Baicheng Innovations PLUTO User manual

PLUTO
TRIG
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2015
Al
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V
ERSION
Baicheng
l rights res
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1.0
Innovatio
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AN
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AL

1. INFO
1.1. DISCLAIMER
No parts of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means - graphic,
electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or
information storage and retrieval systems - without the written permission of the
publisher.
Products that are referred to in this document may be either trademarks and/or
registered trademarks of the respective owners. The publisher and the author
make no claim to these trademarks.
While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, the
publisher and the author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for
damages resulting from the use of information contained in this document or from
the use of programs and source code that may accompany it. In no event shall
the publisher and the author be liable for any loss of profit or any other
commercial damage caused or alleged to have been caused directly or
indirectly by this document.

1.2. WARRANTY
Baicheng Innovations (BCI) warrants this hardware product against defects in
materials and workmanship for a period of ONE (1) YEAR from the date of original
retail purchase. If a defect exists, at its option BCI will exchange the product with
a product that is new or which has been manufactured from new or serviceable
used parts and is at least functionally equivalent to the original product. A
replacement product/part assumes the remaining warranty of the original
product or 60 days from the date of replacement, whichever provides longer
coverage for you. When a product or part is exchanged, any replacement item
becomes your property and the replaced item becomes BCI’s property. To
obtain product support for the Pluto Trigger, visit our website
www.bci-innovations.com.

1.3. FCC/CECOMPLIANCE
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and(2) this device must
accept any interference received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may
cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this
equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which
the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help

1.4. SAFETY
In order to prevent damage to the Pluto Trigger and/or a personal injury, please
read and observe the following important security precautions.
1. Do not disassemble the unit
This unit is a complex electronic device and contains no user-serviceable parts,
except for user- replaceable batteries. An unauthorized disassembly or
modification may void service warranty on the unit.
2. Keep the unit dry
Avoid exposing the unit to the excess water or rain. Always keep weather
protection seals in place where possible. Exposing unit’s internal circuitry to water
may result in fire and/or electric shock.
3. Do not operate in the event of malfunction
In case of a smoke or an unusual smell coming from the unit, please immediately
turn the unit off, remove batteries (batteries may be hot, take care to avoid burns)
and unplug an optional AC adapter if connected. Discontinue further use and
forward the unit to an authorized service center. Continued use of a
malfunctioning unit may result in an injury.
4. Do not expose to fire or high temperatures
When subject to high temperatures such as fire or a closed compartment
exposed to the sun, the unit may be damaged. Particularly, do not leave the unit
in a closed vehicle under the sun.
5. Avoid extreme temperature changes
Electronic devices may be damaged by sudden and extreme changes in
environment temperature. Just like your digital camera, the Pluto Trigger should
not be used immediately after bringing it from sub- freezing temperatures into a
warm environment. Please allow for at least 2 hours of slow warm-up in a closed
bag before using the Pluto Trigger again after bringing it in from the cold.
6. Keep out of reach of children

This unit contains small parts that may be choked on. If a child swallows or chokes
on any part of the unit, consult a physician immediately.
7. Use only BCI approved accessories
Using accessories not approved by BCI may void your Pluto Trigger warranty, may
cause malfunction and/or fire and/or electric shock, and may result in an injury.

2. INTRODUCTION
2.1. OVERVIEW 
Thank you for purchasing Pluto Trigger, the most advanced camera trigger
solution. To get started with your Pluto Trigger unit, please read the "Introduction"
and "Quick Start Guide" sections. In order to get the most of your Pluto trigger, it is
recommended to read the sections of different Modes as well. 
The Pluto Trigger is an advanced, microprocessor controlled portable unit,
capable of automatically calculating various exposure sequences, and providing
super-fast trigger for high-speed event. The unit is powered from rechargeable
Li-ion battery, is equipped with light/sound/PIR sensors, a infrared emitter for
triggering cameras without cable, a bottom 1/4-20 inch screw for mounting on
tripod, and comes with a flannel drawstring bag for carrying it in the field. 
The Pluto Trigger Apps for iOS and Android are easy to use and powerful. Besides
the sensors embedded in Pluto Trigger, some advanced sensors on your phone
are used to trigger your camera in Phone Sensor Modes. The handy tools like ND
Filter Calculator will bring your photography skills to the next level. More features
will be added in the future updates.
2.2. BOX CONTENTS
1. Pluto Trigger
2. Pluto Laser
3. Pluto Dongle
4. Quick guide leaflet
5. USB battery charge
r
6. USB charging cable
7. Shutter release cable
8. Flash PC sync cable
9. Hot shoe adapter
10. Drawstring handbag

