Tethering for APS-C? Pentax USA open to the idea

Alizarine · 01-13-2012, 01:58 AM

Well, even the 645D (which is considered the "pro" camera of Pentax) doesn't support tethering.... odd. I just wish they bring back tethering even if it's only for the higher camera tier.

Chex · 01-13-2012, 03:36 AM

I've asked tkos if he was thinking of porting PK tether to android and said it might be a possibility in the future... because really. WTF is the point of tethering to a lap top for things such as time laps shooting over 999 frames.. laptop batteries would die way before you got to 999 frames. Would be nice to have it on something like a android tablet, like the asus eepad transformer that can get 12+ hours of battery life with it's dock.
I really don't think Pentax knows WTFS they are doing.. such a disappointment.

mattdm · 01-13-2012, 06:50 AM

Originally posted by dougfrey

I have worked for Japanese companies for over 20 years, and this is typical business style (relationship between Japan and US subsidiary) for Japanese companies. It not necessarily bad news.

Absolutely. The bad news comes in when people take their suggestions to Pentax USA (or Pentax Europe, *cough* *cough*) and then read too much into the response.

This is partly Pentax USA's own fault, though, because if they'd just be honest about this relationship, I think everyone would be better off.

thibs · 01-13-2012, 10:41 AM

A deal with Adobe for Lightroom tethering.

cwood · 01-13-2012, 10:43 AM

Capture One Pro is essentially a 3rd party software for tethering (although it is obviously built beside the Phase 1 bodies)... but it is the best tethering software I have ever seen and it seems like it SHOULD be easy to add Pentax compatibility if Pentax opened the door for them (I assume they would need access to some code...?). I have used that software with several Canon and Nikon cameras (5DmkII, 1DmkIV, D700, D3s) and it allows both full control of the camera as well as instant RAW processing for previewing. In short - it blows Canon's own software out of the water and it is a MAJOR improvement over something like Lightroom that can be configured to monitor a folder.

Anvh · 01-13-2012, 11:13 AM

Originally posted by Alizarine

Well, even the 645D (which is considered the "pro" camera of Pentax) doesn't support tethering.... odd. I just wish they bring back tethering even if it's only for the higher camera tier.

There is tethering support in all the current pentax cameras, that isn't the problem, there simply isn't software for it.

glanglois · 01-13-2012, 12:25 PM

Originally posted by mattdm

Absolutely. The bad news comes in when people take their suggestions to Pentax USA (or Pentax Europe, *cough* *cough*) and then read too much into the response.

This is partly Pentax USA's own fault, though, because if they'd just be honest about this relationship, I think everyone would be better off.

That's the other part - most Japanese companies believe that info on those matters (relationships among units) should stay within company walls. But I do recall JC, I think, writing here that Pentax USA could not get data on flash triggering voltage limits from Pentax Japan and implying that it's hard to get many questions answered via that route.

I also believe that Ned has indicated that he has very limited info on Tokyo's planning. But even that admission will likely diminish Ned's role in the eyes of the US market and will generate ill-will towards Pentax HQ. HQ will not be happy about that behavior although they may have simply concluded that the mass market won't find out or won't care.

H. Sapiens · 01-13-2012, 01:18 PM

Originally posted by cwood

Capture One Pro is essentially a 3rd party software for tethering (although it is obviously built beside the Phase 1 bodies)... but it is the best tethering software I have ever seen and it seems like it SHOULD be easy to add Pentax compatibility if Pentax opened the door for them (I assume they would need access to some code...?). I have used that software with several Canon and Nikon cameras (5DmkII, 1DmkIV, D700, D3s) and it allows both full control of the camera as well as instant RAW processing for previewing. In short - it blows Canon's own software out of the water and it is a MAJOR improvement over something like Lightroom that can be configured to monitor a folder.

Pentax already have, hopefully good, business relations with the Silkypix folks and I would be more than happy if they dumbed the Pentax Camera Utility and integrated tethering in the original program. Besides my k5, I have an Samsung GX10 and Samsung shipped it with full Silkypix, so don't see any reason why Pentax could not make a similar deal. Unfortunately, Pentax would probably be to proud to even consider ditching their own program, eventhough it is way sub par to the original.

On the other hand, Capture One is made in the city where I live, so if Pentax want me to investigate the possibilities they can get in touch with me

I even know one guy was involved in the company some years back.

zapp · 01-15-2012, 09:33 AM

The demand may be a little low for this feature, but the people who do demand such a software are most probably high end, lots of new gear customers...
I want tethered shooting.

Docrwm · 01-15-2012, 09:45 AM

Originally posted by zapp

The demand may be a little low for this feature, but the people who do demand such a software are most probably high end, lots of new gear customers...
I want tethered shooting.

Development cost, particularly if piggybacked on an existing tethering program, should not be too high. The benefits would appear to be primarily in grabbing pro level attention and utility for the cameras, which can't be a bad thing.

**TAP** · 01-15-2012, 03:07 PM

Originally posted by DragonLord

I've sent him a PM.

Edit: I got a response from tkos, but I'm not going to post it here. I'll wait for him to post to this thread.

--DragonLord

Should I hold my breath? The suspense is killing me!

bwDraco · 01-15-2012, 04:35 PM

I'm not sure if tkos is available to post on this thread. He responds to PMs but hasn't posted on the public forums for a long time. I'll send him another PM when I get a chance.

--DragonLord

tkos · 01-16-2012, 02:56 AM - **3 Likes**

Hi, I don't know why you so waiting for my info. I didn't receive any informations from Pentax US last time. One year ago I ask Pentax US, UK, DE, Japan for any information about communication protocol or any halp in development PK_Tether. I received answer only from Pentax US that they not develop DSLR at all and I should contact Pentax Japan. From other Pentax offices I didn't get any answer. Maybe in near future I will try once again ask Pentax US, but I don't expect nothing new. My experiences with big company is that - manager is telling what she has to or want, and it's not always consistent with what engineers are able to do.

Docrwm · 01-16-2012, 10:45 AM

Originally posted by tkos

Hi, I don't know why you so waiting for my info. I didn't receive any informations from Pentax US last time. One year ago I ask Pentax US, UK, DE, Japan for any information about communication protocol or any halp in development PK_Tether. I received answer only from Pentax US that they not develop DSLR at all and I should contact Pentax Japan. From other Pentax offices I didn't get any answer. Maybe in near future I will try once again ask Pentax US, but I don't expect nothing new. My experiences with big company is that - manager is telling what she has to or want, and it's not always consistent with what engineers are able to do.

Thanks for the efforts and for the program itself! It sounds frustrating but it might be that you can hold the PentaxUSA representative to his word and get some sort of specific contact at Pentax Japan to pitch your program to. Good luck and thanks for all the hard work on PK_Tether!

Alizarine · 01-16-2012, 06:28 PM

Originally posted by tkos

Hi, I don't know why you so waiting for my info. I didn't receive any informations from Pentax US last time. One year ago I ask Pentax US, UK, DE, Japan for any information about communication protocol or any halp in development PK_Tether. I received answer only from Pentax US that they not develop DSLR at all and I should contact Pentax Japan. From other Pentax offices I didn't get any answer. Maybe in near future I will try once again ask Pentax US, but I don't expect nothing new. My experiences with big company is that - manager is telling what she has to or want, and it's not always consistent with what engineers are able to do.

Thanks for the wonderful tethering program tkos! I do hope Pentax-Japan picks up the call and start discussions with you. The Pentax community will benefit a lot from your efforts if Pentax HQ acknowledges it.

