Thank you very much to Alby Martín for make and send to me this video explaining his first steps with Photoduino

Good work Alby

Reflexiona.biz Store have new stock and now can accept international orders of Photoduino 3.0 kits.

This new version is the most easy to assemble, because all components (except the sensors as usually) are soldered in the pcb, avoiding the use of wires and molex connectors to link the shield with the lcd display, box connectors and the buttons.

• This new version is available for orders today
• Check the Build instructions

Photoduino Shield 3.0 features:

• Fully electrical isolation of the camera using optocouplers (no problems detected with thyristors, but your peace is good)
• Reset button on the shield for easy accessing
• Build-in fix for the Arduino UNO R2 problem
• Fix for some Canon Flashes like EX580 and EX430 (not fully tested)
• The most easy to assemble version
• Fully compatible with the current and future releases of the firmware
• Fully compatible with the sensors of previous versions if you already have one
• Acrylic case as part of the kit
• Self powered by 9V battery

Some pictures:

Eaglecad files

You can download original Eaglecad files here.

Today, I just released the 0.10 revision of firmware.

• Download Arduino Sketch files here

Changelog:

• All files use “.ino” file extension for the 1.0 Arduino environment
• Fixed some compile errors on Arduino 1.0 environment
• Now uses progmem for allocating strings in program memory
• Reduced compiled code size
• New progress bar interface element
• Added confirmation message when you reset config in any execution mode to avoid accidental losses
• Fixed some spelling errors
• Now the shutterlag is a common system parameter because it depends of the camera model and is the same in all the run modes.
• Now “Use flash1″ and “Use flash2″ are system parameters. If p.e. UseFlash2 is “NO”, then in the config menus of all run modes you will don’t see the “flash2 pretime”.
• Now, the language messages are in separated files for each language to improve future translations.
• Mirror lockup timeout is now configurable through the system menu.
• New system parameter “DEVICE TYPE” determines the use of the Device port like laser, electrovalve, …
• A big new functionality of control electro-valve or solenoid valve. Docs soon.
• New key input holding A+B buttons to use it in numeric sensor tuning to match sensor and limit values to equal.

Since a few months, I’m working in a new version of the hardware shield. The both previous shields, the 1.0 and 2.0 are almost the same but with the difference in the number of layers. The 1.0 is made in one layer to be the most easy option to make the pcb at home and the 2.0 has two layers because I was selling this version a long time made by a PCB factory. Anyway, both versions are good for all people who wants to make it and put into a custom box. The next version, the Photoduino Shield 3.0, will be also in two layers but it will more focused on selling the complete kit.

This new version will be the most easy to assemble, because all components (except the sensors as usually) are soldered in the pcb, avoiding the use of wires and molex connectors to link the shield with the lcd display, box connectors and the buttons. The photos that you see here, are of the first prototype, but I’m working in some improvements in the design to include some fixes. This new version will be available for buying, but not yet. Will be soon. Subscribe to this blog by the RSS feed or email at the top-right corner of this page. If you prefer twitter, follow @photoduino to be informed. And yes, of course I’m working in a pretty box too

Photoduino Shield 3.0 features:

• Fully electrical isolation of the camera using optocouplers (no problems detected with thyristors, but your peace is good)
• Reset button on the shield for easy accessing
• Build-in fix for the Arduino UNO R2 problem
• Fix for some Canon Flashes like EX580 and EX430 (not fully tested)
• The most easy to assemble version
• Fully compatible with the current and future releases of the firmware
• Fully compatible with the sensors of previous versions if you already have one

Photoduino Shield was designed when the last version of Arduino was “Arduino Duemilanove”. Some time ago appears in the scene “Arduino UNO”. Photoduino is in theory fully compatible with this new model, but in the second release of Arduino UNO, the “R2 version”, a problem was detected with the power up.

The problem is when you upload the firmware to the board, all is fine, but when you power up again the board, the firmware isn’t start correctly and you will see some square boxes in the LCD display and no beep on the speaker.

To fix this problem, a solution was found. You only need to solder a diode 1N4148 between the 5V pin to the RESET pin at the Photoduino Shield or, if you prefer, in the Arduino board.

Be sure to connect in right position. The black band in the diode indicates the cathode and the other side is the anode. You need to connect the cathode to the VCC (5v) pin and the anode to the RESET pin of Arduino or the same pins in the Photoduino Shield. See the next picture to check the right position.

Take care soldering the diode and do it with patience.

After fix is done, when you connect arduino to the power or USB, the firmware will run correctly.

• Information

Photo by A.Trenado

I just created a group for photoduino on Flickr. You can post your photos made with photoduino and also photos of the building process to the group using your Flickr account. All images posted to the pool will be visible too in the examples page including your name and the description.