Category Archives: DSLR Remote Pro

How to email photos, animated GIFs and videos from DSLR Remote Pro

Guests can email photos, animated GIFs and Canon M50 slowmo videos and other videos* they create in  DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.3. If Internet access during the event is poor, you can send the emails later.

Update March 2021: This post has been replaced by a new tutorial

This post explains  how to email images from a touchscreen photo booth running DSLR Remote Pro. You will also learn how to tell the program about your email server settings, brand and customize the emails you send.

Let’s run through this in more detail, starting with the setup wizard:

Run the Photobooth Setup Wizard

Start DSLR Remote Pro and run the Photobooth Setup Wizard (1). Choose which options to offer guests at Step 2 (2). In this example guests can choose between still photos and boomerang (aka burst) GIFs (3). You can offer video  (or photos and video) instead at this point.

Check the option Email photos (4) .

DSLR Remote Pro setup wizard step 2 screen
Checking the box Email photos at Step 2 of the setup wizard ( DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.3)

Select any other options you need before clicking on <Next> and completing Step 3 of the wizard.

You can set up your own booth with this sharing screen using just the 3 step wizard:

Showing email sharing screen created by the d Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.2 Photobooth Setup Wizard Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.2
Email sharing screen created by the Photobooth Setup Wizard (DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.3)

Setup the email server settings

The first time you email from DSLR Remote Pro you need to set up the  email server settings:

Select File (5) then Photobooth Settings (6) to access these settings

This will display the Photobooth Settings screen.

Go to the Output Settings (8) and check Email (9). You can then select Email Server Settings screen at (10)

To send an email you need to specify the host name and port number of your email server. Most email servers also require a username and a password. For additional security check Use SSL for secure email.

The values of Host, Username, Password, Email and Port (11) you enter on the Email Server Settings screen are specific to the email provider you are using.

Before you move on, check everything works by sending a test email to your own email address (12). DSLR Remote Pro displays Email sent successfully (13) when this message has been sent. Check that you receive the test email.

Remember to click OK (14) to save your settings as you leave this screen.

Including your name with the email address

To include the name of the sender with the email address enter the name followed by the email address enclosed in angle brackets e.g. Sue’s Blog <demo@breezesys.com>.

Here the sender name is ‘Sue’s Blog’ and the email address demo@breezesys.com (DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.3)

Logging guest email addresses & sending them after the event

You can keep a log of email addresses used by guests, providing valuable data for your own or corporate client’s use.

If an event Internet connection is flaky or non-existent you can save the email details and send them later.

See the program help files for more details

Be aware that

  • The port number is usually 587 when using SSL secure email or 25 otherwise (but check the port numbers used by your ISP).
  • Emails look more professional when sent from your own  domain.
  • Most free email services require the sender’s email address to the be the same as the email account specified by the username and password.
  • Gmail users should set access for less secure apps to Turn on in your Google account settings otherwise GMail will refuse to send the email.

Customize and brand your email messages

Use the standard email message

You do not have to customize the message sent with your photos and animated GIFS. If you use the standard settings in DSLR Remote Pro all emails will include the image(s) captured in the booth and the text Your photo booth photos taken on 14 August 2018 (or whatever date the images were taken).

Customizing the email subject and message

The emails guests send can be a powerful marketing tool for your business. Make them work for you by customizing the message sent with your image(s). Use Breeze tokens, your own text, images and html in the Email Settings screen.

Select File, then Output Settings, then Email settings to reach this screen:

Select File, then Output Settings, then Email settings to customize emails sent from DSLR Remote Pro

The first time you see the email settings screen it contains the default message DSLR Remote Pro sends with your emails. Edit this to meet your needs.

DSLR Remote Pro Email Settings screen showing default settings
Default Email Settings screen in Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.3

You can change the both the subject and content of the emails sent with guest images.

Reduce the time and bandwidth taken to send and receive emails by choosing a suitable maximum image size.

Breeze tokens can be used to generate the date, event name and much more. See the full list of tokens.

