Jesse Rosten

Wireless DSLR Tethering to iPad

June 21st, 2010

I love shooting tethered. Viewing my photos on a large screen *while* shooting makes critical evaluations of exposure, focus, and composition much easier. Clients love it, too. They get a confidence boost from being able to see the photos as they’re taken. On commercial shoots, tethering is a must. You can’t have the client, art director, and make up artist all crowding around a tiny 3″ screen on the back of the camera.

As much as I love shooting tethered, sometimes it’s just not practical to lug a computer around, especially on remote location shoots. More gear means more crew. And more crew means bigger budgets (something that’s sadly lacking in the industry these days). On a run-n-gun shoot, even tethering to a laptop is awkward at best. Imagine doing a “walk a-about” photo shoot where you are tied to an assistant with a 10 foot rope. That’s ONLY convenient if one of you happens to fall into a crevasse.

Here’s a better solution. Wireless tethering to an iPad. No wires, no worries; portable and practical.

OK, onto the technical milieu. There are a few variations on the following workflow, but for the sake of simplicity, I’m just going to share what I’m using to go from my Canon 5D MkII to the iPad.

First thing you need is a little app called ShutterSnitch. It’s $8 and available in the app store. ShutterSnitch creates a landing point for the photos that are getting sent from the camera. There are some other great features built into the app, but rather than write about them you can read about them here.

There are a couple ways to get the photos out of your Canon dSLR wirelessly. Canon makes several WFT (as in, Wireless File Transmitter) devices for their various flavors of dSLRs. But, one look at the price and you might want to rearrange that acronym to WTF (as in, WTF!?). The cheaper option, and the one I’m using, is a wifi card from Eye-Fi. Eye-Fi makes SD cards that have a microscopic wifi antenna hidden inside. These cards can connect directly with ShutterSnitch. But there’s a caveat with Eye-Fi cards and the 5DMkII. The camera won’t recognize the newer X2 version so you’ll need one of the older classic pro models.

Now, at this point you’re probably thinking,”WTF! How am I supposed to use an SD card in a CF-only camera like a 5DMkII?” Gotchya covered there, too. You simply need an SD to CF card adapter. Yeah, I didn’t know those existed either. Eye-Fi does not officially support CF adapters for their cards, but I found one that works well with my MkII. The CF multi from Syncrotech. Some adapters will cut the wifi signal strength so be sure to find one that has been tested for use with Eye-Fi cards. The CFMulti seems to have no effect on the Eye-Fi’s ability to transmit. So far I’ve used it successfully up to about 25 feet with no file errors.

To make all of these photo transfers work, both the card and the iPad have to be connected to the same wireless network. Not a big deal if you’re shooting in a studio or any place there’s power. But if you’re on location you’re going to need a way to create an ad hoc wireless network. I cannot officially condone jailbreaking your iPad (nor does Apple), but it will allow you to install an app called MyWi. Yes, MyWi is the same app that people are using on their iPhones to share their 3G connectivity with other devices. Running the app on the iPad will create a network for the Eye-Fi to use for transferring photos. The great thing about this solution is that you’re carrying your network with you. Which means wireless tethering will work even if you’re deep in the jungle or on top of a mountain.

Just to recap, here’s what you need:
1. Older model Eye-Fi card
2. Synchrotech CFMulti adapter
3. MyWi app
4. ShutterSnitch app

One last tip on setting up the camera. Be sure to set your camera to shoot RAW+JPEG (small works best). The RAW files stay on the card, the JPEGS get transfered to the iPad for reviewing.

Big props to Matt Jeppsen of FreshDV for turning me on to this idea. We shared a few tweets back and forth on the workflow and Matt pointed me in the right direction. Check out FreshDV.com for tasty snippets of video industry news.

38 Comments | Trackback | Tags: iPad, photography, solutions

38 Responses

Glad to see you got this done. Can’t wait to put it in use myself!

June 21st, 2010 2:18 pm

Daniel
Ever since the iPad was announced, I have been wondering about this as a solution to shooting tethered.

But the pro only has a 4GB option? Ouch, especially if you’re out on location with a 5D Mk2, you might need a couple of those shooting as backup.

But glad to see a solution has been found, however limited. Hopefully this will become the standard.

June 21st, 2010 5:13 pm

Dale Napier
Dale – Ideally, Eye-Fi will start making CF wifi cards so we can skip all of the adapter hoopla. Yes, the 4Gb card will fill up fast. For now, I’ll just dump the card once it’s full. Not ideal, but it works.

June 21st, 2010 6:12 pm

jesse
[...] The only real solution to this problem right now is to use a wireless SD card set inside of a CF card adapter. However, if companies can fit a wireless adapter into something as small as an SD card, can you [...]

