HDMI Video Feed

[eric/]

Hello,

I was wondering if I could get some advice here. I'm currently looking to outfit my lab with an SLR camera (Canon EOS 60d probably, because I need a macro lens + HD video) and I want to be able to hook the camera up and essentially use it like a microscope. I need to be able to plug an HDMI cable into a computer, and use software I have to have a live feed of what my camera is looking at.

Basically, it would be a way of extending what the LCD on the camera is looking at.

Any idea on what I could use, or specific recommendations? I've been looking at TV tuner cards, but I'm not sure if that's the right way to go or if that will the right solution.

Thanks

 

[boch82]

Hello,

I was wondering if I could get some advice here. I'm currently looking to outfit my lab with an SLR camera (Canon EOS 60d probably, because I need a macro lens + HD video) and I want to be able to hook the camera up and essentially use it like a microscope. I need to be able to plug an HDMI cable into a computer, and use software I have to have a live feed of what my camera is looking at.

Basically, it would be a way of extending what the LCD on the camera is looking at.

Any idea on what I could use, or specific recommendations? I've been looking at TV tuner cards, but I'm not sure if that's the right way to go or if that will the right solution.

Thanks

The proper way to do this would be using a capture card. Matrox makes a pretty good product. The Mx-02mini.

But depending on what type of machine you are using to capture the footage you might need a different model with the proper host adapters. (lci card vs thunderbolt etc)

 

[eric/]

The proper way to do this would be using a capture card. Matrox makes a pretty good product. The Mx-02mini.

But depending on what type of machine you are using to capture the footage you might need a different model with the proper host adapters. (lci card vs thunderbolt etc)

That looks really good. I called and it sounds like it's perfect. Well, I wish it was just a bit cheaper, but if I'm able to get funding it looks like that would be the one.

 

[mjsanders5uk]

I assume you're doing this homebrew way for cost. If not, why not use a proper microscope adaptor and HD camera that's designed for the job.

Olympus and others do adaptors for exactly this. Using the 60D won't give the best results also just check that the 60D outputs a clean video signal (i.e. without the screen information) out of the HDMI. Not all Canon cameras do (the 5D MkIII with new firmware can, as can the Nikon D8000).

You're still need a capture card to capture from the camera into the computer. If you're on a Mac (as I guess you are seeing as where you are). There are various choices, companies to look at are Blackmagic, Matrox or AJA.

 

[martinX]

I need to be able to plug an HDMI cable into a computer, and use software I have to have a live feed

What computer do you have and what software do you wish to use?

 

[eric/]

I assume you're doing this homebrew way for cost. If not, why not use a proper microscope adaptor and HD camera that's designed for the job.

Olympus and others do adaptors for exactly this. Using the 60D won't give the best results also just check that the 60D outputs a clean video signal (i.e. without the screen information) out of the HDMI. Not all Canon cameras do (the 5D MkIII with new firmware can, as can the Nikon D8000).

You're still need a capture card to capture from the camera into the computer. If you're on a Mac (as I guess you are seeing as where you are). There are various choices, companies to look at are Blackmagic, Matrox or AJA.

It's actually for a laboratory for an organization. We can't use a microscope for the nature of what we're doing.

What we have right now is essentially a security camera type device with a lens screwed on the end to zoom in. We're working with budget constraints, as well, hence looking at cheaper alternatives. Pricing everything out, the 60D, a macro lens, plus the Matrox device have us well under $2,000.

I have no idea what computer we will be using, but it'll probably be a POS Dell or something. Right now we're using a computer with a P4.

I can't remember the name of the software we have now, but it's very simple. Our current software allows us to use an S-Video cable to attach the camera we currently have to the computer for the live feed, then we just click grab whenever we want to grab an image.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

What we have right now is essentially a security camera type device with a lens screwed on the end to zoom in. We're working with budget constraints, as well, hence looking at cheaper alternatives. Pricing everything out, the 60D, a macro lens, plus the Matrox device have us well under $2,000.

The 60D does not output a clean HDMI signal. You will need a different camera.

I looked into it because I shoot with a 60D and wanted to run an external capture device to try to get over the file size limit.