[sane-devel] Controlling scanner imaging head movement manually as mount for camera-based focus stacking?

[Joel Penner]

Hello,

I am doing microscopic focus stacking with mirrorless cameras. I have a
Cognisys Stackshot rail that I am doing this with, but I also have a bunch
of Canon 9000F & 8800F scanners, so I am wondering whether I could use the
precision these devices have to move a camera forward by small increments.

I have already been experimenting with attaching a stepper motor to a
microscope, controlled by a Big Easy Driver and a Raspberry Pi. This person
used a scanner for focus stacking by connecting a scanner motor to an
external driver:

https://petapixel.com/2013/01/24/focus-stacking-macro-photographs-with-a-hacked-flatbed-scanner/

This would work for me, but would it be possible to manually move the
scanner imaging head with SANE and the scanner's firmware and circuitry?
Basically, I would need SANE to move the scanner imaging head forward by a
tiny increment, pause for a few seconds for the camera to take a photo,
move forward again and so on. I just need total control of where the
scanner imaging head is moved to and how small the increments are. My goal
is to use this rig to do timelapse microscopic focus stacked images of
plant growth.

Ideally, the scanner imaging head light would be turned off too but I could
also use tape or disconnect the LED array. I have other scanner models as
well if the firmware or drivers of these Canon scanners isn't suitable.

Any ideas would be appreciated, thanks!

Joel
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