DSLR Controller

Posted by neale on January 17, 2015

DSLR_Controller.jpg

I've noticed a few posts on people looking for a way to use the DSLR Controller app in an image review mode, where you can shoot the camera as normal without having to use the app itself and simply use the tablet or phone as a device to review the images as they're shot. I kind of discovered this by pure chance when I first flashed the custom firmware onto the TP-Link TL-MR3040 for use with the DSLR Controller app to shoot my tethered wireless. 

I'd already tried the Cam Ranger, it didn't function the way I wanted it too, and for near 300 smackeroonies that was really useless. I was immediately excited when I got the DSLR app un and running and discovered way better functionality. If like me you want to shoot the camera as normal and use the tablet/phone to review the images as they're written onto the CF card then look no further, for a tenth of the price of the cam ranger, this is how you do it, bear in mind this works for my set up, which is a Google Nexus 10, the hacked TP-Link TL-MR3040 and the Canon 1Ds mk3, I'm not sure if this will work on other camera models, if not, then sorry the waste of yer time.

1. Get the app and camera up and running and make sure they're talking to each other.

2. Engage live view via the tablet/phone, then disengage it and go to the gallery.

3 Go back to shoot mode on the tablet, and repeat step 2 and go back to the gallery mode and stay there.

You should now find you can operate the camera manually without the app locking you out. Shoot to your hearts content, the images will load onto the gallery screen as soon as they're written onto the card and transferred via the TP-Link, the more distance between you and the camera the longer you wait to see the images. I shoot small JPEG's onto the secondary SD card in my Canon and point the DSLR Controller app to view them exclusively, it's way faster and gives me more than enough imfor to work with, you could always bump it to medium or large JPEG's if you need to, the RAW files take a fair bit to get over the bandwidth of the small router though, but they do get there.

The additional battery pack underneath the TP-Link is an Ecotech powerbank, 12000mah battery for less than £20.00, total bargain, it will run the TP-Link for days before running out, and juice my Nexus 10 via the 2amp socket to keep me shooting for as long as I'll ever need to. I shoot almost exclusively with this set up now, I can't go back to the rubbish screen on the back, for shooting architectural photography and interior photography I'd say you really cannot be without this set up, especially if like me you're using big lighting set ups.

Feel free to email me with any questions.