Creating a standard email template using the {eventName} token

{eventName} is a special Breeze token which can be shared between Breeze programs. You can use {eventName} in your emails and print layouts to save time customizing your booth for each event.

Here I have both changed the text and used {eventName} to customize the email subject (17), plain text (18) and html (19) versions of the content. I also changed the message seen by guests if they type an invalid email address (20).

When the email is sent Images from {eventName}  will be replaced by Images from Sue & Chris’s Big Party. The text sent with the email will also say Having a great time at Sue & Chris’s Big Party. These are my images from the Breeze Booth on 14 August 2018.

{eventName} can also be used in print captions, and as part of folder and file names. For my next event I just need to change {eventName}  to John & Jane’s Wedding ….

Note: %L is another Breeze token, which will be replaced by the date the images were taken.

How do I enter and change {eventName}  for each event?

Start DSLR Remote Pro, click on File then Photobooth event info… to reach the Photo Booth Event Info screen
Photo Booth Event Info screen in DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.2
Photo Booth Event Info screen with {eventname} set to Sue & Chris’s big Party (DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.3)

You may have spotted Event Strings on this screen. You can  use  {eventString1} to {eventString5} in the same way as {eventName} .

Why do I need to send both plain text and html?

The emails  DSLR Remote Pro sends from your booth may be viewed on lots of different devices including Apple and Android smart phones, tablets and PCs. Most modern devices can read html emails; we also send a plain text version in case the html version cannot be read.

Thank you for reading this post. I have covered how to send emails from DSLR Remote Pro, outlined how to brand and customize the emails, create your own standard template which is automatically updated for different events, and tell the program about your email service provider.

If you are ready for more, Steve’s video is a great introduction to using tokens. You can also learn more about customizing emails in the program help files.

If this post is helpful to you, please share it with others in our industry.

* DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.3 was released today 15 August 2018, and is a free upgrade for anyone whose license was issued in the last year. This release introduces the ability to share videos captured in video booth mode, including Canon M50 slow mo videos.  Please note that emailing large attachments during events will slow the booth down.

Update 16 August: You can run this new script alongside DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.3  to rotate and resize videos and add an optional overlay and soundtrack before videos are shared. We expect to include these features into DSLR Remote Pro in a future release.

© Breeze Systems 2018

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

Aargh! My booth has forgotten it’s settings

It’s great to hear that many more of you are using profiles. One common problem we come across runs something like this

I have been using profiles to do [… wonderful things I could never offer before]. Today I am running a different event, but whenever I start the program/each group of guests finish their session it goes back to the old settings. What is wrong?

When you use profiles you may have checked the boxes to load default profiles at start up/ after each session / when the program starts. You need to uncheck these boxes when you no longer want to use these proflies.

When you don’t want to use profiles for an event follow these steps:

DSLR Remote Pro

1. Start DSLR Remote Pro and select Advanced Settings

2.Go to the Profiles setting screen

3.Default loaded at startup and after each shooting sequence should be set to None

4. Load default profile when launching DSLR Remote Pro should be unchecked.

5&6.Remember to save your changes in both the Profiles screen and Advanced Settings

Webcam Photobooth

Click on File then Profiles settings to access the Profiles screen (Breeze Webcam Photobooth 2.4)

1.Start Webcam Photobooth and select Profile Settings…

Controlling whether profiles are loaded automatically in Breeze Webcam Photobooth 2.4

2.Set Default profile loaded at startup and after each shooting sequence to None

3.Click on OK to save your changes

Learn more about profiles

Getting started with profiles blog post

Using profiles with tokens

More on using profiles in DSLR Remote Pro

More on using profiles in Webcam Photobooth

 

Breeze Tokens – your new best friend

Powerful, surprisingly simple, logical.  In this video tutorial Steve  introduces Breeze tokens and explains how they can be your new best friend.

