CanonDSLRTutorial

KeyComponents
CanonEOSSL1camerabody
CanonEFS1855mmf/3.55.6ISSTMlens
VariMagIImicroscopeadapter
DSLRRemoteProsoftware

CameraOperation

1. ThecamerabodycanbeattachedtotheVariMagIIadapterforusewiththemicroscopeorthe
1855mmlensforfreeoperation.The1855mmlensisstoredinthecameraboxlocatedinthe
redfilingcabinetinthelab.

2. Avoidleavingthebodyexposedtopreventcontaminants,especiallyliquids,fromentering.
Thebodycapisstoredinthecameraboxlocatedintheredfilingcabinetinthelab.(Figure1)

Lensrelease

Figure1CanonEOSSL1camerabodywithbodycap(left)anddisplayingredandwhitelensalignmentdotsandlens
releasedbutton(right)

3. TheVariMagcanbeinstalledonthebodybyaligningthereddotsandrotatingclockwiseuntilit
latches.The1855mmlensuseswhitedots.(Figure2)

Figure2AlignmentoftheVariMagIImicroscopeadapterusingthereddots(left)andalignmentofthe1855mmlensusing
thewhitedots(right).Botharerotatedclockwisetolatch.

4. TheVariMagIIor1855mlenscanberemovedbyholdingdownthelensreleasebuttonwhile
rotatingtheadapterorlenscounterclockwise.(Figure1)
5. TheVariMagIIhasavariablezoomfrom1.5xto2.5xaccessiblebylooseningtwoscrewsonthe
barrel,adjustingthebarrellength(longerforincreasedzoom),andthenretighteningthetwo
screws.(Figure3)
6. ThelowerscrewontheVariMagIIisusedtoreleasetheinnerlens.Ingeneral,thisshouldnot
betouched.Overtighteningcandistorttheimage.(Figure3)

Screwstoadjustzoom(1.5x2.5x)

Screw toreleaselens

Figure3TheVariMagII.Thetwoscrewsontopareusedforadjustingthezoomlevel.Thelowerscrewisusedtorelease
theinnerlens.

7. Abattery/poweradapterconvertorisusedtopowerthecamerainmicroscopeoperation.Tape
isusedtoprovideadditionstrainrelieffortheplug.Arubbergasketinthebattery/memorycard
compartmentpreventsthecablefrombeingpinchedwhenthedoorisclosed.(Figure4)

Figure4Thebattery/poweradapterconvertorwithstrainrelieftape(left).Thecamerahasarubbergasketonthelower
rightsothecableisnotpinchedwhenthebattery/memorycarddoorisclosed(right).

8. Thebatteryandbatterychargerarestoredintheupperleftdrawerbelowthemicroscope
(hemocytometerdrawer)forcamerauseawayfromthemicroscope.Remembertorecharge
thebatteryafteryouuseitforthenextperson.
9. TheCanonEOSSL1iscapableoftaking18MPpicturesand1080p30fpsvideo.Commoncamera
modesareProgramMode(P)forusewithDSLRRemoteProandthemicroscope,Automatic
(A+),FlashDisabledAuto(SlashedLightningBolt),andMacro(Flower).(Figure5)
10. ThecameradefaultstousingtheviewfinderandusingthetouchLCDtodisplayandcontrol
settings.TousetheLCDforalivepreviewwhenusingthecameraawayfromthemicroscope,
presstheLiveLCDbuttontotherightoftheviewfinder.(Figure5)

LiveLCDButton

Shutter
Video/Photo
/OffToggle

CameraModes

Figure5Cameramodes,shutter,andvideo/photo/powerofftogglearelocatedontopofthecamera(left).Bydefaultthe
cameraoperatesinviewfindermodeandthetouchLCDonlydisplayssettings.TheLiveLCDbuttonallowstheLCDtodisplay
alivepreview(right).

11. Whenattachedtothemicroscope,thecamerausesthemicroscopeasthelensandyouusethe
microscopescontrolstofocusandzoom.

12. Whenthe1855mmlensisattachedtothecamera,zoomiscontrolledbyrotatingthelens
barrel.Thereisaswitchonthelensbarreltoactivatemanualfocusifneeded.
13. TheCanonEOSSL1canbeconnectedtothecomputerusingablackUSBcable.Thecablemust
beconnectedtoaredUSB2.0port.Ahardwareordriverissuecausesinstabilitywhenplugged
intoablueUSB3.0port.ThecameraisonlyUSB2.0compliantsothereisnoperformanceloss.
(Figure6)

Figure6TheCanonEOSSL1connectstothecomputerusingtheblackUSBcabletoaredUSB2.0port,notablueUSB3.0
port(left).Thefullcamera/microscopesetupisshownontheright.

DSLRRemotePro

1. ThesoftwaretousetheCanonEOSSL1withthemicroscopeiscalledDSLRRemoteProandis
verysimilartotheCanonPowerShotA620camerasoftwarePSRemote.Ashortcutisavailable
onthedesktop.
2. Plugthecameraintothecomputer,turniton(ONnotVideo),andplacethecamerainPmode.
(Figure5)
3. Waitforthecameratoconnect.Windowsshouldshowacameraconnectionwindowwhichcan
beclosed.ThecameraLCDwillshowacomputersymbol.
4. OpenDSLRRemotePro.
5. Thesoftwareiscurrentlyatrial.ClicktheEvaluatebutton.(Figure7)

Figure7DSLRRemoteProisusedinEvaluationmode.

6. Thesoftwarewillconnecttothecamera.
7. Thecameraiscontrolledfromtheleftpanel.ItshoulddetectPModebesideExp.Thefollowing
settingsaresuitableforgeneraluse(Figure8):
ISO:Auto
ExposureCompensation:1/3,0or+1/3
Size/Quality:Large/fine
Whitebalance:Tungsten
Meteringmode:Evaluative
Drivemode:Singleshot
PictureStyle:Auto
8. AlivepreviewcanbeactivatedbypressingCTLR+L.Thislivepreviewissignificantlyhigher
qualitythantheoneavailablewiththeoldcameraandPSRemote.Thewindowcanberesizedas
neededbydraggingthecornersandthemaxlivepreviewsizeis960x640pixelscomparedto
320x240inPSRemote.
9. Usethelivepreviewandthemicroscopefocusknobstofocustheimage.Thecamerahasa
focusoffsetfromwhatisseenonthemicroscopeeyepieces.
10. Preview(F9)canbeusedtocaptureafullsizeimagethatisnotsaved.
11. Release(F8)isusedtocaptureandsavetheimage.
12. ImagesaresavedinD:\DSLRRemote (DdrivenotCdrivethatPSRemotesavesto)
Ashortcutisavailableonthedesktop.
13. Closetheprogramandshutoffthecamerawhendone.

Figure8DSLRRemoteProinoperation.

AlanLamOct2013