K-5: Yes, but does it tether?

davemdsn · 10-22-2010, 06:31 AM

I love my K-7s, but I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the inability to tether in studio. I have sworn off Pentax for all future purchases, although I don't foresee needing new gear for a while anyway. However, I could be swayed back into the Pentax camp if they were to start offering tethering, and I mean real tethering with real apps like Aperture and Lightroom, not with the lousy Pentax software.

It may seem petty to some, but for my work it's a really big deal. Regardless of how good this new model is I'm likely to be moving to one of the two bigger players next time I'm updating my gear.

So someone please tell me it tethers.

dgaies · 10-22-2010, 06:33 AM

Originally posted by davemdsn

So someone please tell me it tethers.

Sorry, but as far as I know it doesn't tether as you describe.

kenyee · 10-22-2010, 06:49 AM

Nope, but supposedly some sort of tethering is in the works. I find it useful for product photography too. It's hard to see what's focused on the LCD.
I suspect they won't do really good tethering until they add support for USB 3.0 for the extra speed over USB 2.0 which is too slow for the massive 20MB+ files of the latest generation of cameras...

WerTicus · 10-22-2010, 07:18 AM

should work over eye-fi?

telfish · 10-22-2010, 07:28 AM

Originally posted by WerTicus

should work over eye-fi?

My k5 will not read write or format my eye-fi card. Not sure if it's the firmware or what. My KX is fine with it and reads,writes and transmits ok. I use it with my ipad as a tethering device without wires.

brecklundin · 10-22-2010, 07:42 AM

sigh....here is some info that should help:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/116344-k-5-tethered-sh...ml?src=subsct2

And NO EyeFi is NOT TETHERING. It is simply remote files transfer and USB 3.0 is not needed for tethering, file xfer is not the primary concern it is remote control and the ability to compose and get better focus via zooming using live view over the USB connection. Canon and Nikon and others do this just fine under USB 2.0.

But I recommend that thread and some other posts here and there over the past month or so to get into the issue as a non-trivial one.

brecklundin · 10-22-2010, 07:52 AM

Originally posted by davemdsn

I love my K-7s, but I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the inability to tether in studio. I have sworn off Pentax for all future purchases, although I don't foresee needing new gear for a while anyway. However, I could be swayed back into the Pentax camp if they were to start offering tethering, and I mean real tethering with real apps like Aperture and Lightroom, not with the lousy Pentax software.

It may seem petty to some, but for my work it's a really big deal. Regardless of how good this new model is I'm likely to be moving to one of the two bigger players next time I'm updating my gear.

So someone please tell me it tethers.

As you have found, nope it's not there....again...but it is also not in the $10,000 645D...amazing, huh? I too need and use it extensively and specifically did not buy the K-7 when I learned, in passing, that it did not and would not ever support tethering...I was floored and told myself I would give HoyaTax one last shot at offering a modern and up to day camera before going back to Canon. I am still waiting because of the info in the link to the thread in my post above where we got conflicting details from Photokina. I don't see how Hoya could market a 645D and call it a pro-body w/o tethering and since, apparently the K5 is essentially the same hardware inside on that side of the equation, there should be no reason it is not possible to add via firmware and revamp their Remote Assistant software to get it up and running.

But sorry to say if it's not here within 6-months, it's not gonna happen. Since I won't even consider a new body until it's at least that mature I had planed waiting anyway so, we'll see I suppose.

Hang in there and you are not alone as around 27% of people voted for tethering in this thread:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/117723-what-do-we-real...ml?src=subsct2

But almost 35% have voted for a lens roadmap fer gawds sakes...over features on the camera, they voted for a Powerpoint slide with a lense chart with mythical timeline...

Rory · 10-22-2010, 07:59 AM

Is this something they could add with firmware updates?

brecklundin · 10-22-2010, 08:26 AM

Originally posted by Rory

Is this something they could add with firmware updates?

Theoretically, yes...but as nobody knows the real hardware setup....yet...it's difficult to say for sure from outside the Hoya Star Chamber.

Part of the problem is also exposing the system to 3rd party apps like Lightroom, Aperture and several others which offer custom tethering solutions for the major players. So far Hoya does not seem to play well with others in the software arena so that too is a coin toss.

