Nikon Coolpix E4500

[NullModel]

Reporting in mostly successful operation of Nikon Coolpix E4500
USB identification information:

Nikon Digital Camera E4500_PTP:

Product ID: 0x010b
Vendor ID: 0x04b0 (Nikon Corporation)
Version: 1.00
Serial Number: 000003510648
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: NIKON
Location ID: 0x04100000
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 0

I"ve been experimenting with some test scripts to see if it operates OK. Some of the assumptions
of the Maestro are a bit optimistic for this ancient camera. For example, on a low battery and
a full memory card, it takes 8 to 15 seconds for the camera to complete an exposure.
For example this appeared to work OK:

EXPMODP,C1,-,01:00.0,Nikon Coolpix, , , , , , ,N,ExpModeP C1-1m
RELEASE,C1,-,45.0,Nikon Coolpix, , , , , , ,Y,Release C1-45s
EXPMODA,C1,-,30.0,Nikon Coolpix, , , , , , ,N,ExpModeA C1-30s
RELEASE,C1,-,15.0,Nikon Coolpix, , , , , , ,Y,Release C1-15s
EXPMODS,C1,-,00.0,Nikon Coolpix, , , , , , ,N,ExpModeS C1-0s
RELEASE,C1,+,15.0,Nikon Coolpix, , , , , , ,Y,Release C1+15s

However, this test script to run through the camera's possible settings:

TAKEPIC,C1,-,00:30.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/2000,3.1,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/2000 f3.1
TAKEPIC,C1,-,00:15.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/1000,3.6,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/1000 f3.6
TAKEPIC,C1,-,00:00.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/500,4.0,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/500 f4.0
TAKEPIC,C1,+,00:15.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/250,4.5,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/250 f4.5
TAKEPIC,C1,+,00:30.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/125,5.1,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/125 f5.1
TAKEPIC,C1,+,00:45.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/60,5.7,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/60 f5.7
TAKEPIC,C1,+,01:00.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/30,5.7,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/30 f5.7
TAKEPIC,C1,+,01:15.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/15,5.7,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/15 f5.7
TAKEPIC,C1,+,01:30.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/8,6.4,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/8 f6.4
TAKEPIC,C1,+,01:45.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/4,7.2,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/4 f7.2
TAKEPIC,C1,+,02:00.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/2,8.1,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/2 f8.1
TAKEPIC,C1,+,02:15.0,Nikon Coolpix,1,9.0,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1s f9.0
TAKEPIC,C1,+,02:30.0,Nikon Coolpix,2,9.0,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,2s f9.0
TAKEPIC,C1,+,02:45.0,Nikon Coolpix,4,9.0,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,4s f9.0
TAKEPIC,C1,+,03:00.0,Nikon Coolpix,8,9.0,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,8s f9.0

Appeared to have trouble getting the exposures to happen at the correct time.
They appear to take longer than 15 seconds to complete. Is there programming
time in there in addition to the completion of the exposure ?
Plus, when that script was loaded, the display did not indicate the specified F stops.
See attached nikonE4500.png picture of the loaded test.

This is going to be a challenge to work with this camera. I have to use it in
a digiscoping mode and the preview screen is blank when it is connected,
so I'm working blind. Maestro is tolerant of the camera being disconnected
during a sequence of exposures so I can dump the memory card, check
the view and focus, and change batteries. Going to need a power source
or a lot of batteries for the 5 hour transit of Venus sequence in June.

[xjubier]

Reporting in mostly successful operation of Nikon Coolpix E4500
USB identification information:
Nikon Digital Camera E4500_PTP:
Product ID: 0x010b
Vendor ID: 0x04b0 (Nikon Corporation)

Thanks Hiram, the next SEM release will identify your camera as a Coolpix.
I am happy to see SEM does work with such a 9 years old camera that isn't even supported or tested.

I've been experimenting with some test scripts to see if it operates OK. Some of the assumptions of the Maestro are a bit optimistic for this ancient camera. For example, on a low battery and a full memory card, it takes 8 to 15 seconds for the camera to complete an exposure.

