Tether a Canon 5D2 to an iPad

[Mark Hoy]

Has anyone here tethered their Canon 5D2 to an iPad (I mention Canon specifically as it uses CF cards and the Eye-Fi card needs a CF adapter)?

I've read that it might also be possible using an Android phone as a wifi hot-spot and connect the 5D to the phone using a cable but can't find anything practical.

Links to what I've read/ bookmarked for reading again later:

Control DSLR with USB Android » CheesyCam
How To Tether Your Camera To An Ipad Without Jailbreaking | Fstoppers
DSLR Controller :: Devices
Shooting Tethered Wirelessly to iPad with Eye-Fi Pro Card | Tether Talk
How To: Wirelessly Tether using Eye-Fi & Canon 5DmkII to an iPad | Montreal Photographer

I'm not looking to edit anything on the iPad, just view the .jpg files during a shoot in real time.

Thanks for looking

 

[Hamish Gill]

It's having a live preview with aome rudimentary controls that would tickle my bits!
So what's the end goal ... Obviously I understand what it does, but why?
under what circumstance is it useful (just intrigued)

 

[Mark Hoy]

I've done some band photo shoots "on location" and it would be useful to look at them on a larger screen and show the band every now & then to boost their confidence that they look good and also allow me to check lighting, exposure, focus etc.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Mark - not seen the iPad used this way, but I've been looking at one of these for my 5D2 for exactly the same use.

Lilliput 7" 665GL-70NP/H/Y 1080p HD LCD On DSLR Camera Monitor HDMI AV RCA for Full HD Video Camera +DU21 Battery+Shoe mount +HDMI Cable by Koolertron: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Connects via HD video, provides a larger screen to review images from the camera or review images live using 5D2 live view mode.

Worth checking out.

 

[Mark Hoy]

Thanks and would be useful for video as well £120 on amazon.co.uk

Or a £60 cheapy on fleabay

This site looks interesting: http://www.dslrfilmnoob.com/

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Mark - need to check the specs on any screens, to make sure they'll take the HD video feed from the 5D2

Not sure the cheapo fleabay one will?

 

[Hamish Gill]

Have you already got the iPad?

 

[Ralph Thornton]

I read some time ago on another forum that several Nikon users tethered their camera to an iPad. But something in the Canon system gets in the way. Let us know if you get it tethered though.

 

[Mark Hoy]

Yes Hamish, we already have the iPad (work leaving present) and it'd be nice to put it to something more useful than browsing the internet...

Ralph- the Canon 5D2 uses CF cards and these can interfere with the Eye Fi card as the size of them blocks the wifi signal.

If the iPad can "browse" an HTC phone then there might be some mileage in this post. It's possible to connect the iPad to and HTC acting as a wifi hot-spot but whether the iPad can "see" the HTC and hope the that the HTC can see the Canon 5D2/ UDMA (the CF card)...

I've got an old D400 laptop and a Netbook that I could tether the Canon to but it'd be nice to use the iPad - it weighs a lot less!

 

[Chris Dodkin]

This might provide some insight on how it could work: Space Shuttles, 5d Mark II’s and ipads, oh my! – scottaudette.com

An Apple WiFi iPad, a Canon 5d Mark II with a WFT-4e II A, a three-year-old linksys broadband router, a first gen REV. A, a Sprint Aircard and some duct tape … watch out, Macgruber, you’ve got nothing on us. And what did all of the above give us? A camera that took wicked awesome photos on an iPad out the window of the Reuters trailer at the Kennedy Space Center and all from the comfort of the Hampton Inn in Titusville, Florida.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Definitely following this with interest!
I assume you will keep us posted?!

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Looking at the Canon WiFI add on on B&H's website I saw this review:

By Steven the Photographer
from Palm Beach, Florida.
About Me Professional

The set up of this was a pain in the...but once I had it figured out, it worked like a charm. I am buying a second one for my other camera. I set it up with an iPad, not a laptop.....it's probably easier with a laptop....
I am able to shoot and preview with the iPad now, charms the art directors...love this technology. I WILL NOT recommend this to a friend, because right now, it is an item I use to set me apart from my friends, once everybody has it, it is no longer cool....

So it's do-able!

Then I found this write-up:

5D Mk II, WFT-4E II A and an iPad

And here's a video of Tim Sparrow setting it all up, and using it

[video=vimeo;14887998]http://vimeo.com/14887998[/video]

So apart from the huge cost of the WFT-4E II A - it's a winner!

$679.88 on B&H

 

[Pete Askew]

At that price they should rename it the WTF-4E II A!!

 

[Mark Hoy]

Yes, I'd already seen the WFT-4E - I'd rather spend that amount of disposable cash on a second body (well.. 4th body as my spares are 2x 20Ds ;-) ).