*EDITED* USB Cable for 5D Mark III

[iamchrisstone]

I want to run my laptop as an external (EDIT) monitor.  I am using the USB cable that came with my camera to test out the EOS Utility.  My question however is do I need a special USB cable or will any of them with a mini end work?  The one that comes with the camera looks to have a fuse on each end or something.  I'm looking at buying a 25 ft or at least a 10 ft cable.  Something of that nature.

Thanks for the feedback!  I love this forum!

[rs]

It's a standard cable, so any mini USB cable will work. Those lumps are ferrite beads to reduce interference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrite_bead

Bear in mind that the USB 2.0 standard is only designed to work with cables up to 5m. You might get away with something longer, but nothing's guaranteed to work when you break the rules.

[iamchrisstone]

great feedback.  thank you!

i didnt know that they are only designed up to 5m.  Do you know of any other options?  I want to be able to have my DP monitor the footage from the laptop several feet from the cinematographer. 

[iamchrisstone]

Also....  am I to be looking for a 5 pin or 8 pin or what would be the best bet?

[rs]

If 5m isn't enough, I guess you could use an external monitor with a laptop placed strategically between the two, maxed out on both runs of cable. Or get a WFT-E7 wifi adapter for cable free remote live view.

USB 2 (as on the 5D III) is 5 pin, so that's the one you want. USB 3 is 9 pin, and those cables won't fit mini USB 2 sockets.

[docholliday]

Actually, you can use a USB repeater or balun (USB->Cat5->USB) to get more length. I shoot tethered all the time with either a 50' active repeater or 200' Cat5 extender and never have a problem.

Something like this:
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/83-12931 should do you well.

[msatter]

Look mama, no cables:

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/58-14255

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I've used many USB cables without a issue, my normal one is a 10 footer. 
 
For long lengths, you can get a active USB cable that repeats the signal.  They come in 16 ft, 32 ft, and 64 ft lengths and are inexpensive.
 
There are some here on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=active+usb+cable
Make sure you get a A Female to A Male, and then use it as a extension cord for the cable that came with your camera.
 

[docholliday]

Look mama, no cables:

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/58-14255

Yeah, except it's REALLY buggy. I have one...and I'd rather use my WFT-E2A than it if I didn't need the quick down speed (< 3 sec on 21MP RAW with wireless vs ~1 sec wired with active repeater).

Did you notice that it's discontinued? There's a reason for that...

[jonathan7007]

I use that TRIPP LITE (Tripp Lite U026-016) cable as an extension to another reliable USB cable when I shoot tethered. I think I have tried two TRIPP cables together.

You might look at the DSLR Controller software on something like an ASUS tablet. I use that, too, for still shooting, but it is live view and only costs $8.50. With my ASUS Transformer I have the Keyboard Dock which includes a full-size USB. If you want to use just the tablet part of the [detachable] combo, you need a special ASUS USB adapter.

jonathan7007

[petrosv]

I have two common cables 6 meters each and they work perfect with my 7d and 5dIII  and cost  8€ .I don't have any problem at all.

[docholliday]

I use that TRIPP LITE (Tripp Lite U026-016) cable as an extension to another reliable USB cable when I shoot tethered. I think I have tried two TRIPP cables together.

You might look at the DSLR Controller software on something like an ASUS tablet. I use that, too, for still shooting, but it is live view and only costs $8.50. With my ASUS Transformer I have the Keyboard Dock which includes a full-size USB. If you want to use just the tablet part of the [detachable] combo, you need a special ASUS USB adapter.

jonathan7007

Or, you can use a Fujitsu T4220/T730/T731 with LR or PS and get full Wacom pressures while you shoot, preview, edit, and send in an actual Windows environment. Picked up a few T4220s, dropped in 4GB and a 128GB Intel SSD for under $500 - just look on E*ay. When shooting wireless, I have the WFT transmit to the tablet in FTP mode, use LR to Watch that folder, catalog and do prelim edits.

