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Using a Canon EOS camera as a webcam in Debian

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Re: Using a Canon EOS camera as a webcam in Debian

#51

Post by LtWorf »

Gigachad wrote: post #47
LtWorf wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It takes 10 minutes to reload a kernel module??? Not even on a 386 :D

First you have to spend a few minutes searching your bash backlog for the exact modprobe command, then you realize you updated your kernel so you have to recompile and resign it, then you have to fiddle with your video inputs but the gui is somehow out of sync with the actual setting. Then run a test before joining the call. And then the other person has the window under their browser and never looks at your video.

> First you have to spend a few minutes searching your bash backlog

Ah, you don't have the keys "ctrl" and "R" on your keyboard?

And I guess you also don't have grep, so you can't just history | grep modprobe.

You should consider investing in a keyboard with all the alphabet on it.

Re: Using a Canon EOS camera as a webcam in Debian

#52

Post by pdpi »

randomf wrote: post #30
pdpi wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That seems pretty roundabout, when you have solutions like the Elgato CamLink that just takes an HDMI input from your camera and shows up as a completely standard USB Video Class device to the OS.

Many models don't give you "clean" HDMI output. It's usually low-res with overlay junk. edit: if the elgato can do it with HDMI, the question remains can it be done directly with SD out? e2: also, SD card readers/adapters are cheap and plentiful, this seems like it should be easier to implement

The elgato is doing something completely straightforward — video output to video input, done. With only a few details, it’s almost like a regular webcam where the controller is in the usb plug rather than the webcam’s body.

The SD thing has all sorts of nastiness to it.

First, you won’t have a standard usb video input, so you’re going to need to do a bunch of awkward driver work to get applications to consume the video feed.

Second, you’ll have to deal with the lag and jittery video that you get because the camera will almost certainly buffer writes.

Then you have to figure out how to get the controller in the SD reader to understand the incoming writes, which it was most certainly not designed to do.

Re: Using a Canon EOS camera as a webcam in Debian

#53

Post by prmoustache »

Gigachad wrote: post #17

Nice post, but that's way too much work to be worth it. You really want your camera and mic setup to just work rather than having to tell someone to wait 10 minutes to call because you need to reload your kernel module.

I aree it is a lot of work but you set this one once and the kernel can be loaded at boot time.

I wouldn't do that for general visio conferencing as sound is much more important than video but for someone producing video content it is definitely worth it.

Re: Using a Canon EOS camera as a webcam in Debian

#55

Post by yrro »

I wish v4l2loopback was included in the kernel. I've wasted far too much time messing about with DKMS in the past that I now avoid any out-of-tree modules if I can avoid it. And with Secure Boot they become untenable.

To be fair there is an issue tracking progress - https://github.com/umlaeute/v4l2loopback/issues/268 - but it's had no updates in 18 months.

Re: Using a Canon EOS camera as a webcam in Debian

#56

Post by dewey »

diffeomorphism wrote: post #50
Gigachad wrote: post #17

Nice post, but that's way too much work to be worth it. You really want your camera and mic setup to just work rather than having to tell someone to wait 10 minutes to call because you need to reload your kernel module.

What work? That seems very comparable to any moderately nice webcam: Install software once, then forget about it. The "setup" for something like skype is then just selecting the cam from a drop down menu. An argument I could see is having to get out the camera, put it onto a tripod, connecting power, ... etc.. Though that is only an issue if you cannot just leave everything set up.

> Install software once, then forget about it.

Are you new to Linux?

As it appears to be necessary: \s, it was a lighthearted statement about how software is almost never "forget about it" and breaks on updates in unexpected ways.

Re: Using a Canon EOS camera as a webcam in Debian

#57

Post by ekianjo »

dewey wrote: post #56
diffeomorphism wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What work? That seems very comparable to any moderately nice webcam: Install software once, then forget about it. The "setup" for something like skype is then just selecting the cam from a drop down menu. An argument I could see is having to get out the camera, put it onto a tripod, connecting power, ... etc.. Though that is only an issue if you cannot just leave everything set up.

> Install software once, then forget about it. Are you new to Linux? As it appears to be necessary: \s, it was a lighthearted statement about how software is almost never "forget about it" and breaks on updates in unexpected ways.

No. Are you?

Re: Using a Canon EOS camera as a webcam in Debian

#58

Post by friendzis »

deanc wrote: post #34

How does using a DSLR affect camera lifetime? The sensor is presumably consistently exposed?

Picture-taking wise DSLR is not any different than e.g. webcam (aside from form factor) - it is just a sensor with electronics to read, process and transmit/store data.

The only thing that differentiates an SLR is the shutter/mirror mechanism, which is mechanical part and lifetime is roughly proportional to a number of "uses".

Re: Using a Canon EOS camera as a webcam in Debian

#59

Post by kuon »

InvaderFizz wrote: post #42
deanc wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you need magic lantern for that? HDMI capture card would presumably work with stock firmware? I’ve also tried using my old 600d but with the canon provided software and it works pretty okay.

Magic lantern to remove shutter speed and other menu overlays from the hdmi feed, might also enable long duration HDMI output without the camera going to sleep.

Yes, magic lantern remove sleep and ensure there is no overlay.

Re: Using a Canon EOS camera as a webcam in Debian

#60

Post by Jaruzel »

InvaderFizz wrote: post #42
deanc wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you need magic lantern for that? HDMI capture card would presumably work with stock firmware? I’ve also tried using my old 600d but with the canon provided software and it works pretty okay.

Magic lantern to remove shutter speed and other menu overlays from the hdmi feed, might also enable long duration HDMI output without the camera going to sleep.

Have you got a link to the 1000D Magic Lantern firmware? I can't seem to find it on their site. Thanks!
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