Using DSLR Camera Remote and a Lightroom watched folder
May 29, 2009 by Mike Wong • 25 Comments
Our new DSLR Camera Remote app for the iPhone hasn't been out for 12 hours yet and there have been so many people who have already purchased the app and posted feedback. First, thank you on all levels. We appreciate the great feedback and comments. I'd like to address one of the comments I've read so far about using the DSLR Camera Remote along with a watched folder in Lightroom. Using the default settings can cause some frustration, but I think I've figured out a way, at least on a Mac, to resolve it.
The Problem
For those of you shooting with the DSLR Camera Remote and wanting to have those photos be automatically imported into a Lightroom catalog, you may notice a problem similar to the outlined below by reader Brendan:
One problem when I use DSLR remote in tandem with Lightroom:
DSLR uses a watched folder, and displays the latest entry to this folder on my iPhone.
Great so far.
Lightroom also uses a watched folder, but as soon as something shows up in that folder Lightroom moves it to another folder.
Problem being, as soon as the image is moved, it disappears from my iPhone screen.
Not your fault, but it would be wonderful to have the latest image appear on the laptop as well as my iPhone.
It doesn’t seem to be possible to stop Lightroom from moving the image out of the watched folder.
Brendan - you're right. When the DSLR Camera Remote app on the iPhone displays the photo that you just took, it is getting that photo from the pictures folder you defined or setup in the Server Software. Further, there are no options in Lightroom 2 that will allow you to NOT move a file from a watched folder before importing it into your Lightroom catalog.
Under the Auto-Import Settings dialog box, you have to enter a subfolder name in the Destination portion of that dialog box. If you don't Lightroom will at least, put in an underscore character. So how do we get around this? On a Mac, it's pretty straight-forward. Here's how I was able to get my photos automatically imported into Lightroom 2 while keeping the files where the Server Software and the DSLR Camera Remote on my iPhone expect to see them so I can still get previews on my iPhone.
For this scenario, Folder A is the folder where the DSLR Server Software stores the photos, Folder B is the watched folder as defined in Lightroom's auto-import preferences. Folder C is where the images will ultimately end up after being (moved and) imported by Lightroom 2.
The Solution
I opened up the Automator application that is included with Mac OS X 10.5 { (( I believe it is also included with Mac OS X 10.4 )) } and did the following.
Step 1 - Create a new folder (Folder A) where you want the DSLR Camera Remote Server Software to store the files. I can be anywhere you want. Create Folder B - this is the temp folder. Create Folder C - this is where the images will ultimately end up via the Lightroom 2 Auto Import.
Step 2 - Launch Automator and from the Wizard-like sheet that appears, choose Custom.
Step 3 - From the Actions category, select Files & Folders and then Find Finder Items.
Drag the Find Finder Items action over into the big empty window space on the right. Under the Where: section, choose Folder A. Be sure to set the Whose: section to be Date Created equals today.
Step 4 - From the Actions list on the left, locate the Copy Finder Items action below the action created in Step 3 above. Choose the location of Folder B - this is where you are going to tell Lightroom 2 to look for the auto-import.
Step 5 - Now you're ready to save your creation. Go to the File menu and choose Save as Plug-In... in the next dialog box that appears, give it any name that is meaningful to you. Next, and this is important, choose Folder Actions from the pop-up menu for the Plug-In for: section. In the next drop down menu, click once and then select Folder A that we created above.
What's going to happen is every time a file shows up in this folder from Step 1 (i.e. our photos being captured remotely) it will get COPIED from Folder A to Folder B. Because it's a folder action, it will run whenever ANY FILE created "today" shows up which is going to be all the time since we're shooting.
Step 6 - In Lightroom 2, go to the File menu and choose Auto Import and then Auto Import Settings. Define where you want the files to go or if you wish to append metadata, etc upon import.
Finally go ahead and fire up the Server Software if it's not already going. Grab you iPhone and fire away on your supported camera. If Lightroom is in the foreground you'll see the photos show up. Further, the photos are still on your iPhone preview because the originals are still in Folder A, where we are looking.
Folder B becomes empty due to the nature of the Lightroom auto-import behavior. Folder C and it's sub directory is where the files from Folder B get automatically moved to due to Lightroom's Auto Import Settings. That's all there is too it. Pretty simple really, even if you've never used Automator before.
When you're all done, you can delete Folder A as it is now just a duplicate of the files that have already been moved and added to a Lightroom database.
As for Windows, I'm not very well versed there in order to provide any type of solution. But if anybody reading this is, please feel free to drop a comment on your solution.
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@Mike Wong: I’ve set this up as instructed. However my Canon 5D Mark II raw files are not copied entirely to the “folder B” specified. The Mac automator and Lightroom watch process seem to run simultaneously. Thus, only a partial file is created in “Folder B”. Lightroom chokes on this partial file and shows “unsupported / corrupt” file message after copied to “Folder C” and imported for viewing.
Funny thing is that all other formats worked well using this solution. Only the “RAW” files created didn’t work.
