Johan Van Barel

Canon CHDK Scripts

Open the hidden possibilities of your Canon A Series camera.

Introduction

These CHDK scripts give your Canon PowerShot A Series camera a new range of hidden possibilities you never thought were possible, like bracketing (EV, shutter, flash, focus, ISO, zoom), time-lapse photography (intervalometer), lightning and motion detection, etc.

CHDK is a firmware enhancement that operates on a number of Canon Cameras. CHDK gets loaded into your camera's memory upon bootup (either manually or automatically). It provides additional functionality beyond that currently provided by the native camera firmware. CHDK is not a permanent firmware upgrade: you decide how it is loaded (manually or automatically) and you can always easily remove it.

The scripts were described in detail in the december 2010 issue article of the renowned IEEE Spectrum Magazine. IEEE Spectrum magazine is the flagship publication of the IEEE, the world's largest professional technology association. It is a monthly magazine for technology innovators, business leaders, and the intellectually curious. Spectrum explores future technology trends and the impact of those trends on society and business.

Download and Installation

Before you can install the scripts below, you need to download and install the CHDK Firmware Extension. CHDK is freeware and can be downloaded for a broad range of Canon PowerShot and Digital Ixus cameras here. If you own a Canon A640, you can download a specific build here, which already contains all the scripts mentionned above. Copy all the files in this archive to the root of your SD card. If you have problems installing CHDK, please refer to the CHDK Wiki Pages.

Description

The scripts are optimized for the Canon A640 (Required CHDK build at least AllBest A640 100b r49), but they may also work on other Canon PowerShot A models. It is recommended to use a tripod for all of the scripts (except Zoom Video).

For some scripts that run for a longer period, you should disable the Power Saving options of your camera. This can be done in the <ALT> menu. In the Miscellaneous Stuff menu item set the Disable LCD Off value to Script, so the display won't turn off while in <ALT> mode or while a script is running.

Here is the list of available scripts:

License

This software is distributed as freeware. If you keep using this software, send me an appreciation or feedback e-mail for my programming effort and sharing this tool for free.
Or even better, buy me a coffee .

Disclaimer

This software and the accompanying files are supplied "as is", without any express or implied warranty. In no event shall the author be liable for any damages whatsoever including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, loss of business profits or special damages from the use of this software. By using this software you agree with these conditions.