Frequently Asked Questions

Cameras

SLR Booth has been designed to work with the most powerful and popular Canon and Nikon SLR cameras on the market today.  Our supported cameras list is where we add cameras that we have tested with the app here at SLR Booth HQ.  If your camera that you are interested in is not on the list, the best thing to do is download the app and try it out! If it does work, we’d love for you to let us know (info@slrbooth.com) so that we can add it to our test list and share it with the SLR Community.

I have all of the supported hardware, but my app can’t seem to control the camera. What’s up?

Make sure you grant permission for the app to use the camera when you plug it in, and don’t let the gallery or any other app have control of it.

Can I use the app without a camera?

SLR Booth was designed to control your powerful, high-end DSLR camera to vastly improve the quality of the photographs taken during an event. If you don’t have a stand-alone camera and want to use the camera in your device, there are many photobooth style apps that you can use, likely already installed on your device from the factory. These are lots of fun, but we love the control and photo quality we get from using our DSLR cameras.

Will this work with a camera using a Eyefi card?

You can certainly use an Eyefi card in the camera while shooting, but the communication between your tablet and the camera has to happen over USB, not wifi.

Special Considerations for Canon Owners

If your Canon is 40D or higher (ie, is not part of the Rebel series), the  LiveView silent shooting setting needs to be disabled in order for the flash to fire through the app. On the Rebel, the non e-TTL flash won’t fire in live view, so you may need to investigate using e-TTL compatible triggers, or using an onboard flash as a wink light to trigger an optical slave off camera.

You need to have a USB OTG adapter to plug your camera into your tablet. On some Canon Rebels you need to enable live view in the menu system on your camera.

Tablets

I am concerned about the battery life of an android tablet while using the app for a few hours. Any suggestions?

If your device only has a single USB port, you might not be able to charge at the same time. There are custom USB-OTG adapters for some Samsung devices that allow this, but if  you are looking for something that can run for hours on end, something with a USB port and separate power port will be your best bet.   AOC, Acer and HP all make 21-24″ all in ones with multiple USB ports and dedicated power.  An USB OTG Y cable would allow you to charge and connect to your camera at the same time. Support for simultaneous USB and charging is heavily dependent on the device, so be sure to research which cable/hub might work for your specific tablet.

Why can’t I use the app with my Samsung Galaxy Tab 4?

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 7″ tablet does not have USB-OTG support, so sadly it can’t control an SLR camera via USB. Most new tablets have USB-OTG support these days, but this particular one is quite popular, and doesn’t have that feature.

Do you have any recommendations on a low cost large screen tablet?

Acer, AOC and HP all made 21-24″ android all in ones, but they are becoming more and more rare. Here at SLR Booth HQ, we have an AOC A2272PW4T running Android 4.2.2 that we are really happy with.

What is the lowest version of Android that the app works with?

Version 4.1

Printing

Do you know if the [insert printer name here] is supported?

If a printer supports AirPrint, it should be supported. You can usually check this in the online printer documentation, such as this one for the HP6100: http://support.hp.com/us-en/product/HP-Officejet-6100-ePrinter-series—H6/4322969/model/4323174/document/c03116917/. 

We will be supporting Google Cloud print very soon (early 2016).

Can an earlier Canon Selphy printer (without WiFi) work, with a USB OTG -splitter (one USB to support the camera, one to support the Selphy 800 or 900?

The Selphys all require custom drivers to print via USB. If you want to print to an older Selphy that doesn’t have AirPrint support, you’ll have to plug it into a computer and share it over the network.

My venue does not have wifi … can I still print from the app?

If you are using a Canon Selphy, it has a built-in access point, so you can connect your tablet to it directly (of course you can’t email or share files through that connection, just print). You could also use your mobile phone as a wifi hotspot to connect your tablet and printer together.

I want to use a high-quality dye-sub printer for my events to support on-demand printing. Can I print over wifi from the app?

Most professional dye-sub printers don’t support wireless printing via AirPrint, so they need to be connected to a laptop or wireless print server to share them, so the SLR Booth app can find them. We use a Mac laptop to share a HiTi P510L printer at our larger events, and it works great. You could also use a Linux computer running CUPS to share the printer, or a wireless print server like the Lantronix ones (although device support on these is a bit spotty). The app has some very basic USB printing support built in (you can try it out – we have it working with the injket and laser printers in our office), but most high-end dye-sub photo printers need custom driver support. We are definitely looking at this for a future release.

My Bluetooth printer is not showing up … what’s wrong?