I sense it simply comes down to if Hoya is willing to spend the money to make it happen on both the 645D and the K-5. I would say it's difficult to justify the omission from either body as similar class models from other mfgs all support tethering...heck, even the lower end models have tethering in several cases.

telfish · 10-22-2010, 08:34 AM

Originally posted by brecklundin

sigh....here is some info that should help:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/116344-k-5-tethered-sh...ml?src=subsct2

And NO EyeFi is NOT TETHERING. It is simply remote files transfer and USB 3.0 is not needed for tethering, file xfer is not the primary concern it is remote control and the ability to compose and get better focus via zooming using live view over the USB connection. Canon and Nikon and others do this just fine under USB 2.0.

But I recommend that thread and some other posts here and there over the past month or so to get into the issue as a non-trivial one.

You are right it's not tethering. However with am eye-fi card an ipad and an app called shutter snitch I can take a shot and review it on screen within a few seconds automatically. I can't control the camera obviously but it's a workaround. The ipad can be set alongside the camera and you can adjust the settings directly. Or the ipad can be set before your client so they can see the results and suggest changes. Is it perfect, no it's not perfect it's a workaround and an expensive one at that. I would like tethering believe me but until then this is the best I can do.

brecklundin · 10-22-2010, 08:44 AM

Originally posted by telfish

You are right it's not tethering. However with am eye-fi card an ipad and an app called shutter snitch I can take a shot and review it on screen within a few seconds automatically. I can't control the camera obviously but it's a workaround. The ipad can be set alongside the camera and you can adjust the settings directly. Or the ipad can be set before your client so they can see the results and suggest changes. Is it perfect, no it's not perfect it's a workaround and an expensive one at that. I would like tethering believe me but until then this is the best I can do.

oh, sure, yeah absolutely anyone not using a K20D has to work around it the best they can. I like your solution save for the need of a $500 iPad...hehehehe...and I also LOVE the EyeFi card for uploading files pretty quickly. So sorry if that came out wrong in how I wrote it. It's just I did not read your post well enough to realize you know what real tethering is and in the other threads I have learned so many people actually don't know what tethering is and how useful it can be even if just for fun. It sure can help solve a lot of people's frustrations when trying to learn macro shooting.

telfish · 10-22-2010, 09:02 AM

Originally posted by brecklundin

oh, sure, yeah absolutely anyone not using a K20D has to work around it the best they can. I like your solution save for the need of a $500 iPad...hehehehe...and I also LOVE the EyeFi card for uploading files pretty quickly. So sorry if that came out wrong in how I wrote it. It's just I did not read your post well enough to realize you know what real tethering is and in the other threads I have learned so many people actually don't know what tethering is and how useful it can be even if just for fun. It sure can help solve a lot of people's frustrations when trying to learn macro shooting.

The reason I did this setup was precisely to view macro shots at a decent size to check critical focus. It also helps when doing layered focus shots as you can check the differences between frames. Not sure if true tethering would improve that as I would like to control the focus point from the camera. The liveview and improved af on the K5 would be useful in that respect. Pity the eye-fi card does not want to play with it.

Anyone else tried an eye-fi with a K5?

WerTicus · 10-22-2010, 12:25 PM

Originally posted by brecklundin

But almost 35% have voted for a lens roadmap fer gawds sakes...over features on the camera, they voted for a Powerpoint slide with a lense chart with mythical timeline...

Maybe tethering is on the road map!

For studio work why not just use a k10d or k20d then? K-5 would be really better in a studio situation?

EdMaximus · 10-22-2010, 01:53 PM

For what I do, the only shortcoming the K7 has is the lack of tethering. The K5 might be the best damn camera Pentax ever made, I will not upgrade until there's an indication that it will support tethering.

rawr · 10-22-2010, 02:36 PM

Maybe one of the medium format guys can correct me, but I do recall seeing somewhere recently (in one of the Photokina reports?) that Pentax has committed to making tethering available on the 645D.

If that turns out to be the case, I expect it may also become available on other cameras, given some of the electronic and software similarities between the K-7/K-5 and the 645D.