2.3. FEATURES
1. Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy
2. Shutter Release Button
3. Infrared Remote
4. Intervalometer Modes
Shutter Release, Time-lapse, HDR, Star trail
5. Pluto Sensor Modes
Laser, Sound, Light, Lightning, PIR, Aux, Timer, Fusion
6. Phone Sensor Modes
Sound, Vibration, Distance, Voice Command, Motion, Face
7. Tools
Sun Calculator, ND Filter Calculator, DOF Calculator, Starscape Calculator,
Shutter Delay Measurement
8. In-app Firmware Upgrade
2.4. SPECIFICATIONS
Size: 60*40*20mm
Bluetooth Range: 10-30 meters
Battery life: 1-2 days
2.5. PLUTO TRIGGER HARDWARE

1. Aux sensor port 
2. USB charging connector
3. Camera/Flash port
1. Program status led
2. Microphone
3. Battery charging led
4. Shutter-release/Bluetooth button
1. Laser/Light sensor
2. PIR sensor
3. Infrared Emitter
1. Power switch
2.5.1.SHUTTER RELEASE BUTTON
The shutter release button let you trigger your camera manually.
It is also used as a switch to turn on/off the Bluetooth module. To do this, just press
the button and hold for 5 seconds and the Status Led will show notification.
Three short blinks means Bluetooth is turned ON, while one long blink means
Bluetooth is turned OFF.
1
2 3
1 2 3
4
1 2 3
1

Turn off Bluetooth makes the battery life of Pluto Trigger much longer. It is useful
when you are taking long time-lapse sequence or using Pluto Trigger only as a RF
2.4G receiver. You configure the settings and then turn off Bluetooth. Pluto trigger
runs at about half power consumption. When you need to change settings, turn
Bluetooth back on.
2.5.2.LED
The Status Led can be set to four modes as follows:
1 Off All led notifications are turned off
2 Program Start/End Blink led when Program starts or stops running
3 Camera Trigger Blink when Pluto trigger your camera
4 Periodic Notification Blink every 5 seconds, indicating Pluto is power on
Note: Display mode with high number also covers all led notifications with lower
number. For example, if display mode is set to 4-Periodic Notification, Pluto will
show all led notifications, which include 2-Program Start/End, 3-Camera Trigger
and 4-Periodic Notification.
Three short blinks always means Start; one long blink always means Stop.
The color of the Status Led shows the battery level of Pluto Trigger.
Green 100%
Yellow 75%
White 50%
Red 20%
2.6. SMARTPHONE APP

1. Menu
2. Device (Scan/Battery)
3. Settings
4. Parameters
5. Start/Stop
1 4 2 3
5

3. QUICK START GUIDE
3.1. PLUTO SETUP
Use the following workflow to get started:
1. Connect the 2.5mm headphone stereo plug to the Pluto Trigger camera port
located next to its USB port. Connect the camera plug to the camera shutter
release port. You may want to consult your camera user manual on where
the shutter release port is located. 
2. Turn Pluto Trigger on by sliding the power switch to the right. The Status Led
should blink for three times, indicating system starts.
3. Make sure Bluetooth on Pluto Trigger is turn on. Bluetooth is on by default. But
if it was turned off accidentally, you can toggle the Bluetooth state by
pressing and hold the shutter release button on Pluto Trigger for 5 seconds.
When Status Led emits three short blinks, Bluetooth is turned on. while one
long blink means Bluetooth is turned off.
3.2. CAMERA SETUP
Your camera may also require a minor set up process prior to using the Pluto
Trigger. We recommend the following camera settings to get the most out of your
Pluto Trigger:
1. Turn your camera on. 
2. Set your camera to Manual Exposure mode unless recommended otherwise.
3. Set your camera to Manual Focus mode unless recommended otherwise. 
4. Set your camera to Single drive mode. Operating your camera in Continuous
drive mode with Pluto Trigger may lead to unexpected results, such as extra
pictures being taken. Alternatively, you can use Quiet or Silent drive mode, if
available on your camera. With Quiet or Silent drive mode the frame rate
may be slower, but shutter will generally sound more quiet and soft, which
may be preferable in certain situations. 

