Using iMac as monitor for Canon T2i??

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Level 1

112 points

Using iMac as monitor for Canon T2i??

Can I use an iMac (a new one) as a monitor for the Canon?

I'm setting up a little on-camera studio for a friend who is working on a long film -- and who has to do on-camera presentations single-handedly over the next year. The camera will be on the desk in front of him, flush with the iMac and pointed back at him. He will be reading text (Pages) on the iMac just behind the camera (in lieu of a teleprompter) -- the tests suggest we'll be able to get away with this. But we need to frame and focus the camera before turning it on. There is an AVI out, and an HDMI out on the camera.

We can't just move the iMac aside while framing and focusing ... we've built a modest sound booth around the whole front end of his edit suite ... so he can do the on-camera, and also voice-overs direct to FCP. The new iMac is quiet enough, very impressive.

Is there any way I can connect the camera to the iMac monitor and use it (to frame and focus) as a slave monitor to the camera? I posted this at iMac ... but suspect there are a lot more filmmakers here at FCP who would be more likely to have an answer...

Ben

Ben

MacBook Pro 2.16 Intel Core Duo, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on May 2, 2010 8:23 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 31, 2010 7:11 PM in response to Michael Guncheon

You can use any Mac, iMac included as a field monitor / Capture device using firewire and Quick Time Player. Just connect your firewire from the Canon to the iMac and start Quick Time Player -> File -> New Movie. I have recorder over an hour of video at one time. My next big thing is find away to mount an iMac 21 in to a JonnyJib crane. SECURELY ....

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Answer 2

Shane Ross

Level 8

43,110 points

May 2, 2010 9:19 AM in response to Ben Low

Sorry, won't work. You have AV out...and you have HDMI out...but no way to get those IN on the iMac. You need a capture card or I/O box...and only one device will connect to an iMac, the AJA I/O HD. But that is a $3500 device.

But now you have that as a way to get the signal from the camera to the computer for FCP...NOT for the computer to act like a field monitor. For that you might need ScopeBox or VeeScope live.

With an iMac, you have to know that you are severely limited with what you can do video wise.

Shane

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Answer 3

Ben Low Author

Level 1

112 points

May 2, 2010 9:27 AM in response to Shane Ross

Thank you Shane,

Saved me a lot of headache. Now, what if I went out and bought Dave a small Samsung with an HDMI in? And he could use it as a second monitor for the iMac when not using it to frame and focus the camera?

B

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Answer 4

Shane Ross

Level 8

43,110 points

May 2, 2010 11:02 AM in response to Ben Low

That samsung will work. It will take the LCD image and put it on that monitor. So you will see whatever controls you have activated, plus the grey bars on top and bottom. But it works.

And he could use it as a second monitor for the iMac when not using it to frame and focus the camera?

If he gets a DVI>HDMI connector, he can use it as a second computer monitor, or as a quick and dirty way to see the image full screen. It isn't a color accurate image, but it will work just for viewing. For accurate colors, a capture card or I/O device is needed.

Shane

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Answer 5

Ben Low Author

Level 1

112 points

May 2, 2010 12:31 PM in response to Shane Ross

Thank you Shane, most helpful ...

I once worked with a $300 Samsung as a second monitor to an Apple Cinema display -- there was very little difference in the color balance (more contrast on the Samsung). Did final color correction and all. And was pleasantly surprised when I got into a full blown post prod setup ... and saw what I'd done on a high end monitor. No surprises.

Thanks again for your help, off to buy a Samsung...

B

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Answer 6

Nick Holmes

Level 7

30,018 points

May 2, 2010 1:53 PM in response to Ben Low

The newest 27" iMac models have a DisplayPort connection on the back that is also an input.
It is activated by pressing command and F2.

This definitely works for use as a second monitor from a MBP connected via DisplayPort. I have no idea if it will work with your camera and a HDMI > DisplayPort adapter. Has to be worth a try though...