Steve takes you through how to

  • Make life easier for your staff setting up events
  • Make life simpler – automate folder naming for different events
  • Collect data about guest choices for corporate clients
  • Group images by team name, zip code or other attribute chosen by your client
  • Automatically group images into different folders based on response to survey questions
  •  GDPR/ privacy  – split images into different folders based on guest consent
  • GDPR/privacy  – label images to show whether guests consent to using them for different uses

This tutorial focuses on DSLR Remote Pro  3.11.1 . Breeze tokens can also be used in Breeze Booth for iPad, DSLR Remote Pro Multi-Camera, Hotfolder Prints, Breeze Kiosk and Webcam Photobooth.

The following notes are intended as a quick reference to some of the details in the video.

Some of the Breeze DSLR Remote Pro tokens used in this tutorial

Event tokens are special tokens which can be shared between different Breeze programs running on the same PC. They include the event name {eventName} , and several print counters.

Note: Tokens are case sensitive.

Print layouts

Tokens can be used to print information like today’s date less 8 hours {dateLess8h}) without editing the print layout each time it is used.

Why ‘date less 8 hours’? Use when events run past midnight, but you don’t want the images created after midnight to be stored under a different date. If your booths are always fast asleep before midnight you can use  %d or %L token instead

Print template names

{printTemplateName} can be used in the folder path for images captured at an event.

Combining tokens with profiles

{photoboothSubdir} can be used to sort images into folders based on guest choices

Tokens for data collection surveys

DSLR Remote Pro surveys can have multiple screens each with multiple questions

{survey1_text1} stores the text a guest enters in response to the first question on the first survey screen

Information screens containing detailed information such as a Privacy Statement ot Terms and Conditions can also be added in DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.1 and later releases.

Tokens for check box surveys

Example of a checkbox survey used to obtained consent to specific uses of images taken in a booth. Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.1

In this example {survey1_chkbox1} will contain the value 1 if the first box (live feed) is checked, or 0 if it is not checked.

{survey1_chkbox2} will contain the value 1 if the second box (use for advertising) is checked, or 0 if it is not checked.

Check box surveys can also have multiple questions over several screens.

Friendly names for folders and images based on check box surveys

Example of separating images into two folders – one for images where guests have agreed that they are shared in a live feed, the other for images where guests have declined this.
Tokens can be included in the pathname for the follder where images are stored during an event. In this example images are separated into two download folders based on the guest’s answer to the live feed question in the survey. (DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.1)
DSLR Remote Pro creates the folders and stores images in appropriate folders as they are created

Take this further

Download DSLR Remote Pro

For a full list of tokens see the help files for each program:

Print counters : DSLR Remote Pro 3.11 introduces tokens for accessing the print counters : {printQuotaUsed},{printCounterEvent} and {printCounterLocal}. Print counters can be used to automate a photo booth with a fixed print quota e.g. by loading a “share only” profile when the print quota has been used.. They can also be displayed in print captions.

Getting started: choosing a computer for your photo booth

February 2022: The information in this post has been replaced by a website page here

November 2021: Updated post to confirm support for Windows 11 as well as Windows 10 and Windows 8.

Breeze software is very efficient. DSLR Remote Pro aka Breeze Booth ( Windows+DSLR) and Webcam Photobooth both run on low powered Windows computers running Windows 11, 10 and 8. The programs may run more quickly and print faster on a more powerful machine.

Breeze software is incredibly flexible. You can use it in many ways to produce and share photos, animated GIFs, slow motion and other videos. Some operators demand lightening fast results, others offer a more leisurely service. This short post is intended to  help you choose  the right computer to power your photo booth.

  • A budget laptop with an i3 processor and at least 4GB RAM should be fine for still photos. If you are planning to capture and playback boomerang GIFs, HD video, use AI background removal or green screen you may need a more powerful computer.
  • Touchscreens are flexible and an easy way to offer guests choices, share images and collect data. Laptops with built in touchscreens are popular, but not essential.  Other ways to control the booth include contactless operation, buttons, coin operation, a wireless presenter and remote sensors.
  • Most photo booths need two USB 2.0 or 3.0 ports to connect the camera and printer. You can use a USB hub to increase the number of ports.

