[WMBP]

I've been asked by a prestigious local attraction to do some on-the-spot, walk-up portraits of their guests. I don't expect any problems with the basic photography aspect of the job, but I'm not sure how I'll handle the workflow, cash collection, taking orders, etc. I posted some questions about that over at photo.net. Thought I'd ask here specifically about the Pentax part of the problem: should I shoot tethered? And if yes, can you give me a hint on how to get started so I can practice. Never done this before.

Let me zoom in (so to speak) on the second question first. I gather that the basic idea is (a) install the Pentax Remote Assistant software on my computer; and (b) connect the camera to the computer via USB cable. At that point, I assume that I can read some online help to figure out the rest of it, yes? This all sounds very straightforward. Is it harder than it sounds to set this up or get it to work?

Now, returning to the the "should I?" question. I gather from what I've read here that there are potential problems with the Remote Assistant. Some folks here report that it locks up their camera, or perhaps I misunderstood and it's the camera that's locking up the software. Anyway, the alternative is to bring lots of cards and move each card over to the computer for copying. What's the benefit of shooting tethered?

Will

[freeload]

I have no experience with shootin tethered, but want to confuse you with yet an alternative.
The eyeFi card. It's a 2GB SD memorycard with a WiFi client built in so it can transfer photos to your computer (assuming you bring a WiFi router) allmost as you shoot. Check it out at Eye-Fi Home

If it works as advertised you could shoot normally, and the pictures would soon appear on your computer as long you keep your self in the range of the WiFi router. Downside is it only works with jpg files.

[and]

Well the good part about tethering is you can have the pics on your laptop immediately. Bad thing is its not that great a software, its buggy and the image of the shot that appear in the program is low resolution and you cannot make it bigger. Its better to use a good browser like faststone image viewer to view the shots.

You can control the settings from the laptop or you can use the camera and just use the tethering for the straight-to-hard drive feature.

I have been looking for a good software that would work as such that I can point it to a folder on my hard drive, and it would automatically show the lates picture in that folder in full screen. so that each time i goot a tetheed picture that was saved to that folder then the latest shot i took would appear full screen. although its amazingly hard to find a software that will do this. faststone would be perfect is it did because it supposrts pentax raw and its fast.

id suggest you just try out the remote assistant software, just donload, install, plug the camera with the usb cable and give it a go.

[leadbelly]

Never used my camera tethered to a laptop during a shoot, but I do hook it up on a 10-inch monitor so the clients can see immediately the output... as for cards, I rarely use up 2 2gb cards a day. I shoot jpeg though, and almost never do PP unless the client wants a shot in B&W. I use a 15 foot cable trigger as well so that as soon as I see an expression that's perfect, I just press the button. (Of course I frame the subject first, then talk to the client til the right moment comes.)

But a $39 monitor hooked up to your cam will do wonders with your sales! The pictures sell themselves...

An assistant to upload a full card, man the booth and assist with the backgrounds and other logistics is advised. So you can focus on your shooting...

[WMBP]

The eyeFi card [is] a 2GB SD memorycard with a WiFi client built in so it can transfer photos to your computer (assuming you bring a WiFi router) allmost as you shoot.

Thanks for the suggestion, freeload. I had read about the Eye-Fi card when it first appeared on the market but I've not used one and I'd forgotten about it. Yeah, I guess I could bring both computer and router. Since I'm not already very familiar with the card and its operation, I guess I'd need to get one right away and do some practicing.

Thanks.

Will

[and]

Of course the eye-fi will not transfer RAW images and will not allow you to control the camera from your pc. Other than that its a very intresting product that I have been meaning to try out myself.

[JohnV3]

I've played around with the Remote Assistant it is easy to use. Download the softwre, connect the cable from the camera to the computer, and open the software. It is very easy and straight forward, just follow the screen. As best I can remember, you still have to focus and set the exposure at the camera.

However, since this is a walk around event, you may need an awful long cable and people might trip over it unless someone is following you with the laptop computer. I may be misinterpreting your plan but I would have several memory cards and frequently load the photos into the laptop using a card reader.

[*isteve]

I've been asked by a prestigious local attraction to do some on-the-spot, walk-up portraits of their guests. I don't expect any problems with the basic photography aspect of the job, but I'm not sure how I'll handle the workflow, cash collection, taking orders, etc. I posted some questions about that over at photo.net. Thought I'd ask here specifically about the Pentax part of the problem: should I shoot tethered? And if yes, can you give me a hint on how to get started so I can practice. Never done this before.

Let me zoom in (so to speak) on the second question first. I gather that the basic idea is (a) install the Pentax Remote Assistant software on my computer; and (b) connect the camera to the computer via USB cable. At that point, I assume that I can read some online help to figure out the rest of it, yes? This all sounds very straightforward. Is it harder than it sounds to set this up or get it to work?

Now, returning to the the "should I?" question. I gather from what I've read here that there are potential problems with the Remote Assistant. Some folks here report that it locks up their camera, or perhaps I misunderstood and it's the camera that's locking up the software. Anyway, the alternative is to bring lots of cards and move each card over to the computer for copying. What's the benefit of shooting tethered?

Will

Shooting tethered is a PITA.

Just shoot with a bounced flash and wander round the event taking pics as you wish - at the end put them all up on website and give everyone a card showing the site address, proce per A4 print and how to contact you.

Tethered is something I would only consider for product shots or macro.

[WMBP]

Shooting tethered is a PITA.

Thanks, iSteve - and everybody else. I'm grateful to everybody who responded.

Shooting tethered with Remote Assistant sounds like something I may want to try soon, but not for this particular event. I think I'm probably NOT going to end up showing people photos and letting them select right on the spot. Responses I've gotten at photo.net suggest that this may just be too much trouble. So I suspect that I'll take their basic $15, promise 'em one print to arrive in the mail, give 'em a brochure where they can view all the photos I take and order more if they like (or coffee cups, tee shirts, etc.).

Anyway, thanks to all.

Will

[Peacekeeper]

I tried the Remote Assistant 3 tonight on my K10D (firmware v1.30), took a few shots seemed ok until I tried to use interval timer, it took three shots and locked up. Had to take the battery out of my camera to get it going again.

Tried my K20D before the K10D and the software wouldn't recognise my camera as being attached even though it was showing PC in the top LCD screen.

Anyone have any issues with K20D and Pentax Remote Assistant 3 workign together?

[avball]

I haven't gotten it to work either. Maybe this one needs a firmware update as well.

[Peacekeeper]

I re-installed remote assistant 3 and used the version that came with my K20D and it recognises the K20D now, I didn't check Interval timer though.

PK