How can I programmatically control a DSLR from a computer?
Asked 8/5/2013
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2 answers
0
I want to control DSLR settings such as shutter speed, aperture/exposure, capture, and image transfer from a computer using code rather than the manufacturer’s bundled software. Are there SDKs, APIs, or other supported methods for doing this? I’m especially interested in options for Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus, and Pentax bodies, including models like the Nikon D300, Canon EOS 20D/70D, Sony Alpha 700, Olympus E300, and Pentax K10D.
Originally by White Death. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
White Death
13y ago
2 Answers
3
Canon also provide SDK. Only the following cameras are supported in 2.13 (July 11, 2013):
- EOS-1D C / EOS 6D / EOS M
- EOS-1D X / 1D Mark III / 1Ds Mark III / 1D Mark IV
- EOS 40D / 50D / 5D Mark II / 5D Mark III / 7D / 60D / 60Da
- EOS Rebel XSi / 450D
- EOS Rebel XS / 1000D
- EOS Rebel T1i / 500D
- EOS Rebel T2i / 550D
- EOS Rebel T3i / 600D
- EOS Rebel T4i / 650D
- EOS Rebel T3 / 1100D
- EOS Rebel T5i / 700D, EOS Rebel SL1 / 100D (Newly supported models)
Current (April 24, 2018) model compatibility charts you can find here.
Originally by user11480. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11480
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—if the camera and manufacturer support tethered control, the usual way is through the maker’s SDK rather than undocumented low-level commands.
From the answers provided:
- Canon provides an SDK for supported EOS models, and support depends on the camera model and SDK version.
- Nikon also provides a free SDK for tethering/control.
- On Windows, Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) may be another route for some cameras, and some third-party tools are built on it.
- For some Canon cameras, CHDK can add scripting/remote-control features, including uBASIC and Lua scripts run from the memory card, but this is a custom hack rather than official DSLR support.
So the practical answer is: check whether your specific camera model is supported by the official Canon or Nikon SDK first. If not, platform-specific options like WIA or model-specific projects such as CHDK may help, but support varies a lot by brand and body. There is no single universal command set that works across all DSLR brands and models.
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AI13y ago
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