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01-13-2012, 01:58 AM	#16
Alizarine Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Manila Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,185	Well, even the 645D (which is considered the "pro" camera of Pentax) doesn't support tethering.... odd. I just wish they bring back tethering even if it's only for the higher camera tier.

01-13-2012, 03:36 AM	#17
Chex Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: The 'Stoke, British Columbia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,678	I've asked tkos if he was thinking of porting PK tether to android and said it might be a possibility in the future... because really. WTF is the point of tethering to a lap top for things such as time laps shooting over 999 frames.. laptop batteries would die way before you got to 999 frames. Would be nice to have it on something like a android tablet, like the asus eepad transformer that can get 12+ hours of battery life with it's dock. I really don't think Pentax knows WTFS they are doing.. such a disappointment.

01-13-2012, 06:50 AM	#18
mattdm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,948	Originally posted by dougfrey I have worked for Japanese companies for over 20 years, and this is typical business style (relationship between Japan and US subsidiary) for Japanese companies. It not necessarily bad news. Absolutely. The bad news comes in when people take their suggestions to Pentax USA (or Pentax Europe, cough cough) and then read too much into the response. This is partly Pentax USA's own fault, though, because if they'd just be honest about this relationship, I think everyone would be better off.

01-13-2012, 10:41 AM	#19
thibs Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Photos: Albums Posts: 7,001	A deal with Adobe for Lightroom tethering.

01-13-2012, 10:43 AM	#20
cwood Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: California Posts: 851	Capture One Pro is essentially a 3rd party software for tethering (although it is obviously built beside the Phase 1 bodies)... but it is the best tethering software I have ever seen and it seems like it SHOULD be easy to add Pentax compatibility if Pentax opened the door for them (I assume they would need access to some code...?). I have used that software with several Canon and Nikon cameras (5DmkII, 1DmkIV, D700, D3s) and it allows both full control of the camera as well as instant RAW processing for previewing. In short - it blows Canon's own software out of the water and it is a MAJOR improvement over something like Lightroom that can be configured to monitor a folder.

01-13-2012, 11:13 AM	#21
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	Originally posted by Alizarine Well, even the 645D (which is considered the "pro" camera of Pentax) doesn't support tethering.... odd. I just wish they bring back tethering even if it's only for the higher camera tier. There is tethering support in all the current pentax cameras, that isn't the problem, there simply isn't software for it.

01-13-2012, 12:25 PM	#22
glanglois Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Madison, Wis., USA Posts: 1,506	Originally posted by mattdm Absolutely. The bad news comes in when people take their suggestions to Pentax USA (or Pentax Europe, cough cough) and then read too much into the response. This is partly Pentax USA's own fault, though, because if they'd just be honest about this relationship, I think everyone would be better off. That's the other part - most Japanese companies believe that info on those matters (relationships among units) should stay within company walls. But I do recall JC, I think, writing here that Pentax USA could not get data on flash triggering voltage limits from Pentax Japan and implying that it's hard to get many questions answered via that route. I also believe that Ned has indicated that he has very limited info on Tokyo's planning. But even that admission will likely diminish Ned's role in the eyes of the US market and will generate ill-will towards Pentax HQ. HQ will not be happy about that behavior although they may have simply concluded that the mass market won't find out or won't care.

01-13-2012, 01:18 PM	#23
H. Sapiens Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 328	Originally posted by cwood Capture One Pro is essentially a 3rd party software for tethering (although it is obviously built beside the Phase 1 bodies)... but it is the best tethering software I have ever seen and it seems like it SHOULD be easy to add Pentax compatibility if Pentax opened the door for them (I assume they would need access to some code...?). I have used that software with several Canon and Nikon cameras (5DmkII, 1DmkIV, D700, D3s) and it allows both full control of the camera as well as instant RAW processing for previewing. In short - it blows Canon's own software out of the water and it is a MAJOR improvement over something like Lightroom that can be configured to monitor a folder. Pentax already have, hopefully good, business relations with the Silkypix folks and I would be more than happy if they dumbed the Pentax Camera Utility and integrated tethering in the original program. Besides my k5, I have an Samsung GX10 and Samsung shipped it with full Silkypix, so don't see any reason why Pentax could not make a similar deal. Unfortunately, Pentax would probably be to proud to even consider ditching their own program, eventhough it is way sub par to the original. On the other hand, Capture One is made in the city where I live, so if Pentax want me to investigate the possibilities they can get in touch with me I even know one guy was involved in the company some years back.