10-22-2010, 06:31 AM	#1
davemdsn Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,413	K-5: Yes, but does it tether? I love my K-7s, but I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the inability to tether in studio. I have sworn off Pentax for all future purchases, although I don't foresee needing new gear for a while anyway. However, I could be swayed back into the Pentax camp if they were to start offering tethering, and I mean real tethering with real apps like Aperture and Lightroom, not with the lousy Pentax software. It may seem petty to some, but for my work it's a really big deal. Regardless of how good this new model is I'm likely to be moving to one of the two bigger players next time I'm updating my gear. So someone please tell me it tethers.

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10-22-2010, 06:33 AM	#2
dgaies Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Maryland / Washington DC Posts: 3,917	Originally posted by davemdsn So someone please tell me it tethers. Sorry, but as far as I know it doesn't tether as you describe.

10-22-2010, 06:49 AM	#3
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	Nope, but supposedly some sort of tethering is in the works. I find it useful for product photography too. It's hard to see what's focused on the LCD. I suspect they won't do really good tethering until they add support for USB 3.0 for the extra speed over USB 2.0 which is too slow for the massive 20MB+ files of the latest generation of cameras...

10-22-2010, 07:18 AM	#4
WerTicus Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Perth Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,514	should work over eye-fi?

10-22-2010, 07:28 AM	#5
telfish Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: NY Posts: 407	Originally posted by WerTicus should work over eye-fi? My k5 will not read write or format my eye-fi card. Not sure if it's the firmware or what. My KX is fine with it and reads,writes and transmits ok. I use it with my ipad as a tethering device without wires.

10-22-2010, 07:42 AM	#6
brecklundin Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,674	sigh....here is some info that should help: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/116344-k-5-tethered-sh...ml?src=subsct2 And NO EyeFi is NOT TETHERING. It is simply remote files transfer and USB 3.0 is not needed for tethering, file xfer is not the primary concern it is remote control and the ability to compose and get better focus via zooming using live view over the USB connection. Canon and Nikon and others do this just fine under USB 2.0. But I recommend that thread and some other posts here and there over the past month or so to get into the issue as a non-trivial one.

10-22-2010, 07:52 AM	#7
brecklundin Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,674	Originally posted by davemdsn I love my K-7s, but I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the inability to tether in studio. I have sworn off Pentax for all future purchases, although I don't foresee needing new gear for a while anyway. However, I could be swayed back into the Pentax camp if they were to start offering tethering, and I mean real tethering with real apps like Aperture and Lightroom, not with the lousy Pentax software. It may seem petty to some, but for my work it's a really big deal. Regardless of how good this new model is I'm likely to be moving to one of the two bigger players next time I'm updating my gear. So someone please tell me it tethers. As you have found, nope it's not there....again...but it is also not in the $10,000 645D...amazing, huh? I too need and use it extensively and specifically did not buy the K-7 when I learned, in passing, that it did not and would not ever support tethering...I was floored and told myself I would give HoyaTax one last shot at offering a modern and up to day camera before going back to Canon. I am still waiting because of the info in the link to the thread in my post above where we got conflicting details from Photokina. I don't see how Hoya could market a 645D and call it a pro-body w/o tethering and since, apparently the K5 is essentially the same hardware inside on that side of the equation, there should be no reason it is not possible to add via firmware and revamp their Remote Assistant software to get it up and running. But sorry to say if it's not here within 6-months, it's not gonna happen. Since I won't even consider a new body until it's at least that mature I had planed waiting anyway so, we'll see I suppose. Hang in there and you are not alone as around 27% of people voted for tethering in this thread: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/117723-what-do-we-real...ml?src=subsct2 But almost 35% have voted for a lens roadmap fer gawds sakes...over features on the camera, they voted for a Powerpoint slide with a lense chart with mythical timeline...

10-22-2010, 07:59 AM	#8
Rory Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Chicago Photos: Gallery Posts: 672	Is this something they could add with firmware updates?

10-22-2010, 08:26 AM	#9
brecklundin Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,674	Originally posted by Rory Is this something they could add with firmware updates? Theoretically, yes...but as nobody knows the real hardware setup....yet...it's difficult to say for sure from outside the Hoya Star Chamber. Part of the problem is also exposing the system to 3rd party apps like Lightroom, Aperture and several others which offer custom tethering solutions for the major players. So far Hoya does not seem to play well with others in the software arena so that too is a coin toss. I sense it simply comes down to if Hoya is willing to spend the money to make it happen on both the 645D and the K-5. I would say it's difficult to justify the omission from either body as similar class models from other mfgs all support tethering...heck, even the lower end models have tethering in several cases.

