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Mac OS X 10.6 FAQs

Windows 7 FAQs

DSLR Camera Remote Server Troubleshooting FAQs

We work really hard to make DSLR Camera Remote as easy to install and use as possible. However, we are gluing several technologies (computer, camera, wifi, iPhone) together and occasionally you may run into a snag. This troubleshooting list covers the majority of problems that you may run into.

The DSLR Camera Remote Server won't start, crashes or gives an error message.

The DSLR Camera Remote Server doesn't show my camera connected.

When I start DSLR Camera Remote on my iPhone or iPod Touch it doesn't see my Server.

When I use DSLR Camera Remote on my iPhone or iPod Touch I can connect to the server, but I see no controls or images on the iPhone or iPod Touch, or I get an "unsupported camera" error.

I can't access certain controls on the camera from the iPhone or iPod Touch.

I can't get the camera to focus or it focuses in the wrong spot

Why do I need a computer? Why don't you just have the iPhone control the camera directly?

Which cameras work with DSLR Camera Remote?

Problem: The DSLR Camera Remote Server won't start, crashes or gives an error message.

1. Make sure you have the current version of DSLR Camera Remote Server installed.
2. Windows users, try reinstalling Bonjour from Apple's website. DSLR Camera Remote Server will try to install this automatically if it is missing but if it thinks its installed but it is broken or corrupt it will not try to reinstall it.
3. Try reinstalling the DSLR Camera Remote Server. On Windows, be sure to un-install it first. Make sure you have administrative privileges on the computer. For Windows Vista or Windows 7 you may want to turn off User Access Controls during installation.
4. Turn off your firewall or add an application exception for DSLR Camera Remote. On Mac OSX 10.4, you will need to turn the firewall off. See the About Firewalls page details.
5. On a Mac, if you receive a -5000 error, or folder creation or writing errors try selecting a different folder for shooting or repairing your disk permissions. To repair your disk permissions use the Disk Utility application located in /Applications/Utilities.
6. Restart your computer.

Problem: The DSLR Camera Remote Server doesn't show my camera connected.

1. First make sure your camera is a supported model, is turned on and attached to the computer with the proper USB or Firewire cable. Also check the battery in the camera, a low battery can cause problems even though the camera can turn on and function.
2. Windows users may need to have the current drivers for their camera installed. Check the manufacturer's website for the most up to date driver software. Note: If you are using a Windows 64-bit operating system, some older cameras do not have drivers available. DSLR Camera Remote will not work in these cases.
3. Make sure your camera's firmware is up to date. Check the manufacturer's website for the most up-to-date firmware.
4. Check the camera's communication mode is set correctly. You can adjust this in the cameras menus. This is set correctly by default on newer cameras. However for some older cameras such as the Canon 5D, you will need to adjust it. See the supported camera list for communication setting details.
5. Make sure no other software is accessing the camera. Turn off EOS Utility, Camera Control, ViewNX, iPhoto, Lightroom or any other tethered shooting or downloading software.
6. The sequence of starting things up can be important. Try restarting your computer, turning on the camera, then connecting the USB cable, then start the DSLR Camera Remote Server software.
7. If you are using one of the WFT wireless transmitters instead of a cable make sure you have the most up to date software and firmware installed. Also make sure you are using PTP as the communication protocol and that the transmitter is paired with your computer before starting the DSLR Camera Remote Server.
8. Please note that if your camera's memory card has many pictures on it, it may take up to a minute to appear under Mac OSX 10.5 and 10.6. while the operating system is scanning the camera. For the best results, start with the DSLR Camera Remote Server application closed. Then connect and turn on your camera. Wait for the red or green memory card access light to stop flickering, then start the DSLR Camera Remote Server application.

Problem: When I start DSLR Camera Remote on my iPhone or iPod Touch it doesn't see my Server.

