Tag Archives: Boomerang GIFs

Animated GIFs, Breeze Booth, DSLR Remote Pro, Magic Mirror, Quick Tips, Screens

Magic mirrors: shooting boomerang (burst) GIFs without live view

Mirror booths usually do not display the camera’s live view because guests see themselves pose in the mirror.

Breeze DSLR Remote Pro’s support for bespoke interfaces and custom menus makes it a great choice for magic mirrors and photo booths. You can hide the live view whether you are offering still photos, GIFs, slow mo or video booth:

Fusion Booth running DSLR Remote Pro with choice of boomerang GIF, slow motion or photos (Image courtesy of Incredible Booth)

To capture still photos without displaying the live view simply switch it off in Advanced Settings.

Live view unchecked to hide the live view when capturing still images (Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.12)

This is great when you want to make slideshow GIFs from a set of still photos.

Breeze boomerang GIFs are captured from the camera’s live view, so when live view is switched off you cannot shoot boomerang GIFs.

Hide the live view

Mirror booth users and others who want to shoot boomerang GIFs without showing the live view need to hide it. There is a simple trick to this – move the live view so that it is no longer displayed on screen. If your screen is 1080 x 1920 pixels, offset the live view by more than this  (In this example I have offset by 2000 pixels in both directions):

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Guests will still see the countdown but not the live view. Magic!

More tips for mirror booths

Breeze DSLR Remote Pro software

Breeze DSLR Remote Pro powers photo booths and mirror booths worldwide. Licenses cost just US $275* each and include one year’s free upgrades. This post shows screenshots from Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.12

This Windows based App runs as a fully functional trial for up to 14 days supporting most Canon DSLR cameras and Canon’s mirrorless M50.

Download DSLR Remote Pro and try for yourself

Breeze Systems have no responsibility for the content of external sites

*Price valid for 30 days from 8th April 2019, and exclude any tax due

© Breeze Systems 2019

Animated GIFs, Breeze Booth, DSLR Remote Pro, Flipbook Photobooth, Multi-Camera, News, Prints

Print animated GIFS & 3D multi-camera images as flip books

New in Flipbook Photobooth 1.8

  •  Print flip books from boomerang GIFs
  • Print flip books from 3D Breeze Multi-Camera images
  • Create and print flip books from MP4 videos
  • Support for new cameras: Canon EOS 6D Mark II, 200D, Rebel SL2,1500D, 2000D, Rebel T7, 3000D, 4000D

What is Flipbook Photobooth?

Breeze Flipbook Photobooth is Windows based event software for creating flip books using a Canon DSLR camera. Guests capture a short animation and play it back by flicking through the pages of a printed flip book.

Most the equipment is the same as you need for a DSLR based photo booth. Books are usually printed on a dye sublimation printer capable of printing 6×2 strips.

  • Green screen support
  • Branding and customisation – front cover, individual flip book pages, and screens can all be branded and customised
  • Breeze flexibility as standard! Offer guests a choice of green screen backgrounds or  book covers.  Add an extra dimension by changing the background or overlay as the book progresses. Upsell larger books or more pages. Use multiple printers at large corporate events. Breeze Flipbook Photobooth supports dye sub media, laser and inkjet printers.

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See Flipbook Photobooth in action

Thanks to Nick Andrews of Open Air Photobooth for allowing us to show this demo of Flipbook Photobooth at Osheaga 2014

Nick runs events and sells photo booth/flip book station packages using Breeze event software.

Printing flip books from boomerang GIFs created in DSLR Remote Pro

Flipbook photobooth 1.8 comes with two scripts  which create flip books when guests make boomerang GIFs in DSLR Remote Pro. One script creates a flip book for every boomerang GIF, the other asks the guest whether to print the flip book.

You can find these scripts in the Flipbook Photobooth installation folder. This is usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Breezesys\Flip Book Photobooth (1) as as shown here:

Breeze Flipbook Photobooth 1.8 includes 2 scripts you can use to create flip books from DSLR Remote Pro boomerang GIFs

Note: These scripts use the free Windows scripting tool, AutoHotKey.  You need to download and install AutoHotKey before you run them.

auto_print.ahk (2)  prints the flip book automatically when the animated GIF is accepted in DSLR Remote Pro.

auto_print_with_prompt.ahk (3) ask the guests whether to print the flip book.