It isn't really surprising that it takes that much time with such an old camera. The processing power of the camera and the write speed of both the memory card and camera are important.
I will mention in the help that with such Coolpix camera it can take over 10 seconds.

For example this appeared to work OK:
EXPMODP,C1,-,01:00.0,Nikon Coolpix, , , , , , ,N,ExpModeP C1-1m
RELEASE,C1,-,45.0,Nikon Coolpix, , , , , , ,Y,Release C1-45s
EXPMODA,C1,-,30.0,Nikon Coolpix, , , , , , ,N,ExpModeA C1-30s
RELEASE,C1,-,15.0,Nikon Coolpix, , , , , , ,Y,Release C1-15s
EXPMODS,C1,-,00.0,Nikon Coolpix, , , , , , ,N,ExpModeS C1-0s
RELEASE,C1,+,15.0,Nikon Coolpix, , , , , , ,Y,Release C1+15s

However, this test script to run through the camera's possible settings:
TAKEPIC,C1,-,00:30.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/2000,3.1,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/2000 f3.1
TAKEPIC,C1,-,00:15.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/1000,3.6,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/1000 f3.6
TAKEPIC,C1,-,00:00.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/500,4.0,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/500 f4.0
TAKEPIC,C1,+,00:15.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/250,4.5,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/250 f4.5
TAKEPIC,C1,+,00:30.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/125,5.1,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/125 f5.1
TAKEPIC,C1,+,00:45.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/60,5.7,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/60 f5.7
TAKEPIC,C1,+,01:00.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/30,5.7,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/30 f5.7
TAKEPIC,C1,+,01:15.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/15,5.7,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/15 f5.7
TAKEPIC,C1,+,01:30.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/8,6.4,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/8 f6.4
TAKEPIC,C1,+,01:45.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/4,7.2,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/4 f7.2
TAKEPIC,C1,+,02:00.0,Nikon Coolpix,1/2,8.1,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1/2 f8.1
TAKEPIC,C1,+,02:15.0,Nikon Coolpix,1,9.0,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,1s f9.0
TAKEPIC,C1,+,02:30.0,Nikon Coolpix,2,9.0,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,2s f9.0
TAKEPIC,C1,+,02:45.0,Nikon Coolpix,4,9.0,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,4s f9.0
TAKEPIC,C1,+,03:00.0,Nikon Coolpix,8,9.0,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,8s f9.0

I guess when you referenced C1 you were thinking of C2?

Appeared to have trouble getting the exposures to happen at the correct time.
They appear to take longer than 15 seconds to complete. Is there programming time in there in addition to the completion of the exposure ?

No. If some exposures are skipped it means you should space them a little bit more.
But for example if you take that exposure
TAKEPIC,C1,+,02:30.0,Nikon Coolpix,2,9.0,100,0.000,JPG-F,None,N,2s f9.0
it will take the fifteen seconds needed by the camera to process and write the data plus two more seconds for the length of the exposure, hence 17 seconds. For the last exposure 15+8=23 seconds.
To know more you should look at the Solar Eclipse Maestro Log that you can access from the Windows menu.

FYI on recent DSLRs you can go down to 0.5 seconds between exposures, or even less when doing a burst.

Plus, when that script was loaded, the display did not indicate the specified F stops.
See attached nikonE4500.png picture of the loaded test.

This is because f/3.1 doesn't exist for your camera, so SEM is choosing the nearest valid value.

This is going to be a challenge to work with this camera. I have to use it in a digiscoping mode and the preview screen is blank when it is connected, so I'm working blind. Maestro is tolerant of the camera being disconnected during a sequence of exposures so I can dump the memory card, check the view and focus, and change batteries. Going to need a power source or a lot of batteries for the 5 hour transit of Venus sequence in June.

Or another newer camera.
The E4500 firmware is likely blanking the preview screen when the camera is connected.

[xjubier]

I will mention in the help that with such Coolpix camera it can take over 10 seconds.