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Can we control multiple DSC-QX100 cameras using the Camera Remote API SDK from an iPad OS7?

The objective is to cause multiple cameras to "snap" picture at the exact same time. Perhaps each camera has an address (serial number)...can the software communicate with all cameras at the same time using multiple addresses? Need is limited to still photos and so-called fast, rapid photography. Video not necessary.

If so, how?

user3731089
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4 Answers4

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Unfortunately you can only control one QX100 lens at a time. This is because the lens connects over WiFi and you are limited to only a single WiFi connection at once on an iPad. It may be possible using a desktop PC with multiple wireless cards installed but that would be the only way.

mldeveloper
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  • Thanks. Is it possible to run Camera Remote API SDK on a Mac workstation or only on PC? – user3731089 Jun 11 '14 at 21:07
  • The API is HTTP based so it is platform independent. However, at this time the utility libraries are only for Android and iOS so if you wanted to connect using a PC or Mac you'd have to write the calls yourself from scratch. – mldeveloper Jun 12 '14 at 17:04
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    @MarlinSONY: Dear Marlin, I would like to connect 10 cameras to a laptop. Installing multiple wireless cards is a hack of a workaround. WiFi *was designed* to support multiple devices connected to the same network, and the only reason I can't do this is because someone decided that each camera must count as a separate access-point. I want to be able to choose which network to connect to. For encrypted networks I want to store the password on the SD card. This would solve many related questions here on SO. Can you *please* forward this feature request to SONY? Thank you. – Yakov Galka May 02 '15 at 19:46
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As the Sony rep said, there's no way to do this with "officially supported" techniques.

The reason for this is that the camera acts as a WiFi Access Point (AP) - so while multiple devices can connect to it, most mobile devices can only connect to it and not anything else (since iOS and Android don't support connection to multiple APs simultaneously). This is also why you can't use other network interfaces when connected to the camera. (I don't know about iOS, but Android always prioritizes WiFi over cell network data, for example.)

Android devices have a feature called "WiFi Direct" that provides more flexibility in terms of peer-to-peer interconnection, but iOS does not support WFD. The QX100 DOES respond to WFD invites, and you can accept a pairing request with (if I remember correctly) a long-press of the shutter button. However, the official app only supports normal WiFi AP connections.

I have not yet attempted to see if using Sony's remote API in combination with the (unsupported but apparently present) WiFi Direct capability works.

More info on Wifi Direct and Android can be found at http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/connectivity/wifip2p.html

Andrew Dodd
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Marlin SONY, I disagree, wifi is Ethernet and by definition can handle multiple devices on the same network. If you run a phone or iPad as a hotspot and connect multiple devices, it works.

Multicam Switcher Basic is an example of a free app that supports cutting together multiple camera angles live. Unfortunately the app is still being developed so features like third party camera support isn't included, but it does show what is possible and awaits development.

Kate and Rich
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I think this should be possible. Apps like CollabraCam™ (Multicam Social Video Production) or RecoLive MultiCam prove that is possible to use mulitple cams simultaneous.

I need someone too to develop an App to be able to use "two" sony dsc-qx for 3D shoots. Please, if You know how or who can do this contact me email@3-d.re

Andrzej Andreas
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