When the LCD camera monitor is not enough!
Not a long time ago I wanted to find a best (or at least the best possible) system for my Canon camera monitoring during architectural photoshoot.
I researched the options and here is the list of several of them with pro and cons to each:
Image by canon.ru
Free wifi option by Canon
Canon has a free app called Camera Connect for both mobile and tablet devices. I have an 11” iPad Pro at my disposal, so I used this option first on a few interiors shoots and some exteriors as well.
Pros:
It’s free, and it’s working.
Works both on OS , Android, mobile and tables
You can control a few vital functions for shooting such as f-stop (where applicable), shutter speed, focus, ect
See live preview, transfer images and download them.
You can even use it with a phone, no need to invest in anything else.
Cons:
Short range, I would say very short. You can’t really go far and move some furniture and still see the image.
The live preview quality is terrible bad. You almost can’t see any details.
Connection is lagging from time to time. Need to recount to wifi.
Battery time reduced quite a bit on both devices.
Seldom updates on the app with no features added for years.
VERDICT - Free is the best feature. Usable if you don’t have anything better.
Image by Scott Kelby
2. Wire Connection to notebook or mobile device
A great solution for many professionals, since it’s tethering straight to working computers and working RAW developing app. Adored by many studio photographer especially one shooting modesl, fashion and portraits. Some of the architectural pro photographer also used that in their daily works. I did try that option for a couple of shoots where I knew I would’t have to move as much as on others. I used a few years old MacBook Pro 13".
Pros:
Wire transfer is the fastest
You recive RAW files into the your app of choice, so no need to fiddle with images download later on
Since you tethering to a working computer you can do some selection and some fast adjustments right on a set.
Super sharp resolution both for shooting and for live previews.
Fast working method especially for preview
Ability to add external monitor to even greater convenience for you or your clients.
Cons:
Cable connection. Need to have a long, sturdy cable.
Sometimes glitchy, Lightroom especially
Has to have a place for a computer to rest. Or buy a special stand as on a preview image.
Cost. If you do not use a notebook, then cost is quite huge even for a simple notebook solution. Strong, fast, long and durable cable are not a cheep option also.
You can’t really walk with it and move furniture around or decorate. Not a practical solution.
Cost of tripod fixing solution is pretty expensive as well.
Not the best solution for a tight spaces or a huge place where you have to move quite rapidly in short period of time.
VERDICT - If you have a working notebook already, if you have an assistant or decorator who can carry on your orders while you stay and watch it on a monitor, if you have a lot of time to set up or move the system around or shooting in a medium size place, then this is great solution. If you more of a single shooter and have a ground to cover in limited time this system became tiresome to set up each time.
Image by ikancorp
3. Camera Field Monitor
Not a directly photography related equipment, but still usable. So my idea was to test if this solution could be successfully adapted to architectural photo shooting and not only video production. I used it in several shoots with a client and alone. My camera field monitor was FeelWorld F7Pro and Portkey PT6 camera director monitor system.
Pros
HDMI connection - meaning a great picture quality.
Could potentially be used for both photography and videography work, if you combining it in your workflow.
Some monitor have an excellent brightness so you can see the previews even in a sunny condition without the hood.
Some field monitor used Canon LP batteries
Some monitor can be changed via battery power bank, therefore no need to buy or use an additional batteries. I used that one.
Cons:
Expensive
Small size. Compare to say iPad, the typical camera field monitor is only 6-7'‘.
You can’t carry it around to adjust decoration (as with CamRanger). Wire dependant.
Best suited to video monitoring and use. Almost useless at photography solutions. There is no clean output for photos (as for video). There is no using both back screen and field monitor together (only one or another). So there is no way to use touch screen in the back monitor. Very cumbersome solution for previewing.
Had to be installed to camera’s hot shoe, so vertical shooting is very difficult, unless you purchase an additional fixing solution.
VERDICT - After just a couple of shoots, I realised that is rally a video driven solution, not adapted well for photography needs. Could be used as a some sort of half solution if you do both photo and video, but for a photo only this is not ideal.
4. UVC and Apple iPad
Since Apple open up the UVC capability for their iPads, there is now a solution to use it as a field monitor for the Video production and the photos shoot. Very similar to the option #3 with the exception that you use the iPads and third party app (free or paid) to see the image out of camera. UVC allowed you to grab the video signal from HDMI source and with a help of conversion device (HDMI to USB) deliver the signal to USB port of a device. The device must be a UVC compatible device.
