IPad/iPhone controls Camera

Article by Herman J Muller

Imagine doing portrait, stills, macro or HDR photography and controlling the scene from your iPad/iPhone. Imagine, not having to stoop, bend, or be in any other uncomfortable position to look through the viewfinder or LCD screen! Or, in the event you are doing HDR photography, making manual f-stop changes without toughing the camera! If you have a DLSR camera such as a recent Canon, Nikon or equivalent an iPad/iPhone and a computer with Internet /wifi, you can! Yes, you can do your composition from your armchair while making camera adjustments using your iPad or iPhone.

Software from Ononesoftware.com, a computer and “iPad or iPhone App” from the Apple app store can put you in business and all for a small investment of $ 20.00.

Here is what you need:

• iPad or iPhone
• A computer (desktop or laptop) with internet/wifi capability
• A remote controllable DSLR camera with USB or Firewire connecting cable
• Software from Ononesoftware.com installed on the computer
• Camera control software (DSLR Remote Camera Control) for the iPad/iPhone from the Apple App store, (the twenty dollar investment.)
• An USB extension cable of your needs to connect the camera to the computer, (maybe another investment)

What to do:

Go to the Ononesoftware.com website and download the Mac or Windows “Remote DSLR Server Control” software. You can find it all the way on the bottom of the download page in the “free” no cost area. At this point, I like to point out that, the control of the camera works whether you use the “Remote DSLR Server Control” under the Windows or Mac platform or the iPad is synchronized under Windows or Mac, it works either way. In other words, an “iMac” synchronized iPad/iPhone, can be controlled by the Remote DSLR camera control software running under any of the Windows OS systems or visa-versa.

Upon completing the “who-is what” information form and after download selection, a message explains that an email will be send to you after which downloading the software is permitted.

Next, install the software needed to handle the communications between camera and iPad/iPhone.

Here is what it looks like:

Next, using your iPad/iPhone, download the “Remote DSLR Professional camera control “App” from the Apple App store. There is also a two-dollar “Lite” version. It is a short version of the professional one and according a number of product reviews, useless.

 A schematic of the entire looks as follows:

The “Remote Server” software requires a file destination. My suggestion would be to establish a fixed location where to dump the images coming from the camera such as, C:\temp\DLSR Remote Processing,. You can always move them.

Next, using an USB or Firewire cable of adequate length, connect the camera to the computer.

A confirmation is indicated within the DSLR Server window next to “Camera:” location and above the file location.

Actuate (tap the glass) the DSLR Control App on the iPad or iPhone. Select the your working WIFI network from  the network selection pane and the following window appears on the iPad or iPhone screen,

Note, The above shows the iPad pane where the camera focused at a red coronation

The “App” functions only when the DSLR Remote Server software is running and has found the camera! If the camera is NOT connected to the computer, the “Camera Server” panel on the iPad/iPhone device will tell you so and you are suggested to check your network, camera presence and the connections. 

The above pane shows the following settings:

Previewing the Images

In addition to using the camera LCD, previewing before and after the image is taken is best done using the iPad/iPhone. The iPad is an excellent way to preview the images because I shows the image in a much larger fashion then the camera LCD. Moving from one image to another, simply swipe the images on the glass pane from left to right and visa-versa.

A word about the Wifi network

In an effort to avoid interference from other users when using a multi-user wifi network,  Ononesoftware suggest to create a “stand-alone” network referred to as an “Add-Hock” wifi connection and use this wifi network for the purpose of camera control. However, if your wifi network is used exclusively by one user, this “Add-Hock network is not necessary. If however, one needs to install an additional network, Ononesoftware has some basic instructions at this address,  http://www.ononesoftware.com/support/userguides/dslr/default.htm -- and look for networking assistance.

HD Photography using the above setup

Although it is true you can use the above setup and adjustment abilities to do HD still photography it is my opinion, (if the camera you employ has the bracketing abilities to setup for a triple sequence shot two stops apart) simpler and faster. Using the DLSR Remote Server Control software however provides for an elaboration to the bracketing abilities (most cameras’ HD settings cannot exceed three shots and two stops apart*) as well an increase to the number of stops and the ability to reduce the extreme over/under exposure to prevent consequent camera warning blinking. It can however become a little testy an/or confusing.

Where this software really works

If you have an iPhone or an iPad, DLSR Camera Remote server software and a twenty-dollar bill provides for an ability, which by many standards can cost a lot more to achieve the same thing. This software makes things less strenuous and easier when using it when doing portrait, still photography of any kind and low-level work like - catching a mouse in his house - HDR or doing tabletop jewelry photography. It sure saves a lot of bending, stooping, getting up/down and in the event of HDR photography a neat way of manipulating the camera without touching it.

* see our article ref. HD Photography and the Canon 50D example