Fujifilm X and GFX camera tethering software which works. The new Tether App 1.3

[@davidhoward38]

Just tried the wireless tethering and found it very fast. I just set up an X-S10 to my studio network wifi, which my PC is connected to, and it works very well. I managed to take photos anywhere in my studio and photos appeared on the PC almost instantly. Great!

[@KeithCooper]

That's good - I'd not tried any wireless connections with the GFX

[@Anheuer]

How did you make this work? i tried on USB but it didnt detect my camera, then i saw your comment and network would be perfect, i registered it to the same wifi as my macbook is connected to, but it doesnt auto detect it or give me a way to discover it.

[@KeithCooper]

@@Anheuer A lot of potential factors... I'd suggest asking on the relevant Fuji forum at dpreview. Just be sure to give much more info about your setup and system

[@jimduncan7764]

Thanks Keith - always really appreciate your no-nonsense approach. This is a really interesting discovery!

[@KeithCooper]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@tmartin6717]

Thanks for the update, I will definitely use it.

[@KeithCooper]

Thanks

[@TimvanderLeeuw]

I have 3 Fuji APS-C cameras from 3 different generations and use CaptureOne -- never had any problem with tethering! So I'm surprised that so many people say that tethering works so poorly in the Fuji GFX cameras, but I've never used those myself. The only issues I've had is that older versions of CaptureOne seemed to slow down over time, and that the newest camera does not tether incombination with my USB hub (but the older ones do, go figure). I've used different cables but perhaps it was not an issue because none of them were very long? I do use an older Mac though with Intell chips. Perhaps that is the difference? Who knows!

[@KeithCooper]

Ah - I find C1 a not pleasant bit of software to use - never liked it, and their move to a more 'money making' approach has not endeared them to me. However, I've never used any of the small Fuji cameras for my commercial work [or any crop cameras for that matter, so it's not anything against them] Compared to Canon's rock solid EOS utility - GFX capture was an unpredictable pain - this redresses that quite a bit for me.

[@TimvanderLeeuw]

@@KeithCooper I've grown to quite like CaptureOne but their recent moves to make the product more expensive -- not happy with that either! Scott of Tinhouse Studio also uses CaptureOne and also has issues with Fuji GFX tethering so it definetely is / was the camera, not just the capture software. Regarding Canon software, I only used a lower-end Canon APS-C camera which did not support tethering at all. I was not impressed with the general suite of PC software for Canon but never had the opportunity to use their tethering software!

[@KeithCooper]

Yes, Scott and I both commented on this in the recent podcast we did - I'll have to see if he's spotted the new stuff. Almost all Canon DSLRs were supported by a version of EOS utility [I ignore the other stuff ;-) ] - it's been one of the reasons for the last 15 years that we've suggested them for businesses wanting some of our bespoke training, setting up their own product photography and wanting some basic kit to get started. Simple to set up and use [and explain].

[@TimvanderLeeuw]

@@KeithCooper yes I listened to that podcast!

[@TimvanderLeeuw]

@@friendofarca6550 I hear several pros on KZbin have issues with Fuji GFX and tethering and that just about any digitech Scott talks to, says tethering Fuji GFX cameras is a pain. If I hear that that I think, well there might be something to it, I never used those cameras so who am I to dismiss their experience? But I’m not jumping to any conclusions. I’m just expressing my surprise because with my Fuji X mount cameras I’ve never had any such issues.

[@imranfotography]

Good contact. Thanks for your effort. 👍

[@KeithCooper]

Thanks

[@ArtMeripol]

The app works well and seems relatively reliable on my new 100s II. But I prefer tethering in LR since I can make adjustments as I go. Even more I wish I could tether on location with my iPad. But i cannot get the app or LR or C1 mobile to work. I’d much prefer taking my iPad on location than dragging my heavier laptop since I’m often moving quickly from one location to another.

[@KeithCooper]

Yes, very dependent on what you want to do with it. Personally, I dislike LR and ipads have no functional colour management ;-)

[@KeithCooper]

@@friendofarca6550 Improved accuracy is to be welcome, but as a system, comprehensive colour management seemed to be well down the design features list. I get many people wanting to know why their 'artwork' on an iPad can't reliably be printed on an arbitrary art paper... However I do freely admit a longstanding bias/dislike of touch based systems, whether pad or phone ;-)

[@KeithCooper]

@@friendofarca6550 Yes [I just got a new MacBook Pro BTW] I've seen the better displays, but I was thinking of all the other other aspects of using profiles, and the support of colour managed workflows in apps.

