Remote Camera Control Software...

[pilothaz]

Hey all,

I was just wondering if anyone has used this software that was bundled with the Alpha series cameras. I really want to be using this but alas, from what i have read in forums it seems that it is only meant for A-700 and above cameras.

This is a HUGE bother, yes it is packaged as a standard thing in the box, but why can't they open it up for the other Alpha series cameras. I would absolutely love this for macro photography with my light box that I am creating.

If there is anyone that has gotten this working on the Alpha series (100, 200, 300, 350) would you please speak up. I am still searching around to figure out a loophole for this feature to be used.

[Ewie]

I have the A700 and have used the PC remote software from time to time, usually when I'm shooting an architectural interior. Sure, you can use the software to fire the camera, adjust settings etc.. BUT the main reason anyone want's to shoot teathered is to be able to view the image on a larger screen than the camera's LCD. Unfortunately with the A100 there is no way of using the pc-remote software, and to my knowledge there are no 3rd party programs available for Sony.

What you can do though, is connect your A100 to either a small TV monitor, or a portable DVD player... that works fine for checking focus DOF etc.

[DonSchap]

One of the cool things about the α700/α900 DSLR is the "remote control" tethered operation you can use on your PC to operate these two cameras. The current PC software application is dated Oct 2008 and should be included with the camera. If you have an older version … you can download the upgrade directly from the Sony Style website, under SUPPORT.

From the Camera's USB port to the PC's USB port, you can use the accompanying USB cable to remote operate and adjust your α700/α900 DSLR to take images, while you sit at the PC terminal. Instead of being recorded to the memory card of the camera, it goes directly through the USB port to the hard drive or other recording device attached to the PC, so that if the camera is compromised, you do not lose your image data. Regardless, the camera still needs to have a ‘selected’ memory card in it for this to operate properly.

In the α700/α900’s Setup Menu 2, there is a USB Connection, which has three choices: “Mass Storage”, “PTP”, and “Remote PC”. Select “Remote PC” and then exit the menu. Turn off the camera and then attached the USB cable between the PC and the camera (Remember: USB cables (without help) can only be a maximum of 15-feet long to work properly. The included one with the α700/α900 is around 6-feet.)

Plug in the PC USB (A-type) cable into the PC’s USB jack. Then plug in the α700/α900 USB-mini connector in to the camera’s mini-USB port. The PC should already be running, at this point. Turn on the camera and the camera’s LCD screen should say: “Initializing USB connection…”

Then go to “START” > “Programs” > “SONY Image Data Suite” > “Remote Camera Control” and launch the application. A “select device” window may pop up, if you have a scanner or other optical device attached to your system. Select “DSLR-A700” or “DSLR-A900” and click the “OK” button. You should then have the “Remote Camera Control” window on the screen, waiting to take control. The back of the camera should now be the very same settings you see reflection in the remote control window. If you change the settings either on the PC or directly at the camera, it should immediately be reflected in the setting changes at both locations (PC or camera).

Now, it is time to work this … and try snapping a quick shot. Simply press the “Shutter release” button, in either location, and the camera should focus and take the image. The “Image Data Lightbox SR” application will open and your first shot should appear. The image is in a temp file, at this point and you can save it, delete it, whatever. Just remember, the image is on the computer, not in the memory card in the camera.

Try it out … it may offer a solution to a problem you needed solved.

If you do not have an α700 ... get one and quit fighting city hall on this. This is one of the main reasons to have this camera ... along with its 5-fps, better noise response at high-ISO and bracketing capability.

Good luck with your new camera.

[DonSchap]

The α700 is one of the first cameras that comes with an optical remote control accessory – the “Remote Commander” for not only shutter trip, but actually playback control of the camera. It removes having to handle the camera during a playback on a monitor or television. That's quite useful, but that device is NOT involved in this discussion. This discussion concerns using the "tethered" USB control of the camera.