June 22nd, 2010 12:52 pm

Video News » Blog Archive » Saying Goodbye to Cables: How Wireless Technology Will Affect Video
Great article. How did you get the iPad to broadcast in Wireless G? Mine is broadcasting in N and I can’t setup my Eye-Fi card to connect to it because it is only G. Thanks!

June 24th, 2010 6:32 pm

Steve
That’s pretty friggen cool.

June 25th, 2010 7:33 am

Dan P
Steve, I’m no networking expert so I’m afraid I can’t comment directly. I did have to configure the Eye-fi card with the Eye-fi software before using it with the iPad. Hope that helps.

June 25th, 2010 9:56 am

jesse
[...] My optimism is further bolstered by some recent developments, including a very interesting blog by Jesse Rosten, a digitally advanced professional photographer who has done some very creative integration of his own using a DSLR, an iPad and EyeFi cards (full article). [...]

June 30th, 2010 1:55 pm

Signs of Hope and Change In Professional Digital Photography | H&H Color Lab
[...] Third: and Fourth: I may have to rethink my opposition to the iPad. I still don’t see it as a legitimate computing tool, but I think it could definitely make a great household appliance. There’s a bit of a key difference there, I’m not really sure how to explain it. Also, velcro = my favourite thing (except magnets – more on that later). [...]

June 30th, 2010 7:38 pm

Quicklinks: Things I think are interesting. « Concerning Liberality and Meanness
Hi love your set up for I pad,iv just got my self the 32gi wifi version ,bought a wifi card now got that set up with my nikon d5000 ,and on iPad but bit stuck on how u set up mywi on iPad for wifi card to see it any chance you could tell me the settings I need on mywi to get it to run my wifi card when I’m out of the house cheers ..

July 5th, 2010 6:50 am

Paul
Paul,

Mywi creates a network that works just like any other network. The Eye-fi card just needs to be configured to recognize that network. To do this, the Eye-fi connect the Eye-fi card to your computer (via the included SD reader). Once connected, run the Eye-fi software. Keep your iPad nearby and turn on the Mywi app. You should see the mywi network pop up in the Eye-fi software. Now just click to add.

Hope that helps

July 5th, 2010 10:53 am

jesse
Hi,

I was able to tether shots from my canon 50d with wft-e3a to the iPad without using any wireless router or jailbreaking my iPad to use myfi.

You need to setup WFT’s wireless ad-hoc configuration first then connect your iPad to that adhoc network like the normal way connecting to a regular wireless network. However, you need to assign a static ip add to the ipad, same network with your WFT. Dont forget to assign a default gateway both on the ipad and wft. It doesnt work for me if i dont have a default gateway assigned. I am not sure if thenipad can recognize automatically when connecting to an adhoc wireless network.

Once the wireless connection is established, setup your Wireless File Transmitter’s(WFT) FTP settings. In this case, im am using ShutterSnitch on my ipad as the FTP server. Target server on the WFT is your iPad’s static ip add and im using port 26000.

I am not sure if anyone tried this before successfully but i am just sharing this to everyone that it is possible to have an adhoc connection between the ipad and your canon WFT.

Cheers!

Melson

July 13th, 2010 7:01 pm

Melson
Ok I am understanding it all except mywi, is your ipad unlocked? I am not finding the app in app store did goggle search and all the leads refer to unlocked devices and cydia.

any help is appreciated

July 15th, 2010 2:58 pm

Mike irvin
Mike, yes, to run MyWi you must jailbreak the iPad.
Melson, great! Thanks for sharing.

July 16th, 2010 6:01 pm

jesse
This is great. but no one seams to be selling the classic eyefi 4GB cards that are compatible with the 5DmkII.

July 21st, 2010 12:47 pm

David
[...] Tethered shooting with the iPad 22nd July 2010 written by gavomatic57 Link [...]

July 22nd, 2010 10:27 am

Techbeast.net » Blog Archive » Tethered shooting with the iPad
Hi thank you for. Your reply not had chance yet to try out you advice on mywi been bit busy will let you know how I get on. Soon

July 26th, 2010 3:54 pm

Paul
[...] So here’s the latest gadget to hit town (officially, of course) and suddenly everyone’s twittering and facebooking about their new toy. I was reading the news from Koh Samui where Lydia and I spent time with family post-wedding. Not our honeymoon technically since that’ll be in September. I’m not rushing to get the iPad but here’s what I’d like to do with it – shoot tethered. There’s someone who has tried it already, a photographer names Jesse Rosten and blogs about his experience here. [...]

July 28th, 2010 12:31 am

iPAD
I have mywi running on my iphone. Will the ipad and eye-fi card still be able to see each other and transmit? I do not want to pay for another data plan just for my iPad.

August 4th, 2010 4:47 pm

Dan
Dan,

Yeah it should work. The card and app just need to be connected to the same network. Doesn’t matter where that network is originating.

