Tethering problems

[David Grover]

Monty - why have you downgraded to 2.0.1 for processing??

[Monty Rakusen]

I desperately need help. My Mac Pro won't run 2.5.2 and hardly runs 2.0.1. Erratically when I move a slider like clarity I get massive blocking on the screen and the whole machine freezes up.

HELP!

[Ali Alriffai]

I did a shoot yesterday and the camera keep freezing and capture failing with art director waiting me to restart everything again

It failed 7-8 times during 500 shoots

[Dustbak]

Ali,

A very helpful addition to this thread. Tells us more and maybe someone can help you find what is wrong and how to prevent this.

[Ali Alriffai]

My setup
H4D-50
Connected with original FW cable 800-400 directly to
MacPro 2.66 quad core 10GB Ram SL 10.6.4 with phocus 2.5.2


I setup capture folder, names, job rest all sliders etc.
I start Phocus then I connect the camera No problem here

after 50-80 captures the camera freezes and it's showing busy for very long time and the back yellow light keep blinking

if i disconnect the camera the software shows capture failure message

sometime it work when I disconnect the battery and cable then reconnect but not every time

I think we need immediate update not at the end of this year !

I can be a beta tester I have 4-6 mac machine but not to fail in front of the client every time,

What is the solution ?
I think I'll put the hasselblad back on table and start DPP with Canon

Also the Back LCD can I replace it with my canon G10 LCD??

should be a solution for this
why Hasselblad don't care about the Back LCD Why I have to go in location with my laptop where there is no power

the thing is I live in Bahrain (middle east) the weather here is unbelievable specially during the summer and we have enough dust and sun and 40-50c temperature
so if there is location shoot that should be very quick there is no time even for models to stay out in heat and dust

I use hoodman finder to check the images in LCD but even the LCD has a very Bad color gammet and it's more magenta tint


For camera in this price there is no problem to pay G10 cost to have it's LCD in My hasselblad

and

Many photographer like me don't like to shoot tether

[Dustbak]

From the FW800-FW400 cable I assume you have an older MacPro? What is your video card? Many problems arise from underspecc'd video adapters.

You should be able to shoot tethered without many problems. When there is a problem in most cases it is not your Hasselblad but very often something with the next link in the chain. Which is not to say that the Hasselblad backs or cameras are totally free of problems, it is just that often something else turns out to be the culprit.

There is a minimum hardware required list. There is also a recommended list which IMO should be the minimum...

I gave up on the screen a long time ago. Even the screen in my D700 would not be sufficient for my Hasselblad. Simply too small to judge anything on it. I either shoot tethered or I trust what I am doing and use the screen as a general guideline. I agree, a great screen would be welcome. I would even welcome more a wireless connection to something like an Ipad/Iphone/etc. where I can see the jpg preview (wireless from the back directly to the Ipad, no computer in between).

[Ali Alriffai]

my Studio mac is equipped with GT8800, but I have the same problem even with 8core Xeon 2.26 and dual VGA also the MBP unibody 2.66
All topped with rams

[Dustbak]

That does not necessarily mean it is all the same problem.

1) I have heard more people that had problems with the GT8800 card. It is basically underspecc'ed. A more recent and powerful video card might help here.
2) The new i5/i7 Unibody MBP's have issues with the firewire voltage being unstable causing cameras to disconnect. The solution here is to use a cable with a repeater.
3) The 8-Core Xeon 2.26, not sure what could be the issue with that unless you have a NVidea card in that and are using 10.6.4. This version of MacOS has issues with the Nvidea driver.

Last. It is fairly rare but you could also have an issue with your camera. A heads-up to a dealer would also be a good idea.

[David Grover]

Dustbak's comments are on the money here.

The GT8800 wasn't a great card and OS 10.6.4 really messed up the nVidia drivers!  There was a OS update for video performance which has helped some.  Might be worth doing a software update on your machine.

If you want super firewire stability then you need to use a firewire repeater or perhaps this cable from Lindy...

http://www.lindy.co.uk/5m-firewire-800-active-extension-cable/32918.html

We are working with the top guys in Apple to figure out this issue with their FireWire ports.  Then hopefully a more permanent solution!

David

[Ali Alriffai]

Thanks
I'll give a try and please check the power issues with the laptops 

[Steve C]

I hope that while Hasselblad engineers are working with "the top guys in Apple," they discuss the future of FireWire interfaces within Mac laptops.  It looks like Apple and the rest of the world are moving away from this standard.  In the mean time, I sure would appreciate a FireWire port on a Macbook Air or a dongle to convert Firewire to USB.  Since the iPad is not a computer capable of running Phocus, the Macbook Air is the smallest Mac that could work if only it could tether.  It is a pain taking a FireWire 800 Macbook Pro into the field just to use for focus confirmation!

[David Grover]

Hi Steve,

I think you will find the MacBook Air video support is very very limited, so I doubt it would be man enough to run Phocus.

D

[symbolphoto]

I hope that while Hasselblad engineers are working with "the top guys in Apple," they discuss the future of FireWire interfaces within Mac laptops.  It looks like Apple and the rest of the world are moving away from this standard.  In the mean time, I sure would appreciate a FireWire port on a Macbook Air or a dongle to convert Firewire to USB.  Since the iPad is not a computer capable of running Phocus, the Macbook Air is the smallest Mac that could work if only it could tether.  It is a pain taking a FireWire 800 Macbook Pro into the field just to use for focus confirmation!

I'm sorry, but MBP (I have a 17" i7)  are pretty streamlined in the design. They are thin and light. i don't see what you possibly have to complain about. Forgive me for saying so. 

Have you ever used a PC laptop? Like a Dell Insprion 7500, that thing is heavy and bulky. Nothing like the current MBP's. We use ours in the field all the time. Not a single complaint.