Public Lab Wiki documentation

This page describes how to set up a camera to repeatedly/continuously take pictures during balloon or kite mapping.

(Lead image by @mathew)

For timing two cameras together, see dual camera triggering

How do you keep the camera continuously shooting photos during flight?

Many cameras can be set in "continuous shooting mode", which generally allows you to hold down the trigger button to take many continuous photos. This means you can use the simple "Knot and rubber band" method, listed below.

Note that continuous mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check the camera selection page. We recommend Canon cameras for reliability; some cameras will shut off after a few minutes. See below for details.

Taking lots of photos is generally easier than controlling when a photo is taken. Once you find a camera with continuous shot, test the battery to see how long it will shoot. Put in a memory card with 4gb+. Consider getting a second battery.

Some cameras can be set programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK), and CDHK can be triggered via the camera's USB port. Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker.

Dave Mitchell wrote easy Javascript programs for installing CDHK and Stereo DataMaker

Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger cameras that can't be programmed. A more drastic option is to hack a timer directly into the camera's shutter button circuit, like this 555 timer.

Activities

Although the "knot and rubber band" technique is easiest, here is a collection of guides to different ways to trigger a camera. Add your own!

[activities:camera-triggering]

Timelapse Apps

There are also many smartphone apps for taking timelapse (including Sky Camera, by Public Lab contributor @mercyorangi). Let's collect notes and guides on using these on a unique page, and using the #timelapse-apps tag:

https://publiclab.org/wiki/timelapse-apps

This page describes how to set up a camera to repeatedly/continuously take pictures during balloon or kite mapping.

(Lead image by @mathew)

For timing two cameras together, see dual camera triggering

How do you keep the camera continuously shooting photos during flight?

Many cameras can be set in "continuous shooting mode", which generally allows you to hold down the trigger button to take many continuous photos. This means you can use the simple "Knot and rubber band" method, listed below.

Note that continuous mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check the camera selection page. We recommend Canon cameras for reliability; some cameras will shut off after a few minutes. See below for details.

Taking lots of photos is generally easier than controlling when a photo is taken. Once you find a camera with continuous shot, test the battery to see how long it will shoot. Put in a memory card with 4gb+. Consider getting a second battery.

Some cameras can be set programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK), and CDHK can be triggered via the camera's USB port. Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker.

Dave Mitchell wrote easy Javascript programs for installing CDHK and Stereo DataMaker

Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger cameras that can't be programmed. A more drastic option is to hack a timer directly into the camera's shutter button circuit, like this 555 timer.

Activities

Although the "knot and rubber band" technique is easiest, here is a collection of guides to different ways to trigger a camera. Add your own!

[activities:camera-triggering]

Timelapse Apps

There are also many smartphone apps for taking timelapse (including Sky Camera, by Public Lab contributor @mercyorangi). Let's collect notes and guides on using these here, using the #timelapse-apps tag:

[activities:timelapse-apps]

This page describes how to set up a camera to repeatedly/continuously take pictures during balloon or kite mapping.

(Lead image by @mathew)

For timing two cameras together, see dual camera triggering

How do you keep the camera continuously shooting photos during flight?

Many cameras can be set in "continuous shooting mode", which generally allows you to hold down the trigger button to take many continuous photos. This means you can use the simple "Knot and rubber band" method, listed below.

Note that continuous mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check the camera selection page. We recommend Canon cameras for reliability; some cameras will shut off after a few minutes. See below for details.

Taking lots of photos is generally easier than controlling when a photo is taken. Once you find a camera with continuous shot, test the battery to see how long it will shoot. Put in a memory card with 4gb+. Consider getting a second battery.

Some cameras can be set programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK), and CDHK can be triggered via the camera's USB port. Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker.

Dave Mitchell wrote easy Javascript programs for installing CDHK and Stereo DataMaker

Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger cameras that can't be programmed. A more drastic option is to hack a timer directly into the camera's shutter button circuit, like this 555 timer.

Activities

Although the "knot and rubber band" technique is easiest, here is a collection of guides to different ways to trigger a camera. Add your own!

