[JeffJS]

Well it would be if Pentax would allow us to use it

True, but I meant in general not specifically Pentax related.

[Catalana]

I am somewhat disappointed with the lack of tethering for the K-7, but I knew that when I bought it. At some point I was hoping that the K-5 would have it (and it may yet have the ability to have it enabled), but at the moment I don't think so. Tethering sure would come in handy for close up macro work.

Yesterday I took a hard look at the D7000...Nikon's software does support it. Only time will tell, i.e., after some thorough reviews, but I might just end up with two systems.

[jpzk]

Sorry to say this but I am totally inexperienced with tethering and I don't intend to use it at all, according to what I have been reading on this thread.

However ... for those who actually NEED this attribute on a DSLR, I am wondering:

Isn't the K5 already geared up (electronic components) to make this possible?
Is this something missing just because of the firmware?

What is needed that the K5 doesn't have to make it work?

JP

[brecklundin]

Sorry to say this but I am totally inexperienced with tethering and I don't intend to use it at all, according to what I have been reading on this thread.

However ... for those who actually NEED this attribute on a DSLR, I am wondering:

Isn't the K5 already geared up (electronic components) to make this possible?
Is this something missing just because of the firmware?

What is needed that the K5 doesn't have to make it work?

JP

Hey Ya,

Cool you asked about tethering. What is really refers to is probably better called wired remote control over your camera. But it's called tethering by everyone so, ya knoooow!!

Anyway, what happens is you connect your camera to the USB port on the camera and run some software on your PC to control the camera settings as well as see live view previews of the shot plus images are transfered to your PC in real-time (this is where some folks can get by with with just an EyeFi card which does nothing but file transfer to not only your camera but also, in a most cool fashion can send your photos directly to some image hosting services like SmugMug, Zenfolio, Flickr(?) and other accounts but that is a different thread... ).

Early versions implementations of tethering did not offer any sort of image live view or preview so you had to take the shot let it fully transfer then you could see how the shot came out. But it was better than no remote control of the camera. Using the software on a computer (lots prefer laptops/notebooks because they use tethering live in the field somewhere, often actually in a field in the middle of the night!! because to them, well freezing their 'extra-bits' off in the middle of a frozen field is fun while shooting nocturnal critters or starts or lawds knows what.

The last Pentax camera to support tethering was the K20D. And even then it did not support live view sent to the computer in real time so you have to live with the preview option or actual shots but you do get full control over the camera via the PC. Actually if Pentax had supported live view of the images AND the control via software their software was not bad at all. It was called Pentax Remote Assistant. There are much more advanced programs out there generally between $100-$200 in price but all the camera makers seem to provide tethering software which works for their needs. And now Lightroom 3.x supports tethering for some cameras but I haven't paid attention as Pentax is not one of them.

Tethering fell off the planet in the Pentax world with the K-7 and, in true Pentax fashion, with not explanation. There was a thread I don't recall if it was dedicated to tethering or just general discussion about the K7 in which it was discussed what reasoning Pentax had to remove the tethering. I am not sure if someone actually knew the answer. Part of me wants to say the deice hacker sorts out there learned it was able to tether but not enabled in the firmware, then again someone might have explained there was a hardware limitation. I honestly do not remember...all I cared about is Pentax left out a very important part of a modern DSLR that many, many people, hobby shooters and pro shooters, use daily. And did so without ever mentioning it to anyone. So I am sure more than a few people bought their K-7 only to feel let down to find it was not there. People save for a year or more to buy a camera and it sure would have been nice to have been told by Pentax that tethering was removed and why, it might have helped to know officially.

Now on to the K-5, well nobody knows if it's tethering able, but my suspicion is the hardware easily can make it work. When Falk asked the Pentax Germany folks at Photokina apparently they asked Pentax Japan who acknowledged the matter but gave no answer either way. Just the thundering sound of being dismissed again by Pentax Japan. Not a fun feeling for sure.

As for more info on tethering here are some links to help:

Pentax has fixed about all my complaints about the K-7 ... EXCEPT Tethering !

Tethering is very important to anyone that does a studio shoot or needs to show clients or themselves what the image looks like on the big screen.

I would love to take my iPad or other small laptop and see live my architectural shots, studio shots, etc up close and personal.

I can't tell you the number of times I have been working with another photographer and had to hand him or her the camera so they could see the image I just took.

Missing that feature keeps Pentax in the amateur class. I know MANY folks that like Pentax, but use Canon "JUST BECAUSE OF TETHERING" ! They don't care for the size of Canon DSLR's and they have very few lenses, but the tethering feature is a deal breaker.

For me, I can put up with the fact Pentax does not have tethering, although it is a terrible inconvenience.

The only two missing links IMHO that keep the K-5 from being the "BEST OF SHOW" is tethering and an articulating screen ........ maybe the tethering will come in firmware, and maybe the articulating screen will come in the next model.

