iPhone as external monitor for DSLR tethered shooting.

Question

iPhone as external monitor for DSLR tethered shooting.

Dear members:

It occurred to me just another day that the iPhone would be a perfect (or at least almost) solution for tethered shooting with a DSLR camera. My pro Canon DSLR has a LCD screen that is only 2" in size and a little small for review images after they have been shot. I am not sure if this is the right forum for this question but I will post it to the camera forum also. So here are the questions I have:

1. From a color perspective, how good are the images displayed on the iPhone's screen ? Is the screen fairly accurate in terms of color reproduction, white balance and all that good stuff that make screens more or less suited for photo reviewing ?

2. Are any of you aware of an app that will allow me to connect the iPhone to my DSLR (Canon EOS 1Ds Mk II) via cable and have the images on the iPhone's screen as they are shot ? I have found OnOne Software's camera remote app but it doesn't do it. The app requires that the camera be connected to a computer and the iphone be networked with that computer to remote control the camera. Also I would like to know if there is any hardware available that would allow the iPhone to be held in place while connected to the hot shoe of the camera. Some kind of adapter where the iphone would be secured to the hot shoe in landscape mode and have a cable connect it to the camera. Any ideas ?

Thank you in advance,

Joseph

Powermac G5 dual 2.0 GHz 4.5 GB RAM, (2) int 1.5 TB HD, 23" cinema display, Mac OS X (10.5.8), Powerbook G4 1.33. GHz 17", 1.0 GB RAM, 80 GB HD

Posted on Nov 17, 2009 5:05 PM

Reply

Answer 1

paulcb

Level 6

19,245 points

Nov 17, 2009 5:10 PM in response to apple_customer

No need to double post and I believe the answer is the same... probably no app to do what you want. Check here to see... http://appshopper.com

Regarding color reproduction, sorry I don't know but the screen looks exceptional to my untrained eyes. This is probably better asked in a photography forum.

Reply

Answer 2

Nov 23, 2009 12:21 AM in response to apple_customer

Your not alone! ;)I have been thinking just the same, which is how I found your question. This would be so perfect, but so far I haven't found any way to do this either. I was maybe hoping that the Eye-fi cards could trigger something in combo with the OnOne software, but I guess you still need a computer to do the "hard work"? I'm sort of guessing though, that if there was a solution for this it would be on the marked already, I'm having a hard time believing we were the first to think of this!? ;))

Let me know if you come across some solution, proper or "hack" 😉

Reply

Answer 3

Nov 23, 2009 4:07 AM in response to apple_customer

Nice idea. However, the iPhone SDK does not allow developers to access the docking connector for data transfer so you're not going to find an app for that. That's why the only software you're seeing requires a connection via the computer.

It is possible for a developer to write an app to control the camera and view images over Wi-Fi - but that would require the user to have a Canon wireless file transmitter (aka Wi-Fi grip), a several-hundred dollar accessory. Still, on the OnOne developer site, there's a feature request listed for +"Native support for WiFi grips. No computer needed in between."+ Feel free to contact the developer to second that request:

http://www.ononesoftware.com/blog/contact/

Reply

Answer 4

Nov 26, 2009 8:29 PM in response to neuroanatomist

Hello, paulcb, brynjar77 and neuroanatomist.

Too bad this can't be done. Thanks for sharing the info neuroanatomist.

Actually it can't be done assuming my initial inquiry that considered a direct connection between the iPhone and the camera. Since a direct connection isn't viable for the reasons neuroanatomist stated, then it leaves only Wi-Fi as an option, right ?

Some camera manufacturers offer an accessory that can be connected to a camera and provide it with Wi-Fi connection without the need for a computer. My camera is a Canon and one such device is available that does that. I know Nikon also offers a similar accessory for its cameras (at least for the more prosumer/professional ones). For both manufacturers this accessory can be attached to the body of the camera by either being connected to the side of the body via a terminal connector or to the bottom using the tripod screw.

In this case would this allow the iPhone to work as an external screen for the review of shots taken ? Would you know of any application that would do this without the need for a computer to be connected between the camera and iPhone ?

Thank you for your posts and answers.

Best regards,

Joseph

Reply

Answer 5

azartguy

Level 1

19 points

Dec 10, 2009 10:29 PM in response to apple_customer

Would this work? The new 4GB Eye-Fi (WiFi) SD card seems to have ad hoc (peer to peer) wireless connection ability. So, with the Eye-Fi card in your camera, transmitting wireless to MobleMe, wireless back to your iPhone or Touch? That would give you immediate (?) view on the 3.5" screen of the camera jpeg images if your camera is compatible with the Eye-Fi card ... or so it seems to me.
Brian

Reply

Answer 6

Dec 14, 2009 1:29 AM in response to azartguy

Hello, azartguy.

This sounds like a good idea. Thanks for your suggestion.

I've checked their website and my camera model doesn't appear in the list of cameras supported (Canon EOS 1Ds Mk II). I will call the company and talk to their tech support to double check.

This would actually be a good idea. I am just thinking what kind of battery life penalty I would have to pay for keeping the Wi-Fi on continuously on iPhone (at least during the time I am shooting).

But this is a good possibility and definitely worth investigating.

Thanks again for the suggestion.

Joseph

Reply

Answer 7

Dec 14, 2009 4:50 AM in response to apple_customer

Hello azartguy

Very good suggestion, and as far as I can see from Eye-fi's pages this should work as long as your within the reach of a wireless network. But in the depths of the forest they come short 😉 Ad hoc directly to the iPhone is not possible (unless u got a jail-broken one it seems.) The card and iPhone just connects to ad hoc, they cannot deploy them. Wich is why there is a pc in the ad hoc example on their pages. See link below from Eye fi forums where this is discussed.

http://forums.eye.fi/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1440

But at least it seems that we are not the only ones wanting this, so as soon as Apple make it possible a solution will be available:)

Reply

Answer 8

Dec 19, 2009 4:09 AM in response to apple_customer

This is EXACTLY the trick I've been trying to pull for months now. It would be a photojournalist's dream to be able to shoot RAW + JPEG and have the jpeg file automatically sucked into the iphone and then uploaded to twitter, FB, blogs, whatever CMS you're using... Then later get the hi-rez in for the print editions. (To directly answer your question, I don't think the screen is color accurate for proofing, or any better than the camera's screen -- especially if you're shooting in the AdobeRGB color space.)

I've heard rumors that this has been achieved successfully -- I think the guys at foto pro figured it out.

Reply

Answer 9

Dec 20, 2009 1:58 PM in response to Benjamin Chertoff

Hi, Benjamin.

Do you have the website address for Foto Pro ? I tried a google search but came up with so many different links I don't know which one you are referring to.

The problem I have found with the Eye-Fi solution is that they don't support my camera. I have a Canon 1Ds MK II which is now a few years old. I am not sure if the underlying technology on this camera doesn't allow the Eye-Fi card to work or if the developer didn't find it interesting to make it work with this camera since it is an older model (this camera is a little more than 4 years old).

The iPhone is a simpler solution since it is so light and it is always with me as I carry it all the time. But another solution I've looked at is the digital wallet from Epson. Again this is not supported on my camera model but it would be an interesting way to look at your images on a larger screen along with the added advantage that the images can also be backed-up to the device's internal HD.

Thanks,

Joseph

Reply