Cheapest Canon Camera that I can control via Desktop PC

A few clarifications from someone who has used a XTi tethered to a notebook PC: while the XTi has a composite video output, it shows pictures only after they have been taken. To see an image from a Canon DSLR before the shutter button is pressed, you'd need a newer "Live View" model, starting with the Digital Rebel XSi. The DSLR Remote Pro web site lists the 1D Mark IV, 1D Mark III, EOS-1Ds Mark III, 5D Mark II, 7D, 40D, 50D, Rebel T2i, Rebel T1i and Rebel XS as other Canon models with remote Live View through a data cable tether.

Also, from direct experience: it takes little time to get images from a tethered XTi to a USB 2.0-equipped computer. Using either DSLR Remote Pro or Canon's combination of the EOS Utility and ZoomBrowser EX, it takes no more than two seconds for the camera to send a JPEG image to a computer, and around six seconds to send paired RAW+JPEG files of around 15 MB combined.

DSLR Remote Pro and tethered photography works very well on the XTi, but it's unreliable and tedious with the older Digital Rebel 300D. Pictures need nearly a minute to transfer, and often, images would be lost when the 300D was tethered to a computer. A newer model camera will work better.

quik28 wrote in post #10152449
What sort of photography requires a 40 foot mast?

Elevated, I like different perspectives.
Windmill
Train
Fountain

First elevated pano test. Before I purchased the good software.
In action shooting over the fence at a vintage snowmobile race. I'm sitting in the nice warm van. Shooting on this angle keeps the background uncluttered as the group enters turn one, then I can pan and catch any wrecks as they exit.

DC Fan is correct, the XSi was the first to have live view, my mistake... for SLR's, is there an option to write directly to the camera and not the computer? My connection is usually over 100'. I usually just take a couple test shots then switch to camera only, more for action photos where multiples need to be taken quickly.

Troy

If you plan on using zoom, a quality P&S would be much easier because you can control the zoom with the computer too. All of the photos above were taken with a Canon A640 with wide angle adapter in full manual mode. I'm just creating a gimbal for my long lenses with zoom, but it is much more costly than the above alternative.

If you don't mind me asking, what do you plan on shooting? it would help with advise.

where does one find a 40' mast? that looks like a fun experiment

c2thew wrote in post #10154433
where does one find a 40' mast? that looks like a fun experiment

Not a cheap experiment... Info can be found on several options HERE and HERE. Do your research... Just to toy around you could use a painters pole and a metalhead. If you ever toy with wireless an easy wireless shutter would be a cheap Phottix or Cactis which would get a 100' or so range, over a half mile with a hobby remote and something like this...


2008 I walked around a car show with the camera on a pole, about 12 elevation. A ladder could have been used, but I quickly shot every car at the show using a 7" monitor to compose.
Still trying to get my wireless gimbals in kit form. (Prototypes from the last 2 years shown in link.)
Sorry for OT, any other questions on this please pm me.

My favorite and most powerful method is to remain tethered to the camera, but wireless also has its benefits.

Troy

TroyRaymond wrote in post #10153998
If you plan on using zoom, a quality P&S would be much easier because you can control the zoom with the computer too. All of the photos above were taken with a Canon A640 with wide angle adapter in full manual mode. I'm just creating a gimbal for my long lenses with zoom, but it is much more costly than the above alternative.

If you don't mind me asking, what do you plan on shooting? it would help with advise.

Using it for photo booth... for now, so customers have to see the image on the screen before taking a shoot....

I love your wireless gimbal, very cool. I might get into it a little more for real estate photodraphy. Thanks for sharing!!!

You need liveview for it to work - the 5D MK II you can fully control from the Computer - definitely compose through the computer.

It will NOT work with an xTi - that one will not allow you to compose from a computer.

So my guess (!!!) is:
450D (xSi)
500D (t1i)
550D (t2i)

7D, 5D MK II, 1Ds MK IV

As all the options.

OP,

40 does it and comes with the software. Available for the 7D is a $25 IR remote (and of course can be tethered too.)

I like your "different perspective". Very fresh!

I'm gona try to go with G9 or G10 and see how that works...