Those two Missing links will not stop me from purchasing the K-5, it has many great features that I have been waiting for. IMHO the K-5 is what the K-7 should have been !!!


wll

And here is a fast Google Search: dslr tethering - Google Search

I could break down that search for you but I think if you wade through the informational links, even for commercial software, you'll gain a nice understanding of it and why it's a genuinely important function on any modern DSLR from entry level to pro level and everything in between.

For a lot of us one reason tethering matters is we have tripods or put our cameras in positions where we are not able to see the screen or viewfinder or access any controls or again the control screen on top of the camera (if that camera has one). I frequently have to not use the ability of my tripod to horizontally position my camera out over the top of what I am shooting and instead need to use a setup that is less flattering and far more involved in post processing taking a lot more time simply because a given work area or item does not cooperate with the setup which works best. If I had tethering it's a 3-5 minute setup and shot(s) but w/o it then it's 20-60 minutes for the shots and post processing/editing to fix what I was unable to address at the time of taking the shot.

Other people use tethering to shoot at night, shoot at events as it provides the ability to show people the results pretty much instantly or just let them observe while out of your way while you work. This is where some point to the EyeFi as an option and it could be, for some, a reasonable, though expensive, work around but it has the drawback of reducing battery live by a fair bit.

I know that is a rough outline of tethering and someone else could offer a better explanation of the feature but I did my best. I hope it helps, though I did not offer a lot of detail...it's really far easier to do than to explain for me.

[thibs]

Sorry to say this but I am totally inexperienced with tethering and I don't intend to use it at all, according to what I have been reading on this thread.

However ... for those who actually NEED this attribute on a DSLR, I am wondering:

Isn't the K5 already geared up (electronic components) to make this possible?
Is this something missing just because of the firmware?

What is needed that the K5 doesn't have to make it work?

JP

IF the hardware is there, it just needs the firmware.
The K10 went WITHOUT tethering. It was added later by firmware update.

[jpzk]

Hey Ya,

Cool you asked about tethering. What is really refers to is probably better called wired remote control over your camera. But it's called tethering by everyone so, ya knoooow!!

Anyway, what happens is you connect your camera to the USB port on the camera and run some software on your PC to control the camera settings as well as see live view previews of the shot plus images are transfered to your PC in real-time (this is where some folks can get by with with just an EyeFi card which does nothing but file transfer to not only your camera but also, in a most cool fashion can send your photos directly to some image hosting services like SmugMug, Zenfolio, Flickr(?) and other accounts but that is a different thread... ).

Early versions implementations of tethering did not offer any sort of image live view or preview so you had to take the shot let it fully transfer then you could see how the shot came out. But it was better than no remote control of the camera. Using the software on a computer (lots prefer laptops/notebooks because they use tethering live in the field somewhere, often actually in a field in the middle of the night!! because to them, well freezing their 'extra-bits' off in the middle of a frozen field is fun while shooting nocturnal critters or starts or lawds knows what.

The last Pentax camera to support tethering was the K20D. And even then it did not support live view sent to the computer in real time so you have to live with the preview option or actual shots but you do get full control over the camera via the PC. Actually if Pentax had supported live view of the images AND the control via software their software was not bad at all. It was called Pentax Remote Assistant. There are much more advanced programs out there generally between $100-$200 in price but all the camera makers seem to provide tethering software which works for their needs. And now Lightroom 3.x supports tethering for some cameras but I haven't paid attention as Pentax is not one of them.

Tethering fell off the planet in the Pentax world with the K-7 and, in true Pentax fashion, with not explanation. There was a thread I don't recall if it was dedicated to tethering or just general discussion about the K7 in which it was discussed what reasoning Pentax had to remove the tethering. I am not sure if someone actually knew the answer. Part of me wants to say the deice hacker sorts out there learned it was able to tether but not enabled in the firmware, then again someone might have explained there was a hardware limitation. I honestly do not remember...all I cared about is Pentax left out a very important part of a modern DSLR that many, many people, hobby shooters and pro shooters, use daily. And did so without ever mentioning it to anyone. So I am sure more than a few people bought their K-7 only to feel let down to find it was not there. People save for a year or more to buy a camera and it sure would have been nice to have been told by Pentax that tethering was removed and why, it might have helped to know officially.

Now on to the K-5, well nobody knows if it's tethering able, but my suspicion is the hardware easily can make it work. When Falk asked the Pentax Germany folks at Photokina apparently they asked Pentax Japan who acknowledged the matter but gave no answer either way. Just the thundering sound of being dismissed again by Pentax Japan. Not a fun feeling for sure.

As for more info on tethering here are some links to help:



And here is a fast Google Search: dslr tethering - Google Search

I could break down that search for you but I think if you wade through the informational links, even for commercial software, you'll gain a nice understanding of it and why it's a genuinely important function on any modern DSLR from entry level to pro level and everything in between.