SLR Booth does not support Bluetooth.  We support AirPrint, and will support Google Cloud Print very soon (early 2016).

Backgrounds and Templates

Can I add a logo to any template?

You can add a logo to the built-in photo strip template. Otherwise, you can add a totally custom template with whatever logo you like.

I see that there is an option to add more templates, are there instructions on how I can make my own?

Yes! You can add custom templates – you just need a .png file with the photo placeholders as transparent areas. Take a look at our “Custom Templates” page – we are constantly updating that with new information and how-tos.

Troubleshooting

I’ve set everything up and I think that all of my devices are supported, but I’m getting an error message telling me that a compatible device is not connected. What’s up?

Often, this error is due to the camera not being started before the app.  Try these steps:

1.  Unplug

2. Exit SLR Booth app

3. Restart your camera

4. Plug back in and try again.

To find out for sure if your device supports USB host mode, download the app “USB Host Diagnostics” from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.usbhostdiagnostics

When I took some test shots, I noticed that the files were saved on the Android, not the camera’s SD card. Am I doing something wrong? Is there a setting I missed?

You are using the free version of the app, which will only store downsized images with a watermark on your tablet. The full version will keep the full size originals on the camera.

I’m using a regular multi-photo template (not a filmstrip), but the photos are duplicated?

Check your camera settings – if you’re shooting RAW+JPEG, but don’t have the option to skip RAW file downloads, the app will get two photos downloaded for each photo you take.

I’m using a regular multi-photo template (not a filmstrip), but the photo placeholders are all white?

The graphics processors on some devices can’t handle large image sizes – try setting your camera to shoot a S or M sized jpeg file. Those are still large enough for populating templates, and as a bonus they transfer faster and take up less space on your device!

My photos aren’t showing up in the Gallery app

The default android gallery app periodically scans for new folders with images to display. So the first time you use SLR Booth (or switch to a new album), the gallery app may take time to notice it. You can force the gallery to update itself by doing the following:

Go to settings – apps – gallery
Clear cache, clear data, force close

Go to settings – apps – media storage
Clear cache, clear data, force close

Hard reset your device, and when you load the gallery app again, it will scan for new folders.

The app takes a few seconds to display photos after they’re taken

When a photo is taken, the camera first writes it to the local memory card and then SLR Booth downloads the photo from the camera over the USB cable and displays it. For large RAW images (which can be 10s of megabytes each), this can take a few seconds. To speed things up, consider shooting smaller sized images, or shooting JPEG images as these will transfer much quicker. You can also set your camera to shoot RAW+JPEG, but tell SLR Booth to only download JPEG images in the app settings.

The countdown doesn’t match up exactly with when the camera takes the picture

There is an option on the settings screen where you can configure the delay between when the shutter signal is sent, and when the camera takes the picture. This will be different for every combination of camera, focus mode (manual vs automatic), and ambient lighting. For example, a Canon 60D using “Quick” live view autofocus under indoor lighting takes about 1200ms (or 1.2 seconds).

The camera wasn’t able to take a picture, and now the screen is frozen

There are a variety of reasons the camera might fail to take a photo:

  • Unable to autofocus due to low light or subject being too close
  • Missing memory card
  • Low battery

When this happens, the app will wait for 30 seconds, and try again. If it was an autofocus issue, it may be successful. If it was a battery or memory card issue, it will stay in this loop until the issue is addressed.

The app won’t connect to the camera, I get a CP -1 12 error.

This generally means another app on your tablet is using the camera. Often this will happen when the gallery asks to use the camera when you first plug it in. Unplug the camera, turn it off and on again, and plug it back in. If the gallery asks to use the usb device, hit the cancel button. If the SLR Booth app asks for permission to use the usb device, grant it.

 

 

338 Comments

    • It may work if it doesn’t require a custom driver – plug it in and try it out! If not, you can always share it via AirPrint on a mac or pc.

  2. Hi!
    I really like your app and it did a great job last weekend. However, the pictures aren’t downloaded to my Tablet. When clicking the gallery button, there are 0 photos and the date is set to 1.1.1970. Is this a known bug or am I the only one?
    Some data: HP Touchpad on Android 6, Canon 600D.
    Thanks for your support!

  3. Hi SLR Team!

    When using template with 2 photos (android device in landscape mode, template in portrait mode, 4×6), it seems that app doesnt recognize template as portrait. That means that when template is populated, the preview of template is not shown OK because it is shown in landscape mode, that means that both pictures (upper and picture below) are cut and i see only the “middle part” of template. This is only for preview, when i print the template with photos, it is ok.

