Best tether option for IQ4 for Landscape Photography

[Greg Haag]

So as not to sidetrack the thread on the upcoming iPad for C1, I thought it might be best to make a separate post. Since tethering is not currently available on the upcoming Capture One iPad release, I am curious what everyones thoughts might be for the best tether solution based on available options as I understand them to be. I think for me, these are the most important items; reliability, setup convenience and weight with focusing being my primary objective. Broadly speaking these appear to be the options, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, maybe Microsoft tablet? or iPad running cascable (and wait on potential iPad tethering). In my situation, the majority of my shooting is with IQ4/Cambo 1600. In particular for those of you shooting landscape photography, what do you think the option is that makes the most sense?

 

[tcdeveau]

I'm personally hoping for iPad tethering with C1. Otherwise it seems like ppl have good experiences with Macbook Airs running apple silicon.

 

[diggles]

Hey Greg,

I've got the MB Air M1 with 16GB ram. It works perfectly for tethering with the GFX100s. I would expect it to work well for the IQ4. I use it for work not when hiking. In addition to helping me focus, it gives me confidence that I got the shot, and it also acts as a backup. Images are saved to both the laptop and the card in the camera.

The downside of a laptop is that you have to open it up to use it and it doesn't lay flat which makes it more cumbersome to use in the field. I'm curious how well a Microsoft Surface would handle tethering with C1. A surface can be attached to your tripod quite easily making it more mobile.

 

[jng]

A BTS shot of my field tethering setup - Cambo/IQ4 150 connected to 2016 MacBook (Air) sitting in a tripod hammock (the finished image can be seen here):

It's simple and gets the job done well. Once I'm done with a shoot, I transfer the Capture One session folder (did I mention that I work in sessions?) to an external hard drive and plug it into my M1 Macbook Pro for post-processing. I've configured C1 on both machines more or less identically, making it easy for me to go back and forth between them. The biggest annoyance is the long and rather heavy Tethertools USB-C cable, which could easily be addressed if I were bothered enough to replace it, which I'm not. YMMV, of course...

John

 

[Greg Haag]

A BTS shot of my field tethering setup - Cambo/IQ4 150 connected to 2016 MacBook (Air) sitting in a tripod hammock (the finished image can be seen here):
View attachment 192422
It's simple and gets the job done well. Once I'm done with a shoot, I transfer the Capture One session folder (did I mention that I work in sessions?) to an external hard drive and plug it into my M1 Macbook Pro for post-processing. I've configured C1 on both machines more or less identically, making it easy for me to go back and forth between them. The biggest annoyance is the long and rather heavy Tethertools UCB-C cable, which could easily be addressed if I were bothered enough to replace it, which I'm not. YMMV, of course...

John

Thank you John! I saw your Tripod Hammock in another post and ordered one, now I just need to figure out what to put in it. I am leaning toward the MacBook Air, I think I am tired of waiting on an iPad solution.

 

[Mexecutioner]

Unfortunately, the option that makes the most sense would not be my preferred course of action, and I have chosen to wait.

I think a Surface Pro tablet is probably the best in terms of portability and capability for your Cambo setup, until C1 can fully tether to an iPad without the sub-par use of Cascable

 

[Greg Haag]

Rodrigo, I have no familiarity with Surface Pro or for that matter any PC product other than Mac/iPad. Is there an issue with the Surface Pro, as a tether option, that should concern me?
Thanks!

 

[Mexecutioner]

Hi Greg,

No issues, other than not being familiar with the operating system. They come with Windows 11 now. I have thought about getting one as they are relatively inexpensive, you can run the full version of Capture One so I imagine tethering would work perfectly via USB-C.

I have read some other threads here of some users that have these tablets and they seemed very satisfied. Personally I am going to wait until I can tether to an iPad M1 to stay withing the Mac ecosystem.

 

[Greg Haag]

Hi Greg,

No issues, other than not being familiar with the operating system. They come with Windows 11 now. I have thought about getting one as they are relatively inexpensive, you can run the full version of Capture One so I imagine tethering would work perfectly via USB-C.