See the program help files for more details

Creating and sharing animated GIFs of flip books

Breeze also provide a free script which creates a GIF animation of each flip book sequence. This script uses the free Windows scripting tool, AutoHotKey and the ImageMagick convert command line tool.   AutoHotKey must be downloaded and installed before you run the script.

  • Download the script and unzip all the files in the ZIP file to a single folder
  • Double click on  flipbook2GIF.ahk to run the script.
  • Open the script in a text editor such as Notepad for detailed instructions.

Please note that this script is provided free of charge and comes without any warranty or support.

You can share these GIFs using Breeze Kiosk or third party sharing software

Where to find Flipbook Photobooth 1.8

Download Flipbook Photobooth 1.8 and try it for yourself for up to 14 days before buying a license.

How do I buy it?

Each Flipbook Photobooth license costs just US $250 (excluding any tax) and includes one year’s free upgrades. Buy your license online from the Breeze website

Buy full Flipbook Photobooth license     Buy upgrade license

Note: Breeze DSLR Remote Pro, Breeze DSLR Remote Pro Multi-Camera and Breeze Kiosk need to be purchased separately.

Breeze Systems are not responsible for the content of external sites.

© Breeze Systems 2018

DSLR Remote Pro, News, Setup Wizard

DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 released: ‘I’ve fallen in love with Breeze again’

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DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 – can you resist?

I’ve fallen in love with Breeze again

PBPI delegates last month enthused about a pre-release version of the program. One even exclaimed “I’ve fallen in love with Breeze again”. I am delighted to announce the release of DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 on Valentine’s Day.

What’s new?

  • Improvements to the Photobooth Setup Wizard
  • Animated GIFs with soundtrack
  • Extra branding/ logo overlay for animated GIFs
  • Faster, higher quality green screen processing
  • Fix for issue with complex HTML emails

DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 supports most Canon DSLR cameras and runs on Windows 10, 8 and 7. This release is a free upgrade for all registered users who purchased a license on or after 15th February 2017. Customers with an older DSLR Remote Pro license (and any NKRemote license holder) can buy an upgrade license to use this release.

Download and try DSLR Remote Pro 3.9

Buy full license *  Buy upgrade license

Easier setup – improvements to Photobooth Setup Wizard for everyone

We recommend everyone from Breeze Newbies to Ninjas uses the Photobooth Setup Wizard as a start point for setting up a booth. This is a simple, speedy and safe way to generate a working system which you can customize to your heart’s content (or spend the time you saved doing something even nicer).

Smiling boy eating a piece of choclate cake
Photobooth Setup Wizard – a piece of cake with Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.9

Chris has improved the flow of the Wizard, making it a piece of cake to build a system offering guests choices (such as Photos or GIF), and run the booth with square or full screen live view as an alternative to normal landscape images.

New dropdown list to give guests choices (Photos/Boomerang GIF, Photos only, Boomerang GIFs only, Photo or video, Video only)

DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 Photobooth Setup Wizard Step 2 drop down list
This drop down list is a super-fast way to set up the booth to offer guests choice (DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 Photobooth Setup Wizard Step 2)

New dropdown list to adjust live view

Shows drop down list for live view (DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 Photobooth Setup Wizard Step 2)
Live view drop down list – choose from normal, square and full screen (DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 Photobooth Setup Wizard Step 2)

Use the setup wizard to customize the live view. Changing the live view in the Wizard will automatically adjust the animated GIFs and prints created by DSLR Remote Pro 3.9.

