Tethering my Canon 5D2 to Macbook Pro

[GreggS]

I just acquired the new Macbook Pro w/ retina display and can't wait to see what it can do for me. I do most of my PP on my 27" iMac, but I'm looking to use the new Macbook Pro more so for on-site applications.

I'm looking for some advice on what the best ways to tether my Canon 5D Mk II to the Macbook. I've done some research, but I can't seem to find a good consensus about what the best way to tether is.

Right now I only have Photoshop CS5 and a trial version of Lightroom. I've heard I may need to be using the Canon EOS utility software to make this happen. If you have any suggestions on how to do this, I'd appreciate it. Ideally, I'd like to be able to use the LiveView function to control the camera from the computer.

Also...both the camera and macbook have HDMI ports....can I use HDMI to tether, or does it have to be USB?

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Forget EOS Utility and Lightroom. Nut up and use Capture One.



Lightroom is typically out of the question because you can't batch rename, or rename files without doing major digging. Also C1 lets your use live view, and use AF through the program.

In my experience, most of the real photographers use Capture One in my city.


Also, as cool as a MBP Retina is, it's really just OK in this kind of a situation, and it's a shame too.

For example: Recently, On set we were shooting a 1DX with a MPB-R not even real briskly into Capture One, while running Capture Pilot and exporting JPEGs and TIFF's to an external drive, all of this simultaneously. C1 kept crashing all the time and we were getting data loss. We couldn't use lightroom because we were doing catalog work and not only does it not import fast enough and you can't rename files easily on it, but the Art director and Makeup couldn't see what was going on via their iPads.

Yesterday, on a fashion shoot running D800's and Hassy's into Capture One on my PC (i7 3770 OC'd to 4GHz, 32GB RAM, everything SSD). Similar situation with import/export + iPads, Computer didn't skip a beat. We even motordrove a D4 into it until the buffer maxed out, images came in as fast as USB 2.0 could pipe it. The D800 over USB 3.0 was virtually instantaneous. Not a single crash all day from the computer, (we did have a D800 go down though). I can't say that about any Mac system i've used.

I've used a lot of different combinations of equipment and computers before on set over the last 4 years. PC's are typically more reliable and faster than iMac's or MBP's in this situation. a Midrange-High End PC will have much similar performance to Mac Pro's for a fraction of the price. The only bummer with PC's is that cable management isn't as nice, and some Medium Format cameras don't talk back and fourth with Windows, namely newer Leaf and Phase backs.


That's my $0.02, and I'd probably stack up my DIT experience/knowledge better than anyone on this forum.

I've been using Mac's on set since forever, and just recently this last year incorporating a PC workflow. My Photogs like it, and you will too. Imagine being able to shoot as fast as you want, while exporting images to your clients HD at the same time, and they're looking at what you're doing on their iPads while you're shooting it. It's incredible.

You'll really look like you got your sh*t together.

 

[ronlane]

Lightroom is typically out of the question because you can't batch rename, or rename files without doing major digging. Also C1 lets your use live view, and use AF through the program.

When you set up a tethering session in LR4, you can name it and should be able to rename files. I have used it but I was just playing around and did not change the file names. All of the Photographers that I have seen on Creative live use LR4 to tether, as well as Scott Kelby.

I've used it and really like it, but don't do enough indoor studio work to justify setting it up. But I really like it.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Sure you can name it whatever you want before yo start shooting, but lets say if you're doing catalog work, and each set has to have the name of the product+SKU. In C1, you can just highlight all the images in that set, batch rename, and you're done. In LR, you have to rename them, than in Finder or Windows Explorer find the actual file, and rename the file there too. If you're doing simple stuff that Scott Kelby roll does, than sure, you may never run into that problem. But for multiple day commercial shoots, Capture One is the better program. Not to mention, Lightroom is slow as snot compared to C1.

I will say though, the sharpening and color is better in LR.

 

[ronlane]

Sure you can name it whatever you want before yo start shooting, but lets say if you're doing catalog work, and each set has to have the name of the product+SKU. In C1, you can just highlight all the images in that set, batch rename, and you're done. In LR, you have to rename them, than in Finder or Windows Explorer find the actual file, and rename the file there too. If you're doing simple stuff that Scott Kelby roll does, than sure, you may never run into that problem. But for multiple day commercial shoots, Capture One is the better program. Not to mention, Lightroom is slow as snot compared to C1.

I will say though, the sharpening and color is better in LR.

I see your point about changing names. I am starting to learn more about this and to make my file names better and easier to work with and understand about the fun it is in LR to change them.

I guess then, for the OP, it would be a matter of how it will be used. For multiple product photography, it wouldn't be good but for working single shoots or portraits it would be fine.

 

[GreggS]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

In the meantime, I started researching options on wirelessly tethering to my iPad. And it's fantastic! It's relatively cheap, and it's easy to set up.

If anyone is ever interested in trying it out, I'd be happy to explain. All you need is an Eye-Fi X2 Pro SD card, an SD to CF adapter (if you have a CF only camera), Apple's "Shuttersnitch" app available in App Store, and the MyWi app available through Cydia (you have to jailbreak your iPad). Anyway, once you get it set up, it works great. Images transfer wirelessly to your iPad in about 3-4 seconds (obviously this poses a time issue in some scenarios, but it's still acceptable for a lot of situations).

The best part...by using MyWi you're turning your iPad into it's own wireless ad-hoc network. Once you configure your Eye-Fi card to use that network, you do not need internet access, making this a great option for use in the field.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Bummer though is that range sucks balls. Go further than 5 feet away from the card and you're boned.

Tried it already, failed at it already.