Author Topic: DIY wireless wi-fi tethering on the cheap (Read 23670 times)

leaf · « **on:** May 14, 2009, 02:11 »

I just caught word of this blog which posted a 'How-To' article for tethering your DSLR on the cheap. Cheap being $40 as apposed to the $700 it costs for the Canon or Nikon official wi-fi tether.

[Petetek]

RT · « **Reply #1 on:** May 14, 2009, 03:40 »

Interesting site, what is funny is that the manufacturer made a wireless device that needs to have a power cord attached.

I think I'll stick with the tethered cable, never found it to be a problem.

travismanley · « **Reply #2 on:** May 14, 2009, 09:17 »

Looks cool, but I think I will stick with my $3 usb extension cord.

willie · « **Reply #3 on:** May 14, 2009, 09:26 »

Quote from: travismanley on May 14, 2009, 09:17

Looks cool, but I think I will stick with my $3 usb extension cord.

how does that work, travismanley? i like to tether my 14MP camera which has live view , as well as something that is screen shot (don't remember what they call it. it freeze the shoot, and if you like it, you can save it to RAW or JPG).
live view is great but i don't like having to zoom in to check, so getting it onto my monitor for preview would be fantastic and faster at work. i don't have a tv , so it has to go through either my laptop or desktop. any help will be appreciated.

travismanley · « **Reply #4 on:** May 14, 2009, 09:32 »

Quote from: Perseus on May 14, 2009, 09:26

Quote from: travismanley on May 14, 2009, 09:17
Looks cool, but I think I will stick with my $3 usb extension cord.

how does that work, travismanley? i like to tether my 14MP camera which has live view , as well as something that is screen shot (don't remember what they call it. it freeze the shoot, and if you like it, you can save it to RAW or JPG).
live view is great but i don't like having to zoom in to check, so getting it onto my monitor for preview would be fantastic and faster at work. i don't have a tv , so it has to go through either my laptop or desktop. any help will be appreciated.

Im not sure if it would work with live view. I use a usb extension cord attached to the usb cord provided with my Canon 5d and use the remote capture software that comes with the camera. I then check photos in Adobe Bridge as I shoot.

I think Nikon users have to buy remote capture software.

willie · « **Reply #5 on:** May 14, 2009, 11:14 »

cheers travis,
i'm probably better off just buying a small TV, as i know liveview works . the salesman demo it to me on an HDTV . looks fantastic, but i really only need it so i don't need to squint at the LCD on the camera

travismanley · « **Reply #6 on:** May 14, 2009, 11:16 »

Quote from: Perseus on May 14, 2009, 11:14

cheers travis,
i'm probably better off just buying a small TV, as i know liveview works . the salesman demo it to me on an HDTV . looks fantastic, but i really only need it so i don't need to squint at the LCD on the camera

I have done that too so clients can see shots as im taking them, works great.

RT · « **Reply #7 on:** May 14, 2009, 11:58 »

Quote from: Perseus on May 14, 2009, 11:14

cheers travis,
i'm probably better off just buying a small TV, as i know liveview works . the salesman demo it to me on an HDTV . looks fantastic, but i really only need it so i don't need to squint at the LCD on the camera

What camera have you got, if it's a 5dmk2 you can use liveview whilst tethered to a laptop.

Karimala · « **Reply #8 on:** May 14, 2009, 13:11 »

Quote from: RT on May 14, 2009, 11:58

Quote from: Perseus on May 14, 2009, 11:14
cheers travis,
i'm probably better off just buying a small TV, as i know liveview works . the salesman demo it to me on an HDTV . looks fantastic, but i really only need it so i don't need to squint at the LCD on the camera

What camera have you got, if it's a 5dmk2 you can use liveview whilst tethered to a laptop.

Or a portable DVD player.

RT · « **Reply #9 on:** May 14, 2009, 13:24 »

Quote from: Karimala on May 14, 2009, 13:11

Or a portable DVD player.

But wouldn't it need to have a USB or HDMI socket?

MikLav · « **Reply #10 on:** May 14, 2009, 15:58 »

Quote from: RT on May 14, 2009, 03:40

Interesting site, what is funny is that the manufacturer made a wireless device that needs to have a power cord attached.

The manufacturer didn't had photo camera in mind

They designed it for use with less portable devices such as printers or external hard drives...

Anyway wireless USB is still a new technology and there are very few products on the market so far - I am sure it will develop further and the prices will drop, and fully portable solution will appear too

RT · « **Reply #11 on:** May 14, 2009, 16:05 »

Quote from: MikLav on May 14, 2009, 15:58

Quote from: RT on May 14, 2009, 03:40
Interesting site, what is funny is that the manufacturer made a wireless device that needs to have a power cord attached.

The manufacturer didn't had photo camera in mind They designed it for use with less portable devices such as printers or external hard drives...

Even so they've made a wireless device that needs to have a wire attached to make it work, that's the part I thought was funny. It's a bit like having a handsfree device that you have to hold

willie · « **Reply #12 on:** May 14, 2009, 16:13 »

Quote from: RT on May 14, 2009, 11:58

Quote from: Perseus on May 14, 2009, 11:14
cheers travis,
i'm probably better off just buying a small TV, as i know liveview works . the salesman demo it to me on an HDTV . looks fantastic, but i really only need it so i don't need to squint at the LCD on the camera

What camera have you got, if it's a 5dmk2 you can use liveview whilst tethered to a laptop.

hey RT,
hey Karimala,

I have a K20D. Pentax. would it work using the PC Video cable to the laptop, or whatever?
I 'm looking at my laptop and it doesn't look like it has any of those connections. It did come with two types of RCA mono cables : one with 1/4 inch and the other with those tiny PC flat connector

Karimala · « **Reply #13 on:** May 15, 2009, 12:16 »

I'm a Nikon girl. :-)

The DVD player won't be wireless, unfortunately...and I don't actually use a DVD player myself yet. I saw a video of another photographer using one, and keep meaning to get one. Couldn't find the actual video where I saw this, but here's another one that's actually better (shows you how to set it up and all the equipment you'll need)...

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tune1pLMbHM" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tune1pLMbHM</a>

Now...I don't think it will work for pre-shot live views, if your camera doesn't already come equipped with that capability (except the menu and already shot photos as shown). But you can definitely take a shot and view it to check and see if you're getting the desired DOF. And a DVD player is better than a laptop in that you don't have to buy or install additional software, saving you some money.

Oh wait...here's the original video I saw.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xQmWPAcaKU" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xQmWPAcaKU</a>

As you'll see, another benefit of a DVD player over a laptop or TV is it's lightweight portability, and how you can use it as a large screen viewer to show your subject/client their pics during the shoot, instead of making them wait for proofs.

Pretty nifty, huh? :-)

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Author Topic: DIY wireless wi-fi tethering on the cheap (Read 23670 times)

leaf

RT

travismanley

willie

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willie

travismanley

RT

Karimala

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MikLav

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