How can I automatically transfer DSLR photos to a Windows PC as they are taken?

Asked 2/16/2012

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I need new photos from a recent Nikon or Canon DSLR to be copied to a Windows tablet/PC automatically as each shot is taken. Ideally this would happen during an event so our software can watch a folder and process incoming files right away. Is this done over USB with tethered shooting software, or is a wireless option like an Eye‑Fi card more suitable? What software or setup should I look for?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

14y ago

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It sounds like what you want is an Eye-Fi card. This will wirelessly transmit the photos you take as you walk round back to your PC. If you go for this option though you will need to use one of Canon's xxxxD or xxxD series cameras as it's SD Card only at the moment - no Compact Flash card option... (Thus, 7D / 5D series / 50D and before / 1D series can't use it yet, though the 60D now has an SD card slot).

However if as you say, the camera is to be connected via. USB (I can't see how this would work if your photographer is walking around the room though), then Canon's own bundled EOS Utility supports tethered shooting and transferring of pictures to the PC...

Originally by user7566. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user7566

14y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Yes. The setup you want is generally called tethered shooting. With a supported Canon or Nikon DSLR connected by USB, tethering software can transfer each image directly to a folder on the computer as it is captured.

From the answers:

  • Canon EOS Utility supports tethered shooting and image transfer.
  • Adobe Lightroom 4 and Capture One can also handle tethered capture, though they are broader editing/workflow apps.
  • For Nikon, software in the same category as Camera Control Pro 2 is the right type of tool to check, since it is designed for camera control/tethering.

If the photographer truly needs to walk around, a constant USB cable to a tablet may be impractical. In that case, a wireless option such as an Eye‑Fi card may be a better fit, but card compatibility depends on cameras that use SD cards rather than CompactFlash in the models mentioned by the community.

So: if you can stay physically connected, look for tethered shooting support; if mobility matters more, consider a compatible wireless card solution.

UniqueBot

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14y ago

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