    I hope you understand what i mean, otherwise i could send you some photos.

    Thank you for your anwser!

  4. Hi Greg. Thank´s so much for this cool App.
    I´d like to use the SLRbooth with a Canon Mark2. Is it possible to run the app with a canon shutter?
    And i´ve got a problem with the external flash (bowens). It doesn´t work. Do you have any idea how it could work?
    Thanks. Thanks. Thanks.

    • Canon cameras will often have a setting for “Live View silent shooting” that needs to be disabled for a 3rd party flash to work in Live View mode. And no, a camera remote will not work with the app, but you can use a bluetooth remote.

  6. Hey Greg!

    I’ve recently downloaded the app and am trying it out using my canon 600D and Samsung Galaxy View 18.4.
    The only versions of the app I found on the Play Store were the free versions (Pro, Social Sharing, Remote).
    When I take a picture, it lags by the time it actually takes the picture and then it doesn’t save the image…also, the share buttons (twitter, email, etc) aren’t on the interface …it takes the image and then there’s an X on the bottom right corner and that’s it..no ‘keep’ button…and for some reason my app doesn’t resemble the app I see you using in your tutorial vids..my buttons are red rather than blue and don’t have the text on them (so the templates button doesn’t say ‘template’ it’s just a red button with a photo strip on it.)

    Hope you can help me I’m anxious to start using your app!

    • Hi Kody: The app has had a UI refresh since those videos, we’ll need to update them soon :). You can specify a shutter delay in the settings, so the camera shutter will be in sync with the countdown (my 60D using quick autofocus in live view takes about 1200ms for example). And for the UI issues – are you running Android 6? There was a permissions issue which is fixed in version 1.6.5. If not, send an email to info@slrbooth.com and we’ll help you out.

      • Thanks for the reply!
        I switched out my sd card and the photos are now saving, my SdD cars was just acting up….And I changed the necessary settings to decrease the wait between photos etc, but I’m still experiencing heavy lag in the video.. ((NB: My Samsung Galaxy view runs on Android 5 (lollipop)..))
        And this may seem like a stupid question, but where can I Purchase your app? As I’ve mentioned before I could only find the free versions.

        • There will be in-app options for purchase once that’s available. But for now, enjoy the free features!

          As for the lag, which camera are you using? I know my 60D slows down if I change any of the settings (hitting the reconnect button fixes it), but my other cameras don’t have this issue.

    • Not currently. Android 4.4 disabled this, but it should be possible again in newer versions, so we’ll look at adding it in the future.

  8. Hi Greg !

    First, i want to say that your app is very powerfull and smart !
    I have just one question about template. When people take picture, your have to choose if ou want keep or delete (with button right an left) and when they press Keep, you have another button to push “Done” to share your photo. I disabled the option but still here ! And few people tell me that’s not smart to push twice button.

    Have i left one otpion ?
    Thanks

  9. i use slrbooth with the canon eos 1000d (aka Canon Rebel XS) and i have the problem that the camera always leave the live view modus after a specific time. it there a solution ?

  10. I just download the apps yesterday and I was testing the SLR booth and tried to print the photo via google cloud printing. There is no configuration of the printer i setup in Google Cloud Print. I saw the photo sent to printer message but no photo had been printed out. I am using DNP RX-1 printer. Please help. I like the apps and I think it really something we are looking forward.

  11. Do you have an available list of compatible professional printers that would work with out wifi? I would like to purchase a DNP DS-RX1 Thermal Printer, but do not know if this will work.

    Thanks!
    Natalie

      • Thanks for the response Greg. Just to clarify… The DNP WPS-1 will allow me to use the DNP DS-RX1 Thermal Printer even if I do not have wifi access? So just plug in via USB.

        Also side note, I did find a something called Printopia which changes printers to become “AirPrint” compatible, but again I am unsure if this still requires wifi to actually work.

        Thanks so much for your help!

        Best,
        Natalie

        • If you don’t have wifi available, the WPS-1 can create it’s own wifi access point. So you would plug the RX-1 into the WPS-1, configure your tablet to connect to the WPS-1’s wifi, then configure the SLR Booth app to print via FTP to the WPS-1.

  12. Hi,

    i have two question regarding to the app.

