Tethered shooting

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Tethered Shooting ( English "tied shooting", more precisely "wired photography") is a process of digital photography in which the camera is connected to a separate device for remote control of the camera functions. Computers, specially developed screen control devices and mobile telephones with a screen are widely used as remote control devices.

There are two types of tethered shooting :

  • Control the camera from the computer
  • Take photos directly on your computer without a memory card

Both methods are supported by most digital SLR cameras and some high-quality compact cameras. The remote control of the camera from the computer enables more functions than the pure remote shutter release . It is more common to use it in the other direction when taking pictures directly on the computer.

The tethered shoot is particularly suitable for studio photography , portraits and still life . The connection between the camera and the computer is established using a USB or FireWire cable. Some professional cameras also offer accessories for a wireless connection with WLAN .

When taking pictures directly on the computer, there is no need to change or copy memory cards, and instant image control is made much easier. Instead of the small camera display, there is a large and often calibrated computer monitor. Typical applications are:

  • Presentation for the client, who can select pictures directly during the shoot,
  • Better coordination with photo models and their make-up artists , who can always see how they look in the pictures,
  • Better control over shadows and reflections that you only see on a big screen.

In stationary photography with a cable connection to the computer, the camera remains switched on all the time, which is why the batteries are quickly discharged. The use of a power supply is therefore recommended here.

Special camera control software may be required for tethered shooting , which loads the images from the camera into a specific folder on the computer.

If this special software is not used, certain products also offer the option of importing the images directly from the camera's cache after each session . The USB connection must not be interrupted beforehand, otherwise the cache will be deleted.