Before diving into the manuals, it is essential to understand the scope of the tool. The Canon EDSDK (EOS Digital Software Development Kit) is a proprietary C/C++ API provided by Canon Inc. It allows developers to communicate with Canon EOS digital cameras connected to a computer via USB or Wi-Fi.
This is the most critical component. It lists every function, data type, and enum available in the library. If you are coding and need to know what parameters EdsSendCommand accepts, this is where you look. It is usually provided as a Windows Help file ( .chm ) or a PDF. It is terse, technical, and purely functional.
The SDK simulates object-oriented programming using C-style structs and handles. The documentation refers to "Objects" frequently. You will encounter:
Several attempts have been made to create a community wiki. The most notable is the (hosted occasionally on GitBook and deprecated GitHub repos). These wikis document:
However, there is a common refrain echoing across developer forums like Stack Overflow, DPReview, and GitHub: "Where is the real Canon EDSDK documentation?"
From that, Alex learned: