Tethered Photography: How To Get Started | Ask David Bergman

Today's question from Jamal N. is, "What hardware and software do I need for tethering?"

00:00 Intro
01:46 What is tethering?
02:09 Why tether?
02:38 Who benefits from tethering?
03:44 Hardware needed
07:03 Software needed
11:19 Backing up to card and computer
12:06 Other tethering methods
13:41 Wireless tethering
14:40 Tethering to an iPad
15:07 Outro

As Luke Combs' tour photographer since 2019, David Bergman has documented the historic rise of the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year both on stage and off. But that's only the latest in Bergman's own storied 30+ year career. He spent nearly a decade traveling the world with Bon Jovi and has toured with other artists including Barenaked Ladies, Sarah McLachlan, and Gloria Estefan. As a sports photographer, he covered numerous Olympics, Super Bowls, and World Series games, and has 13 Sports Illustrated covers to his credit. He's also photographed eight US Presidents, the Queen of England, and Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. However, his proudest accomplishment is his work as a photo educator, where he has given back to the industry that has treated him so kindly. Through his unique "Shoot From the Pit" live concert workshops, Bergman has taught hundreds of aspiring music photographers in a real-world setting. His work as a Canon Explorer of Light, Adorama YouTube host, and public speaker has also helped photographers around the world to advance their own photography skills.

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✘ PRODUCTS USED:

Tether Tools Hardware

Tether Tools orange 15' USB-C to USB-C Right Angle Cable

Tetherboost Pro

Tether Tools TetherBLOCK

Tether Tools Rock Solid Low Boy Roller Stand

Tether Tools Aero Cup Holder

Tether Tools External Drive Compartment

Capture One

✘ PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT USED:

Canon EOS R Mirrorless Full Frame Digital Camera Body

Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM Lens

Manfrotto MT055XPRO3 Black Aluminum Tripod with MVH502AH Pro Video Head

CLAR Illumi Max 500 High Power 5600K LED Light

Glow EZ Lock Octa Quick XL Softbox With Bowens Mount (48")

Prograde Digital 512GB SDXC UHS-II V90 Memory Card

All Prograde cards and readers

#tethered #photographytips #adorama

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Get more information about David's #shootfromthepit live concert photography workshops at

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Video: film scanning

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Smart Shooter software

Capture One Live

Capture One for iPad

Chronosync backup software

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THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!

[andreasniggemann]

I am shooting wireless tethered for the last 14 years. Usually in the studio only. I've used WirelessUSB, later Transcend WifiSDCard and now for the last 10 years the Toshiba FlashAir SDCard. In the studio I use a small Windows-PC with a downloader software to pull the JPEG files wirelessly from the Card. On the go I use an iPad to check the images pulled down via the app ShutterSnitch. Setting this up on location takes 30 seconds.

[nmelcam]

To get started the best option is to use he cameras included cable for free, or a USB 2, 3 or c cable (depending on the camera) with a 6 ft extension (inexpensive). If you feel it's right for you, then purchase the Tether Tools cable for your cameras port, and like David's says if it's more than 15 feet the separate Tether Boost or cable with inline Tether Boost will be needed. If you like the tethering feature, Tether Tools is the most stable, highest quality and durability out there.

[jefftitus]

Lightroom was hit or miss in the early days so I developed a somewhat modified method that I still use. It probably adds a half second to the overall transfer to Lightroom but I generally am not so concerned with blazing transfer speeds (3 seconds is OK for my purposes.) I shoot into Canon's EOS Remote Utility which is quite stable. It gives me full control of the camera as well as the option to store on both the camera card and the remote computer/iPad/etc. I set Lightroom to "Enable Auto Import" and save files from EOS Utility into the folder specified by the settings in the Auto Import Setting selection in Lightroom. I have found that LR is fairly stable and its built-in tethering now works well, although not as fast as CaptureOne. Since I am paying for Photoshop, I have LR as well. If I were making a lot of money with my photography, I think I would also be using CaptureOne.

[mjpt]

I use an iPad Pro 12.9 and an app called Cascable. It will display the currently taken shot on the screen (mine is connected to a 32” 4K monitor).

It doesn’t allow for direct editing but helps a lot with correcting the camera settings, framing of the subject and so on. It’s a cheap alternative to Capture One or Lightroom Classic and using a dedicated PC or Mac.

