FAQ – Helicon Remote

A: It means that the device is incompatible with Remote, either because it doesn't have USB host hardware or because Android doesn't have USB support. In the latter case installing a custom ROM with no such limitations, like CyanogenMod, might help (you should only attempt that if you have at least some idea of how to do it).

A: For Mac and Windows - the same cable you use for downloading photos from the camera. For Android - the same cable plus a USB OTG adapter (unless you use a tablet that has a full size USB socket, as opposed to micro USB. Then you don't need an adapter).

A: Make sure that operating system itself detects the camera. If the system detects your camera and Helicon Remote does not - send a bug report (menu -> Help -> Report a bug on Windows / Mac, menu -> Feedback -> Report a bug on Android).
On Android, there should be a pop-up prompt when you connect the camera and it turn it on (the prompt asks which app to launch to handle the camera). If there's no prompt, it's safe to say the problem is not with Helicon Remote app itself.
In this case, please check the following:
- Make sure you are using a USB OTG adapter. It's an adapter with micro USB plug on one end and USB A (full-size) socket on the other (unless usbport on your device is not micro USB, like on some Samsung tablets). If your adapter is different - it's wrong. If it's a long cable and not just a small adapter - it's most likely wrong. If your adapter conforms to the description, it still may be wrong (OTG adapter has a special pin layout).
- Connect a USB mouse instead of the camera. A mouse cursor should appear on the screen. If it doesn't, then either your adapter is not OTG, or your device has no USB host hardware, or Android has no USB support.
- If a cursor does appear but the camera is not detected, it means that Android is configured to detect some kinds of devices and not others, and cameras didn't make it to the white list. It can be solved by installing a custom Android ROM (like CyanogenMod), but you only should do that if you have some understanding of the process. Alternatively, if your Android is rooted you may try this tool (the "Fix" button), which sometimes helps: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.myprorock.otgchecker

If the prompt does show up, but Helicon Remote still doesn't detect the camera, please follow these troubleshooting recommendations:
- Make sure no other camera related software is running. If two such pieces of software are active at the same time (e. g. Helicon Remote and Lightroom/Photos/Autoplay menu on Windows/Explorer/Gallery/you name it), all kinds of errors may occur to one or both programs. A system-wide lockup is also a possibility (if that happened, just turn the camera off or pull out its USB plug to regain control of your computer).
- Pay attention to programs that open up automatically when you connect the camera (autoplay menu, image import tool etc.) and close them prior to starting Remote. That means you should generally connect the camera first, close all pop-ups and only then start Remote.

A: Please find the detailed instructions in the relevant section of our Help manual

A: Turn live view off and camera body controls will become functional. Images taken this way (by pressing the shutter release button on the camera) will still be brought up for review (unless you've chosen to leave them in the camera and not download to Remote).

A: This is controlled by a setting in Helicon Remote: preferences -> Shooting -> Activate live view when taking a shot -> set it to "No".
Note: this setting does not always have effect. If you have a Nikon camera, or you have a Canon 450D / 1000D / 40D / 1D Mk III / 1Ds Mk III, you can only shoot without live view if the lens is set to manual focus mode (which means that you can't perform focus bracketing by driving the camera's lens and avoid turning live view on). This is due to firmware limitations of these cameras. Also, for most cameras live view must be activated to drive the lens, so Remote may still turn live on for moving focus and then turn it off before taking a shot.

A: You can't. Focus stacking is for preview purposes only, so that you can make sure your images are good while you're still in the field and can re-shoot in case of trouble. The stacking isn't even done in full resolution (due to hardware limitations of mobile devices). For actual high quality focus stacking use Helicon Focus software on Windows or Mac.

A: If it's a Canon camera, turn the video recording mode OFF (switch to still photography mode) and disable silent release mode in the camera body settings. If it still doesn't work, go to preferences -> Shooting and set "Enable Live View when taking a shot" to "No".

If it's a Nikon camera, make sure the Live View selector is in still photo mode and not video mode. Please make sure that 'Silent Mode' is OFF when in Live View.

A: There should be a pop-up message stating that the program has closed unexpectedly.

Press the "Show Details" button and it will open up long text that you should copy to clipboard and send us.

You can paste the text into the "Comments" field of Helicon Remote bug report.

