Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Sony remote control app
- Thread starter katbel
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
That's one thing I've never tried, controlling the camera with my iPhone. When I have the camera on a tripod and need to make sure that nothing moves, I use a separate physical remote (in my case, it's a wired one, but there are also wireless ones). I can then fire off the shutter with the remote when I'm ready and I don't need to be holding the camera or standing there peering through the EVF, I can be at a distance from the camera.
Sony and other companies make wired and wireless remote controls. I think I got mine through Amazon.
Sony and other companies make wired and wireless remote controls. I think I got mine through Amazon.
You might give the Cascable app a try. I know they support Sony cameras, but don’t know if your particular model is on their list. They’re a small Swedish company.
Edit: I guess Sony made some changes to their software protocols around the time of the a6400 which shut down some of the capabilities third-party developers could use. Does some control but not all.
Edit: I guess Sony made some changes to their software protocols around the time of the a6400 which shut down some of the capabilities third-party developers could use. Does some control but not all.
Last edited:
This is probably a stupid question, but under which shooting circumstances would one be wanting to use their iPhone to control their camera in the first place?
Ah.....thanks! I don't do either, so no wonder I haven't been interested in looking at iPhone programs which control my camera!
One thing I like, more on an iPad rather than iPhone I suppose, is the larger live view real estate for getting critical focus in some situations.
Also great for any shot that you want to be in. And since you can get the live preview on the phone, it's also good for setting up a shot and checking framing as you move things around if you can't happen to see the screen.
Thanks, both of you! Heh, there's NO shot that I would want to be in! I am much happier behind the lens than in front of it. I do like the idea of being able to use the iPhone to see the framing/composition of a shot as I'm preparing things.
I use it routinely with real estate photography and where no drones are allowed. With pole photography, I can raise my camera 21' (usually less as too much roof on single story homes) for Birdseye view of front where lawn, entry walkway, landscape stand out supporting the house. Sometimes in the rear if lakefront and gives a broader perspective. Have also used for landscape (elevated perspective) and wildlife (eye-level, but far enough back with telephoto to not disturb like a drone) of nesting birds.
Sony app clunky - absolutely. Probably the one thing I missed when transitioned from Nikon to Sony was my Camranger became obsolete and there was no support, forcing me to adapt to the Sony app. Fast forward, the current Camrangers now support Sony. While I may drool over it's capabilities, my uses are so incidental that not willing to fork out and will continue to use Sony. I think there is now a lower cost competitor to Camranger, but haven't investigated it.
If all you care about is remote shutter release and don’t need the live preview, there are also Bluetooth remotes that are way cheaper. I don’t know about the Sony one but the canon one works great (then again so does the canon app), but if the Sony one is bad there are also 3rd party ones that just connect to the wired shutter release port.
May I know model and name please?
There are so many around and reading the reviews to understand which one works is time consuming and stressing.
I’ve been looking to take long exposures photos but if I use the bulb mode there is no way of setting the shutter for the time I want, at least I didn’t find it on my Sony.
Mine is a Sony RM-SPR1 (wired). I went with wired because I don't use this very often and I figured that with a wired one I wouldn't need to worry about charging the thing up before each use. It's a very simple device -- basically I plug it into the camera and when I'm ready to click the shutter I press the button on the remote, rather than the shutter button on the camera. I think some of the wireless remotes have more functions and features.
As for Bulb mode, I have never used that on any of my Sonys so am not going to be able to offer much help there. I would think that there would be some info in the camera manual or online guide which would explain how to set that up......
OK, I took a look and it seems that you will need a wireless remote (Sony calls it a "Commander") that has a shutter lock function. You would just have to press the shutter button down and lock it for the time period you wish to keep the shutter open, and it would then automatically close at the end of that period.
Hopefully another Sony user on here who actually has a wireless Remote Commander and who does use Bulb Mode from time to Tim will chime in and give you a better answer to your question about which model to buy.....
Bulb shooting is suitable for shooting trails from stars or fireworks, etc.
As for Bulb mode, I have never used that on any of my Sonys so am not going to be able to offer much help there. I would think that there would be some info in the camera manual or online guide which would explain how to set that up......
OK, I took a look and it seems that you will need a wireless remote (Sony calls it a "Commander") that has a shutter lock function. You would just have to press the shutter button down and lock it for the time period you wish to keep the shutter open, and it would then automatically close at the end of that period.
Hopefully another Sony user on here who actually has a wireless Remote Commander and who does use Bulb Mode from time to Tim will chime in and give you a better answer to your question about which model to buy.....
Bulb shooting
You can shoot a trailing image of the movement of a subject with long exposure.Bulb shooting is suitable for shooting trails from stars or fireworks, etc.
- Set the mode dial to M (Manual Exposure).
- Turn the control wheel counterclockwise until [BULB] is indicated.
- Set the aperture value (F-value) by turning the control dial.
- Press the shutter button halfway down to focus.
- Press and hold the shutter button for the duration of the shooting.
As long as the shutter button is pressed, the shutter remains open.
Hint
- When shooting fireworks, etc., focus at infinity in manual focus mode. If you use a lens whose infinity point is unclear, adjust the focus on the fireworks in the area you want to focus on in advance.
- In order to perform bulb shooting without causing the image quality to deteriorate, we recommend that you start shooting while the camera is cool.
- Images shot in [BULB] mode tend to be blurry. We recommend that you use a tripod and a remote commander (sold separately) that has a shutter button lock function. Use a remote commander supporting connection via multi/micro USB jack.
Note
- The longer the exposure time, the more noise will be visible on the image.
- When [
Long Exposure NR] is set to [On], noise reduction is performed after shooting for the same duration that the shutter was open. You cannot shoot while noise reduction is in progress.
- You cannot set the shutter speed to [BULB] in the following situations:
- [Smile Shutter]
- [Auto HDR]
- [Picture Effect] is set to [HDR Painting] or [Rich-tone Mono.].
- [Multi Frame NR]
- When [Drive Mode] is set to the following:
- [Cont. Shooting]
- [Self-timer(Cont)]
- [Cont. Bracket]
- [Silent Shooting]
Last edited:
Thanks !
I found the Bulb shooting too and this is why I was asking
I just found an app that connects the iPad or iPhone, Sony Shutter . It’s ok
but a wired remote would be better ( less camera battery consumption ) because it doesn’t use the wifi always on
and should work right away, instead of setting the iPhone on the different camera network and waiting to see it.
I definitely prefer the wireless remote if that’s an option. As Clix Pix mentions in Sony land this is called a remote commander. With my Canon (can’t speak for Sony) it‘s Bluetooth low energy so barely takes any extra power from the camera. And it’s so tiny (without the actual cable) compared to the wired remote that I tend to bring it more places.
Also, this would be a good question to ask on the Sony forum, too..... I'm sure that there are members there who use either wired or wireless "remote commanders" for various purposes and would be able to offer further information and guidance on this.