Background Removal, Green screen and burst GIFS

A more powerful PC will process background removal, green screen images and animated GIFs more quickly. A low powered PC is likely to take longer to produce the same result. Processing speed is affected by many other factors including the size of the image, background, overlay and print. Individual operators have different views about how fast their booth needs to work.

Try before you buy

If possible try the software either on the computer you plan to use, or a machine with a similar spec. You can download and try out DSLR Remote Pro and Webcam Photobooth for up to two weeks before buying the licenses.

Breeze Booth for iPad

This post covers our Windows based Breeze Booth software, DSLR Remote Pro and Webcam Photobooth. Find out more about Breeze Booth for iPad

Which DSLR camera is best?

Learn more here

Which camera is best for my photo booth?

We are often asked which camera is best for a photo booth. Canon cameras have very good live view quality, an important attribute for photo booths. The models below are not the only cameras you can use. Many older Canon DSLR cameras work very well. You can find a button linking to a list of the cameras you can use with Breeze DLSR Remote Pro here.

At the time of writing* (September 2021) we believe the ultimate photo booth cameras are ….. the mirrorless Canon  EOS M50 Mark II and EOS M50 . For photo booth use there is no practical difference bewtween the two.

The standard kit lens ( EF-M 15-45mm STM ) has a flexible 15-45 mm zoom. For a super slim booth, try the EF-M 22mm STM lens

Best: Canon EOS M50 Mark II and EOS M50

Update: February 2019 Canon have released firmware version 1.0.2 for the M50 which fixes the issues with triggering external flash. The new firmware can be downloaded fromCanon’s UK site 

A big thank you to Caroline Winata of Giggle and Riot Funbooth  for sharing this example of slow motion video (EOS M50 with DSLR Remote Pro 3.10)

  • 120FPS Slow motion video with no additional processing
  •  Similar performance to the Canon EOS 200D/Rebel SL2 including Canon’s excellent dual pixel auto focus in live view.
  • Suitable for video with external microphone socket.
  • Compact, slim and light; the M50 will fit in a smaller housing than Canon’s DSLR cameras.

July 2018 This post has been updated to include cameras supported in DSLR Remote Pro 3.11.2 ie the  Canon EOS 1500D (aka Canon EOS 2000D/Rebel T7/EOS Kiss X90) and Canon EOS 3000D (aka Canon EOS 4000D).

The photo below shows the different sizes of the EOS M50, EOS 200D/Rebel SL2 and new EOS 2000D/1500D/Rebel T7:

Photos of Canon EOS M50, 200D and 2000D with kit and pancake style lenses
[top to bottom] EOS M50 with EF-M 22mm STM lens, EOS M50 with standard kit lens EF-M 15-45mm STM , EOS 200D/Rebel SL2 with 24mm pancake lens, EOS 2000D/1500D/Rebel T7with 18-55mm kit lens

Disadvantages

  • Access for external power is underneath the camera instead of at the side.
Photo of Canon EOS M50 showing power cable attached to base of camera
The external power cord connection for the M50 is on the camera base
  • Update February 2019

Canon have released firmware version 1.0.2 for the M50 which fixes the issues with triggering external flash. The new firmware can be downloaded from the Canon UK site (There was a bug in the original firmware of the Canon EOS M50 which meant that triggering an external flash or studio strobe via the hotshoe could be unreliable. We reported this bug to Canon, who have fixed it.)

Good for video: 200D/Rebel SL2, 850D/Rebel T8i/Kiss X 10i

These cameras do everything the M50 can do except slow motion video. They are larger and heavier than the M50.

  • Excellent auto focus in live view
  • Suitable for video & have an external microphone socket

Budget: 1300D/T6

Good for still photos and boomerang and slideshow animated GIFs. Slightly higher resolution live view than 200D or 800D.

Disadvantages

  • No external microphone socket so not a good choice for video including sound.
  • Power zoom is not supported.
  • Old model becoming difficult to source new
  • Autofocus less reliable

Canon 2000D/1500D/Rebel T7

(Updated 25 February 2020)

The 2000D/T7 is an update of the popular Canon EOS 1300D/Rebel T6 with a higher resolution 24 mega pixel sensor. Unfortunately Canon initially removed the center contact on the hotshoe. This means early versions of this camera cannot trigger most external flashes or studio strobes so is not recommended for photo booth use.