A: Please find the detailed instructions in the relevant section of our Help manual

A: Go to device manager, find your video adapter, right click it and select Update driver software -> Browse my computer -> Let me pick from a list. Here make sure "Show compatible hardware" is checked, and see if there's Intel / nVidia / AMD drivers in the list (depending on what manufacturer's adapter you have installed). Double-click it. If there are several similar options - double-click the one with the latest version number or release date).

A: You can select the zoom level with mouse wheel on Windows / Mac (or the corresponding gesture on Mac), or with pinch zoom gesture on Android.

A: Helicon Remote only supports Canon and Nikon DSLR cameras.

Helicon Remote can only work with cameras that support remote Live View and remote focus control. Canon cameras prior to 40D and Nikon cameras prior to D90 do not support these features. Helicon Remote also doesn't support the Nikon D3000 line of cameras because they lack remote control capabilities.

A: The list of supported cameras is constantly updated. If you’re talking about a Nikon or a Canon DSLR that has just been released, it will be supported shortly (typically within one week). If it's not a DSLR, or a one from the brand other than Nikon or Canon, then it's not supported because it’s not compatible with the required remote control protocol or it doesn't have the relevant features (e. g. live view, focus adjustment).

A: First you should decide whether you want to use wired (USB) or wireless (Wi-Fi) connection. Not all cameras can be connected wirelessly, see the supported cameras list for details.

Wireless connection: refer to the manual

USB connection: you need the regular data USB cable for connecting the camera to a computer. You've received one with the camera. If you're connecting to an Android device you will also need a USB OTG adapter. If you don’t use the adapter the connection will not be established.

Note that wired connection is IMPOSSIBLE on iOS.

A: Please visit the Registration help for mobile devices page for get all the detailed instructions.

A: It is normal for Live View image to have the exposure different from the one on actual shots. Camera manufacturers use certain tricks to emulate the actual exposure (with varying success), but the fact is that the exposure time cannot be accurately applied in Live View mode (because unlike the actual shot, the shutter isn't triggered for each Live View frame). That's why you should always use either the "Preview" or the "Fast preview" function of Helicon Remote to check the actual exposure before proceeding with the shoot.

Now that you understand Live View exposure will rarely be 100% accurate, here's what you can do to make it as accurate as possible.

1. Make sure that the "Live View exposure simulation" feature is enabled in the camera body. You can do it from Helicon Remote by ensuring that the Tools -> Live view -> Exposure simulation is turned on (checked).
   Note that if your camera is an older Nikon, this item will be unchecked and grayed out because the camera doesn't have this feature.
2. Make sure that the Live View brightness boost is disabled in Helicon Remote. This option will overexpose your Live View image which is handy for low light conditions but undesirable in most other cases. You can turn the boost off or on in Preferences -> Interface -> Increase Live View brightness.

A: The camera body's orientation sensor was unable to reliably detect if the camera is in portrait or landscape orientation. This happens most often when the camera is pointing downwards (which is neither landscape nor portrait position). To solve the problem, either disable auto-rotation in the camera body menu, or mount the camera at less extreme angle to horizon so that the sensor may work correctly.

A: The problem is most likely caused by a conflict with some other camera-related app. To solve the problem, find and terminate all such app - it could be another remote control program, could be a simple image import tool or an image viewer. Any app capable of detecting a camera can trigger this issue, and only one such app may be running at any time.

It often helps to connect the camera first to see if any application is configured to open automatically when a camera is detected. If you see any such app, terminate it first and only then run Helicon Remote.

- Make sure no other camera related software is running. If two such pieces of software are active at the same time (e. g. Helicon Remote and Lightroom/Photos/Autoplay menu on Windows/Explorer/Gallery/you name it), all kinds of errors may occur to one or both programs. A system-wide lockup is also a possibility (if that happened, just turn the camera off or pull out its USB plug to regain control of your computer).

- Pay attention to programs that open up automatically when you connect the camera (autoplay menu, image import tool etc.) and close them prior to starting Remote. That means you should generally connect the camera first, close all pop-ups and only then start Remote.

- Turn the camera off and back on, but keep the previous paragraph in mind: when you turn on the camera while Remote is running, there's a high chance of camera-related tools starting up (Autoplay menu on Windows, Photos on Mac an so on). You should turn the camera on first, close any camera-related programs, and only then run Helicon Remote.

- Check the USB connectors and cables. Loose connections and faulty cables are not an uncommon cause of malfunctions.

- If nothing else helps, reboot the computer or mobile device where Helicon Remote is working poorly.