[activities:camera-triggering]

This page describes how to set up a camera to repeatedly/continuously take pictures during balloon or kite mapping.

(Lead image by @mathew)

For timing two cameras together, see dual camera triggering

How do you keep the camera continuously shooting photos during flight?

Many cameras can be set in "continuous shooting mode", which generally allows you to hold down the trigger button to take many continuous photos. This means you can use the simple "Knot and rubber band" method, listed below.

Note that continuous mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check the camera selection page. We recommend Canon cameras for reliability; some cameras will shut off after a few minutes. See below for details.

Taking lots of photos is generally easier than controlling when a photo is taken. Once you find a camera with continuous shot, test the battery to see how long it will shoot. Put in a memory card with 4gb+. Consider getting a second battery.

Some cameras can be set programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK), and CDHK can be triggered via the camera's USB port. Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker.

Dave Mitchell wrote easy Javascript programs for installing CDHK and Stereo DataMaker

Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger cameras that can't be programmed. A more drastic option is to hack a timer directly into the camera's shutter button circuit, like this 555 timer.

Activities

Although the "knot and rubber band" technique is easiest, here is a collection of guides to different ways to trigger a camera. Add your own!

[activities:camera-triggering]

This page describes how to set up a camera to repeatedly/continuously take pictures during balloon or kite mapping.

(Lead image by @mathew)

For timing two cameras together, see dual camera triggering

How do you keep the camera continuously shooting photos during flight?

Many cameras can be set in "continuous shooting mode", which generally allows you to hold down the trigger button to take many continuous photos. The mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check the camera selection page. We recommend Canon cameras for reliability; some cameras will shut off after a few minutes. See below for details.

Taking lots of photos is generally easier than controlling when a photo is taken. Once you find a camera with continuous shot, test the battery to see how long it will shoot. Put in a memory card with 4gb+. Consider getting a second battery.

Some cameras can be set programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK), and CDHK can be triggered via the camera's USB port. Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker.

Dave Mitchell wrote easy Javascript programs for installing CDHK and Stereo DataMaker

Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger cameras that can't be programmed. A more drastic option is to hack a timer directly into the camera's shutter button circuit, like this 555 timer.

Activities

Although the "knot and rubber band" technique is easiest, here is a collection of guides to different ways to trigger a camera. Add your own!

[activities:camera-triggering]

This page describes how to set up a camera to repeatedly/continuously take pictures during balloon or kite mapping

for timing two cameras together, see dual camera triggering

How do you keep the camera continuously shooting photos during flight?

Many cameras can be set in "continuous shooting mode", which generally allows you to hold down the trigger button to take many continuous photos. The mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check the camera selection page. We recommend Canon cameras for reliability; some cameras will shut off after a few minutes. See below for details.

Taking lots of photos is generally easier than controlling when a photo is taken. Once you find a camera with continuous shot, test the battery to see how long it will shoot. Put in a memory card with 4gb+. Consider getting a second battery.

Some cameras can be set programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK), and CDHK can be triggered via the camera's USB port. Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker.

Dave Mitchell wrote easy Javascript programs for installing CDHK and Stereo DataMaker

Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger cameras that can't be programmed. A more drastic option is to hack a timer directly into the camera's shutter button circuit, like this 555 timer.

Activities

Although the "knot and rubber band" technique is easiest, here is a collection of guides to different ways to trigger a camera. Add your own!

[activities:camera-triggering]

This page describes how to set up a camera to repeatedly/continuously take pictures during balloon or kite mapping

for timing two cameras together, see dual camera triggering

How do you keep the camera continuously shooting photos during flight?

Many cameras can be set in "continuous shooting mode", which generally allows you to hold down the trigger button to take many continuous photos. The mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check the camera selection page. We recommend Canon cameras for reliability; some cameras will shut off after a few minutes. See below for details.

Taking lots of photos is generally easier than controlling when a photo is taken. Once you find a camera with continuous shot, test the battery to see how long it will shoot. Put in a memory card with 4gb+. Consider getting a second battery.