Should you have any problems when using Pluto Trigger with your camera,
resetting your camera to the default settings may help. Please consult your
camera user manual for details on how to reset camera settings.
3.3. APP USAGE
To get started, take "Time-lapse" mode as an example. Go through the following
steps:
1. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone
2. Start Pluto Trigger App for iOS or Android.
3. Connect with Pluto Trigger. On first app launch, the Device button is a spinner
that means no Pluto is connected. Now make sure Pluto Trigger is turned on;
click the Device button. A Device Scan screen slides in, and the app is
scanning for Pluto Trigger in your environment. All Pluto Triggers with Bluetooth
turned on will show up in seconds; click the icon of the found device and
app will connect to it. The default Pin code is “000000”. Now navigate back
to the Time-lapse screen. A battery icon replaces the spinner, which means a
Pluto Trigger is connected; the battery icon shows the battery remained in
your Pluto Trigger. If the app has connected to your Pluto Trigger before, skip
this step since it will automatically make the connection on app launch.
4. Change time-lapse settings, as you need.
5. Finally, make sure your camera is properly connected to Pluto Trigger and set
up as described in the PLUTO SETUP and CAMERA SETUP chapters. With your
camera in Manual exposure and Manual focus, press the red "Start" button to
start program. Pluto Trigger displays the current image sequence step and
the time remaining. As each image sequence finishes, Pluto Trigger emits an
optional Status Led notification and returns to the mode settings screen.
6. If you want to cancel an exposure sequence before it completes, press the
red "Start" button again. Pluto Trigger App will return to the mode settings
screen.
7. When finished using the Pluto Trigger, slide power switch to the left to turn the
unit off. Pluto Trigger memorizes your current settings as it powers off and
restores them the next time it powers back on.

Your Pluto Trigger offers a multitude of camera trigger modes that will help in your
daily photography needs; you can easily navigate through available modes
using the top left Menu. Refer to following sections to learn more about each
mode.

4. INTERVALOMETER MODES
4.1. SHUTTER RELEASE MODE
Use this mode when you only need to take a single picture manually. Depending
on the mode settings, the Pluto Trigger either simply instructs the camera to
release the shutter with the current in-camera settings, or attempts to time an
arbitrary exposure by using camera’s Bulb mode.
You can choose one of the following release modes to take a picture:
1. Single: press to take a single picture
2. Focus: press to focus, release to take a picture
3. Hold: press to open shutter, release to end exposure
4. Lock: press to open shutter, press again to end exposure
5. Bulb: set exposure time, press to take a picture
6. Burst: set interval, press to start a exposure sequence
7. Timed: set countdown and start, take a picture when countdown finishes
For “Hold”, “Lock” and ”Bulb” release modes, set your camera to BULB mode. For
others, you may use any exposure mode on the camera, including fully
automatic exposure modes. Please note that Manual focus mode should still be
used.
Usage
1. Make sure your camera is connected and set up. 
2. Make sure Pluto Trigger is connected.
3. Select "Shutter Release" from app’s menu.
4. Select a release mode; set the time if needed.
5. Press red "Start" button to take a picture. 