Or, I can shoot tethered directly into LR...

When shooting architecture, I 1) have an on site assistant editing and calling back results and/or 2) use DPP for focusing/firing outside of the room remotely if I'm backed up into a corner. I then have a cell modem which transmits the pre-picked and quick tweaked images to my studio FTP where they are picked up, dropped into the local edit box (8-way Xeon with 32GB) for final/detailed editing and printing.

I can also install a VNC server (UltraVNC) on the tablet or studio box and have it in read-only/view only mode. I can have DP/AD/etc watch the festivities from anywhere in the world over a standard web connection.

When I'm shooting scientific/macro work in the field, I can do it with the T or a Fujitsu U820 wired/wireless and do the same - I use LR to do the editing, prelim cropping, and profiling. I zoom in via LR and check focus, sharpness. I can also focus stack if necessary, right on spot. I then set up WS_FTP to watch a folder, where I send exports out of LR into. It then FTPs those out to whereever. I can also have a remote monitor via VNC and the cell modem.

[jonathan7007]

Doc,
Love it!

I wish the clients around here (rural Hawaii) could appreciate (read: pay for) this level of process management. I shoot arch backed into a corner all the time! (...no matter how wide the lens, right?) I have the 17 TSE and the Sigma 12-24. For me the simple "client-on-the-shoot solution has been the Android. I leave the post for post.

I like also the immediate access to focus stacking. I  have been at this for a long time and it is clear that post-processing tools have started to change what we can offer clients or what we have to carry (less) to do that. Used to lug thousands of watt-seconds to interior shoots.

I have a couple of tabletPC laptops here that I never got around to selling (Toshiba, Lenovo) and this inspires me to try using them as tether animals. I hear that Win8 can run on older hardware, too. worth a try.

jonathan7007

[docholliday]

Doc,
Love it!

I wish the clients around here (rural Hawaii) could appreciate (read: pay for) this level of process management. I shoot arch backed into a corner all the time! (...no matter how wide the lens, right?) I have the 17 TSE and the Sigma 12-24. For me the simple "client-on-the-shoot solution has been the Android. I leave the post for post.

I like also the immediate access to focus stacking. I  have been at this for a long time and it is clear that post-processing tools have started to change what we can offer clients or what we have to carry (less) to do that. Used to lug thousands of watt-seconds to interior shoots.

I have a couple of tabletPC laptops here that I never got around to selling (Toshiba, Lenovo) and this inspires me to try using them as tether animals. I hear that Win8 can run on older hardware, too. worth a try.

jonathan7007

Yup, Win8 will run in about anything that'll run Win7 - I've even forced old Vista drivers onto hardware in Win8 to make it work (as long as the stack exists for the driver to connect to). I do a lot of things - I write medical software primarily (been working with computers for over 25 years now) and photography for the last 10. So, when it came time to go digital, I was already light years ahead of the rest of the photo world. Made the transition easy.

The best part of actual TabletPCs are that you can run REAL software on them, not just half-cooked look alikes. That, and having a Wacom pen with pressures. Get those tablets out, install them with some Win7/8, and some Canon DPP on them - remote shooting with them is so nice and makes those tight rooms less painful at days end. You can set/focus/DoF Preview/fire from DPP over wireless/wired, have those files drop into a folder, and then have LR pick up the files from there!

Sometimes, I "manually" focus stack using DPP - set focus on the lens to correct, then hit the back focus on DPP a number of times to min focus, then it's fire->focus foward (x times)->fire->focus forward (x times)->fire etc. I'll then combine the images when I get back on my big box so that it'll process faster (and with a big screen).

BTW, watt-seconds is right...I remember dragging a ton of 2400ws heads and popping so many shots that you can smell the dust burning in the air!

[brianboru]

I know you are looking at using a pc as a controller, but look at the android based DSLRController. http://dslrcontroller.com/
WiFi pass-through was just added if you have two android devices handy.
Peek at: http://www.youtube.com/user/ChainfireXDA