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Level 3

794 points

Aperture 2.0 Tether & Canon

From Apple's PDF titled "Aperture 2 Product Overview" which you can view [here|http://images.apple.com/aperture/docs/Aperture 2_ProductOverview.pdf]:

"The new Tether command in Aperture lets users of popular Nikon and Canon digital
SLRs tether their cameras to their Mac and capture images directly into Aperture,
without relying on third-party software or scripting."

Visiting Canon's [site|http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ProductCatIndexAct&fcate goryid=111] you'll note they currently offer 8 models of digital SLRs. Among their most popular are the 1D & 1Ds Mark III, 30D, and 40D. I see a huge number of 1D models at shoots and the 30D is everywhere. So far, in my own testing and in reviewing the posts on the forums, at least 4 of the 8 SLRs Canon sells don't work with tethering in Aperture 2. In fact, the only Canon SLR confirmed to work is the 20D. Given this, I wonder...

1. How can Apple say with a straight face that it supports the popular Canon SLRs.
2. Is everyone doing something wrong?
3. Why the heck hasn't Apple posted a supported camera list for a very sought after feature?

PowerMac G5 Dual 2.5 4/500, MacBook Pro 2.4 4/250, Mac OS X (10.5), iPhone 8 GB, iPod Nano 8 GB, AppleTV 160 GB

Posted on Feb 13, 2008 4:11 PM

104 replies

KBeat Author

Level 3

794 points

Feb 14, 2008 1:25 PM in response to jeporter99

Jeporter,

I'm using a 30D as well. Is the script you're using called "Hot Folder" and have you had a chance to test it with 2.0?

Thanks

Message was edited by: KBeat

utha

Level 1

0 points

Feb 14, 2008 1:22 PM in response to KBeat

Connect my 1Ds, recognise by Aperture, shoot.....Never a so easier tethered shoot.
Works fine: bye bye Eos utility, hot folder...
I'm a little affraid because i'm going to take a 1Ds III

Toph101

Level 1

4 points

Feb 14, 2008 2:04 PM in response to Steve Smith18

Km5gn...... thanks, i didn't know that. My 350d works great now. I have to set it to pc mode though, not ptp/print mode.

Chris.

Feb 14, 2008 3:02 PM in response to GregNicholson

My 5d is recognized, but the camera just flashes "busy"
Am I missing a setting?
thanks

max-pol

Level 1

115 points

Feb 14, 2008 3:18 PM in response to Chuck Usher

Chuck : yes: go to menu, scroll down to "Commnication" (orange section), set to PC Connect.
It will work as it does here.

IMPORTANT: as had been said above, in APERTURE 2.0, select a project before going to the menu command that starts tethered mode.

I can also confirm that the EOS 350D works fine tethered.

Investigating issue about 40D

ejg999

Level 1

54 points

Feb 14, 2008 3:30 PM in response to KBeat

Footnote 1 on page 34 of the overview document states "Tethering requires complaince with protocols that are not supported by all camera". You need to be sure which Canon and Nikon cameras are in compliance with the protocols. It may only be the most recent camera, not the older models.

Feb 14, 2008 3:31 PM in response to max-pol

Thanks Max.
I figured I was overlook something simple as usual.

max-pol

Level 1

115 points

Feb 14, 2008 3:35 PM in response to max-pol

About EOS 40D:
The customer service message is just a bland reply by someone who likely never even plugged an EOS 40D in a mac.

In all logic, the problem cannot be APERTURE 2: when you plug the camera in the mac, the display says "busy" and the camera is inoperant, whether aperture is open, or not. Even with no apps launched except for the finder, it does that.

And the camera doesn't provide the memory card as a removable drive, so you can't get images by opening the device on the desktop… (though aperture and other apps establish a link and are able to D-load your pix).... I suppose all of this is probably linked to the new live view-based features: after all canon provides real time picture via usb2 with this camera, so something is new and something is fishy.

When you launch EOS Utility, the camera operates again as normal and images do transfer. I tried tethered in Aperture and as before, everything gets set up fine but the "capture" button is greyed out, so "no show"

I hope Canon restores the possibility to get regular PTP and PC Connect modes on this camera

KBeat Author

Level 3

794 points

Feb 15, 2008 7:09 AM in response to ejg999

Ejg999,

Did you actually read my post? Of the 8 models of SLR cameras that Canon offers today, only 2 have been confirmed to work. Five, including their most popular models, do not. I've not yet heard about the 5D, but I'll be surprised if it works.

I have a hard time following Apple's logic. They build in a highly requested feature with their new flagship photography product Aperture 2.0. They tout this new feature as one of the major reasons to upgrade. Yet, near as we can tell, it doesn't work with the vast majority of SLRs Canon sells today. However, as they are happy to point out, it works with the iPhone! Anyone else see the irony of this?

Feb 15, 2008 7:35 AM in response to KBeat

1DS MKII works fine. Fast and smooth. That said Apple clearly did not look to hard at what a good tethering software needs. You should be able to setup a profile for a session that includes at a minimum a custom white balance that is applied to all the images automatically.

step one. shot grey card and set WB
step two. tell aperture to apply that WB to all the shots as they are captured.
step three. capture images.

This product is getting very close to useable as a complete workflow (when I get a new video card or tower) but still no cigar. PLEASE add support for the LEAF backs and custom capture settings..

Lawrence

Message was edited by: Lawrence Smith1

Ulysse

Level 1

30 points

Feb 15, 2008 7:37 AM in response to KBeat

As it works perfectly with EOS utility, it is "of course" an AP 2 problem and not a Canon problem.
The not working listed bodies above are on the market since a long time now. So Apple had enough time to verify and adjust the program to have tethered shooting working with recent Canon bodies.
It seems EOS utility software switch the body from some "PTP" to "normal" operation automatically, depending on the selected software function (file transfert or "remote" shooting). So Aperture has to do the same.
Canon don't have to adapt their bodies for Aperture... Aperture has to adapt to Canon bodies. Just like the RAW processing !
Anyway, this version 2 is really great.

KBeat Author

Level 3

794 points

Feb 15, 2008 12:28 PM in response to Ulysse

I agree completely Ulysse. Most of these cameras have been out for quite some time, and are very popular with professional photographers and serious hobbyists. It was on Apple to design the tether feature so it worked with the cameras, not for Canon to go back and reengineer their current lineup so it worked with Apple's recent Aperture upgrade. The fact that Apple didn't bother to publish a supported camera list for the tether feature suggests they are aware of how few actually are supported.

dswphoto

Level 1

0 points

Feb 15, 2008 1:42 PM in response to KBeat

Maybe somebody can answer this. Tethered 5d to MacPro running 10.5.2 and works perfectly.
Same camera on a powerbook G4 10.4.11, camera shows up as being tethered but cannot capture.
Any help? There was a mention that say "for best results use Leopard".

Thanks

Feb 17, 2008 10:53 AM in response to jeporter99

I can confirm that the 30D does not work tethered with Aperture 2. The problem is that the camera goes busy as soon as the USB cable is plugged in and all its buttons are inoperable. My guess is that the camera expects that the computer software will tell it to go out of that mode and Aperture does not do this. It could be reverse engineered with a USB bus analyzer, but I don't have one of those handy...

Feb 17, 2008 12:41 PM in response to Steve Weller

My 20D exhibits that behaviour when the communication is set to PTP on the camera. Setting it to normal works OK. Might not be the same on a 30D, but maybe worth a look...

Steve

Aperture 2.0 Tether & Canon