Category Archives: In the Studio

Apr 13 2013

DSLR Camera Remote Discontinued

Dslr cam remote discontinued2
I started updating Chapter 3 (“The iPad in the Studio”) for the second edition of The iPad for Photographers, and discovered that OnOne has discontinued DSLR Camera Remote, their product for controlling a camera tethered to a computer via the iPad. The product was discontinued on March 12, and support will end on May 12, 2013. From the site:

The decision to discontinue the DSLR Camera Remote was made, in part, because it is a difficult product to maintain. To support new cameras, we need software development kits (SDKs) provided by Canon and Nikon. These SDKs allow us to update our software but are often delivered only after a long delay. Additionally, the DSLR Camera Remote is difficult to support. It basically glues together desktop server software, USB camera connection, Wi-Fi networking, and iOS devices together. All of the components create many potential failure points for our users. We spend a great deal of time helping our customers with network and camera issues that are unrelated to our software, to enable DSLR Camera Remote to work in their environment.

Since onOne Software’s strength has always been image processing—building software to help you make your photos look great, we want to focus our energy on that strength. Fortunately, the DSLR and mobile worlds have evolved since we first started to offer the DSLR Camera Remote. Now, there are many more options available! to solve the same problems that the DSLR Camera Remote was originally designed to address. You may want to consider the alternative options listed on the right.

If you still use the app, you can download the server software that runs on a PC.

This certainly puts an unexpected kink into my process of updating the book, but I’m not concerned. It leaves more room for me to talk about remote wireless tethering using CamRanger and CameraMator devices. The book goes to the publisher next week, so I’m on that coffee-fueled deadline treadmill that wraps up book projects. The published book is scheduled to arrive mid-May!

Feb 17 2013

Weekend Photo-ception with a CameraMator

A little weekend photo-ception! I’m taking a photo of the Canon EOS M and its 90EX flash using a Nikon D90. Connected to the D90 is a CameraMator wireless unit. And I’m controlling the camera from my iPad using the CameraMator app (the screenshot below). What you don’t see is that I’m sitting at my desk about 10 feet away, controlling the camera’s settings—not hunched over the camera (which needs to stay locked down for this product shot, so I don’t want to be touching it much anyway).

I do need to adjust the external flash settings from the camera on the D90 itself; I don’t have access to all of the D90′s menus, although that would be super cool.

I’m on deadline to finish my EOS M book soon, so I’ll have more time to play with and write about the CameraMator later.

Cameramator photoception

Dec 6 2012

Me and the Book in the New York Times and Chicago Tribune

Apparently it’s Jeff-in-the-Media Day!

Nick Bilton at the New York Times wrote a great overview article about using the iPad with photography: The iPad as a Hand-Held Darkroom.

Jeff Carlson, author of the book “The iPad for Photographers,” sometimes bypasses the iPad camera connection kit in favor of an EyeFi SD card and an app called ShutterSnitch ($16). EyeFi cards, which range from $40 to $100 depending on speed and memory size, can connect directly with your iPad wirelessly. Mr. Carlson said that although EyeFi offers a free app, ShutterSnitch is much faster and has a more advanced interface.

Mr. Carlson said he sometimes captures RAW images with his digital cameras. These are uncompressed and large files, often used by professional photographers because they preserve more of the image quality than standard JPEG files. To handle these files he sometimes uses the apps piRAWnha or Photoraw, both $10. But his favored application is Photosmith ($20) an advanced tool that can wirelessly transfer pictures to your desktop computer for printing or editing later.

It was awfully nice of him to link directly to the book on Amazon, too.

I was also interviewed a few weeks ago by Liz Granger at the Chicago Tribune, who included a couple of points from me in her good overview article A decent holiday photo — is that too much to ask?.

Oct 11 2012

Watch my Photo Club Webcast

The replay of my Peachpit Photo Club webcast is now live. See how to wirelessly transfer photos from any camera to the iPad — live! Watch as I edit photos in iPhoto for iOS! Marvel at how I can start the presentation without realizing that I hadn’t yet shared my screen with the rest of the webcast! (Whoops. Thanks to my wonderful editor for breaking in and pointing that out. It’s just the first couple of minutes.)

I had a great time doing this presentation — enough to consider doing this type of thing more often. Maybe a few Google+ hangouts going into more depth on some features? Let me know in the comments if that’s something you’d like to see.

CLick here to access the presentation.

May 30 2012

Ron Martinsen Tests Eye-Fi with Nikon D800 and Canon 5D Mark III

Eye fi card

How does the wireless Eye-Fi memory card handle the load of working with the large image files created by the Nikon D800 and Canon 5D Mark III? Pro photographer Ron Martinsen writes about the results on his blog.

I cover the Eye-Fi in some depth in The iPad for Photographers, and also recommend using ShutterSnitch for handling the transfer to the iPad.

May 1 2012

TriggerTrap Mobile, shutter release for iOS

TriggerTrap MobileNow this looks interesting: TriggerTrap Mobile is an app for iOS that lets you trigger your camera’s shutter remotely. In the book I talk about DSLR Camera Remote HD, which requires that you tether your DSLR to a computer; the iPad communicates to an application on the computer over Wi-Fi.

TriggerTrap takes the computer out of the loop. Using an adapter and a cable (also sold by the company), you can connect the iPad (or iPhone or iPod touch) to the camera and control it there. (Or, just use the software to control the camera in the iOS device.) TriggerTrap Mobile offers a bunch of options for firing the shutter, too: The GPS capabilities of a cellular iPad enable you to specify that a shot is taken based on distance, such as every 100 meters. Or, use facial recognition, motion detection, sound detection, timelapse, and other methods—12 in all for the paid version ($9.99), 3 for the free version.

(I mention a similar product in a tip in the book, iOShutter. It looks as if their cables are finally shipping in some markets, but possible US Customs delays are holding up shipments in the United States and Canada.)

TriggerTrap Mobile looks pretty snazzy, and I’m looking forward to playing with it.

Apr 12 2012

Twitterview on April 25

Do you have questions about using your iPad with your photography? I’m doing a Twitterview (Twitter interview) about the book on April 25 at 11 a.m. (PST). Submit questions at Peachpit’s Web site and I’ll answer them live. If your question appears, you get a free copy of the book!

If you want to just follow along, follow @jeffcarlson and @peachpit on Twitter, and look for the hash tag #ipadphotogs.

I’m looking forward to it!