NOTE 1: If you would like to pre-focus before exposure, switch your camera to
Auto focusing; and select appropriate focus time in app’s “Settings” menu,
depending on the lightning condition and your camera model.
NOTE 2: Depending on your camera model and chosen mode, select
appropriate shutter pulse length in app’s “Settings” menu. For example, you may
need to choose longer pulse length when Live View is turned on.
4.2. TIME-LAPSE MODE
Use "Time-Lapse" mode to take a number of pictures separated by a preset time
interval with an optional start delay before starting the sequence. The resulting
pictures can be used to create a fast motion video.
The basic Time-Lapse mode will use your camera exposure settings. Your camera
should be set to Manual mode. Besides the basic Time-Lapse, another two
advanced Time-Lapse are available: HDR Time-Lapse and Bulb Ramping
Time-Lapse. If HDR or Bulb Ramping is enabled for your time-lapse sequence, set
your camera to Bulb mode for Pluto Trigger to time an arbitrary exposure.
Usage
1. Connect Pluto Trigger to your camera with camera release cable.
2. Turn on Pluto Trigger and make sure Bluetooth is turned on.
3. Turn on your camera. If HDR or Bulb Ramping is enabled, put your camera in
Bulb exposure mode. Otherwise, set your camera to any exposure mode
other than Bulb mode.
4. If your memory card allows, set your camera to RAW image format. This will
make post-processing much easier. If you change image quality setting,
re-check that your camera can still fit the planned number of images. 
5. Start Pluto Trigger app on your phone; connect to Pluto Trigger with Bluetooth;
navigate to Time-lapse mode.
6. Use “Duration” setting to specify how long the time-lapse will take. This setting
uses HH:MM:SS format. The maximum duration is 99:59:59.

7. Specify how many "Shots", or images should be taken in total. Make sure your
memory card can fit that many images.
8. Use "Interval" setting to specify how often a picture should be taken.
IMPORTANT: your camera may not be able to take images as fast as the
interval setting may suggest. The maximum frame rate is determined by the
image type/size selected in the camera, memory card speed, presence of
shutter cable and other factors. If your camera cannot keep up with the
Time-Lapse interval you set, some images may be skipped.
9. Use "Start delay" setting if you wish to delay the beginning of the Time-Lapse
image sequence. This setting uses HH:MM:SS format.
10. If you would like to enable HDR or Bulb Ramping, refer the following section
for instruction. Otherwise skip this step.
11. Press red "Start" button to start Time-Lapse program. If you specified a start
delay above, a countdown will begin, otherwise Pluto Trigger will take the first
image and continue with the sequence as programmed. 
12. When the Time-Lapse program finished, it will return to the settings screen.
While Time-Lapse is running, at any moment you can press the red button to
stop the sequence.
Note 1: When the Time-Lapse program has been started, Pluto Trigger can work
alone without your phone; all timing and calculations are done on the Pluto
Trigger unit. You can disconnect the Bluetooth connection, hide app in
background or even close the Pluto Trigger app. Have fun with your phone when
taking long and tedious Time-Lapse sequences.
NOTE 2: Turning all of your DSLR settings like exposure, white balance, and focus to
manual will eliminate most flicker. However, you may still get a case of “aperture
flicker”. Aperture flicker is caused by a DSLR’s inability to open and close the
aperture blades of a lens the exact same amount every time. To avoid that, try
lens twist:
1. While holding down the depth of field preview button (DOF Preview) press
the lens release button. The aperture blades will be closed down to your
selected aperture.

2. Now while holdingdown both buttons twist the lens as if you were removing it.
The twist should be a very small turn. You should now see a “00” where your
aperture information used to be.
3. Take a few pictures to make sure you do not get an error. Re-attach the lens
and try again if you get an error.
NOTE 3: If your camera is set at an angle, and your lens is prone to unexpected
zoom/focus changes due to gravity, you may want to use scotch tape to fix the
zoom/focus rings. On ultrasonic lenses focus setting will not move, but zoom
setting may change. 
4.2.1. POWER MANAGEMENT
Your camera battery may not be able to withstand a long term Time-Lapse
without being powered by an AC adapter. However, you can minimize camera
power draw by enabling automatic meter-off timeout in your camera settings.
The camera will then go to sleep between Time-Lapse shots. When needed, Pluto
Trigger will wake it up and continue its work. With a properly chosen camera
meter time-out, you may be able to run hundreds of frames through your camera
before its battery is depleted.
You can turn off Bluetooth module of Pluto Trigger after a long Time-Lapse
sequence has been started. Just press and hold the shutter release button on
Pluto Trigger for 5 seconds. The downside is that you will not be able to check the
progress of the Time-Lapse sequence.
If you plan on running Time-Lapse sequences for more than a day, you may want
to power your Pluto Trigger from the USB charger. Unlike camera, your Pluto
Trigger cannot afford to sleep between Time-Lapse sequences, and thus requires
a source of external power for long Time-Lapse sessions.
4.2.2. BULB RAMPING TIME-LAPSE
The Bulb Ramping mode is intended for Time-Lapse users who would like to take
Time-Lapse videos in changing light conditions, such as a sunset or a sunrise,
which is also know as Holy-Grail in Time-Lapse. It works by gradually changing
camera Bulb exposure, achieving a nearly flicker-free exposure transition from