[@friendofarca6550]

@@KeithCooper screen to print matching is an illusion anyway to be honest but experienced photographer/printer like you can still get predictable resultes. Affinityphoto for ios has a softproof feature which lets you import your own color profiles so in combination with apple reference mode the hard/software seems not to be the limiting factor for printing with iPads. i use iPad Pros for professinal location work since years it is an absolutely fantastic tool it handles even large amounts of gfx files with ease !

[@friendofarca6550]

@@KeithCooper affinityphoto for iOS offers soft proofing with custom printer profiles used with reference mode it should work well for most tasks. matching screen to print is an illusion anyway but experienced user can still get predictable results but in commercial environments (offset printing) printed proofs are still the norm for a good reason.

[@ArtMeripol]

I am curious about the overlay ability. In C1 I can place a PNG file template from an art director that allows me to compose my photo around type for a layout. Will this do that?

[@KeithCooper]

Yes - not sure if it supports png though. I tested it with a jpeg - easy enough to convert.

[@utube321piotr]

I use Fuji Acquire with the Lightroom. Only issue is that you need an X-T1 model or up to make it function. The lowly modern X-T30 does not tether.

[@KeithCooper]

Yes - support thins out as you go down the line.

[@utube321piotr]

@@KeithCooper considering it's age the X-T1 is still a stellar camera for doing tether or other types of photography. Thanks Keith for monitoring the pulse of new developments. I will give this new Fuji app a try this weekend and if it can be used to remotely control the camera that would be very sweet indeed.

[@KeithCooper]

Yes, I've been spoilt in some respects, in that every Canon DSLR I've used in the past has had a version of EOS Utility providing tethering [for ~20 years]. I didn't get the GFX for that, but when I did try it I was a bit taken aback by the difficulties - hopefully fixed.

[@dan_thaman]

What I am missing in this new Fuji-software, to think about replacing CaptureOne for tethering, is a separate window for liveview with full cam-control (on a second monitor) and a "filmstrip" on the main window, to be able to see the taken images to compare lighting, composition, etc between shots. Is it known, if the "viewer" of the Fuji Software shows raw or (embedded)jpg? Does the software work "in 10bit" on a "10bit Workstation" (10bit Displays and capable gpu)?

[@KeithCooper]

Just JPEG, you need something to process/see the RAW files No idea about the '10bit stuff' I'm afraid

[@evdorst]

Hello, thank you for your video. I am trying to get live view to work on my Fujifilm X-T5 camera, but no matter what I try, it doesn’t work. I understand from Fujifilm that it only works for the GFX series. Could that be correct?

[@KeithCooper]

You need to check the fine print on the download page - it has lots of the small cameras mentioned, but with assorted provisos. See also the Fujifilm forum at dpreview.com My own knowledge of this is somewhat limited... The GFX100S is the first Fujifilm camera I've used since my ST605N SLR when I was at school in the 70's ;-)

[@jamesmgreen15]

Super interesting:)

[@KeithCooper]

Thanks - fixes many issues I had with the GFX

[@jimduncan7764]

Thanks

[@KeithCooper]

Thanks!

[@Pat-1000]

I must get this , thank you for the heads up Keith , separately would you have a link for that small light you have lit please.

[@KeithCooper]

Thanks - see here for details about the light www.northlight-images.co.uk/video-gc30-led-lamp/

[@Pat-1000]

@@KeithCooper Thank you so much

[@simonpetergreen]

that overlay is most useful for stop frame animators. (Wallace and Gromit)

[@KeithCooper]

Thanks - I'd not thought of that

[@simonpetergreen]

@@KeithCooper yes a whole other science.... called onion skinning - for info aardmen transitioned from traditional "video cameras" to dslr' (canon 5 mk 3) around 2012.... a revolutionary moment at that time but now considered "normal" to make high quality animations with dslr's

[@simonpetergreen]

fwiw I am fuji til I die... and its been super frustrating not having decent tethering for over a decade - a basic requirement imho - there are many hacks to try and do it blah blah some work better than others... especially in a world where a client "expects" (??) to see instant feedback images over your shoulder on a monitor while you are working. (ie: fashion) - I am looking forward to trying this software so much thanks for your review I hadn't even heard about it before now loool

[@simonpetergreen]

@@friendofarca6550 thank you for your contribution

[@ateliercunha2876]

Thanks 🙏

[@KeithCooper]

Still not found the manual...