New improved ready screen to choose from Photos or Animated GIFs

Check box for single ready screen (DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 Photobooth Setup Wizard Step 2)

Choose Photos or Boomerang GIFs and check Single ready screen so that guests start the booth and choose between still photos and boomerang GIFs from a single screen as here:

DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 ready screen generated by Photobooth Setup Wizard DSLR Remote Pro 3.9
Ready screen generated by Photobooth Setup Wizard: choice of still photos or animated GIF, and full screen live view (DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 using simulated camera)

Shoot and share without printing

Running a ‘shoot and share’ booth with animated GIFs and no printing is increasingly popular. The DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 Wizard no longer asks you to select a printer when you  offer only Boomerang GIFs or Video.

New animated GIFs with audio

You can now add an optional soundtrack to the MP4 copy of your animated GIFs. Learn more

Enhanced animated GIF branding with additional overlay

New: add a second overlay to animated GIFs with branding & logo. The additional overlay is an easy way to brand animated GIFs you have created yourself or sourced from third parties. Learn more

Greenscreen processing – higher quality and faster

Print higher quality green screened images more quickly.  DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 green screen algorithms have been rewritten to be both faster and produce higher quality results. Greenscreen photobooth

DSLR Remote Pro 3.9 – Try it today!

Copyright Breeze Systems Ltd 2018. Breeze Systems is not responsible for the content of external sites.

 

DSLR Remote Pro, Multi-Camera, News

Learn more about Breeze at PBPI 2018

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PBPI starts this Sunday! Our bags are (almost) packed; Chris and I can’t wait for this amazing opportunity to learn more about the industry, and spend time with as many of you as possible.

Here’s a sneak preview of the breakout sessions Chris will be running at PBPI this year.

Monday 3:30pm – Breeze Systems Photo Booth Software

The first session will focus getting the most from DSLR Remote Pro; including

  • Letting the Setup Wizard do the hard work
  • Branding your screens
  • Using Profiles to offer choices
  • Boomerang GIFs – basics, branding, animated overlays
  • Photoshop Droplets
  • What’s new?

Tuesday 3:30pm – Camera Arrays

Chris has a unparalled worldwide reputation in multi-camera arrays. DSLR Remote Pro Multi-Camera has been used in block buster movies, the video games industry and high profile activations for more than 10 years.  Learn from the man himself:

  • What you can do with a camera array
  • Five, fifteen or ninety five cameras?
  • Choosing equipment and triggering the cameras
  • Time it right – syncing with flash
  • How to create animated GIFs and MP4 movies from your images

Wednesday 2:45pm – Open Session

On the final afternoon Chris will run an Open Session covering topics raised by delegates at PBPI. Likely subjects include

  • Panoramic photo booth photos
  • Green screen
  • Sharing for camera arrays
  • Hashtag Monitoring
  • Worked examples
  • Automation and startup scripts

Find us at the Breeze table in Tech Alley & around the Academy.

The content of sessions may vary to meet the needs of those attending.

PS Just heard from Lisa that there is still time to join in – Enroll here!

Sue

Copyright Breeze Systems 2018

Animated GIFs, DSLR Remote Pro

Free animated overlay for Boomerang GIFs

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This post explains how to add animated overlays and titles to boomerang (aka ‘burst’) GIFs using DSLR Remote Pro 3.12.

How to create slideshow GIFS with animated overlays.

Setup your booth to create boomerang GIFs

1.Run the setup wizard to create simple boomerang GIFs. You can find details in the the  video for the 3.12 Setup Wizard

Customise the boomerang GIF

2. Next click on File (A) then Videobooth Settings (B) to show the Videobooth Settings screen.

3. Check that the boxes for Create Animated GIF and Use camera’s photo mode are both checked, then select the Animated GIF Settings buttom (C) to see the Animated GIF Settings (video booth) screen

Video Booth Settings screen choosing settings for boomerang animated GIF DSLR Remote Pro 3.8.1

3. The settings below  create a ‘boomerang’ animated GIF from the whole photo (landscape orientation) without any border. This GIF will be 600 wide x 400 pixels high. When you have chosen the settings you need click OK (here and  the other pop up windows until you return to the main screen).

Add the animated overlay

4. You need the same number of overlay images as frames in the boomerang GIF. In this example the animated GIF has 29 frames (separate images) created from 15 original images*. You need 29 overlay images; called video_stills_overlay_1.png, video_stills_overlay_2.png …. video_stills_overlay_29.png .