10-22-2010, 08:34 AM	#10
telfish Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: NY Posts: 407	Originally posted by brecklundin sigh....here is some info that should help: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/116344-k-5-tethered-sh...ml?src=subsct2 And NO EyeFi is NOT TETHERING. It is simply remote files transfer and USB 3.0 is not needed for tethering, file xfer is not the primary concern it is remote control and the ability to compose and get better focus via zooming using live view over the USB connection. Canon and Nikon and others do this just fine under USB 2.0. But I recommend that thread and some other posts here and there over the past month or so to get into the issue as a non-trivial one. You are right it's not tethering. However with am eye-fi card an ipad and an app called shutter snitch I can take a shot and review it on screen within a few seconds automatically. I can't control the camera obviously but it's a workaround. The ipad can be set alongside the camera and you can adjust the settings directly. Or the ipad can be set before your client so they can see the results and suggest changes. Is it perfect, no it's not perfect it's a workaround and an expensive one at that. I would like tethering believe me but until then this is the best I can do.

10-22-2010, 08:44 AM	#11
brecklundin Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,674	Originally posted by telfish You are right it's not tethering. However with am eye-fi card an ipad and an app called shutter snitch I can take a shot and review it on screen within a few seconds automatically. I can't control the camera obviously but it's a workaround. The ipad can be set alongside the camera and you can adjust the settings directly. Or the ipad can be set before your client so they can see the results and suggest changes. Is it perfect, no it's not perfect it's a workaround and an expensive one at that. I would like tethering believe me but until then this is the best I can do. oh, sure, yeah absolutely anyone not using a K20D has to work around it the best they can. I like your solution save for the need of a $500 iPad...hehehehe...and I also LOVE the EyeFi card for uploading files pretty quickly. So sorry if that came out wrong in how I wrote it. It's just I did not read your post well enough to realize you know what real tethering is and in the other threads I have learned so many people actually don't know what tethering is and how useful it can be even if just for fun. It sure can help solve a lot of people's frustrations when trying to learn macro shooting.

10-22-2010, 09:02 AM	#12
telfish Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: NY Posts: 407	Originally posted by brecklundin oh, sure, yeah absolutely anyone not using a K20D has to work around it the best they can. I like your solution save for the need of a $500 iPad...hehehehe...and I also LOVE the EyeFi card for uploading files pretty quickly. So sorry if that came out wrong in how I wrote it. It's just I did not read your post well enough to realize you know what real tethering is and in the other threads I have learned so many people actually don't know what tethering is and how useful it can be even if just for fun. It sure can help solve a lot of people's frustrations when trying to learn macro shooting. The reason I did this setup was precisely to view macro shots at a decent size to check critical focus. It also helps when doing layered focus shots as you can check the differences between frames. Not sure if true tethering would improve that as I would like to control the focus point from the camera. The liveview and improved af on the K5 would be useful in that respect. Pity the eye-fi card does not want to play with it. Anyone else tried an eye-fi with a K5?

10-22-2010, 12:25 PM	#13
WerTicus Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Perth Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,514	Originally posted by brecklundin But almost 35% have voted for a lens roadmap fer gawds sakes...over features on the camera, they voted for a Powerpoint slide with a lense chart with mythical timeline... Maybe tethering is on the road map! For studio work why not just use a k10d or k20d then? K-5 would be really better in a studio situation?

10-22-2010, 01:53 PM	#14
EdMaximus Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: New York Posts: 318	For what I do, the only shortcoming the K7 has is the lack of tethering. The K5 might be the best damn camera Pentax ever made, I will not upgrade until there's an indication that it will support tethering.

10-22-2010, 02:36 PM	#15
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Maybe one of the medium format guys can correct me, but I do recall seeing somewhere recently (in one of the Photokina reports?) that Pentax has committed to making tethering available on the 645D. If that turns out to be the case, I expect it may also become available on other cameras, given some of the electronic and software similarities between the K-7/K-5 and the 645D.