For a lot of us one reason tethering matters is we have tripods or put our cameras in positions where we are not able to see the screen or viewfinder or access any controls or again the control screen on top of the camera (if that camera has one). I frequently have to not use the ability of my tripod to horizontally position my camera out over the top of what I am shooting and instead need to use a setup that is less flattering and far more involved in post processing taking a lot more time simply because a given work area or item does not cooperate with the setup which works best. If I had tethering it's a 3-5 minute setup and shot(s) but w/o it then it's 20-60 minutes for the shots and post processing/editing to fix what I was unable to address at the time of taking the shot.

Other people use tethering to shoot at night, shoot at events as it provides the ability to show people the results pretty much instantly or just let them observe while out of your way while you work. This is where some point to the EyeFi as an option and it could be, for some, a reasonable, though expensive, work around but it has the drawback of reducing battery live by a fair bit.

I know that is a rough outline of tethering and someone else could offer a better explanation of the feature but I did my best. I hope it helps, though I did not offer a lot of detail...it's really far easier to do than to explain for me.

That was quite a good write up on tethering, and thanks for all the time you took to explain it.

Now I know what this is all about, well not quite all of it but at least a good idea of it, and I imagine that this would indeed be a "must" to quite a few photographers here.

What really annoys me is that if the hardware is there in some form or another, and if all it needs to work is a firmware revision, by George! Pentax, do it!

Wouldn't you think that perhaps Pentax has it " in store", somewhere hidden in their top secret drawers and they are just waiting for enough "Please, Please, Please!!! Make it Happen" sort of complaint?

Strange enough to see such a high tech "toy" come out with incredible bells and whistles and yet Pentax neglecting giving users a tool which seemingly would be so easy to implement?

I'll keep abreast of all new developments on the matter anyway because I find this very interesting.
I might even become interested to try it out!

Cheers.

JP

[jpzk]

IF the hardware is there, it just needs the firmware.
The K10 went WITHOUT tethering. It was added later by firmware update.

That is what I am wondering as well: is the hardware there? If so, why is it (tethering) not implemented yet?

JP

[JeffJS]

That is what I am wondering as well: is the hardware there? If so, why is it (tethering) not implemented yet?

JP

If the camera is capable (and I'm saying that is a BIG If), it may not be ready yet. It may be ready by ship time or at a later date. The K10d Remote Assistant wasn't turned on until version 1.20 of the firmware (preceded by v1.10 and v1.11).

[jpzk]

If the camera is capable (and I'm saying that is a BIG If), it may not be ready yet. It may be ready by ship time or at a later date. The K10d Remote Assistant wasn't turned on until version 1.20 of the firmware (preceded by v1.10 and v1.11).

Would be nice to find out if that is the case of a hidden piece of hardware and all that is needed is the firmware fix!

Annoying, all of those "if's" !

JP

[BB_Zone28]

I was disappointed that the K-7 (and now the K-5) didn't have tethered shooting also!
It's also disappointing that other software like Capture One doesn't support Pentax even when the K20D was capable. (but they appear to suffer from CaNikon narrow mindedness beyond their medium format stuff) So, if Pentax doesn't step up and support tethered shooting, it won't happen.
It does tarnish the image of the K-5 being a "professional" camera. Too bad.

[rawr]

...It does tarnish the image of the K-5 being a "professional" camera. Too bad.

The K-5 isn't advertised as a 'professional camera'.

From Pentax Japan:
PENTAX
"PENTAX K-5 The flagship model of PENTAX K digital SLR camera series, offering high-quality images and user-friendly operation to satisfy the demands of advanced amateurs."

Which may mean either:
- they have a yet-to-be-revealed DSLR for 'professionals' in the pipeline,
- they think the 645D is their gear for pros, or
- that Pentax have opted out of serving the 'pro' market with their DSLR bodies.

It would be cool if the first point was true.

[Wheatfield]

The K-5 isn't advertised as a 'professional camera'.

From Pentax Japan:
PENTAX
"PENTAX K-5 The flagship model of PENTAX K digital SLR camera series, offering high-quality images and user-friendly operation to satisfy the demands of advanced amateurs."

Which may mean either:
- they have a yet-to-be-revealed DSLR for 'professionals' in the pipeline,
- they think the 645D is their gear for pros, or
- that Pentax have opted out of serving the 'pro' market with their DSLR bodies.

It would be cool if the first point was true.

If Pentax is true to their roots, then the APS-C format DSLRs will take over where their 35mm cameras left off, which is amateur oriented equipment.
The 645D will be what they consider to be pro grade.
Don't hold your breath expecting a 135 format DSLR from Pentax. Asphyxiation is not a pleasant way to die.

[rawr]

...Don't hold your breath expecting a 135 format DSLR from Pentax...

Actually I'm pretty cool with them sticking to 'advanced amateur'. I'm not a pro by any stretch of the imagination. Even 'advanced amateur' would be flattering to me.

[jboyde]

All I have to say about this is that Lightroom 3 has a tethering plugin for Leica! LEICA!!!

[brecklundin]

All I have to say about this is that Lightroom 3 has a tethering plugin for Leica! LEICA!!!

Heck, apparently the S2 ships with a full copy of LR...then again for nearly 30-grand it should be hand delivered by super models!!