While the automator solution was a nifty work around, perhaps the DSLR Remote app should just have separate options for file writing and file viewing. This would avoid creating a Mac automator action (and/or whatever Windows equivalent), preview images disappearing from iPhone and left over files wasting storage capacity. The Iphone App will just view whatever final “destination” folder Lightroom and others moving files to.
Hope this can be done.
another – easy workaround is (at least on my Mac) to watch the “Location/Capture Folder” and set the Move-Folder as show in the Image to “Location” and the Subfolder to “Capture” as shown in the image.
Best
Lutz
[img]Picture2.png[/img]
… and forgot to mention, if you use the same folder in Lightroom to Watch and Move, you should move the image to its final folder manually or the OnOne Server will warn on StartUp that his watched folder already contains images
@Bmonstarr – Thanks for the feedback. I agree with you that a better solution would be to put this functionality into the Server and have it solve the problem in a much better way.
Like you said, the Automator solution is perhaps better described as a band-aid or short-term attempt at a fix.
I talked to our engineers earlier and I think we might have a better way to solve this but we need to look at it more.
Thanks!
@Mike Wong: Awesome! Can’t wait to see how this would be implemented.
Incidentally, I’ve test DSLR Remote with my two other workflows.
1. Using Apple Aperture+Hot Folder Script – works perfect! Aperture doesn’t allow direct tethered shooting with my 5DMII. Score for OnOne!
2. Phase One Capture One Pro – works perfect. I set my session’s capture folder to DSLR Remote’s download location, fire and images appear in my session. SCHUWEEEET!
This app Rulez! Had so much fun, I broke night. Paying a price, read… sleep deprived, but well worth it (it’s my day off).
Thanks again for such a wonderful tool. I applaud your current and future effort with this app. Shouts to all of OnONe (Mike and Devs) for an amazing tool – and for keeping me up all night. LOL!
-B
Hey Mike, Nice application. I was able to get the images into Lightoom and keep them on the iPhone by having Lightroom just put them back in the same place.
I set the “Watched Folder” on my desktop as: C:\Users\Jim\Desktop\Lightroom Temp
then set the “Destination” as C:\Users\Jim\Desktop with a subfolder name of: Lightroom Temp. The files are picked up by Lightroom and the also stay put for DSLR Remote on the iPhone.
BTW, this is on a Vista laptop.
@Jim: Great! Thanks for the tip. Much better than mine as my original suggestion isn’t working like I had hoped. That’s what I get for trying to do it at 1am I suppose! But seriously, thanks for posting your comment for others to benefit from!
Best,
Mike
@Bmonstarr: Thanks for the kind words and for confirming those two tethered solutions! Much appreciated! Sorry for the sleep deprivation…
Best,
Mike
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Im very excited about the new application but I keep getting an error message when running the server software. The error is:
” the application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem.”
Im running windows xp (service pack 3). I added the software file to the firewall software. I reinstalled it over 10 times. I have tried the process on 2 systems. Can someone please help.
“2. Phase One Capture One Pro – works perfect. I set my session’s capture folder to DSLR Remote’s download location, fire and images appear in my session. SCHUWEEEET!”
Are you making this app work together with C1Pro and at the same time see the images on ur computer? I get an error with camera being busy while connecting and it works when i closed C1Pro…I think the problem lies in the connection and it can’t connect to both directly…Unless you have a solution already? Please let me know…and btw, GREAT APP!!!
@Jan: Operating a 5DMII tethered to C1Pro v4.8.1 (on a 2007 Macbook Pro) is working for me. This is with and without DSLR Remote. No “busy” messages on camera reported.
Hope this helps.
Ok – so what are the chances that this will work with a G10? I know it’s for Canon DSLR’s – but… Apart from my DSLR’s – I also want it to work with my P&S
Cheers, Nathan
I am having the same problem as Shawn is On 2 different laptops. Both have XP sp3
One is a netbook the other is a full size laptop. The error is:
” the application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem.”
Any fixes for this?
I had the same problem. I am guessing it has to do with RAM. It requires at least 1GB of RAM to run. – Thoughts?
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Thanks for the tip Jim, works great now.
Bmonstarr:
“@Jan: Operating a 5DMII tethered to C1Pro v4.8.1 (on a 2007 Macbook Pro) is working for me. This is with and without DSLR Remote. No “busy” messages on camera reported.”
Can you pls show me how u did it?
Thanks.
@Nathan Rodger: Unfortunately, there’s no chance that this version will. The G10 is not included in the Canon SDK that we wrote this to.
Best,
Mike
@Law: Read this article. Should help. Look for the part about Microsoft .net 3.5.
I don’t know how did make this software to work side by side with CPro 4.8.1 or even the Canon DPP software BMONSTARR…Anyone? Mike??? Help.
@Jan:
Not sure about CPro 4.8.1, but you’ll need to quit Canon’s DPP software before you launch the Server Software. Seems that having two different applications trying to talk to the camera at the same time confuses the camera and the other programs. At least that’s what we’ve seen with the DPP app.
We’re looking at a better implementation solution to allow shooting into a LR watched folder for a future update.
How about an Android version?