Pros
HDMI connection. Frees USB port for the power supply
Could potentially be used for both photography and videography work, if you combining it in your workflow.
iPad has a great brightness and could be used in many situations even with a direct sunlight.
iPads has a great size monitors way bigger then any camera monitors
iPads has a long battery life
App Store has many free apps that could be use out of box for monitoring
HDMI-USB convert need no power supply.
Cons:
Had buy a HDMI-USB converter (the price is not that expensive, but find a good and reliable one is challenging)
Still you can’t carry it around to adjust decoration (as with CamRanger). Wire dependant.
Best suited to video monitoring and use. Almost useless at photography solutions.
There is no clean output for photos (as for video).
There is no using both back screen and field monitor together (only one or another). So there is no way to use touch screen in the back monitor.
Very cumbersome solution for previewing images. Lloimg on iPad by navigation on a camera is not the best UX.
Had to have some sort of fixing solution as the iPads is big screen device.
VERDICT - As well as the solution #3 it is still best for the video production work, perhaps because of an unfriendly UX of a Canon photo monitoring System. Still could not understand why the video monitoring works great but a photo monitoring on the same camera just not on par. If you own an iPad already and have a few dollars to spare for a converter the solution is good.
Image by shotkit
5. Wireless remote camera control transmitter CamRanger
There are couple of wireless remotes on the market, CamRanger been the most famous one. What this system does is to have an alternative wifi router to which you can connect your device(s) and receive instant live preview, control camera and download images. Sounds very similar to the first free option, but with a few key differences. I bought a Cam Ranger Mini system and still using it till this day.
Pros:
Small especially mini version.
Uses USB3 port for “grabbing” the signal from camera, that means fast transmutation to the device.
A long distance wifi transmission. Very long.
Clear picture, way better than Canon Camera Connect. Usable no doubt.
Has all important key camera features to control.
Offer some additional features to use as well (some I don’t even touched yet)
Some of the transmitters can connect more than one device, meaning you can give a tablet to client while have a way to monitor image on your other device.
Battery life is long. So far I can’t drain it empty on any of the shoots (5+ hours)
Additional free application for OS, Android and its quite stable.
Ability to use it with a computer (in some models)
Can be charged via power bank.
Cons:
Need a place to hang with couple of cable.
Unfortunately you can’t use USB3 port for charging the camera, since the transmitter uses it.
Expensive solution.
You can use the iPhone but for the best result needs tablet, so could be an additional investment if you don’t have one.
VERDICT: Probably the best solution out there for type of photography I do. Reliable, small, big range so you can walk around and move furniture or decorate and still be able to see the previews, fire shots and even download the full-res previews.
Image by Accsoon
6. HDMI video capture terminal for iPhone and iPad Accsoon SeeMo 4K
Other solution not directly associated with a photography that rather a video production, but could be adapted to photo shooting. Accsoon is selling basically two types of adapters (they call it terminals) that can “Grab” the HDMI and transmit the signal to iPhone via USB-C. Again that is a video proaction driven solution but we can use it for the photo shooting as well to some degrees. Similar to solution #3 and #4 with a few exceptions.
Pros:
4K transmission so technically image ishoul be clearer..
adapts the phone that already at your disposal
Free app comes with the device
Power indépendant with swappable batteries
Could potentially be used for both photography and videography work, if you combining it in your workflow.
Small size solution with the iPhone holder and hot shoe mount included.
Cons:
Expensive especially 4K version, almost cost of a lower level camera monitors.
Uses Sony battery with no option for LPs
Video driven solution with all the cons of the Canon photography UX previewing problem (see #3 and #4 solutions)
Addition battery needed to power that device.
Only iPhone with USB-C could be used with that device.
VERDICT: I still don’t get why Apple decided to unlock UVC to iPads, but not iPhones. It could save a lot of money and mostly eliminate that type of devices. However until that day comes, this device could be a solution for the photoshoot previews especially if you do a lot of video production first and don’t want to invest in CamRanger system.
Image by Camfi
Cam-Fi 3 Ultrafast wireless tethering solution
Another tethering solution but with a bit more option and a lot of camera models support
Pros:
Relatively small device
Ultra fast
SD Card slot
Own software for the focus stating and zoom control.
Uses LP battery which is a plus for Canon shooters
Offer some additional features to use as well (some I don’t even touched yet)
Some of the transmitters can connect more than one device, meaning you can give a tablet to client while have a way to monitor image on your other device.
4G LTE Dongle support
Raw files support
Could be used with phones, tablets or computers.
Cons:
Expensive
Hotspot translation 50 meters max.
This is not the final list, if you gave a correction or suggestion to make please do not hesitate to concat me .
