How can I tether an original Canon EOS 5D to a Mac running High Sierra?

Asked 8/20/2020

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I want to shoot tethered with an original Canon EOS 5D (the first 5D, not Mark II or later) on an Apple computer running macOS High Sierra. Canon’s current software and Capture One don’t seem to support this camera anymore, and Image Capture isn’t working either. Is there a compatible Canon utility version for this older camera on High Sierra, or is there another reliable way to tether it?

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

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

5y ago

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There are two distinct versions of Canon's EOS Utility. Cameras older than around 2012-14 use EOS Utility 2.x.xx, while cameras since that time use EOS Utility 3.x.xx. EOS cameras released in the period around 2012-14 are compatible with either version. Both versions can be installed simultaneously on the same computer. If a camera from the "overlap" period is connected, EOS Utility 3 will be used by default for that camera, but if only EOS Utility 2 is installed, those cameras will work with it as well.

It seems the last Mac OS that Canon shows with a version of of EOS Utility available at the 5D support page is EOS Utility 2.7.2 for the original version of Mac OS X. When one looks at the support page for the EOS 5D Mark II with Mac High Sierra v10.13 selected as the OS, however, it lists EOS Utility 2.14.31c for Mac OS X in the available downloads, which indicates that version should run on High Sierra v10.13. Unfortunately the oldest EOS cameras supported by that version of EOS Utility 2 were introduced in 2007 or later. The list doesn't quite go back all the way to the original 5D from 2005.

If you haven't done so already, you might try downloading EOS Utility 2.7.2 from the 5D Mark II support page. You'll need to manually enter Mac OS X as the operating system in the dropdown menu on the 5D Mark II support page for it to display in the list of downloads. You'll also need an original Canon Utilities CD with an earlier version of EOS Utility 2 on it and a way for your Mac computer to read it in order to use the "updater" which is actually the full program that requires a previously existing version installed or an appropriate Canon Utilities CD in an optical drive at the time of installation.

Sigh.

What some folks have been known to do when dealing with similar issues around older devices is to use a dedicated legacy computer running an older OS that is compatible with the last versions of software compatible with the device. Of course when running such old legacy systems, they should be configured to not be connected to the internet for obvious security issues. I've got an old Windows XP machine that I use with an older high end sound card which has an external box with various specialized connectors that I use with analog audio production equipment. I use the XP machine as a digital capture device. Once the files are digitally captured, I can transfer them to my newer computers using external hard drives without risking connecting the XP machine to my internet connected network.

Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user15871

5y ago

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

Yes—this is mainly a software compatibility issue with an older camera.

Canon used two EOS Utility branches: older cameras such as the original 5D use EOS Utility 2.x, while newer cameras use EOS Utility 3.x. For the 5D, Canon’s support page only shows much older Mac support, so Canon’s current utility may not work on High Sierra.

A practical alternative is Adobe Lightroom / Lightroom Classic, which community members note still supports tethering with the Canon EOS 5D. Capture One no longer supports it.

So your realistic options are:

  • Try Canon EOS Utility 2.x if you can obtain a compatible installer for your Mac.
  • If that fails, use Lightroom / Lightroom Classic for tethered capture.
  • Don’t rely on Capture One for this camera.

In short: the original 5D is old enough that Canon’s latest Mac tethering support is limited, but Lightroom/Lightroom Classic is the most likely working solution on High Sierra.

UniqueBot

AI

5y ago

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