*If you don’t use a title, there are 28 frames so you only need 28 overlays.

You can download the snowflake overlays here .  Copy all 29 images into the  folder you are using for the photobooth screens.

Shows folder containing DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 boomerang GIF overlay images
DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 boomerang GIF: 29 overlay images placed in folder used for screens

Give your boomerang GIF a title

Note: Boomerang GIFs need one extra overlay if they have a title.

For a single title create a title image named video_stills_title.jpg and insert this into the same PhotoBoothImages folder.

For an animated title replace video_stills_title.jpg with several images called video_stills_title_1.jpg, video_stills_title_2.jpg, video_stills_title_3.jpg etc

You can adjust the length of time the title is displayed (D) and whether it is shown at the start or end of the animation (E) in the Animated GIF Settings (videobooth mode) screen

Adjusting the title for a boomerang (burst) animated GIF DSLR Remote Pro 3.8
Adjusting the title for a boomerang (burst) animated GIF DSLR Remote Pro 3.8

Run the photobooth and boomerang GIFs created by guests will have animated overlays.

Download DSLR Remote Pro and try this yourself.

This example uses DSLR Remote Pro’s simulated camera; a handy feature which lets you try out features and set up designs without connecting a real camera to the computer. The GIF has an animated overlay of falling snow and a title. It has been captured in black & white.

Boomerang GIF with animated overlay and title Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.8.1

The falling snow effect here uses 29 images to create the animation. The snow flakes are in a different position on each  image.

You are welcome to use these snowflake overlays in your own booth with DSLR Remote Pro. If you found this post useful please share it with others.

DSLR Remote Pro 3.12 is a free upgrade for all registered users who purchased a license on or after 26th November 2017.

Copyright Breeze Systems 2018

Animated GIFs, DSLR Remote Pro, News, Screens, Setup Wizard

New Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.8: simple, powerful branding

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Breeze Systems is proud to announce the release of DSLR Remote Pro 3.8. Easier to use and more powerful than ever before, DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 includes two free button sets designed by Wilkes Booth Co.

Highlights of the new release

  • Fast simple branding for photo booth screens
  • Create and save new photo booth screen themes
  • Transfer themes between PCs
  • Free sets of touchscreen buttons
  • Create custom caption sets in any almost language
  • Photobooth Setup Wizard now simplifies screen customization
  • Animated backgrounds for green screen boomerang GIFs
  • Support for Canon’s EOS  6D Mark II

Fast, powerful branding for photobooth screens

Brand screens quickly and easily with new DSLR Remote Pro themes

Create themed photobooth screen sets

Create, load and save DSLR Remote Pro themes containing screen background, touchscreen button, and caption sets

DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 theme including (A) screens, (B) buttons & (C) captions

A. Complete sets of custom photo booth screen backgrounds  can now be generated from a single image. The same background image can be tiled, stretched or cropped to fit any screen with new themes

DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 single background_tiled.jpeg image used to create themed set of background screens

B. Create your own buttons or choose from those shipped with DSLR Remote Pro 3.8. Touchscreen buttons can be placed below the image or to one side using the Setup Wizard. 

C. Customize captions in almost any language. Adjust the color of your text.

Transfer themes between PCs

To generate themed screens on PCs with different screen size/aspect ratio by just copy the theme to the new PC and run the Photobooth Setup Wizard.

Free touchscreen button sets

Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 includes 2 new free button sets created by  Wilkes Booth Co

DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 Welcome screen: Wilkes Booth Co Tradewind White buttons
DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 Sharing screen Wilkes Booth Co Tradewinds Blue buttons
DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 Sharing screen: Wilkes Booth Co Tradewind Blue buttons

Buy Breeze Wizard themes or complete interface designs for DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 from Wilkes Booth Co

Choose whether to run buttons across the screen or to the side using the Photobooth Setup Wizard.