When most people consider "tethered" control of the camera, it is typically through the rather "limited" 5-foot Standard USB-A-type port-to-A700 USB mini-port cable. That does NOT give you a lot of room between the camera tripod or other camera holder and the PC. You can safely add another 10-feet, usually, by using a USB Male-A to Female A extension cable.

This idea came up as a side-by-side concept when dealing with timed shots, using a Timer Remote Cord. The “timer cord” will cause the Alpha-camera to focus, between each shot, using whatever Focus Area mode you previously selected.
 
interval-timer-sm.jpg

The α700/α900 USB-tethered mode provides almost complete control (exposure -> duration, aperture, ISO, White Balance, DRO, Drive mode, Quality, Image size, Aspect ratio (all modes) over the shot, with the PC offering not only real-time control over the camera, but an image transmitted directly from the camera to the PC. The PC also collects the image directly to where ever directed (hard drive, CD, etc), instead of storing it on the memory cards (CF or Memory Stick). In that way, if the camera should be compromised, your collected image data is not subject to being lost, also. (BTW: You must have a memory card in the camera, otherwise the "USB-connection" hangs on the camera and will require a complete power down (battery removal) to clear it)

The SONY's "tethered" application also displays the camera's battery condition (only the #1 battery when the vertical grip (VG-C70AM) is used), which will be very helpful, because I suspect that this idea, if it is viable, may be a significant drain on the power resources. An AC-VQ900AM AC Adaptor/Charger can be used to power the camera indefinitely ... you just need a 150 ft (or whatever length) power cord to get power out there, too.

By using a “USB Extender" (see image below), you can extend the normal USB 15-foot limitation to a full 165-feet. That makes for some exciting possibilities.

USB-Extender-sm.jpg

Going on step further, with this extended reach, purchasing a robotic pan/tilt tripod head ... also controllable by USB from Eagletron ($179) allows you to orient the camera through use of the same setup, as the "USB Extender" has a very convenient second USB-cable port on the "remote" end

USB-Extender-Remote-sm.jpg

and allows for two separate USB devices to be serviced.

In this case:

1) The A700
2) The USB Pan/Tilt Robotic tripod head (<- click on this link)

With it, you can zero-in on those subjects, progressively align the cross-hairs with test shots and then ... make history!

It is at this point that you can truly appreciate having a heavier tripod.

Well, obviously you could not have this with a 35mm-film setup or even the intro-level Alpha DSLRs. You would have been left to an electronic timer and just waiting the subject out and having a series of arbitrary shots. That usually consumes film at an awful rate. It is only because of the advanced electronic nature of the gear that this is even possible, when you can actively control and monitor the results. No wasted processing time, other than your review of the digital images.

Now, admittedly, you could combine a “timer cord” and the old version 3 Remote Control application features of the α700, so you could walk away from the remote control and allow the timer cord to just do its job and then, as it gets darker, as the sun sets or what not, you could revisit the remote control to make setting adjustments, unless the camera was in AUTO, but that can be rather dubious.

The new α700 Rev. 4 update builds an interval timer feature into the Remote Control program, so you do not necessarily need the “timer cord” ... but the restriction that is only will work if drive is set to SINGLE frame shots. Also, no shot faster than every 10 seconds is possible with the software. If you want bracketing, it will not allow the DRIVE mode necessary, and that is specifically where the “timer cord” would step in, because it is independent of the Remote Control program.

You also need to realize that AUTO mode has a limited amount of flexibility ... whereas Manual Mode is the true control. Also, once the camera is in AUTO Mode... you really have to make a trip out to the camera to change it. In AUTO you only have the limited +/- EV and +/- flash compensation, although you still can control ISO by the remote control program. Your aperture and shutter speed are whatever the camera's exposure algorithm has in mind.

All in all, the remote control coupled with the robotic pan/tilt offers some powerful and exciting reach to the A700. It is definitely worth a look and comes in at about $300 total for the USB extender, the robotic pan/tilt head and 150-ft of Ethernet cable you will need.