick it up at the next trigger event, i.e skipping one frame once in a while. There has been a discussion on this earlier when the mirror flopping was not adressed in the firmware. Then the camera started mirror flopping during interval photo. What may be the problem is that the camera starts to mirror flopp but the firmware stops the action and resets the camera. This may be the cause to why it just stops.

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05-22-2015, 07:02 AM	#28
richandfleur Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Palmerston North, New Zealand Photos: Albums Posts: 1,788	The skipping thing happens on the k-30 which doesn't that've the mirror flop reset code in its firmware, so I doubt that's it. The k-3 mirror flop firmware doesn't stop it happening, it just auto resets for you, so you don't have to yank the battery out. That approach is a band aid on the real problem they don't appear to have identified and fixed. If it's too small an interval related, then it's random as to why it works for many shots and then doesn't. If that is the case though then you shouldn't be able to select an interval that close in the first place. That's sloppy coding, not user error. Does it say anything about this in the manual? By contrast on the gopro, you set the interval and it just goes. As before, this shouldn't be that hard to code right!

05-22-2015, 07:50 AM	#29
Gimbal Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,106	It all becomes logical in those cases where the interval is much longer then the exposure. For instance, I want a picture every 5 minute with a normal fraction-of-a-second long exposure. No problem. But when you invert the relationship and use exposures that is longer then the interval, then all of a sudden people don't understand how it works. They try to set the interval shorter then the exposure, and thus the camera triggers the shutterbutton several times while there already is an exposure going on. And then complain that it doesn't work. The interval is NOT the time between end of exposure and the next exposure, it's the time between the shutter button is "pressed". This could of course be explained better in the manual.

05-22-2015, 05:35 PM	#30
richandfleur Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Palmerston North, New Zealand Photos: Albums Posts: 1,788	I fully agree Gimbal, now worries there. But when it's working well, and the exposure time is getting less and less, (as in say a sunrise), and the exposure is less than the interval anyway, then why does it suddenly stop? In the case of long exposures, yes, could happen. Otherwise, this explanation is not sufficient.