Student Hands On Training I (2009)

1. Student Hands On Training I (2009) Camera Firmware Modifications

2. Canon A590 IS Mods: • The following instructions will walk you through the steps needed to change the firmware on this camera to take pictures automatically during the flight

3. Canon A590 IS Mods: • The CHDK code was originally written by Rick von Glahn from Edge of Space Sciences (EOSS) • These steps are performed with the camera modified to turn on and off with a external switch or AVR microcontroller • The steps to modify the hardware of the camera are contained in a different presentation

4. Canon A590 IS Mods: • This mod uses CHDK to add autonomy to a digital camera without the use of a timing circuit or further modifications to the camera • CHDK is firmware enhancement • CHDK = Canon Hack Development Kit • It only works with Canon digital cameras • Please see the following website for much more information http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK

5. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Take your camera out of the box

6. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Insert the batteries

7. Canon A590 IS Mods: - Turn on camera by touching two wires together

8. Canon A590 IS Mods: - Set the date and time - Power off the camera by touching the two wires together again

9. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Insert SD card and close battery cover • (not all SD cards support this mod)

10. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Set Camera to “AV” mode • “AV” = Aperture Priority

11. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Turn on camera by touching two wires together

12. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Make sure the switch is on “play”

13. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Press the “MENU” button and format the card – Use the “Low Level Format” setting 1. 2.

14. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Press the “MENU” button and format the card – Use the “Low Level Format” setting 3. 4.

15. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Press the “MENU” button and format the card – Use the “Low Level Format” setting 5.

16. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Power off camera and remove the SD Card

17. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Connect the SD card to your computer 1. 2.

18. Canon A590 IS Mods: • The files we are going to copy to the SD card contain a script (macro) that will take pictures throughout the flight after an initial boot up.

19. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Open the “CU_SGC_Interval.bas” file with text editor 1.

20. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Open the “CU_SGC_Interval.bas” file with text editor 2. 3.

21. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Open the “CU_SGC_Interval.bas” file with text editor

22. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Open the “CU_SGC_Interval.bas” file with text editor

23. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Copy the CHDK folder structure and files to the SD card

24. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Make sure the switch is on “play”

25. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Insert SD card and power the camera on.

26. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Press the “MENU” button and press the left on the circle button until the “play” symbol is highlighted

27. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Press up button and highlight “Firm Update”

28. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Select “OK” and press “SET”

29. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Camera should now be running the CHDK firmware.

30. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Press the printer button to access CHDK firmware

31. Canon A590 IS Mods: • <ALT> should be in the bottom of the screen

32. Canon A590 IS Mods: • With <ALT> on the screen, press the MENU button

33. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Scroll down to “Miscellaneous stuff”

34. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Scroll down to “Make card bootable” and press “FUNC. SET” – Nothing will happen.

35. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Scroll down to “Back” and press “FUNC. SET”

36. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Select “Scripting parameters”- press “FUNC. SET”

37. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Select “Load script from file”- press “FUNC. SET”

38. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Select “CU_SGC~1.BAS”- press “FUNC. SET”

39. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Should now see CU Intervals at middle of screen

40. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Select and turn on “Script Autostart” You must press “FUNC. SET” for settings to save

41. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Scroll down and select “Back”

42. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Press “MENU” and power off camera

43. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Press “MENU” and power off camera

44. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Remove the SD card and slide switch to “LOCKED” Even though the card is in the “LOCKED” position it will be able to be written to via the CHDK firmware.

45. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Insert locked SD card and make sure the camera is in “RECORD” mode

46. Canon A590 IS Mods: • Power on the camera • “CU Intervals” and the “<ALT>” should be visible • Script should be running

47. Canon A590 IS Mods: • It will go through a series of camera setting changes which will take about 60 seconds • Then the camera will begin to take pictures every 10 seconds for the first 30 minutes (~180 pictures) • Then the camera will begin to take pictures every 30 seconds for 86 minutes (~172 pictures) • Then the camera will begin to take pictures every 10 seconds for 15 minutes (~90 pictures) • Total of ~442 pictures (2GB can hold ~ 566 pictures)

48. Canon A590 IS Mods: • You can turn the camera off anytime. • If you wish to stop the script during execution just press the shutter release button and that will interrupt the execution of the script • Press the print button to gain control of the camera without having to remove the card

49. Canon A590 IS Mods: • After the pushing the shutter, you must push the print button to have normal camera control

50. Canon A590 IS Mods: • This is handy if you want to review photos, or do something else without the script running. • To restart the script push the print button again followed by the print button