New in 2.0.1

Major Improvements

  • Completely redesigned the TestDelay to make it more robust and to provide more accurate diagnostics
  • Provided more comprehensive error messages
  • Provide optional background download of images during script execution. It will also allow the user to download all camera images when the script is not running.
  • Special support for most R Series Cameras - Selected models of the R Series allow more exposures to occur during the bursts by actively managing the shutter mode. R Series cameras can now be used with a telescope.

Bug Fixes/Enhancements

  • require the user to see the Camera Pref dialog on startup so the user verifies all of the operational settings
  • Strict enforcement of completion of the Camera Prefs dialog since several folks found a way out of the Camera Preferences dialog and subsequently crashed the program
    • Protect the program in case someone does find another route to continue with invalid camera config
    • Require that the camera pass the test delay (once) before proceeding
  • Allow the user a "best effort" exposure if the camera will not support fast enough shutter speeds. Several Canon cameras do not allow a fast enough shutter speed. Two R series cameras require switching the shutter mode to avoid this problem. This is done automatically
  • Provided an addition exposure setting for Thousand Oaks Filters
  • changed the solar filter selection dialog to make the choices more clear
  • redesigned partial capture to enable finer increments
  • Fixed a bug in GPS support where the altitude calculation was not saved
  • Fixed bug in GPS support that caused crash when run indoors
  • fixed a problem with support dump when using a telescope
  • prevent crash when displaying the sample image of new incremental exposures
  • fixed a bug where the initial exposure is not set if the user changed the exposure during focusing
  • Allow a negative number for lat/long to be interpreted as S or W.
  • Improved support for non en-US number and date conventions. Users should now be able to interact using their own conventions for numbers (e.g. 0,6 in Europe and 0.6 in the US) and see dates in their regional style. The program text is still in English. Note that XML files are en-US.
  • Fixed Time Sync so it sets the timezone to UTC
  • The warning requiring at least one image if you were running Sonoma (14.x) is no longer required
  • Update to USNO earth rotation (ΔT) measurement dated 6/1/24

New in 1.7

  • Fixes a problem with the calculation of GPS location
  • Fixes a number of problems experienced by 6D users
  • Fixes Earthshine so it generates properly
  • Limits the longest exposure to 2 seconds in all mount modes

New in 1.6

  • Protects the Camera Preferences and Test Delay Dialogs against missing "safe" features in the camera. Some of these problems caused crashes.
  • Fixes a bug that prevented TestDelay from running in Telescope Mode (i.e without a lens)
  • Adds a new menu item that Dumps the current camera capabilities and settings to aid in support.

I have received reports from those with 6D cameras that the program crashes in TestDelay. 6D cameras have a quirk that they max out at 1/4000. TestDelay assumes the camera at least has 1/5000 and crashes if it does not.

This brings up another important point. To get an exposure of the brightest parts with a 6D you will need to set your f/stop to 7.1 or higher. CaptureEclipse will give you a warning, but again the warning did not anticipate the problems with the 6D so its advice does not cover this situation.

New in 1.5

  • Tested on Sonoma and Ventura (1.3 is also tested on Sonoma also). Most testing is now on M1.

    Note I discovered a problem with Sonoma(14.1.2). If the camera's card is empty when you first connect then the program hangs. The workaround is to make sure there is always at least one picture on the card. This will require a new SDK from Canon which will not be available until after April 24.

  • Support for the latest Canon SDK (13.17.10). This should resolve some of the capability issues reported in 1.1. It should also extend support to newer cameras. Canon claims support for Ventura.
  • Update to the USNO 1/1/24 measurement of ΔT for the April and October 24 eclipses. The program will now warn if the ΔT is old
  • Additional Corona Exposures
  • Markers inserted in Annular Eclipse sequences to mark the beginning of the Cxs and Max Eclipse. These can be correlated in the log to get the exact exposure times
  • Replaced old examples with upcoming eclipses
  • Bug fixes

Most of the changes are internal (such as the new SDK and the SDK's support for new cameras). Changes that are user-visible are marked with change bars as shown at the right.