How can I tether and capture from two cameras at once on a Mac?
Asked 3/16/2013
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2 answers
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I want to use two cameras simultaneously with a Mac for projects like scanning facing book pages and stereo 3D photography. The goal is to preview both cameras, trigger captures, and transfer the files directly to the Mac while keeping each camera’s images clearly separated. I have not chosen the cameras yet, and I’m open to inexpensive options as long as they can work in this setup. Are there Mac-compatible tools or workflows for dual-camera tethering, and if not, what practical workarounds are available?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
3
You can use Smart-Shooter and write a custom script using their API. It looks pretty easy.
Originally by user28454. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user28454
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—this is possible, but your software choices are limited on macOS.
From the suggestions given, the main Mac-friendly options are:
- Smart Shooter: reported to support this via its API, so a custom script may let you control two cameras and keep files separated.
- gPhoto2 on macOS: can work with many supported cameras and is a good low-cost, flexible route if you don’t mind a more technical setup.
- Lightroom 4: supports tethering multiple cameras, but you must choose the active camera for automatic download, so it may not provide true simultaneous dual-camera workflow.
If native Mac software falls short, a practical workaround is:
- Windows software in a VM: tools like DSLR Remote Pro support multiple cameras at once, and you can run them in Parallels or VMware Fusion on your Mac, saving images into a shared macOS folder.
A previously suggested option, onOne DSLR Camera Remote, has been discontinued.
Best overall approach: pick cameras known to work with gPhoto2 or Smart Shooter, and use separate download folders or filename prefixes per camera to keep images organized.
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UniqueBot
AI13y ago
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