In this article I am describing the results of the used file formats, their proprietary extensions, and the possibility of using this know how of the files and communication ports of the digital camera QV-3500EX from Casio.
Many of these facts also apply to some other digital still cameras from Casio. Evel less facts even apply to other cameras of other manufacturers.
The information given in this article is based on own research
and on own experiments. Some data and ideas are from other people
(see the bibliographiy). All the data is only "guessed", these
informations are not confirmed by Casio or their developers,
and they may be wrong or changed with other releases of the camera.
Examples
This chapter may be written in the future.
So how to get the software?
Which software? I have written a small tool for scanning
JPEG files and dumping the non-picture informations in it.
But that is not worth publishing it.
Anyway, most of the work has been done using an hex-editor.
Casio Configuration Parameters
The camera uses configuration parameters and stores them in
different places. Most of them can be configuered by the
user in the record mode before taking a photo. Some of these
parameters are stored in the EXIF-Informations in the generated
jpeg files. Some parameters are stored in the scene files, and
can be modified by an binary file editor.
The following table numerates all the known configuration parameters and gives a brief description. Numbers 0xnnnn are given in hex and nnnn are given in decimal. If not noted otherwise, the values are stored as signed or unsigned 16 bit integers.
Number | Name | Values | Description |
0x0001 | Recording Mode | to be completed | see 0x010e |
0x0002 | JPEG Quality | 1 = Economy 2 = Normal 3 = Fine | Compression mode for storing JPEG files |
0x0003 | Focus Mode | 2 = Macro 3 = Auto (default) 4 = Manual 5 = Infinity | Mode for adjusting focus |
0x0004 | Flash Mode | 1 = Auto (default) 2 = On 4 = Off 5 = Red Eye Reduction | Flash mode |
0x0005 | Flash Intensity | to be completed | see 0x0019 |
0x0006 | Distance | 32 bit integer distance in mm default is 2000 (2 meters) | Distance between objective and focused object |
0x0007 | White Balance | 1 = Auto (AWB)(default) 2 = Tungsten 3 = Daylight 4 = Fluorescent 5 = Shade 0x0081 = Manual | Mode for adjusting white balance |
0x0008 | ??? | ??? | unknown |
0x0009 | ??? | ??? | unknown |
0x000A | Digital Zoom | to be completed | Mode for digital zoom |
0x000B | Sharpness | 0 = Normal (default) 1 = Soft 2 = Hard | Sharpness |
0x000C | Contrast | 0 = Normal (default) 1 = Low 2 = High | Contrast |
0x000D | Saturation | 0 = Normal (default) 1 = Low 2 = High | Saturation |
0x000E | ??? | ??? | unknown |
0x000F | ??? | ??? | unknown |
0x0010 | ??? | ??? | unknown |
0x0011 | ??? | 32 bit decimal ??? | unknown |
0x0012 | ??? | ??? | unknown |
0x0013 | ??? | ??? | unknown |
0x0014 | Sensitivity | 100 = ISO 100 (default) 180 = ISO 180 300 = ISO 300 500 = ISO 500 | ISO-Number of sensitivity |
0x0015 | ??? | 18 bytes ascii ??? | unknown |
0x0016 | Enhancement | 1 = Off (default) 2 = Red 3 = Green 4 = Blue 5 = Flesh Tones | Enhancement |
0x0017 | Filter | 1 = Off (default) 2 = Black and White 3 = Sepia 4 = Red 5 = Green 6 = Blue 7 = Yellow 8 = Pink 9 = Purple | Filter |
0x0018 | Focus Frame Location | 1 = Center (default) 2 ... 17 = different locations (see note [1]) | Location of the frame uses for auto focus and for auto exposure |
0x0019 | Flash Intensity | 1 = Normal (default) 2 = Weak 3 = Strong | Intensity of Flash. This value is only used, when flash is switched on. |
0x001A | ??? | 20 bytes binary ??? | unknown |
0x0E00 | ??? | 20 bytes binary ??? | unknown |
0x0100 | Metering Mode | 2 = Center 3 = Spot 5 = Multi (default) | Mode for adjusting focus in the auto focus (AF) mode |
0x0101 | EV Shift | -6 (0xFFFA) = -2 EV -5 = -5/3 EV ... 0 = no modification (default) 1 = +1/3 EV ... 6 = +6/3 EV = +2 EV | Modification of the exposure value in auto exposure (AE) mode |
0x0102 | Shutter Speed | 1 = BULB 5 = 1/1000 s (default) 6 = 1/800 s ... (in steps of 1/3 EV) 53 = 60 s | Shutter Speed |
0x0103 | Aperture | 1 = F2.0 2 = F2.3 3 = F2.8 4 = F4.0 5 = F5.6 6 = F8.0 (???) 15 = F8.0 (probably: "the smallest possible aperture") | F-Number |
0x0104 | Recording Mode | 0 = Normal (default) 1 = Portrait 2 = Landscape 3 = Night Scene 7 = ??? (used for "Slow Shutter Speed" in scenes S18, S39, S58) | The recording mode has chooses probaly the algorithm for AE-Mode (automatic exposure). |
0x0105 | Composition Frame | 1 = Off (default) 2...10 = different outlines (see note [2]) | The composition frame is the outline of a person in the lcd used by some built in scenes. |
0x0106 | Exposure Mode | 1 = M, Manual Exposure 2 = P, Program Automatic Exposure (default) 3 = A, Aperture Priority Automatic Exposure 4 = S, Shutter Speed Priority Automatic Exposure | Exposure Mode |
0x0107 | ??? | ??? | unknown |
Number | Name | Values | Description |
Note [1]:
The focus frame is the small rectangle in the center
of the lcd image. The location can be changed to one of nine positions
by pressing the shift key and the cursor keys. Other positions are
available by selecting some of the built in scene files.
Number | Name | Values |
0x0018 | Focus Frame Location |
1 = center (default) 10 = top left 11 = top middle 12 = top right 13 = middle left 14 = middle right 15 = bottom left 16 = bottom middle 17 = bottom right 2 = a little top left of 13, for portrait in landscape, person left, like scene S1. 3 = a little top right of 14, for portrait in landscape, person right, like scene S2. 4 = rotated a little left/right of center, for portrait in portrait, toggles, like scene S3. 5 = rotated far left/right of center, for protrait in portrait, toggles, like scene S4. 6 = rotated far left/right of 14/15, for protrait in portrait, toggles, like scene S5. 7 = between 10/11/13/1, for two portraits in landscape, like scene S8. 8 = a little below 7, for face in landscape, person left, like scene S6. 9 = between 11/12, for portrait in landscape, like scene S7. |
Note [2]:
The composition frame can be activated to show the outline
a person in the lcd. This may help the user to composite the image.
The values 2 to 9 correspondends to the respective values of the
configuration parameter 0x0018, focus frame location. If the composition
frame is activated, it is no more possible to change the focus frame
location by pressing the shift and cursor keys.
JPEG-Files
JPEG-EXIF-Files
Casio Maker Notes
Preview Files
Best Shot Scene Files
USB Port
Serial Port
Bibliography
I used the following documentations for developing this
article.
With this knowledge it is possible to read the complete
EXIF-information in the generated jpeg files, to generate
own scene files, to configure some new undocumented features
and to build a remote control for the camera.