Kodak DC20 Digital Camera Controller

Purpose

DC20 Controller
DC20 Controller Home Parts List The Circuit Software Construction Related Links

The purpose of this project is to build a controller for a Kodak DC20 digital camera. The controller sends a signal to the camera at regular intervals, instructing the camera to take photos automatically.

Both the camera and controller can be attached to a kite (or a model airplane, rocket or helicopter) and be used to take aerial photographs.

About the Kodak DC20

The DC20 is very light weight, and thus well suited for aerial photography. However, it does not have a timer or other built-in mechanism for snapping photos autonomously. It does have a serial port connector through which instructions can be sent. A controller such as the one described in this project is needed to command the camera to take pictures without operator intervention.

About the Controller

The controller is a circuit based on a PIC microcontroller that generates a serial data signal. This signal is fed to the DC20 camera instructing it to take photos at regular intervals. It is powered by a 9-volt battery and is connected to the camera through a stereo mini headphone plug.

Software on the controller is programmed to wait a preset amount of time, then begin snapping photos at regular intervals until the camera's photo memory is full. When the camera is full, the controller and the camera both go into sleep mode to conserve power. The entire assembly is light weight enough to be carried aloft on a kite with moderate lifting power, or on a model airplane, rocket or helicopter.