Focussing Canon EOS via WIFI with iPhone

[Jim Smith]

I hope to do some wide-angle milkyway and constellation photography. I was thinking of acquiring a Canon EOS 6D for this, but I am concerned about manual focussing with the fixed screen facing towards the ground. My old body is not as flexible as it used to be :-)

Has anyone got any experience of focussing using the Canon smartphone app over WIFI? Is it possible to actually see the stars on the smartphone and focus? I've tried the equivalent process with my Panasonic Lumix LX100 and I can't see any stars on the screen, so I have to focus on some distant building lights then reorientate the camera.

Thanks, Jim

[Fozzie]

Hi Jim.. I've not done it often using the 750d and canon connect app.. but rather than firing up the iso to 12500 and the exposure all the way over to 30s I took the trail and error method.. set the exposure to what parameters i wanted and tweeked to focus until i got it "right".. not perfect but sometimes the app is "delayed" so you can end up focus hunting.. 

I took this m42, unguided 30 sec single sub this way, through a 72mm ed.. 

And this widefield with kit lens..

HTH

FOZZIE 

[Jim Smith]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I think there's quite a lot here I haven't quite grasped yet!

Is it possible to focus using the live view display on the camera? Do you have to set a very high ISO, long shutter and/or something else to do so?

Does the live view display on the phone app differ from the one on the camera?

With your trial and error method, how do you view the images you have taken?

 

[Fozzie]

I'm sure you can focus using live view on camera, that's what I do to focus on the moon, but that's a lot brighter than a star field.. problem with using the app is that the camera shuts off it's screen and view finder as the phone is acting in that capacity... they don't work concurrently.

As before there is, on mine at least, a slight delay in the app image and what the camera is seeing, meaning you can go past the focus point easily.. hence the trail and error method.. focus, shoot, focus, shoot etch until your happy with the star shapes etch in the image.. then off you go.. I do thus through the app but you can use the camera for this.. and once your happy, then connect the app..

HTH 

fozzie 

[Jim Smith]

Thanks.