EOS 5D Mark II timelapse

[GreatCanon]

Hello,

I am using a Canon EOS 5D Mark II, along with the ACK-E6 AC adapter and this is connected to a computer running windows XP (32-bit) using EOS software, so that i can capture a timelapse. I need to capture images for 14 days, but the camera powers down after 16 hours. I hereafter need to remove and insert the adapter unit before i can start the camera again. I have tried capturing with both 10 minutes and 20 minutes intervals, but this is irrelevant to the event. Do you know what is going on?

What puzzles me is the timeframe, how can it work for 16 hours, is there an internal protection?

all the best

Rolf

[Tim]

Hello GreatCanon, 

Ensure that the auto-power off power saving function, located in the set up part of the menu, is turned off.  This may be causing the issue that you are having. 

[GreatCanon · Accepted solution]

Dear Tim

thank you very much for your reply! 

I did do this prior to my posting, the problem it seems was that the computer control did not manage to keep the camera "sleeping". After being in contact with customer support, they suggested that i try a interval timer. To my surprise, this worked and i was able to capture images for 14 days +. It is still puzzling to me that canon offers a computer control solution, which cannot do what an interval timer can.

all the best

Rolf

[Waddizzle]

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@GreatCanon wrote:

Dear Tim

thank you very much for your reply! 

I did do this prior to my posting, the problem it seems was that the computer control did not manage to keep the camera "sleeping". After being in contact with customer support, they suggested that i try a interval timer. To my surprise, this worked and i was able to capture images for 14 days +. It is still puzzling to me that canon offers a computer control solution, which cannot do what an interval timer can.

all the best

Rolf

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That is how USB ports work under Windows 8/10.  The OS will disconnect a USB device if it thinks it has gone idle for too long of a period of time. 

When the USB port goes idle, the camera cannot tell the difference between the port going idle, or the cable being pulled out of the port.  So, the camera drops out of USB connetivity mode.

Windows will typically play a "boppity bippity boop" sound when a USB disconnects or when one connects/reconnects.  It is the same sound you hear when you connect and disconnect with the EOS Utitlity to download photos.

[GreatCanon]

Dear Waddizzle, 

I have been using an windows XP machine to run the canon program, this is nonetheless very interesting! What puzzles me is the timeframe, why would the OS allow the usb port to be active for 16 hours and then shut it down. Do you not think that this is an odd timeframe for the " allow the computer to turn off this device to save power " utility.

What i think happened is that the camera powered down which disconnected it from the OS. I however have no proof for this. 

thanks for your input!

all the best

[Waddizzle]

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@GreatCanon wrote:

Dear Waddizzle, 

I have been using an windows XP machine to run the canon program, this is nonetheless very interesting! What puzzles me is the timeframe, why would the OS allow the usb port to be active for 16 hours and then shut it down. Do you not think that this is an odd timeframe for the " allow the computer to turn off this device to save power " utility.

What i think happened is that the camera powered down which disconnected it from the OS. I however have no proof for this. 

thanks for your input!

all the best

---

I was describing Windows 8/10, not Windows XP.  Windows XP did not disable USB ports.  Disabling them was one of many security features first introduced in Windows 7, which was a complete rewrite of the Operating System as managed code, or .NET.

Your assumption that the camera powered down may be correct.  One likely cause of a shutdown would be the image sensor overheating.