Anyone using DSLR Controller?

[Psytrox]

Besides that its really, really cool... What exactly is the point? Or is the point just bigger display, and pressing buttons without touching the camera?

 

[Buckster]

For me, there are a couple of advantages, in particular situations.

When shooting through my microscope, the camera is shooting straight down into it, and it would be VERY difficult to look down through the viewfinder or even work with the live view on the back of the camera AND work the microscope, slides and light(s) PLUS all the camera controls, and that's especially true for stacking. Having the tablet as a display there on the table next to the microscope and having the camera controls right there on the tablet makes the setup as a whole MUCH easier to work with.

When shooting macros, I have a similar problem because I often need to be able to interact with the macro subject and it's lights, modifiers, background and so forth directly, especially during the setup and staging, and that's all set up in front of the camera. That means I'm often sitting in front of the camera as well, to the side of the macro staging area, where I can easily access that macro subject. Having the tablet facing me allows me to work with both the macro subject, lights etc., and still be able to see as I work with it what the composition looks like in a live view without going back and forth from that position next to the macro "stage" to the back of the camera, then back again to make another adjustment, then back to the camera to assess how that now looks, then back again, etc., etc., etc.

I can also zoom in on the tablet to 5x and 10x for precise focus and, indeed, the much larger screen works VERY well for that. Shooting in live view and lightly touching the tablet face to trip the shutter means I have no camera shake issues either. I can control ISO, aperture, shutter speed and nearly everything else I'd want to control from shot to shot right there on the tablet, without getting up from where I'm manipulating the staging area, and I can also work with the macro focusing rails as well as the geared head for precise movements having to do with composition and stacking with ease from that same position, all while seeing the effects right there on the tablet screen.

For portraits, I can easily show the client stills as we shoot them if I want to, without them getting up from where I have them posed, just by showing them the large tablet from my position or walking it over to them for a quick review - all without moving my camera at all and without them squinting at the small screen on the back of it. During setup, I can also have it face the posing area and move my lights and modifiers around and see the effects on screen as I do it, or I can take it with me via a long tether and hold it in my hand while making those modifications to see how they affect the composition.

With my long 30' tether, I can position the camera in one place, and monitor and shoot from somewhere else, up to 30 feet away. That comes in handy for skittish birds and so on. Just set up the camera on a tripod (and lights if you want) looking at the bait/staged area, get up to 30' away into a blind or the porch or have a seat behind some trees or bushes, and wait for the right moment to shoot while monitoring the live view on the tablet.

I can put the camera on the end of a pole up to 30 feet tall, clamp the tablet to the bottom of the pole where I can see it, and get shots from unique higher POVs while still retaining compositional control, rather than guessing I'm pointing it in the right direction, and still able to work ISO, aperture and shutter, white balance, etc., while the camera's up in the air.

I can use similar techniques to hang/boom the camera out over places that would be very difficult, dangerous or even impossible for me to physically get to and shoot from, and still retain full control.

I can use suction cups or clamps to position the camera on the outside of a vehicle, then monitor and shoot from inside that moving vehicle in the passenger seat because I have the live view on the tablet in my hands, and as always, I retain the ability to change ISO, aperture, shutter speed, white balance and more from right there on the tablet, and without having to pull over, get out, and adjust the settings on the camera, and hope they're right when we get rolling again.

Here's the bottom line: Using the tablet and the DSLR Controller app opens up MANY new possibilities for shooting, and the more I use it, the more uses I'm finding for it.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

I'm scared to jump back on topic..... do you guys happen to know if they make such an app for iPAD too? Buckster wow that is nice

 

[thetrue]

Wait, is it the same one that is on the disk that came with my camera? I've used that with my laptop a few times and it works quite nicely...

 

[keith foster]

There is another app that does this called TriggerTrap. The app is free but there is a conversion cable you have to buy to connect to your camera.

Besides the reasons listed by Buckster

The app works to automatically trip the camera for timelapse photography.

You can choose the time the camera delays firing.

It will work as a motion detection device fire the camera.

It works as a lightning detector to fire the camera.

It works to fire when there is a loud sound. You can set the db level you want to use to fire it.

It can do travel lapse photography so that the camera fires every time you travel whatever you program it to.


There are some others but I don't recall all of them right now. I don't use mine all the time but I use regularly. I will definitely use it more as time goes on and in certain situations.

 

[thetrue]

Keith, what is the dongle for exactly? Just to actuate the shutter?

 

[keith foster]

Keith, what is the dongle for exactly? Just to actuate the shutter?

The dongle just converts the signal from the iPad or other device to a signal the camera sees as an activation. I think. But is also lets you see what the camera sees so it must convert signal both ways. The dongle actually looks like just two cords that both come out of a small black box. One has a plug for the iPad and one plugs into the flash outlet on the camera. I was surprised at how simple and small it all is.

 

[thetrue]

So it's essentially the same as the USB used to connect to the computer?

 

[SkipT]

I bet that setup works great for macro. I thought about seting up like that but then I thought about the fact of another piece of hardware I had to drag with me and forgot about it. Looks like you have a good setup.