    1. Is the app “SLR Booth Pro” in the google play store the full version or trail?

    2. The app has some bugs so far. for example

    – when you turn off the wlan, the app don’t start automaticly the live view after a photo was taken. when you turn on the wlan it works instantly
    – you can override the kisok mode when you leave the screensaver and take a photo.

    please provide a fix
    using android 5.0 with EOS70D

    Thankyou mj

    • Thanks for the feedback MJ! The app in the store is the full version – all features are free while we work out any kinks in the new ones 🙂

  13. Hi!

    By connecting a keyboard to my Nexus 7 tablet and pushing the space bar (or enter key), the countdown is started and a picture is taken.
    I’ve found out, that the crowd also enjoys immediate action (a pic is taken). Would it be possible that your app reacts directly and takes a picture when e.g. the n(ow)-key is pressed?

    Thanks,
    Reinhard

  14. Hi Gregor,

    Habe immer noch Probleme mit dem Kiosk Mode. Immer wenn ich Kiosk Mode und mir die Bilder dann in der Gallerie anschaue, kickt er mich ajs dem Kiosk Modus raus. Jedesmal wenn ich mehr als zweimal im Galleriemodus war.

    Gibt es ein update dazu?

    GREETINGS

    Marco Crumbach

  15. This app looks amazing and I would love to be able to get it, I’m having trouble downloading it from the play store. It states ‘your device isn’t compatible with this version’.
    I’m using a lenovo S6000 Ideatab, from what I’ve read it supports OTG, it’s up to date with version 4.2.2. I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on this!
    Thanks ,
    Glen 🙂

    • Hi Glen,

      I’ve got a Lenovo phone that was also supposed to support USB-OTG, but doesn’t. 🙁 You can try plugging your camera in and see if you can browse the photos on the SD card using the gallery app, but generally speaking if the play store doesn’t think your device has that feature, you probably don’t have it.

  16. Dear SlrBooth team,

    I would like to know if it is possible to Get the picture shown on an other screen than the android device?
    To be clear, I would like people to touch the screen of the android Device to take the picture, the count down could be on the android device or the HDMI connected screen and then get this picture shown upon the hdmi screen.
    I have a 7inch android device which i feel would be too small to see anything! 🙂

    Thank you for your help.
    Regards,
    Quentin.

    • Hi Quentin, check back soon for two new companion apps – one for a remote control to trigger the countdown, and one to do sharing on a secondary device. You could have a TV box with HDTV running the main app, a phone for the remote trigger, and a tablet for sharing after the photos are taken. 🙂

      • I am *eagerly* looking forward to these new APPs; especially if I can use slrBooth and these two new apps all WiFi connected. (I’d be happy to field test & provide feedback too)

  17. When watching the video on youtube of how the app works, it seems to flip the photo’s over so the people who were standing L to R are now shown R to L. Why is that?
    Are you able to disable some of the share options – for example – can I just have print / email as options and hide share to Facebook, or just have share to Facebook but not print?
    When the photo’s are taken, are they just saved to the mobile device or are they also saved onto the camera’s SD card too?
    Is it easy to transfer the images to a USB stick to give to the clients at the end of the night?

    • Hi Karen:
      – The preview can be mirrored, or not. Most people are used to standing in front of mirrors, so having a non-mirrored preview can be disorienting.
      – The sharing options can be customized.
      – By default the photos are saved to the camera’s SD card, as well as the android device
      – You can use your usb-otg adapter to plug in a USB stick to give to the client, or you can use the hosted online gallery feature, and have a password protected gallery created, with all the photos from the event automatically uploaded as they are taken.

      • Thank you. 🙂
        Also, when I tried it out using the standard 4 photo template, the app took 4 photo’s nicely but on the gallery there was blank space at the bottom, as though there was room for 5 photo’s??? Why is that please? Thanks.

        • Hi Karen,

          The built-in filmstip has a spot to put a custom footer – you can specify it in the settings screen. Or, you can upload your own custom templates.

  18. Can it automatically upload photos to a predetermined facebook page? Or at least to an online gallery so users can get their photos from their own phone?

  19. Is there a mode that just takes the photo, saves it and moves on to the next? ie, No sharing, etc. For the cases where there is no WiFi or just to keep the line moving?

  20. hi can you tell me if printing function is available with the free version. if so i cant find my printer it a epson xp 800 i have tried installing epson iprint and the tablet finds the printer and can print but cant print the photos from the app

    • The free version supports printing via AirPrint, and it looks like the xp 800 has AirPrint support. Make sure your printer and android device are on the same network, and wait for a couple of seconds after opening the settings screen for it to search for nearby printers.

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