Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a list of common questions asked by people both
considering the EF-232 lens controller and potential customers. If you
have additional questions or have a question you think should be covered in
this, please e-mail us at info@birger.com.
Choosing the Lens
Controller and Available Options
1.
What kinds of lenses are compatible with the
EF-232 lens controller?
2.
Are there plans to support other lens
manufacturers?
3.
Can I buy just the mechanics to adapt a Canon
lens to a different mount type?
4.
Is there a way to search through the available
options and view pricing?
Device Power
5.
Can I power the unit with a DC source rather
than the AC adapter plug
6.
When running the lens controller over USB, can I
use the USB to power the device?
Software Capabilities
7.
Is the adapter Linux compatible?
8.
Does Birger Engineering offer any software other
than HyperTerminal to control the adapter?
Command and Function
Questions
9.
Where can I find a list of commonly used functions?
10. Am I able to control the lens zoom functions
using the lens adapter?
11.
What is the difference between the Incremental
and Absolute commands?
12.
How do I determine the range of the focus and
aperture on my lens?
13.
Why does my HyperTerminal window only show the
last response from the controller?
Changing the Baud
Rate
14.
How do I change the Baud Rate for communication
with my lens adapter?
Library
15.
For what reasons would I update the library?
16.
How do I know what library version is installed
on my controller?
17.
Where is the latest library available?
18.
How do I update the library?
1. What kinds of lenses are
compatible with the EF-232 lens controller?
Currently, the only supported
lenses are of the Canon variety. A
list of known compatible lenses can be found on the communication
page. If the lens you are using
does not appear on this page, please inquire by contacting
us by phone or e-mail.
2. Are there plans to support
other lens manufacturers?
Yes, we are currently working to
provide solutions for Sigma, Four Thirds, Nikon and Hasselblad
lens types. Sigma and Four Thirds
will be available in the end of the first quarter of 2007, Nikon during the 2nd
or 3rd quarter of 2007, and Hasselblad in the 4th
quarter of 2007.
3. Can I buy just the mechanics
to adapt a Canon lens to a different mount type?
Yes, the adapter is available in a
mechanical only application. You
can adapt a Canon lens to a C-mount, P-mount, and Dhalsa
Piranha II camera using the specified adapters.
4. Is there a way to search
through the available options and view pricing?
To search the products, please
visit our web store. Currently, the
web store allows you to see the options available, and if you create an
account, volume pricing.
5. Can I power the unit with a
DC source rather than the AC adapter plug?
Yes, all that is needed is a source
that provides 6v and a peak current of 500mA. The power can be connected to the 3rd
pin on the connection board (see electrical
specifications for more detail).
6. When running the lens
controller over USB, can I use the USB to power the device?
It is strongly recommended that the
unit is powered by methods other than that of the computer’s USB
port. Although the unit will
operate some lenses without the external power, the unit could draw enough
current during certain lens functions causing the USB to malfunction. It is for this reason that to ensure the
unit will remain operational the external power must be connected.
7. Is the adapter Linux
compatible?
The usage model is for Windows XP
and below currently. We do not
offer support for operating the unit in Linux, but customers have communicated
with the lens controller via serial communication.
8. Does Birger Engineering
offer any software other than HyperTerminal to control the adapter?
A beta application is available at
request, but issues exist in some of the controls and support is not available
of the beta. We strongly recommend
using HyperTerminal in all circumstances to adjust the lens controller.
9. Where can I find a list of
commonly used functions?
In the installation tutorial,
several basic operations are explained
10. Am I able to control the
lens zoom functions using the lens adapter?
No. Due to the lack of a motor to drive the
zoom, the lens controller cannot adjust the zoom. The ‘dz’
command returns the maximum and minimum zoom of the lens attached to the
adapter.
11. What is the difference
between the Incremental and Absolute commands?
Incremental commands move the focus
or aperture the specified number of counts from the current position where
absolute commands move to the value specified within the range of the lenses
capabilities.
12. How do I determine the
range of the focus and aperture on my lens?
Using the zero and infinity
commands (mi and mz for focus, mc and mo for
aperture) will read out the maximum and minimum values available for the lens
in use.
13. Why does my HyperTerminal
window only show the last response from the controller?
This is caused by the 'Append line
feeds to incoming line ends' in the ASCII setup of HyperTerminal remaining
unchecked during setup. To fix the
issue, in HyperTerminal select File>Properties and click on the Settings tab
then ASCII Setup. Check the box
beside 'Append line feeds to incoming line ends' to be able to view all responses
and previous commands in the HyperTerminal window.
14. How do I change the Baud
Rate for communication with my lens adapter?
A tutorial is available that
instructs you on how to alter the communication rate. The tutorial is available here.
15. For
what reasons would I update the library?
Library updates are intended for
the addition of new commands and increased stability.
16. How do I know what library
version is installed on my controller?
Issuing the ‘vs’ command will result in a header string reading
“EF-232 Lens Adapter, v41.14” for example. The 41 represents the version of the
adapter and the 14 represents the library version.
17. Where is the latest library
available?
Library updates are available
through the Birger Engineering, Inc. website in the downloads section under the title
“Libraries”.
18. How do I update the library?
A tutorial
for updating the library is available on the website. The tutorial explains how, using the
send file of HyperTerminal a new library can be loaded into the lens
controller. Click Here