Create custom caption sets

Breeze software is used in over 80 countries world wide. DSLR Remote Pro already supports Unicode and handles characters in most languages. Use the Photoboth Setup Wizard to create reusable caption sets, and apply them to different themes.

DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 is shipped with English, German, Polish, Italian and Romanian captions.

Thanks to Jürgen Mayr (Photobooth-deluxe), Tomasz Klusczyk (Smove), John Bonardo (Babooth), and Dan Neamtu (Mirror Magic), for providing the German, Polish, Italian and Romanian caption sets shipped with DSLR Remote Pro 3.8

Brand and customize screens with the Setup Wizard

  • Change screen and keyboard background color at the touch of a button
  • Generate complete screen sets from a single background image
  • Automatically  tile, stretch or crop images to fit any size of screen
  • Create and save customized caption sets
  • Save touch screen button sets
  • Choose buttons running down the side or across the bottom of the screen

Improved animated GIF support

  • New Animated backgrounds for green screen boomerang GIFs
  • New support for animated GIFs in sharing screens (email, text, Facebook and Twitter)

More new features

  • Useful shared print counter for events
  • Send emails with or without image attachment
  • Enhanced ability to pass information to microsites
  • Tap for speedy countdown
  • Default delay before taking first photo reduced to 5 seconds

DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 is a free upgrade for all registered users who purchased a license on or after 29th November 2016.

Download  DSLR Remote Pro 3.8       Buy your own license

 

Animated GIFs, DSLR Remote Pro, Getting started, Screens, Setup Wizard, Webcam Photobooth

Boomerang basics – animated GIFs with one extra click

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Do you want to offer your guests something new with very little effort? You can add animated GIFs to your booth with just one extra click using the  Photo Booth Setup Wizard in DSLR Remote Pro.

DSLR Remote Pro and Webcam Photobooth include two kinds of animated GIFs: boomerang and slideshow. Boomerang GIFs are captured with a short video clip, and usually shared using social media or by email. Slideshow GIFs contain still photos taken during normal photobooth operation. These GIFs can also be shared. The same photos can be printed in a strip or other layouts.

This blog post explains how to create  simple boomerang GIFs using the Photo Booth Setup Wizard in DSLR Remote Pro. Webcam Photobooth works in a very similar way. You can customize your GIFs using the advanced settings.

You need DSLR Remote Pro 3.7, Webcam Photobooth 2.4 or a more recent release; a touchscreen, and your camera must support video. Customers with DSLR Remote Pro licenses issued before 22 February, 2016 also need to buy a DSLR Remote Pro upgrade license. Customers with Webcam Photobooth licenses issued before 17th May 2016 need to buy a Webcam Photobooth upgrade license.

1. Start DSLR Remote Pro. Select the Photobooth Setup Wizard.

DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 main screen showing Photobooth Setup Wizard button
DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 main screen showing Photobooth Setup Wizard button

 

2. At Step 3: Select the sharing and other options you need (B), then check the box to capture animated GIFs (C) . Choose any other options you need before clicking on <Finish> (D).

 

3. The next screen confirms that you have completed running the Setup Wizard. Close this to return to the main screen.

4. Connect your camera and switch it on before selecting ‘Start Photobooth’. That’s it!

DSLR Remote Pro 3.8 main screen showing Start Photobooth button

 

5. This is the default photo booth screen created by the Photo Booth Setup Wizard in DSLR Remote Pro 3.7.3 . Guests  switch between boomerang GIFs and still photos using the button in the top right corner.

6. You can choose whether guests share GIFs directly from the booth as shown here, or take time to browse and share them away from the booth with Breeze Kiosk (purchased separately).

7. The dinosaur chase at the top of this page shows what you can achieve just using the photobooth setup wizard.

You can modify the default settings to change the video length and playback speed;  add overlays and a title page to brand GIFs for each event. This example shows the same GIF overlaid with a simple border. The capture rate and image interval have also been altered to give a smoother result. Find out how to customize your own Boomerang GIFs .

7 December 2018: This post has been updated to show the new Photobooth Setup Screens in in DSLR Remote Pro 3.8

Copyright Breeze Systems Ltd 2017