I have read some other threads here of some users that have these tablets and they seemed very satisfied. Personally I am going to wait until I can tether to an iPad M1 to stay withing the Mac ecosystem.

Thank you Rodrigo! I just ordered a MacBook Air to use for now, maybe they will offer iPad tethering soon.

 

[jng]

Thank you Rodrigo! I just ordered a MacBook Air to use for now, maybe they will offer iPad tethering soon.

Greg,

I, too, looked at the Surface Pro but couldn’t get past the idea of leaving the Mac OS ecosystem (this dog is too old to learn new tricks). I think you’ll be happy with the MacBook Air. It can handle tethering for sure and much, much more. Although no longer the fastest kid on the block, the first generation M1 chip is quite powerful. I just upgraded to the latest, M1-native versions of Topaz Denoise and Topaz Sharpen. A quick test of Denoise talked me back from the cliff of upgrading to an M1 Max machine with more RAM. At least for now.

John

 

[Greg Haag]

"this dog is too old to learn new tricks"

Same here John!

 

[anwarp]

I expect if Cascable can talk to C1 on an iPad, that would be a good solution.
I use a small hp spectre 360 laptop sometimes. Some people on the forum use a surface pro.
Apple needs to make a convertible laptop (like the surface) that runs macOS.

 

[Greg Haag]

Thanks to everyone for your feedback, here is what I settled on. I bought the MacBook Air with the specs below. So far, it has had absolutely no issues with tethering/file size of the IQ4. For work I shoot a lot of exterior architectural projects, for this and possibly some landscape shooting I have ordered the DigiBracket shown below. When weight is an issue, I have the tripod hammock that John has show above. Thanks again for the help!

 

[Greg Haag]

To kind of wrap a bow on this thread, my DigiBracket came in and here is the setup. Thanks again for the help!

 

[ThdeDude]

Neat concept. I am not sure I want to carry my computer into the field and my current tripod may be too lightweight for that setup but nice to at least have that option.

 

[Greg Haag]

Neat concept. I am not sure I want to carry my computer into the field and my current tripod may be too lightweight for that setup but nice to at least have that option.

I agree, I would not want to carry the set up on a long hike, adds about 1.40lbs, but for the exterior architectural work I do I think it will be a big help. Probably would still take my laptop most of the time because it helps me so much on critical focus but I do try to travel as light as I can these days.

 

[Greg Haag]

After spending some time shooting and processing with the MacBook Air, the performance has really been impressive, it has no problem with the IQ4 files. I had originally only intended to use it for captures, but it has performed so well, I have now been doing some processing in C1 and Photoshop.

 

[vjbelle]

Greg..... Good to hear you are pleased with the MacBook Air.

I am also impressed with my M1 14" 'Pro' 32GB Ram that is now playing the role of a desktop. I have a Mini on order but am really starting to rethink that 5K purchase. Apple is really on a role with the M1.

Victor B.

 

[Greg Haag]

Greg..... Good to hear you are pleased with the MacBook Air.

I am also impressed with my M1 14" 'Pro' 32GB Ram that is now playing the role of a desktop. I have a Mini on order but am really starting to rethink that 5K purchase. Apple is really on a role with the M1.

Victor B.

Yes they are Victor! My desktop is not currently an M!, I am tempted with the Mini as well.

 

[vieri]

Greg..... Good to hear you are pleased with the MacBook Air.

I am also impressed with my M1 14" 'Pro' 32GB Ram that is now playing the role of a desktop. I have a Mini on order but am really starting to rethink that 5K purchase. Apple is really on a role with the M1.

Victor B.

Hey Victor,

that's great to hear, I have a 14" M1 Max 64 Gb on order which I planned to use as a desktop replacement as well, so your comment about it - and Greg's comment about the Air - are really making me hopeful. Now, if only Apple delivered a bit earlier than early May!!

Best regards,

Vieri