Some cameras can be set programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK), and CDHK can be triggered via the camera's USB port. Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker.

Dave Mitchell wrote easy Javascript programs for installing CDHK and Stereo DataMaker

Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger cameras that can't be programmed. A more drastic option is to hack a timer directly into the camera's shutter button circuit, like this 555 timer.

Super Simple: Holding down the shutter

This is for use with the PET Bottle Rig

Instead of using a balled up piece of tape, a pebble, or some other thing to hold down my camera's shutter, I've gone to using a knot. This makes it easy to hold in place, and makes setting it easier. I prefer a rubber band, but tape also holds it down. tape may be more useful for bulging, non rectangular cameras.

My Canon SD1000 needs the rubber band tripled up to hold it in place:

Source: http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/mathew/1-29-2012/using-knot-trigger-cameras

This page describes how to set up a camera to repeatedly/continuously take pictures during balloon or kite mapping

for timing two cameras together, see dual camera triggering

How do you keep the camera continuously shooting photos during flight?

Many cameras can be set in "continuous shooting mode", which generally allows you to hold down the trigger button to take many continuous photos. The mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check the camera selection page. We recommend Canon cameras for reliability; some cameras will shut off after a few minutes. See below for details.

Some cameras can be set programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK). Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker. Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger cameras that can't be programmed. A more drastic option is to hack a timer directly into the camera's shutter button circuit, like this 555 timer.

Taking lots of photos is generally easier than controlling when a photo is taken. Once you find a camera with continuous shot, test the battery to see how long it will shoot. Put in a memory card with 4gb+. Consider getting a second battery.

Super Simple: Holding down the shutter

This is for use with the PET Bottle Rig

Instead of using a balled up piece of tape, a pebble, or some other thing to hold down my camera's shutter, I've gone to using a knot. This makes it easy to hold in place, and makes setting it easier. I prefer a rubber band, but tape also holds it down. tape may be more useful for bulging, non rectangular cameras.

My Canon SD1000 needs the rubber band tripled up to hold it in place:

Source: http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/mathew/1-29-2012/using-knot-trigger-cameras

This page describes how to set up a camera to repeatedly/continuously take pictures during balloon or kite mapping

for timing two cameras together, see dual camera triggering

How do you keep the camera continuously shooting photos during flight?

Many cameras can be set in "continuous shooting mode", which generally allows you to hold down the trigger button to take many continuous photos. The mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check the camera selection page. We recommend Canon cameras for reliability; some cameras will shut off after a few minutes. See below for details.

Some cameras can be set programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK). Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker. Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger cameras that can't be programmed. A more drastic option is to hack a timer directly into the camera's shutter button circuit, like this 555 timer.

Taking lots of photos is generally easier than controlling when a photo is taken. Once you find a camera with continuous shot, test the battery to see how long it will shoot. Put in a memory card with 4gb+. Consider getting a second battery.

Super Simple: Holding down the shutter

This is for use with the PET Bottle Rig

Instead of using a balled up piece of tape, a pebble, or some other thing to hold down my camera's shutter, I've gone to using a knot. This makes it easy to hold in place, and makes setting it easier. I prefer a rubber band, but tape also holds it down. tape may be more useful for bulging, non rectangular cameras.

My Canon SD1000 needs the rubber band tripled up to hold it in place:

Source: http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/mathew/1-29-2012/using-knot-trigger-cameras

This page describes how to set up a camera to repeatedly/continuously take pictures during balloon or kite mapping

How do you keep the camera continuously shooting photos during flight?

Many cameras can be set in "continuous shooting mode", which generally allows you to hold down the trigger button to take many continuous photos. The mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check the camera selection page. We recommend Canon cameras for reliability; some cameras will shut off after a few minutes. See below for details.

Some cameras can be set programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK). Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker. Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger cameras that can't be programmed. A more drastic option is to hack a timer directly into the camera's shutter button circuit, like this 555 timer.

Taking lots of photos is generally easier than controlling when a photo is taken. Once you find a camera with continuous shot, test the battery to see how long it will shoot. Put in a memory card with 4gb+. Consider getting a second battery.