bright to dark, or dark to bright. This section assumes familiarity with basic
Time-Lapse concepts.
A bulb ramping sequence consists of taking a set of pictures with constant
exposure, then changing exposure in very small increments or decrements for a
certain period of time, and then taking another set of pictures with constant
exposure.
Usage
Bulb Ramping Time-Lapse may greatly benefit from some preparation work.
Before you taking the Time-Lapse, you’d better get exposure metering of a scene
at a time of day when you bulb ramping is planned to be finished. For example, if
you plan to shoot a sunset Time-Lapse, get an exposure of the same scene the
night before. Set your camera ISO setting to a fixed value, remember the final
exposure time, aperture and ISO values used.
Use the following workflow to prepare for bulb ramping time-lapse:
1. Navigate to the “Solar Calculator” screen from app’s Menu. Remember the
official sunset time (for sunset session) or civil sunrise time (for sunrise session).
2. Set up a basic Time-Lapse sequence as described above; make sure the
duration will cover the whole sunset/sunrise period. Use interval of 10 seconds
for general bulb ramping. Higher interval values will result in faster time-lapse
videos. Lower interval values will result in slower time-lapse videos. Note that
too short of an interval may limit your exposure range.
3. Make sure your camera ISO is not set to "Auto". Doing so may interfere with
bulb ramping. 
4. Disable Mirror Lock-Up mode on your camera. Pluto Trigger cannot ensure
correct exposure timing in Bulb Ramping mode with Mirror Lock-Up enabled.
5. Disable automatic focusing on your camera, choose a fixed aperture and set
ISO to the same fixed value you used when measuring your end exposure as
described above. If you did not pre-meter your end exposure, use any ISO
setting such as 200. Do NOT use automatic ISO feature, if available in your
camera. 

6. Set your camera to Manual exposure mode, take a few test pictures and pick
a shutter speed that yields an acceptable picture.
7. Click the Bulb Ramping button on the upper-right of the red “Start” button.
The Bulb Ramping screen slides in.
8. Turn on Bulb Ramping and the parameters will show up. 
9. Use the next setting to set a delay to end the exposure ramping period. Most
sunsets/sunrises take about 30 minutes, so this delay should be "Begin Ramp"
delay + 30 minutes.
10. Specify the current shutter speed as "Start exposure". 
11. Enter the "End" exposure using "End" setting. If you pre-metered the end
exposure as described above, enter that exposure time here. Make sure the
end exposure is shorter than the Time-Lapse Interval.
12. Specify a delay to start the exposure ramping using "Begin Ramp in" setting. If
you work on a sunset, this delay would be the time from now to when the
sunset starts, plus 5 minutes to allow yourself to complete this setup. You can
obtain sunset start times using various tables and/or weather reports. 
13. Press "Start" on Pluto Trigger. Depending on your settings, one or more
prompts may be shown, clarifying the next step. Otherwise, the image
sequence will begin immediately. 
NOTE: In many circumstances your start exposure will be shorter than what Pluto
Trigger allows you to choose. For example, you set your aperture to F/8 with ISO
100, and your camera says you need to use exposure of 1/100 second. However,
Pluto Trigger will only allow going as short as 1/20 second (this may vary
depending on camera model). This case would require installing and keeping ND
filters in front of your camera lens to make exposures longer than 1/20 second.
4.2.3.HDR TIME-LAPSE
HDR time-lapse mode can be optionally used to create High Dynamic Range
Time-Lapse sequences. This mode will take several images instead of only one at
each time-lapse interval.