Webcam photo booth flash

[Sharpie]

Wondered is it possible to trigger a flash via a PC at the same time as the image is taken? - perhaps one of the larger flat panel digital flashes.

[stillmation]

It can be done but would have to be software driven.

[smilelounge]

Very intriguing! DGEvent.com seems to do just this, not sure how. Seems his screen itself flashes, rather than an external flash.

I'm very curious about the flat panel flash. Which have you tried?

[PhotoJames]

Very intriguing! DGEvent.com seems to do just this, not sure how. Seems his screen itself flashes, rather than an external flash.

I'm very curious about the flat panel flash. Which have you tried?

In the photo booth program on the Mac the screen flashes when the picture is taken. I wonder if they are using modified Macs? Would make sense.

[alexsiskahn]

why not just use a real camera?
why must you use web camea?

[Sharpie]

Very intriguing! DGEvent.com seems to do just this, not sure how. Seems his screen itself flashes, rather than an external flash.

I'm very curious about the flat panel flash. Which have you tried?

I haven't tried any yet but they appear to be the logical choice for such a process, interfit make a couple decent options. A lot of flashes operate on 5v as does USB. Just not sure if it's purely a software problem or might involve an interim piece of hardware too?

[Chris Breeze]

I don't see how you can use flash with a webcam because it's really just a very basic video camera not a stills camera. Flashing the screen is just a cosmetic thing to show the users that the photo has been taken.

[Sharpie]

Hi Chris

Firstly the 'flash' feature as a means of letting people know the photo has been taken to me is an essential part of a photo booth, until then it's a video booth that takes stills.

Secondly it's an indicator to those within the booth that they can move and set themselves up for the next shot.

Finally and the most important part, it puts sufficient light onto the users to ensure the photo taken is free from movement for the brief period of time the camera clicks, I appreciate you could do this with a configuration of video lamps but then your back with is it a photo booth or a video booth.

I can't see a use for a 'still image' photo booth application until this is part of the equation. With it I see a large potential market which is as yet hasn't been fully developed.

[Chris Breeze]

Triggering a flash to provide a cue that the picture has been taken would be technically possible but using the flash to illuminate the subject and freeze motion isn't possible with a webcam. For that you need a camera with a proper electronic or physical shutter which can change its exposure setting from the ambient preview lighting to the flash setting in a fraction of a second i.e. a stills camera not a webcam.