[@ateliercunha2876]

@@KeithCooper The same here 😞

[@johncl27]

I have the X S10 and a PC and have downloaded and installed the software, connected my camera...it shows up in the app but no live view...I can take a photo and it will come up in the preview window and it will save it to a chosen folder...the connection setting is set to USB TETHER SHOOTING AUTO...how do I get the live view working?

[@KeithCooper]

Have you read the compatibility chart? fujifilm-x.com/global/support/compatibility/software/tether-app/ Does a plugin need installing? - the GFX setting says to specifically remove any such plugin. I don't have any X cameras to test this

[@johncl27]

@@KeithCooper the X S10 is listed as being compatible but I have just noticed that the chart does have a note to say that "All functions are available if FUJIFILM Tether Shooting Plug-in PRO is installed on the computer." Maybe the capture functions...so does control of settings like film sims and all their controls but the live view seems to be the only thing missing to me....I'll do some more testing tomorrow before shelling out USD$79 for the plug-in

[@sgroadie6367]

Just tried it, thanks for the recommendation. But for some reason, the live view image on my desktop looks quite low resolution. Will play around the settings to see if it improves. Secondly, it Fujifilm is reading this, please make a version for iOS m at least to run on iPad.

[@KeithCooper]

It doesn't do full res AFAIK - that's what the zoom is for IIRC

[@stephanzobeley9443]

I have checked this yesterday and it's quite good and so far reliable. Fuji is saying this works as a plugin with LR, I wonder how that would work ? It's not starting up automatically when I start tethered capture in LR and there is no way to start it from the plugin manager. It works on it's own and automated with a watched folder in LR, though. But you still have to switch between the two apps. Hmmh...

[@KeithCooper]

Yes - a good one. Can't help with LR though, but it does get mentioned in a popup when you first start the software

[@markmalboeuf8675]

I got it working in LrC - I did have to go in and trash the prior Tether Pro plugin, per the Note *1 item in the install instructions for the GFX100/50 cameras. If that is installed, you can see where it is by selecting it in the Plugin Manager in LrC - that will show the path to it. AFAICT, you only get a floating bar with basic info and shutter button, so you still want the App itself open for Live View.

[@stephanzobeley9443]

@@markmalboeuf8675 thx Mark will check

[@imranfotography]

Sounds good, finally we got something as I’ve been waiting for. 👍

[@mortenthorpe]

Ditch Adobe software! Their lates license term update enables them to steal your images, using them for AI generated images

[@ateliercunha2876]

Where is the manual? Can´t find it.

[@KeithCooper]

Not found one myself either - adds to the fun :-)

[@annespellberg7173]

Shouldn't it be wireless tethering?

[@KeithCooper]

Not sure what you mean? - wireless is supported, but I always use cables in the studio, especially since powering the camera at the same time now works.

[@f.kieranfinney457]

this looks like a dead end product. They haven't updated it for the latest MacOS and are heavily promoting Fuji XAcquire instead.

[@KeithCooper]

Don't see that it does?... Works just fine on Mac OS 14.6 - used it when testing a Macro lens last week. If you meant 15.0 then I've a longstanding policy of ignoring Apple major OS updates which end in .0 on any machine I use for work... ;-)

[@f.kieranfinney457]

It just seems like Fuji is pushing everyone to use XAcquire while pumping up its abilities. Most hardware companies go through something similar with a raft of single purpose connectivity apps slowly abandoned as they coalesce around a single solution. I’d guess it won’t be long before you just download Acquire and it adds a LR plug-in. My biggest disappointment is there’s no way to do direct wireless tethering without connecting to an existing network. We should be able to use the laptop as a hotspot/server. I was doing that with my Canon 15 yrs ago. MacOS updates are fine it’s just that third party developers don’t always keep up. I’ve never had a .0 update harm a computer in the 44 years I’ve been an Apple user. But I’ve had lots of unhappy apps.

[@KeithCooper]

@@f.kieranfinney457 Fair enough, but x-aq doesn't really do much of any use for me as far as I can see [this is a LR and C1 free zone] I do find Canon stuff more comprehensive in this area - The new Tether App version is closer to EOS Utility - that's what this video is essentially concerned with. Unhappy apps are an unhappy user - said as a Mac user since 1988. Blame who you like but I'll only ever install brand new stuff on a 'test' machine where failure won't hit the business... or cause me support grief. Which these days, only covers my wife's Mac, making my update policy even more belt and braces ;-)