[photoquent]

Excellent run through. Lindsay Adler did a run through of her camera bag recently and she had a Tether Tools pigtail USB connector with a separate longer 5m cable USB receiver to plug into her computer. This is great as it means you can quickly disconnect and walk around with the camera, you can have different pigtails for different connections so you don’t end up with a useless 5m cable and if you have two cameras with different connections you only have to have one 5m cable. Really liked David’s workstation, but probable a little over the top for my photography at the moment, but never say never!

[ForeverYoung]

I think the bad rap Lightroom got was from the earlier days. I have found the current versions to be stable. Also, it has the same features you mentioned where you can edit an image during the capture session and it can automatically apply the edit to subsequent images captured. In using different USB cables, although more expensive, I have found the tether tools USB cables to be the best for tethering. Just the right amount of flexibility, rigidity and bounce; not to mention durable.

[nmelcam]

In Lightroom just select "Same As Previous" in the Tether options bar (where it displays camera model and current ISO, shutter, aperture, remote shutter button settings) All adjustments made to an image will pass along to all images taken during the session 🙂With my Canon I always have it save the photos to te camara and the PC at the same time, if something goes wrong I can import the photo from the camera to the PC and then syncronize the folder so Lightroom sees the new images

[michaelschmitt]

I shoot tethered using LrC with my Fuji X-T2. I have to use a companion application called Fuji X-Acquire. It's definitely not as easy as using Capture One, but I've been using LR since 2013, and don't want to switch. I considered Capture One years ago, but at the time, it didn't allow cataloging or filing system like LrC. Using LrC and X-Acquire is a bit of a nuisance, but I've learned to deal with it.
I love tethering when shooting people in my home studio. It really helps with showing the client what I'm getting with each shot. And I can add presets to the incoming images so they look more polished.
I tried years ago using an HTMI cable to a monitor. That doesn't work for people at all. They tend to want watch the monitor, because they are displayed live.

[mogenshansen]

Thanks for a good coverage of various ways of tethering, including ftp for sports photographers.

However I do think that Capture One wireless tethering work well. It is slower than USB tethering, but the freedom from not having the cable also has some value.
With a good setup full RAW files from Canon R3 transfers in lens than 3 second and full RAW files from Canon 1DX mkIII with WFT-E9 transfers in lens than 1 second

[JaredDoyle]

Newer Sony cameras support 5.8ghz wireless tethering. A really awesome feature!

[GLphoto]

Capture One for iPad is another great option when a computer on a stand is not possible or not preferred. When shooting on a tripod I have easily attached a tethered iPad right to the tripod with a magic arm. I have not done it, but it is also possible to use the ipad with a shoulder strap on the move.

[kirkdarling]

I have ultimately wound up using Windows tablets on location, connected by USB cable. Android or IPad tablets (much less phones) just don't have the juice or the powerful applications to do as much of the job, file handling, reliable connection, and secure storage at the speeds I need. My setup saves to card and computer simultaneously, and then sync software on the computer saves as well to another card in the computer. I walk away from the job with three copies made automatically.

[joseotoya]

Wonderful explanation! Thanks David! 👍

[blonko]

Bitz-&Bobs. Never heard that before. Learned a ton again from your video. Thanks!

[thewebgp]

Would love to see a video about tethering on an iPad!

[randyfox]

As usual...an excellent tutorial and explanations, David!
I hope you can clarify something you said about using the HDMI cable: I believe you said it works best as a way of viewing your session as each shot is taken but it does NOT transfer the images to an editing program, correct? I just want to be able to see my shots (as I take them) on a larger screen but still let the camera card store the images. Does the HDMI cable allow this to happen?

[Tethertools]

Awesome education and tips David! Thanks for sharing your tethering experience!

[barneylaurance]

Annoying that Sony cameras with Sony tethering software don't allow manual focus control from the computer. Do other camera brands allow that? I suppose since the focus control is always on the lens I don't actually know if the protocol between the lens and the camera allows manual focus control, but I would guess it must do.

[marclabro]

nice tuto. I have a a7rv and would like to start tethering. you recommend right angle cable but with shoe and tether cord, you are showing straight ones. so what would you recommend ? how do we manage the cable on a tripod switching between porrait and landscape orientations ? is there a L-bracket accomodating the tether cable ?

[jenniferwebster]

where do the photos reside when I am ready to edit?