Tuesday 25th February. Canon announced at Photo Booth Expo that the EOS Rebel T7/2000D camera has been  updated to add a center contact (X sync) on the hotshoe, making this a great budget choice for photo booth users. More details.

Canon EOS 4000D/3000D

Similar to the Canon EOS 1300D/Rebel T6 with the same 18 mega pixel sensor but cheaper build quality (plastic lens mount, fewer buttons, no remote release socket and no cable access for external power). This camera has no center contact on the hotshoe. This means the camera cannot trigger most external flashes or studio strobes so is not recommended for photo booth use.

Web cameras & iPad booths

This post does not cover booths powered by web cameras or the built-in cameras provided with iPads, laptops and tablets. Breeze Booth (iPad + iPhone) uses either the device’s built in camera or Canon EOS DSLR cameras, some mirrorless and PowerShot models. Breeze Webcam Photobooth software will run a booth with either a webcam or built in camera in a Windows 11, 10 or 8 PC or laptop.

*This post has been updated in November 2021.  As new cameras are introduced this post will inevitably become outdated.

© Breeze Systems 2021

New in DSLR Remote Pro 3.10: Slow Motion Video & Mirrorless Camera Support

Breeze are proud to announce the release of DSLR Remote Pro 3.10 today.

Highlights

  • 120FPS Slow motion video with no additional processing
  • Support for small new mirrorless camera: Canon EOS M50
  • Support for new DSLR cameras: Canon  EOS 2000D/Rebel T7 and EOS 4000D
  • Touchscreen designer: Set photo , print and sharing preview areas
  • Process individual images for sharing (includes resizing, sharpening and new overlay)
  • Limit number of prints per session
  • Custom messages when print counter reaches limit

More

  • New keyboard shortcuts to accept, retake and abort previews
  • New option to save XML copies of emails and texts
  • Privacy information added to the “Sharing Photos” section
  • Fixed an issue when using transparent green screen backgrounds with Instagram style filters or B&W styles
  • Fixed an issue with the full screen live view setting when the camera and screen are in portrait orientation

New cameras

Canon EOS M50

Image of Canon EOS M50 camera
Canon’s new mirrorless M50 camera has great potential for photo booths

Smaller, lighter and slimmer than conventional DSLRs, this is the first model which can capture high quality slow motion video in a photo booth with no addional post processing.

Video is captured at 120 fps without sound and is saved at 30 fps resulting in high quality play back at 1/4 normal speed.

Canon EOS 200D/Rebel T7

Update of the Canon EOS 1300D/Rebel T6 and virtually identical but with a higher resolution 24 mega pixel sensor.

Canon EOS 4000D

Very similar to a Canon EOS 1300D/Rebel T6 with the same 18 mega pixel sensor but with cheaper build quality (plastic lens mount, fewer buttons, no remote release socket and no cable access for external power).

DSLR Remote Pro 3.10 is a free upgrade for all registered users who purchased a license on or after May 1st, 2017.

Download  DSLR Remote Pro 3.10       Buy your own license

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

Smart Use of Breeze Shortcuts

Steve explains how to create event specific versions of Breeze DSLR Remote Pro on your desktop (Facebook Live video 24th April 2018)

This video shows Breeze DSLR Remote Pro 3.9.1

 “Inverted commas” aka quotation marks aka double quotes

The path of the settings file should be enclosed in inverted commas  e.g. “C:\Program Files (x86)\BreezeSys\DSLR Remote Pro\DSlrRemote.exe” “C:\profiles\settings.xml”
If your path contains spaces and is not contained within inverted commas it won’t work.

Want to learn more?

Join the Breeze Booth Facebook user group to watch Steve’s Facebook Live videos

Find out more about shortcuts in the program help files

Download DSLR Remote Pro to try for yourself