Is there a way to automatically transfer photos from a DSLR to a PC hard disk as they are taken?

Question

I have a need to have photos taken either on a modern Nikon or on a modern Canon DSLR automatically be transfered via USB cable to a Windows hard disk.

It would work like this - at an event, a photographer would roam around and take photos of people. The camera, meanwhile, is connected constantly to a tablet running Win7 via USB. Each time the photographer takes a photo, the photo would be transmitted to the tablet directly to a folder on the hard disk. Our software would then take over from there.

Could someone recommend software that would accomplish this? (for modern/recent cameras of course).

I came across the following, and am not sure if they would do what I want. Any guidance would be much appreciated, thanks!!

Nikon's software: Camera Control Pro 2: http://www.nikonusa.com/Nikon-Products/Product/Imaging-Software/25366/Camera-Control-Pro-2.html#tab-ProductDetail-ProductTabs-Overview

A 3rd party solution for Canon's:

Answer 1

There are a number of software programs that will handle tethered shooting: Lightroom 4, Phase One software's Capture One (which will also wireless transmit images to an iPad using Capture Pilot. These are full blown editing suites however.

If you just want simple transfer, what about an Eye-Fi card? They have a direct mode which will send images wirelessly to Android, iOS. Not sure about a Win7 tablet.

Answer 2

It sounds like what you want is an Eye-Fi card. This will wirelessly transmit the photos you take as you walk round back to your PC. If you go for this option though you will need to use one of Canon's xxxxD or xxxD series cameras as it's SD Card only at the moment - no Compact Flash card option... (Thus, 7D / 5D series / 50D and before / 1D series can't use it yet, though the 60D now has an SD card slot).

However if as you say, the camera is to be connected via. USB (I can't see how this would work if your photographer is walking around the room though), then Canon's own bundled EOS Utility supports tethered shooting and transferring of pictures to the PC...

Answer 3

The magic word is "tethered." Others have named some software that will do it, but anything that lets you shoot tethered will do it.

Answer 4

This is pretty cool if you happen to have a 7D.

Answer 5

I think eyefi will transfer photos whenever there's a connection available, whereas shooting tethered (Wifi/wired/6dwifi) will only transfer photos while there is a connection avail.

If you want to shoot tethered (cable/wifi) the EOS utility has an option to open an application with the image given to it, via command line I presume. This could be an option. Alternatively, the EOS utility can copy the jpeg to a folder and have your application monitor the folder and do something when the photo comes in.

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Edit1: NB: This is how I think eyefi works, I don't have one. But this is my understanding. Eyefi will automagically transfer photos from the memory card to the computer whenever a wifi connection becomes available.

Tethered will only automagically transfer photos taken while the connection is available. If you take photos when not tethered, and suddenly tether, then they won't be magically copied over. You need to do some clicking on the computer to make them copy. But, the pictures taken while you tether will be copied.

So, if in your room your wifi tether drops out then those photos won't be copied over. Whereas with eyefi they will be copied when the connection is reestablished.

Answer 6

Breeze Systems has some products (DSLR Remote Pro, NKRemote) that might be what you are looking for: http://www.breezesys.com/products.htm

Answer 7

Could someone recommend software that would accomplish this? (for modern/recent cameras of course).

EOS Utility, a part of the software included with all Canon DSLRs, allows you to shoot tethered and transfers the image file to the folder you have designated on your computer.

There is a 13 part tutorial series at Canon's Digital Learning Center.