August 6th, 2010 11:26 am

jesse
Is this the card I need for this to work ?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/614992-REG/Eye_Fi_EYEFI4EV_4GB_Explore_Wi_Fi_SDHC.html#specifications

I’m unfamiliar with these eye-fi cards and the store doesn’t say if it’s first or second generation. I’m about to buy an Ipad just for shooting tethered and don’t want to buy a wrong card to begin with.

Thanks

August 11th, 2010 5:08 pm

Ljupco
Depends on what camera you are using. The newer X2 cards won’t work with the Canon 5D MkII, but will work fine with SD based cameras. Here is a link to the older model that I’m using with my MkII:
http://www.eye.fi/products/classic/pro
Which ever card you decide to go with, be sure to get one that supports Ad Hoc connections.

August 11th, 2010 5:17 pm

jesse
I’m going to be using it with my 5d MK II. So basically I need an eye-fi card of 4gb I generation that supports ad hoc connections and that particular SD to CF adapter, right ? I’ll try and see if B&H has that kind of eye-fi in stock.
Thanks a lot Jesse

August 13th, 2010 3:01 am

Ljupco
Yep, that’s the formula that worked for me. I found my Eye-Fi card on B&H but It looks like they’re out of stock now. Good luck!

August 13th, 2010 10:36 am

jesse
Hi,

The Eye-Fi Centre can’t see the network created by MyWi in both my iPad and iPhone. Do you have any tips to do that so that I can add the network to the card?

August 17th, 2010 2:20 am

Alan
By the way, I’m using 4GB Connect X2 (Do I need a PRO card?)

August 17th, 2010 2:21 am

Alan
Hi Jesse. I am trying to get this to work for me. I have the SD card, the Adapter, but I have a zalip mobile router. I have the one suggested by this post http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4CgABZVNjU.

I setup my network with the “default” wireless setting for the zalip. When I set up my eye-fi card it connects. The shuttersnitch app and my ipad connects to the “default” zalip router. The images are on the card both raw + jpg.

But nothing happens when I take the pic. Not sure whats up. Im on a mac and zalip has no mac instructions on setting up the network. So I basically went with the default settings.

August 19th, 2010 7:12 pm

TreyE
So you are shooting raw+jpeg and transferring the jpeg only to the ipad. Which means you could go with the basic, non pro eye-fi card. Is that correct?

August 20th, 2010 12:27 am

Lorinc
Alan, I think you need a PRO card. The MyWi creates an Ad Hoc network and you need a card that connect to that type of network.

August 20th, 2010 9:54 am

jesse
TreyE, hmm… are you sure you have Shuttersnitch configured correctly? http://2ndnature.thebrew.dk/shuttersnitch/faq.php

August 20th, 2010 9:59 am

jesse
Maybe I do not have shuttersnitch set up correctly. I’m going to start from the beginning. I’m leaning towards it being that my zalip router is not setup correctly.

Is there anyway you can tell if your eye-fi and router is not on the same network? My wireless connection says “default.” So I’m not sure if this is the right “default” or the equipment’s “default” settings.

trollhunter on youtube will be posting videos this weekend to walk ppl thru the setup. Hopefully this will help me. Thanks.

August 20th, 2010 2:06 pm

TreyE
You have worked this out well! Do you know wich model of Eye-Fi will work with 1DMIII? How to connect to MacBookPro? do I use the same apps? Thx in advance!

August 26th, 2010 6:06 am

Albert
So do I need a 3g ipad ? or can i use the wifi ipad?

August 31st, 2010 10:29 am

rev
[...] over de Eye-fi card mogelijkheden. Probleem is hier een geschikte CF adapter voor te vinden. Uit http://jesserosten.com/2010/wireless-tethering-to-ipad dit artikel blijkt dat de adapter van Synchrotech hiervoor geschikt zou zijn. Wie heeft hier [...]

September 2nd, 2010 3:47 am

Het grote Wi-Fi SDHC Card topic! - Belgiumdigital forum - Digitale fotografie
Thank you melson!!
I was able to setup Direct Connection from a Canon EOS 1ds III via Cañon wdt without using any Other Network or jailbraiking my Ipad (3.2.2)
Shutter snitch listenes. And receives Pictures and Shows them just the Way my customers Love it!
and I do so too.
Thanks again.
martin

September 3rd, 2010 12:07 pm

Martin jehnichen
Darn it, Jesse….!

And I was doing SO WELL up until now resisting running out and getting an iPad… I now see resistance is futile… this is THE killer ap.

Great job figuring this out; thanks for sharing your geek-powers for good!

September 4th, 2010 7:58 pm

AJ
AJ, resistance is futile!

September 4th, 2010 11:10 pm

jesse
[...] Jesse Rosten – Wireless DSLR Tethering to iPad [...]

September 5th, 2010 1:02 pm

Tethering zdjęć prosto do iPada | mnml