01-15-2012, 09:33 AM	#24
zapp Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 2,388	The demand may be a little low for this feature, but the people who do demand such a software are most probably high end, lots of new gear customers... I want tethered shooting.

01-15-2012, 09:45 AM	#25
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285 Original Poster	Originally posted by zapp The demand may be a little low for this feature, but the people who do demand such a software are most probably high end, lots of new gear customers... I want tethered shooting. Development cost, particularly if piggybacked on an existing tethering program, should not be too high. The benefits would appear to be primarily in grabbing pro level attention and utility for the cameras, which can't be a bad thing.

01-15-2012, 03:07 PM	#26
TAP Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 121	Originally posted by DragonLord I've sent him a PM. Edit: I got a response from tkos, but I'm not going to post it here. I'll wait for him to post to this thread. --DragonLord Should I hold my breath? The suspense is killing me!

01-15-2012, 04:35 PM	#27
bwDraco Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: New York Photos: Albums Posts: 1,071	I'm not sure if tkos is available to post on this thread. He responds to PMs but hasn't posted on the public forums for a long time. I'll send him another PM when I get a chance. --DragonLord

01-16-2012, 02:56 AM - 3 Likes	#28
tkos Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 6	Hi, I don't know why you so waiting for my info. I didn't receive any informations from Pentax US last time. One year ago I ask Pentax US, UK, DE, Japan for any information about communication protocol or any halp in development PK_Tether. I received answer only from Pentax US that they not develop DSLR at all and I should contact Pentax Japan. From other Pentax offices I didn't get any answer. Maybe in near future I will try once again ask Pentax US, but I don't expect nothing new. My experiences with big company is that - manager is telling what she has to or want, and it's not always consistent with what engineers are able to do.

01-16-2012, 10:45 AM	#29
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285 Original Poster	Originally posted by tkos Hi, I don't know why you so waiting for my info. I didn't receive any informations from Pentax US last time. One year ago I ask Pentax US, UK, DE, Japan for any information about communication protocol or any halp in development PK_Tether. I received answer only from Pentax US that they not develop DSLR at all and I should contact Pentax Japan. From other Pentax offices I didn't get any answer. Maybe in near future I will try once again ask Pentax US, but I don't expect nothing new. My experiences with big company is that - manager is telling what she has to or want, and it's not always consistent with what engineers are able to do. Thanks for the efforts and for the program itself! It sounds frustrating but it might be that you can hold the PentaxUSA representative to his word and get some sort of specific contact at Pentax Japan to pitch your program to. Good luck and thanks for all the hard work on PK_Tether!

01-16-2012, 06:28 PM	#30
Alizarine Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Manila Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,185	Originally posted by tkos Hi, I don't know why you so waiting for my info. I didn't receive any informations from Pentax US last time. One year ago I ask Pentax US, UK, DE, Japan for any information about communication protocol or any halp in development PK_Tether. I received answer only from Pentax US that they not develop DSLR at all and I should contact Pentax Japan. From other Pentax offices I didn't get any answer. Maybe in near future I will try once again ask Pentax US, but I don't expect nothing new. My experiences with big company is that - manager is telling what she has to or want, and it's not always consistent with what engineers are able to do. Thanks for the wonderful tethering program tkos! I do hope Pentax-Japan picks up the call and start discussions with you. The Pentax community will benefit a lot from your efforts if Pentax HQ acknowledges it.