Super Simple: Holding down the shutter

This is for use with the PET Bottle Rig

Instead of using a balled up piece of tape, a pebble, or some other thing to hold down my camera's shutter, I've gone to using a knot. This makes it easy to hold in place, and makes setting it easier. I prefer a rubber band, but tape also holds it down. tape may be more useful for bulging, non rectangular cameras.

My Canon SD1000 needs the rubber band tripled up to hold it in place:

Source: http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/mathew/1-29-2012/using-knot-trigger-cameras

This page describes how to set up a camera to repeatedly/continuously take pictures during balloon or kite mapping

How to keep the camera in continuous shooting mode during the flight?

The continuous shooting mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check the camera selection page.

Some cameras can be set programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK). Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker. Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger cameras that can't be programmed. A more drastic option is to hack a timer directly into the camera's shutter button circuit, like this 555 timer.

Taking lots of photos is generally easier than controlling when a photo is taken. Once you find a camera with continuous shot, test the battery to see how long it will shoot. Put in a memory card with 4gb+. Consider getting a second battery.

Super Simple- Holding Down the Shutter

This is for use with the PET Bottle Rig

Instead of using a balled up piece of tape, a pebble, or some other thing to hold down my camera's shutter, I've gone to using a knot. This makes it easy to hold in place, and makes setting it easier. I prefer a rubber band, but tape also holds it down. tape may be more useful for bulging, non rectangular cameras.

My Canon SD1000 needs the rubber band tripled up to hold it in place:

Source: http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/mathew/1-29-2012/using-knot-trigger-cameras

• How to keep the camera in continuous shooting mode during the flight?

The continuous shooting mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check the camera selection page.

Some cameras can be set programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK). Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker. Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger cameras that can't be programmed. A more drastic option is to hack a timer directly into the camera's shutter button circuit, like this 555 timer.

Taking lots of photos is generally easier than controlling when a photo is taken. Once you find a camera with continuous shot, test the battery to see how long it will shoot. Put in a memory card with 4gb+. Consider getting a second battery.

Super Simple- Holding Down the Shutter

This is for use with the PET Bottle Rig

Instead of using a balled up piece of tape, a pebble, or some other thing to hold down my camera's shutter, I've gone to using a knot. This makes it easy to hold in place, and makes setting it easier. I prefer a rubber band, but tape also holds it down. tape may be more useful for bulging, non rectangular cameras.

My Canon SD1000 needs the rubber band tripled up to hold it in place:

source: http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/mathew/1-29-2012/using-knot-trigger-cameras

• How to keep the camera in continuous shooting mode during the flight?

The continuous shooting mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check the camera selection page.

Some cameras can be programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK). Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker. Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger cameras that can't be programmed. A more drastic option is to hack a timer directly into the camera's shutter button circuit, like this 555 timer.

Taking lots of photos is generally easier than controlling when a photo is taken. Once you find a camera with continuous shot, test the battery to see how long it will shoot. Put in a memory card with 4gb+. Consider getting a second battery.

Super Simple- Holding Down the Shutter

This is for use with the PET Bottle Rig

Instead of using a balled up piece of tape, a pebble, or some other thing to hold down my camera's shutter, I've gone to using a knot. This makes it easy to hold in place, and makes setting it easier. I prefer a rubber band, but tape also holds it down. tape may be more useful for bulging, non rectangular cameras.

My Canon SD1000 needs the rubber band tripled up to hold it in place:

source: http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/mathew/1-29-2012/using-knot-trigger-cameras

• How to keep the camera in continuous shooting mode during the flight?

The continuous shooting mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check the camera selection page.

Some cameras can be programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK). Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker. Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger cameras that can't be programmed.

Taking lots of photos is generally easier than controlling when a photo is taken. Once you find a camera with continuous shot, test the battery to see how long it will shoot. Put in a memory card with 4gb+. Consider getting a second battery.

