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What's the maximum reliable length of USB cable that you can use when shooting tethered?

Does it depend on the camera?

There's lots of conflicting information out on the web; I'm hoping Photo-SE can provide some reliable info.

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USB 1.1/2.0 specifies a maximum cable length of 5 meters (~16 feet) as a function of a minimum required transmission speeds. That's pushing the limit, to some degree, and will be highly dependent on how well the cable is made, shielding, etc. If you're worried about reliability, I would go under that, probably no more than 3 meters (~10 feet).

USB 3.0 doesn't actually specify a maximum length, but we're still talking copper here generally, and so the maximum practical length is probably around 3 meters to meet the speed requirements, so on USB 3.0, I'd go less than that again, maybe 2 meters (~6.5 feet).

My source for this is Wikipedia which is usually pretty good at explaining standards items. In this regards, I'd probably trust them. In any case, 10 feet is a pretty decent cable length, but if you need much longer, you can also get USB repeaters, bearing in mind that you often get what you pay for with these.

So, in general, I think the limiter is most likely associated with cable quality as opposed to the camera. If the camera is truly specified to the USB 2.0 standard, going with a good cable smaller than the maximum, should be more than fine and use of a good repeater can help in extending that length as you need.

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Apparently, you can chain USB hubs w/ 5 meter cables to get further. – hyperslug Feb 13 '11 at 20:14
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The hubs that are referred to in the above post are USB to ethernet converters. CAT5 Ethernet has a 100m maximum length. – Mike Feb 13 '11 at 22:56
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@Mike, you're looking at the other answer on that question, not the one hyperslug linked to. And ehternet over cat 5 has a 100m limit, but usb over cat 5 has a much shorter limit, generally around 66m. – cabbey Feb 15 '11 at 0:14
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You're correct that the specified length (up to USB 2.0) is 5 metres, but that isn't a maximum theoretical limit, that's a minimum baseline - USB 2.0 is required to work perfectly with up to 5m of cable, including joins or extensions, as long as all that cable is certified (has the USB logo on the plug). To extend it further you need a hub or repeater at that point. Like many similar standards, you can probably push it much further and it'll work fine, like 10m or even a bit more, but the standard only requires it to work for up to 5 metres. – thomasrutter Feb 15 '11 at 23:24
@thomasrutter: usb.org/developers/usbfaq/#cab1 in which they apparently disagree with you. In fact, on making a cable longer than 5 meters they respond with "Even if you violated the spec..." and doesn't change the fact that cable quality has an impact, a 5m cable may just make the spec and get the stamp, but still not perform as required under the right conditions which may be easily hit outside of a testing lab. – John Cavan Feb 16 '11 at 0:46
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I have 2 12' long active repeater cables and a 6' usb cable I have successfully daisy chained ONE of them from an actively powered USB hub to control my Canon 5Dmk2. As far as I can tell, you can't put a second one on the chain without another power source. I have seen 16' repeaters advertised for ~20USD. So in my successful setup it was:

Mac -- 3' USB cable -- powered hub -- 12' repeater cable -- 6' usb cable -- camera

trying to put both repeater cables in at the same place the first was didn't work, but if you can put another powered hub in place you could probably string quite a distance.

If you need really long distance and don't mind a bit of expense, there's a MUCH better solution: USB over cat5. Example: http://www.amazon.com/IOGear-Ethernet-Extender-GUCE51-Black/dp/B000O2X2OA They say you can get "close to 200'" with that + a cheap cat 5e cable.

A former co-worker uses these (I think that's the model he bought) to operate his telescope, one extends the USB connection on the scope base to his computer, and another extends the USB connection from the computer to the camera he has attached to it. he's using 75' long ethernet cables pulled through a conduit from his basement out to the slab in his backyard where he mounts his telescope.

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Apparently you can daisy chain up to (but no more than) 5 USB hubs like this. This Windows KB article (support.microsoft.com/kb/226308) indicates neither Windows nor the USB standard support more than 5 daisy chained together. – drfrogsplat Feb 15 '11 at 0:09
Yeah, if you could get around the power issue with the repeater cables, you'd hit the tree depth issue next. Yet another reason to go with USB over cat5/5e/6. – cabbey Feb 15 '11 at 0:18
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I have a 5 meters USB cable that was quite cheap and that I use regularly with my Nikon D700. No problem so far ...

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