Help me find a digital camera! (cool application)

[stomachmonkey]

I'd take an old cpu and hook a webcam up to it.

Can even be motion triggered.

[island911]

My Minolta A2 can be corded to a computer for image preview and capture. Pretty slick, you point the curser onto the part of the image of interest, and it auto-focuses to that spot, takes the pic, and saves it (whatever directory) on your computer.

It's an 8mp camera, that can only be found used (Minolta sold their camera division to Sony) --ebay or craigslist ...

[island911]

fwiw, I have a tablet cmptr for mine. ..I just tap the POI, and done. I'm pretty sure that the shutter can be triggered by an external signal as well (I haven't had that need, so no info on that) Anyway, I have found very few medium mp cameras which are controlled via a computer.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts

Too complicated, I knew someone would suggest that. If I'm going to do this, I want a dedicated camera that isn't dependent upon a computer. Plus webcams don't have flashes...

-Wayne

Well you could have saved some time by simply stating that up front.

There is tons of SW out there to control web cams and video cameras so I think this is a lot more turnkey than you think.

Odd as this sounds try a cell phone.

2-3 mp, can be had with a flash, has "networking" ie, email or bluetooth.

auto upload, http://www.letsgomobile.org/en/3311/camera-phone-photos/

or get a symbian based phone and write a script for it.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts

Okay, here's the deal. We're going to start a program here where we take a picture of the customer's parts prior to being packaged up in the box (for our SoCal Warehouse). This is useful for a number of reasons. Firstly, it can help us figure out if something was missing or damaged. Secondly, it's cool, and I think the customers will like to see their parts prior to receiving them (okay, it's a cool gimmick, but we all like gimmicks). With our current system, it would be very easy to implement. Except for the fact that I need a very good camera with specific capabilities. I tend to think that this *does* exist somewhere. Here are the requirements:

- 3 or so Megapixel
- Built-in flash
- Networked (either WiFi or ethernet with ethernet preferred)
- Auto-transfer of images from camera to server (via FTP for example)
- Remote trigger (either triggered through a actual cable, or a remote command from a computer)

It would be great to give the camera an IP address, send it a "TAKE PICTURE" command via HTTP (along with an order number), and then have it store it on our server. Integrating it with our current web-based invoicing system would be very easy.

Anyone know if this exists?

-Wayne

Friends have gifted me with a couple of point & shoot digital cameras...
My problem? No desire to use them...hell, the insruction manuals are bigger than the cameras. So..you want one?

[layzee]

You might have trouble with this Wayne, why would you need a consumer or prosumer camera to do this? Hence there aren't any that have this feature.

A high end cell phone would work if you were so inclined to write the code for it. A Nokia N95 would do no problem, and you could upload the images with wifi.

[kstar]

Off the top of my head, you might be able to use an inexpensive DSLR with an EyeFi ( http://www.eye.fi/products/ ) SD card with an infrared transmitter ( http://www.home-electro.com/tira2.php ) attached to a computer.

My Nikon's DSLR shutter can be triggered with an infrared transmitter and apparently it is fairly easy to make most IR transmitters send the right frequency (wavelength) to trigger the shutter.

A script could then be written on the computer to work the system.

Maybe this will provide you with some ideas?

I like the idea a lot and it sounds like an application that might be adopted by many mail order businesses! You should consider somehow trying to "own" the process.

Best,

[kstar]

Also, check this out from Canon:

These units enable the transfer of image data from EOS digital SLR cameras through a wireless or wired network to an ftp server.

WFT-E1/E1A is compatible with EOS-1Ds Mark II, EOS-1D Mark II N, EOS 5D and EOS 30D. (EOS-1D Mark II and EOS 20D may require firmware update to enable Wireless LAN functionality).

WFT-E2/E2A is dedicated to the EOS-1D Mark III and gets its power from the camera and the antenna is embedded. The result is a decrease in weight from 165g to 75g and a similar decrease in size.

WFT-E3/E3A is dedicated to the EOS-40D

How easy are they to setup?
Wireless networking is relatively simple providing you have a good knowledge of IT and networking. The manuals and software that comes from the manufacturer are very good but you have to know what you're doing. If you have little or no knowledge of routers, FTP, Mac addresses and IP Configuration then it will be a learning curve and you may struggle.

http://www.systeminsight.co.uk/Canon_Wireless_Overview.htm

[NICKG]

wayne...keep an eye on Woot.com..they have cameras on there cheap all the time

[VaSteve]

I would recommend a DSLR for this application.

[kstar]

Found another approach. This uses a USB cable (and software) from a DSLR to a computer to operate the shutter:

http://www.store.shoestringastronomy.com/products_ds.htm

More info on other potential options to the hardwired approach:

Hardware Modifications For Triggering Capture
http://aggregate.org/DIT/CAPTURE/trigger.html

[Drew001]

Isn't a DSLR a little overkill for this application?

Wayne, just get a Canon Powershot SD430 for about $250.
It's a wifi camera that comes with a remote capture utility. You can simply hit a key on the keyboard to take the picture or set up a workflow on the PC to fire the shutter once the parts are on the scale.

Once the picture is taken it is automatically transferred to a computer or you can do it manually. It's really easy.

[Danny_Ocean]

I think a networked IP camera (webcam) is the best solution. With controlled lighting, you won't need a flash. I have a D-Link DSC-900W (wireless). The software allows you to take a snapshot (.jpg) from the desktop and store it as a file. The camera has an IP address and can be controlled remotely from whatever machine has the software installed. This camera is inexpensive.

I also install AXIS network cams. They have amazing lenses, auto iris control and BLC. I can snap a clear photo of a license plate several hundred yards away or a quarter, showing heads-or-tails, sitting at the bottom of the light pole the camera is mounted to. They are expensive ($1800), but will do the same thing (snapshot) that the cheap ones do. The AXIS cams also have a built-in web browser, so no PC is required to run it (you will need a PC connected to the network or internet, however, to get your snapshot).