Tethering Using An Underpowered Tablet On The Cheap: Hello everyone, I'm in the process of making a home studio and I'm trying to find a solution in using an underpowered tablet to...

Haydon

Hello everyone,

I'm in the process of making a home studio and I'm trying to find a solution in using an underpowered tablet to review images on the fly to ensure critical focus without resorting to buying a new laptop. Any suggestions on low resource software would also be appreciated.

I have searched this topic somewhat and to date all I have seen is x64 platform only and my tablet is x86. My tablet is running Win 10 on just 2 gigabytes of memory. Yes you heard it...2 gigabyte of RAM

I'm using a 5d3 and all I've been able to determine is to tether with a USB cable so far.

Thank you in advance everyone.

blackest Loc: Ireland

Haydon wrote:

Hello everyone, br br I'm in the process of makin... (show quote)

well its not impossible, college runs cs6 photoshop 32 bit in 2 GB

http://www.controlmycanon.com/download might do the trick

EnglishBrenda Loc: Kent, England

Digicam is free tethering software which you could research to see if it works on your equipment. For connection I just use the USB cable that came with my camera, you can buy longer cables if required. I am just at the beginning of learning to use this software for stacking so cannot yet comment on its usefullness.

WayneT Loc: Paris, TN

I was going to suggest Control My Canon as well. I use Control My Nikon with good results.

Haydon

blackest wrote:

well its not impossible, college runs cs6 photoshop 32 bit in 2 GB

http://www.controlmycanon.com/download might do the trick

Thanks blackest. That might work. I'll have to do a little more investigation with ControlMyCanon software.

Haydon

EnglishBrenda wrote:

Digicam is free tethering software which you could research to see if it works on your equipment. For connection I just use the USB cable that came with my camera, you can buy longer cables if required. I am just at the beginning of learning to use this software for stacking so cannot yet comment on its usefullness.

Appreciate the recommendation. The beauty of free is, if it doesn't work, no money lost :)

Haydon

WayneT wrote:

I was going to suggest Control My Canon as well. I use Control My Nikon with good results.

Thanks for the this possibility. This is a great start for me.

blackest Loc: Ireland

Haydon wrote:

Thanks blackest. That might work. I'll have to do a little more investigation with ControlMyCanon software.

have you seen

http://petapixel.com/2013/04/30/canon-5d-mark-iii-firmware-update-out-clean-hdmi-output-and-af-upgrade/

hdmi cable to a decent size monitor might be easier

or

https://www.iogear.com/product/GWHD11/

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Haydon wrote:

Hello everyone, br br I'm in the process of makin... (show quote)

if you're willing to use a long (5M max length) USB cable and your tablet has a USB port, then Canon's SW (Canon Connect) works well and if free. If you'd prefer the advantages (and disadvantages) of a wireless connection, then an EyeFi SD card in the SD slot works relatively well. The range is short and anything other than JPEGs take some time to transfer the image, but relatively easy to implement and not too expensive (around $60-$70 as I recall). Canon make a very expensive WiFi adapter for the 5D3, but last time I checked, it was ~$600. BTW, the new Canon low cost WiFi card does not work with the 5D3. The other alternative is a CamRanger. Works perfectly, has a fairly long range and includes camera control (which you may find useful for other applications) and is about $300. Those are the options I've been able to identify. From time-to-time, other cheaper CamRanger-like products have been advertised, but all that I've investigated were in crowd-funding or pre-production status - that may have changed in the last few months.

Haydon

blackest wrote:

have you seen

http://petapixel.com/2013/04/30/canon-5d-mark-iii-firmware-update-out-clean-hdmi-output-and-af-upgrade/

hdmi cable to a decent size monitor might be easier

or

https://www.iogear.com/product/GWHD11/

This is a great suggestion. Thank you!

Haydon

TriX wrote:

if you're willing to use a long (5M max length) US... (show quote)

Thanks Trix going the extra mile with plenty of suggestions.

I have an old HP duo core PC with a 23" LG I think I might use. It to has only 2 gigabyte of RAM maximum of 4 gigabyte but I don't think it's worth upgrading really. It's very slow. I had an old version of Lightroom 5.6 that I installed this morning on it and the tethering works fairly quickly. The wait happens when I try to zoom in at 100%. I guess I'll just have to deal with that.

One more question. I'm thinking of springing for the 15 foot USB cable. Would this cable be fine for this purpose?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002KL8N6A/ref=psdc_464394_t1_B00139VKU6

Thanks again!

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Haydon wrote:

This is a great suggestion. Thank you!

I think so too, but I'd be sure to attach a strain relief of some type to the cable and attach it to the camera body so that there's no stress on the HDMI connector while moving around (same with the USB connector)

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Haydon wrote:

Thanks Trix going the extra mile with plenty of su... (show quote)

Looks OK, but the ferrite will add some weight/stress on the mini-B connector if you let it hang. You could "tie" the cable to the camera with a twist tie or tie wrap through the strap lug on the camera and wrapped around the cable at the ferrite. Some of the specialized camera USB cables have a strain relief attached, but they are substantially more expensive. Perhaps a narrow Velcro strap, such as those used to secure cables in the computer industry, could be used with one end permanently attached to the camera lug and the other wrapped around the cable just below the ferrite, so you can remove it easily, would be a good suggestion.

blackest Loc: Ireland

yes definitely something to take the strain from the ends of whatever cable you do use. Maybe some kind of tiewrap to your tripod maybe.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Magnetic-USB-Data-Charging-Cable-for-iPhone-6-6S-5-5S-iPad-Lightning-Connector-/351739124901?hash=item51e5491ca5:g:I-cAAOSwaZdXIeC4

this isn't what you need but it its along the right lines. I'm just thinking what happens when you trip over a tethered cable to your camera. breaking ports or worse your camera crashing to the ground.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

blackest wrote:

yes definitely something to take the strain from t... (show quote)

Good point. Not commonly known, but the classic RJ-11 phone connector was originally designed to break away if a customer tripped over the cord.