Super Simple- Holding Down the Shutter

This is for use with the PET Bottle Rig

Instead of using a balled up piece of tape, a pebble, or some other thing to hold down my camera's shutter, I've gone to using a knot. This makes it easy to hold in place, and makes setting it easier. I prefer a rubber band, but tape also holds it down. tape may be more useful for bulging, non rectangular cameras.

My Canon SD1000 needs the rubber band tripled up to hold it in place:

source: http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/mathew/1-29-2012/using-knot-trigger-cameras

• How to keep the camera in continuous shooting mode during the flight?

The continuous shooting mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check the camera selection page.

Some cameras can be programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK). Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker. Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger the camera.

Taking lots of photos is the best option. Once you find a camera with continuous shot, test the battery to see how long it will shoot. Put in a memory card with 4gb+. Consider getting a second battery.

Super Simple- Holding Down the Shutter

This is for use with the PET Bottle Rig

Instead of using a balled up piece of tape, a pebble, or some other thing to hold down my camera's shutter, I've gone to using a knot. This makes it easy to hold in place, and makes setting it easier. I prefer a rubber band, but tape also holds it down. tape may be more useful for bulging, non rectangular cameras.

My Canon SD1000 needs the rubber band tripled up to hold it in place:

source: http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/mathew/1-29-2012/using-knot-trigger-cameras

• How to keep the camera in continuous shooting mode during the flight?

Either you want to map a large area by moving around during the flight, or want to get the best images, it is best to shoot more pictures than needed with a large memory card, 4gb+.

The continuous shooting mode is different for each camera, and not all cameras have it. Check Camera Selection Physically holding the shutter down in continuous shot mode is the easiest method, as described elow.

Some cameras can be programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK). Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker. Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger the camera.

Super Simple- Holding Down the Shutter

This is for use with the PET Bottle Rig

Instead of using a balled up piece of tape, a pebble, or some other thing to hold down my camera's shutter, I've gone to using a knot. This makes it easy to hold in place, and makes setting it easier. I prefer a rubber band, but tape also holds it down. tape may be more useful for bulging, non rectangular cameras.

My Canon SD1000 needs the rubber band tripled up to hold it in place:

source: http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/mathew/1-29-2012/using-knot-trigger-cameras

• How to keep the camera in continuous shooting mode during the flight?

Either you want to map a large area by moving around during the flight, or want to get the best images, it is best to shoot more pictures than needed with a large memory card, 4gb+.

The continuous shooting mode is different for each camera, but most function the same, hold down the shutter and they keep clicking. Physically holding the shutter down in continuous shot mode is the easiest method, as described elow.

Some cameras can be programmatically, such as Canons using the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK). Some Canons can also also be triggered by infrared remote control codes, useful for stereo or near infrared camera pairs, along with Stereo DataMaker. Cris Benton and others use motors to trigger the camera.

Super Simple- Holding Down the Shutter

This is for use with the PET Bottle Rig

Instead of using a balled up piece of tape, a pebble, or some other thing to hold down my camera's shutter, I've gone to using a knot. This makes it easy to hold in place, and makes setting it easier. I prefer a rubber band, but tape also holds it down. tape may be more useful for bulging, non rectangular cameras.

My Canon SD1000 needs the rubber band tripled up to hold it in place:

source: http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/mathew/1-29-2012/using-knot-trigger-cameras

• How to keep the camera in continuous shooting mode during the flight?

Either you want to map a large area by moving around during the flight, or want to get the best images, it is best to shoot more pictures than needed with a large memory card. After the flight sort locally or with mapmill.org to select the best images for making the map.

The continuous shooting mode is different for each camera but most are the same. Some cameras can be programmatically controlled such as Canon(CHDK), but the shutter button can also be held down physically to keep the camera in the mode.

This is for use with the PET Bottle Rig

Instead of using a balled up piece of tape, a pebble, or some other thing to hold down my camera's shutter, I've gone to using a knot. This makes it easy to hold in place, and makes setting it easier. I prefer a rubber band, but tape also holds it down. tape may be more useful for bulging, non rectangular cameras.

My Canon SD1000 needs the rubber band tripled up to hold it in place:

source: http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/mathew/1-29-2012/using-knot-trigger-cameras