Adobe Lightroom Classic can be used to tether many models of Canon and Nikon digital cameras with computers (running either macOS or Windows) that meet the system requirements. For example, my Canon EOS 5D Mark II appears on the list of tethered cameras supported by Lightroom Classic.
The Canon EOS 5D Mark II works as expected when tethered with Lightroom Classic. “Live View”¹ on the computer screen plus the ability to change camera settings and trigger the camera using Lightroom are among many features I like. And it’s FREE. Well, free as long as you have Lightroom Classic and that isn’t free.
Getting started
Here’s how to get started. Tether your camera to a computer using an appropriate cable for your camera and computer. Launch Lightroom. Select File → Tethered Capture → Start Tethered Capture…
The “Tethered Capture Settings” window appears on screen; carefully consider the settings you make (especially the “Destination”) since Lightroom doesn’t like it when you change the location of photo files on your computer!
After your camera is connected to the computer successfully, select File → Show Tethered Capture Window. “Command-T” is the keyboard shortcut to toggle on/off the “Tethered Capture Window,” shown below.
The window indicates the name of the camera connected to your computer and the “Session Name” that you used when you set the “Tethered Capture Settings”; in this case I used the name “Studio Session.”
Click the button labeled ¹”Live” in order to see a “Live View” of your camera. With my camera tethered to an Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) — by far the fastest computer I own and one of the faster computers currently on the market — there is so much video lag that I found “Live” to be unusable!
You can adjust a limited number of camera settings, including shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and white balance (shown from left-to-right in the “Tethered Capture Window”).
“Develop Settings” can be applied on-the-fly to photos as you shoot them. I’m not sure how useful this feature is, given the fact that it seems like every photo requires a unique set of adjustments/edits.
Lastly, there is a shutter button that triggers the camera remotely.
To end the session, select File → Tethered Capture → Stop Tethered Capture.
What are the take-aways?
Essentially that’s all you can do using Adobe Lightroom Tethered Capture. As far as I can tell, there’s no way to autofocus the camera lens remotely. (Please correct me if I’m wrong.) That would be a nice feature to add. (Hint-hint, Adobe.)
In contrast, the Canon EOS Utility can do so much more I think it’s the tool of choice for tethered shooting with my Canon camera. Please stay tuned for my next blog post in which I will do a complete review of Canon EOS Utility 2, plus a few comments about Ver. 3.
Related Resource: Tethering just got better in Lightroom Classic CC, by Terry White (20:59). “Adobe Evangelist Terry White shows how to shoot tethered into Lightroom Classic CC with the enhancements released in the February 2019 update.” Source Credit: Show notes. Note: Mr. White refers to the refers to the “Tethered Capture Window” as “Tether/ing Bar.”
Copyright © 2021 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags: gear talk, studio photography
walter sanford's photoblog 
March 2, 2021 at 5:46 am |
Thanks, Walter, for sharing your experience with Lightroom. Being able to use Live View is a relatively new feature in LR tethering and I have seen others complain of the lag in LR. I suspect it is even more pronounced with Big Sur, because Adobe has not yet updated its applications to support the M1 processors and you are probably running LR though the Rosetta 2 emulator.
January 15, 2023 at 5:04 am |
Hi Walter unfortunately it seems since since upgrading to the latest Mac OS Ventura I can’t tether my 5D mk ii. It seems to import fine but LRc crashes when I try to tether. I also use MacBook M1
January 16, 2023 at 3:22 pm |
I’m running OS X Ventura 13.1 on my MacBook Air (M1, 2020). I just tested the latest version of Adobe Lightroom Classic to do tethered shooting using my Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Everything works as expected so I’m thinking it should work for you. Have you tried Canon EOS Utility? https://waltersanford.wordpress.com/2021/03/05/tethered-shooting-using-canon-eos-utility/
January 28, 2023 at 10:33 am |
Interestingly after downloading Canon Utility 2 it now seems to work on LR. I wonder if it uses the drivers? Anyhow thanks very much for giving me the idea.
Thanks again
January 28, 2023 at 6:19 pm |
Hi Walter I downloaded EOS Utility 2 and it now works on LR too! Maybe it provided some drivers… I really don’t know but it worked. Thanks!