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Answer 7

DC Reels

Level 1

0 points

May 3, 2010 10:25 AM in response to Ben Low

I don't have an iMac to test this out, but I can do precisely what you're suggesting on my Powerbook Pro and I think you can too. If you still have the USB cable included with the T2i, you can plug it in from camera to computer and shoot with the iMac as your monitor. Because it's USB there is about a 1-2 second delay time-lag since USB is slow. I think you should at least test this out before you start spending more money.

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Answer 8

Shane Ross

Level 8

43,110 points

May 3, 2010 11:02 AM in response to DC Reels

How can you monitor from that camera via USB? FCP doesn't accept video signals via USB. Does that camera send out a video signal via USB? I thought it only did it via hdmi.

What application do you use to receive the signal, if there is one?

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Answer 9

David S.

Level 7

20,636 points

May 3, 2010 11:27 AM in response to Shane Ross

Sofortbild does do what the poster indicates Shane, albeit without a live preview, and certainly not for video.

Nice app, and we use it occasionally with our D300s.

http://www.sofortbildapp.com/

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Answer 10

Shane Ross

Level 8

43,110 points

May 3, 2010 11:33 AM in response to David S.

Coooooool...

Shane

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Answer 11

Ben Low Author

Level 1

112 points

May 3, 2010 11:48 AM in response to DC Reels

Thank you guys,

I'm going to try both your suggestions and report back. I went out an bought a cheap LCD screen to do the job. It's been a long time since I bought an HDMI cable ... cost almost as much as the monitor, overkill for my poor friend, so I hooked up the AVI out to composite. Looks horrible. But it does the job.

A trick running that little T2i blind ... all the controls being on the back, which has to be tucked up against the iMac screen, so he can use the iMac as a virtual teleprompter. Not terrific. But better than trying to memorize hours (ultimately) of pretty sophisticated on-camera (a scientist explaining bleeding edge theory).

Thanks gang. Will report back with results...

Ben

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Answer 12

Jun 29, 2010 1:24 PM in response to Shane Ross

Glad I found this thread!

Shane - why would you be severely limited with an iMac?

I'm replacing my mac pro octo with an iMac with 16 gigs ram and quad core i7, and from the looks of it it'll be about as good. I don't expect much limiting task wise, do you mean in terms of peripherals?

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Answer 13

Shane Ross

Level 8

43,110 points

Jun 29, 2010 2:04 PM in response to TobyTurner

Shane - why would you be severely limited with an iMac?

One firewire bus. Period. So if you attach a camera and hard drive, you MIGHT have issues. 80% you won't, but it might happen.

You cannot connect any capture card to the computer. The IOHD does have FW800, but then it takes over the bus completely, so you cannot plug in ANY external drive that works with video (USB won't cut it).

Limited to Firewire drives, and possible GIG-E RAID options. But the ethernet port has been crippled by Apple on later models...not the throughput of the previous generation. But for Gig-E you need a Server to host the RAID. Mainly you are limited to firewire drives.

No capture card means that the ONLY option for external monitoring is the Matrox MXO. You can output, but you cannot capture non-firewire or non-tapeless formats.

But, if you don't need any of that, then you are fine.

Shane

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Answer 14

Jun 30, 2010 6:17 AM in response to Ben Low

Before you buy anything, install the Canon software that came with the T2i on your iMac. It has a application called EOS Utility that should work for what you want to do. Hook up the camera via USB to the iMac and you can access turn on Live View, look at framing etc. I do this all the time. I don't do it for video shooting but I think that works too.

You have control of ISO, shutter and aperture. Everything but focus. This utility is little known but powerful.

For your audio setup you might consider getting one of those privacy screens (the ones made out of screen material not plastic or glass if they still make them that way). Your presenter is going to be talking into a big glass surface (the iMac screen) so you might get quite a bit of bounce/slap that might be a little annoying in the recording.

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Answer 15

Shane Ross

Level 8

43,110 points

Sep 1, 2010 2:02 AM in response to DavidSimmons

You can use any Mac, iMac included as a field monitor / Capture device using firewire and Quick Time Player.

Except the Canon DSLRs don't have firewire connections. So that's out. This only works with cameras that have firewire connections...not all do.

Shane

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