1. Make sure your iPhone or iPod Touch and host computer are on the same network (access-point). You set this in the Wi-Fi settings on your iPhone or iPod Touch. If you are having difficulty connecting to your access point or it appears you are connected but communication is not occurring, try the "Forget this Network" button and then re-select your access point and re-enter a password if needed. Sometimes the iPhone's cellular network doesn't kick over to Wi-fi properly for a while. Try turning your device to airplane mode and then turning the Wi-fi option back on.
2. Turn off your firewall or add an application exception for DSLR Camera Remote. On Mac OSX 10.4, you will need to turn the firewall off. See the About Firewalls page for details.
3. Make sure you have a good signal strength on your Wifi network. If you are a long distance from your access-point it may lose connection.
4. If you are working with an ad-hoc wireless connection it may take a minute or so before your server will appear in the server list, so please be patient. Creating an an ad-hoc wireless network on Windows can be inconsistent and frustrating. Use the test method listed below to ensure that you have a correct network connection before launching DSLR Camera Remote on the iPhone.
5. You can test your connection using a web browser on your computer and iPhone or iPod Touch. Open the log window from the server dialog. At the top of the log it will display a Connection Test URL. To test the local connection, type this url into a web browser on your computer. If you get a response stating that the server is running your local (loop-back) connection to the server is good. Then from your iPhone or iPod touch type this url into Safari. If you get a response stating that the server is running, then your network connection is correct. If you do not, you have a network issue such as those mentioned above.

Problem: When I use DSLR Camera Remote on my iPhone or iPod Touch I can connect to the server, but I see no controls or images on the iPhone or iPod Touch, or I get an "unsupported camera" error.

1. This means the host computer has lost connection with the camera. This can happen if the camera has gone to sleep or is "busy." Try turning the camera off and back on or un-plugging and re-plugging the cable.
2. Check the communication mode on the camera. See the supported camera list for the proper setting.
3. Make sure your camera is supported.

Problem: I can't access certain controls on the camera from the iPhone or iPod Touch.

1. Some settings such as camera mode (Manual, Aperture Priority, etc.) and focus mode (manual, single shot, continuous, etc.) have to be adjusted on the camera body itself. These appear below the other controls and are not buttons.
2. In some camera modes, some controls will be disabled. For example if you are working in Program the shutter speed and aperture controls will be visible to show the current settings but will be disabled (not adjustable).
3. If you have the Lite version of DSLR Camera Remote you can only fire the camera and review images. Please upgrade to the Professional Edition for more control.
4. If you don't see the LiveView option, your camera doesn't support it, or it is not enabled via your camera menus or custom functions. Check the supported camera list for details.
5. If you can't fire the shutter in bulb mode, your camera may not support computer remote control of this function. Check the supported camera list for details. All Nikon cameras DO NOT support bulb firing.
6. If you don't see the control "LCD screen" at all you have enabled BigView mode or you are holding the camera in landscape orientation. Try turning the camera vertical and/or making an upward swiping motion to reveal the "LCD screen."

Problem: I can't get the camera to focus or it is focusing in the wrong spot.

1. When shooting without LiveView enabled, the camera will autofocus before taking a picture if the camera is set to AF. If the camera can't focus you will get an error message on the iPhone. If this happens you can try setting a different AF point on the camera or turn the camera to MF and pre-focus on your subject.

   Note: On some Canon cameras you can set a custom function that removes AF from the shutter release button and assigns it to another button. This option will prevent auto focus function with DSLR Camera Remote. Temporarily turn this option off.

2. If you are using LiveView, you need to tap the preview window to cause the camera to auto focus. It will use whichever LiveView focus mode you have selected in the LiveView preferences. This auto focus cycle may take several seconds depending on the camera model and AF mode selection. Using manual focus with LiveView is the most reliable method.

   Tip: On some cameras you may need to enable AF for LiveView via a custom function or setting. You may also select the AF mode in a custom function as well. Check you camera manual for details.

Why do I need a computer? Why don't you just have the iPhone control the camera directly?

We would love to do this, however, please remember that for the most part, cameras don't have any wireless way to communicate with them, they do not have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi radios built into them. There are a couple of wireless adapters that Canon makes that we are exploring what we can do with them, but they are slow, and we are limited in what we can do with them as a third-party developer. There are other general purpose wireless memory cards like the EyeFi but they are memory cards and don't actually talk to the control bus of the camera - which is necessary to fire the camera and control other settings.

Several people have asked if they can plug their iPhone directly into the camera's USB port and control it this way. This is something we are actively investigating, but until the iPhone 3.0 update, third party developers like us don't have any way to communicate through the iPod dock connector. In the future we hope to be able to add this support, we will keep you posted.