Digital camera
Basically, any camera that is supported by the Gphoto2 library can be used. Image capture support is required. However, a full-frame mirrorless camera with an electronic shutter and Live view support is optimal, but this can be replaced by connecting the HDMI output from the camera before the video grabber to the Raspberry PI. Photos are downloaded via USB and stored on the Raspberry disk. Here, the optimal option is to use an external SSD disk and not an internal SD card. If high speed is required, it is necessary to use USB-C 3.0 with a quality cable. The advantage is support for charging the camera battery via USB-C.
Preview
via HDMI
The camera's video output is fed to a Video Grabber, which converts the image to an MPEG stream, which is fed to the Raspberry via USB.
PLUS:
- This is done completely outside of the gphoto2 library.
MINUS
- need for an external grabber
- occupies USB slot
- some cameras output a completely unusable image when a USB cable is connected to the video output (eg. Canon EOS 6D Mk II)
Live view
The same cable is used as for the remote control
PLUS:
- simple connect
MINUS
- limited support in older camera models
- potential problem in gphoto2 implementation (bug)
- frame rate may be lower
- preview delay vs. actual state
no support
Can use the camera's internal display
Trigger
Cameras can support various methods of remote control via USB
capture
The image is saved to the camera's memory and then downloaded via USB to the RPI disk
PLUS:
- process completely under your own control
- the image is downloaded to the SSD drive
MINUS
- speed is limited by the bandwidth of downloading files via USB
trigger
The image is saved directly to the camera card, so there is little delay.
PLUS:
- as fast as normal photography
- timestamp can be obtained from the camera
MINUS
- there is no control over which folder the file is saved to on the camera, as this is not supported in the API
- necessary batch post-process for sorting into directories and downloading to SSD disk
- takes up space on the camera card
no support
Uses the same controls as a wired trigger - same PLUS, MINUS as the trigger
MINUS
- there is no check whether the photo was actually taken
Lenses
Good drawing at 1:1 magnification (in the case of a full frame camera) is necessary. Reproduction macro lenses tend to have the best drawing. With them, manual aperture adjustment and focusing using a macro sledge can be assumed. It is easier to use a macro lens designed for the camera used.
Lenses with Novoflex macro sledge
- Rodenstock Rodagon 50mm F/4 1:1
- Rodenstock Rodagon 50mm F/4 2x
- Rodenstock 80mm F/4 2x
- Olympus f4/80mm
- Schneider Componon S 80mm f4
System lenses
- Sigma Art 70mm f2.8 DG macro
- Sigma Art 105mm f2.8 DG DN macro
- Sony 90mm f2.8mm macro
- Sony 50mm f2.8 macro (might be slow focus, which is not issue for manual one)
- Canon EF 100mm Ff2.8 USM macro
- Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x macro