How to tether your camera to an iPad

How to tether your camera to an iPad

June 30, 2010  |  For photographers

Step 3. Configure Shutter Snitch

Again you pretty much want to follow the instructions.  But it’s crucial that you have taken a picture and successfully transferred it to a computer.

  1. Buy a copy of Shutter Snitch from the iTunes store.
  2. Find the upload key on your computer – instructions are here.
  3. Open the “settings” application on your iPad and enter the upload key in the shutter snitch section.  It’s a long string and it’s important to get it right.
  4. Go back to your main computer and TURN OFF the EyeFi helper.  The default is for it to start every time your computer turns on.  You almost certainly want to disable that.
  5. On the iPad, in the settings application make sure your WiFi network is set to the one you are using for your EyeFi card.
  6. Start of Shutter Snitch.
  7. Hit the button on your camera and prepare to grin….

The transmission range on an EyeFi isn’t huge – especially when you have it in an adapter inside a metal camera so if you run into problems make sure the modem is nice and close to your camera.  I tuck mine in a pocket.  The WiFi on the iPad is much stronger.

Any problems then either check out the Shutter Snitch forums or leave a comment and I’ll try to help if I can.

[Thanks to Tom Raferty for the iPad image.]

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  1. You must have a nice camera…

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  • http://www.cloudight.co.uk Andy Rapkins

    Thanks for the information Jonathan. Sounds interesting.

  • http://www.eye.fi Randhir (Eye-Fi)

    Jonathan, very nice use of the Eye-Fi card with the iPad.

    If you have a mobile phone that deploys its own Wi-Fi network (e.g. the Android 2.2, Palm Pre, etc.) then you won’t even need to use the MiFi.

    Regarding #7, the Eye-Fi card will send photos to only 1 device, so you won’t be able to see the photo you just took on more than one iPad. You could consider adding other solutions like Dropbox to have it show up on additional iPads, but then you will need an Internet connection to do that.

    Good luck!

    Randhir (Eye-Fi)

  • http://www.kevinpack.co.uk Kevin Pack

    I’ll be giving this a go. I have both an iPad and a 3 Mifi and was considering getting an Eye-Fi card.

    I’ve a Canon 5D which has only one card slot but can shoot JPEG + RAW. If I get a Pro x2 Eye-Fi card can I have it transfer just the JPEG to the iPad and leave the RAW on the card?

  • admin

    Hi Kevin,

    Yes I believe that will work – AFAIK the Eye-Fi only transmits the jpeg.

    However, you may wants to do some Googling – apparently some Canons don’t recognise (some?) Eye-Fis.

  • http://www.thurtlepower.com Greg Thurtle (TP Photography)

    I’ve got a wifi transmitter for my Canon 1DS3 and i can use the browser on the ipad to connect to the camera and browse the images on the memory card directly – works a treat.

  • admin

    Greg – sounds great – but if I understand it that’s a pull from the iPad. I.e. you go to the iPad and do something to browse the images.

    This is a push solution. Just pressing the shutter button makes it pop up.

    Which is pretty cool.

  • http://www.thurtlepower.com Greg Thurtle (TP Photography)

    well funny you say that – i can also use live view and trigger from the ipad remotely – then the image pops up :)

  • admin

    Cool. But still not trés cool. ;)

    So the art director would hold the iPad and choose when to shoot….?

  • http://Www.Peachypics.net Peachypics

    I have an iPad, I’m willing to try it out with you. Also have eye-fi. Not got that working yet though. Grrrrr

    Andy

  • David Porter

    Greetings from dull Ash! I set the eye-fi card up with the ipad and my standard domestic router and the thing worked like a peach-fast and efficient. I can’t whatever I do make it work with the three based mi-fi. Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

    David

  • http://www.bizior.com bizior photography

    Thanks for sharing. Could you let us know what is the max distance between EyeFi, modem and computer? thanks

  • admin

    Thanks for the comments…

    @David – have you tried deleting the other wifi networks from the iPad and EyeFi? It can get confused if there are several to pick. Start there and if you get no joy check the Shutter Snitch forums.

    @Bizior – distance from my D3 to modem isn’t great but that may be the shielding in the camera – should work better with an SD camera. I tend to keep the Mifi in a pocket. Mifi to iPad – certainly fine in the same room. Range will depend more on construction of walls than anything. These are designed for short range – if you need it in different rooms you might prefer a mains router.

  • David Porter

    Thanks for the tip. Deleted the other network off the eye-fi card and lo and behold we were in business. No egg on face now.

    Best wishes

    David Porter

  • http://rsplastic.com Rob Schwartz

    Jonathan,

    Would you mind listing the brand of SD to CF adapter you are using? The eBay link doesn’t seem to go to the correct page anymore.

    Best regards,

    Rob Schwartz

  • http://www.oaktreephotography.com David Duchesne

    ditto

    Would you mind listing the brand/ model no. of SD to CF adapter you are using? The eBay link doesn’t seem to go to the correct page anymore.

    Thanks, David D.

  • admin

    Sorry chaps. Missed that.

    There’s no brand name on the adaptor (!) but it says “blackgold” on a sticker.

    I’ve heard that the problem is usually metal shielding on the adapter – I know one person who has had good results with a Canon by removing the metal plate on the front of the adapter and replacing with black tape.

    BTW you may want to read this article http://support.eye.fi/product-info/camera-compatability/compatibility/known-issues-with-compact-flash-card-adapters/ explaining some issues.