Hi All, hope you ok...
i tried to connect my (old) Canon 5d (classic) to EKOS. I tried both normal and PTP, the camera is detected as Canon 5d (PTP) but when I start the exposure, I get this error message...

2020-05-09T19:32:54: [INFO] Make sure BULB switch is ON in the camera. Try setting AF switch to OFF.
2020-05-09T19:32:54: [ERROR] Exposure failed to save image... Directory not found
2020-05-09T19:32:54: [ERROR] Error downloading image from camera: Directory not found

The camera is in bulb mode. Does anyone know the problem? or hopefully a solution. i just modified it as astroCam with a copper cooling finger ;-(
Matthias

it seems that the camera doesn't support making pictures via USB... ;-((
not with gphoto2 an Entangle... what a pitty.
Matthias

sorry, correction, with normal mode (not ptp) ENTANGLE works... fully remote.
1.step...
greets Matthias

bad news... "M"anual works but not BULB so only 30sec max... at that time...
Mathias

Matthias,

I don't know the 5D classic but I use a 5D Mk2 and here is what I learned: If you want to use the camera's "B" mode, make sure you set "Force BULB" to ON (in Indi/Options). If you want to use the camera's "M" mode, switch it OFF. Be aware this setting might change after every re-start! Also, the camera's and Indi's "mirror lock" (Spiegelvorauslösung) settings must be the same.
Allow Ekos/Indi and your camera enough time to digest any commands. In particular I would recommoned using the "stop sequence" button in Ekos' CCD & Filter Wheel tab with utmost care. It can derail the communication between Ekos and the camera. The cam then won't react to commands anymore. Once that happens power cycle the camera. Often times - once the camera is switched off - you'll see an animation in the camera's display (yes, despite the camera being switched off!) which looks like this:



If that happens, simply remove the USB cable from the camera and the animation will disappear. Then plug in the USB cable and switch on the camera. Re-start Ekos and you're ready to go. Hope this helps.

Hallo und guten Morgen
thank you very much for the extensive help, at least one answer... but unfortunately it did not (yet) help. The 5D classic (without mark seems to have difficulties with the bulb control even with force bulb on. The maximum is 30s in M mode. Here everything works as intended. I haven't got bulb working with the various other programs, not even gphoto2. Maybe someone still knows what to do...
best regards and lock up
Matthias

Moin!

Early Canon cameras like my 20D (2004) don't support the bulb widget. The 5D has been released during 2005 so maybe it is suffering the same fate. If it does not support the bulb widget, you're doomed. In order to find out, activate logging to file (CCD and capture), trigger a shot, and have a look at the log. It should show something like

[2020-05-11T11:04:33.993 CEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - Canon DSLR EOS 5D Mark II : "[DEBUG] Finding bulb widget... "
[2020-05-11T11:04:33.996 CEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - Canon DSLR EOS 5D Mark II : "[DEBUG] Bulb Widget: eosremoterelease "

If you find something like "no bulb widget found" instead, you're out of luck.

A long shot - but check your settings on the camera especially any Noise reduction settings - if on switch them off. This caused my Canon 100d to fail and behave exactly the same. However its seems to be hit and miss with some camera's work with Noise Reduction and some dont. Mine still does not

It seems that on some camera's the noise reduction add MSecs which Gphoto2 cant handle!

Hi stash,
thanks for help. but noise reduction was / is off. I guess Herrhausen is wright... no bulb at all . So i do it with Yongnuo shutter control via 2,4 GHz... and gphoto2 pic download. it's a bit old fashioned, but it works... next step is trying to cool the chip with a copper coldfinger and a peltier element.. may be some 15° under environment...
Matthias

Hi, last night i shot the leo triplet... this is raw after DSS... Canon 5d, little bit cooled, ED80/600 Skywatcher 25x30sec/1600ISO+ 5 darks The autofocus of astroberry is very precise, the sharpest i ever shot. clear skies Matthias

meanwhile, i did solve the problem (not very elegant, i know) with a litte python script and direct controlling the remote shooting contact...:
#!/usr/bin/env python
from time import sleep
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import sys
bulb_text = input ("Belichtungszeit: "
bulb = int(bulb_text)
anzahl_text = input ("Anzahl: ")
anz = int(anzahl_text)
i = 0
b = 1
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setwarnings(False)
GPIO.setup(25, GPIO.OUT)
while i<anz:
print ("Bild Nr.: ", i+1)
GPIO.output(25, True)
while b<bulb+1:
sys.stdout.write ("\r%i" " Sek." % b)
sys.stdout.flush()
sleep(1)
b = b+1
GPIO.output(25, False)
sleep(3)
b = 1
i = i+1

greets and cs Matthias

Is that script called from "outside" the ekos/kstars system?