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Tethered shooting for xt-30 to use it as a webcam properly !


YOUTA

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Hoping for fujifilm to release tethered shooting for xt-30 soon, for allowing it to use it as a webcam, since webcam mode isn't working. xs-10 was having the same issue which has been fixed by fujifilm 2 days ago through a firmware update, which brought the tethered shooting ability to xs-10 and thus enabling it be used properly as a webcam. since webcam functionality is much needed in today's work lifestyle , really hope that fujifilm address this issue of xt-30, same way they addressed xs-10 , by adding functionality !. so everyone who has xt-30, let's sent feedback to fujifilm, directly or by commenting in the webcam thread in the "xt-30" pages, like we were commenting in xs-10 pages. since fujifilm care about feedback, thus hoping that they will address this quickly. have a nice day !.

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Yes! I totally agree, we need tethered shooting for the X-T30.  Its my first body and if I knew anything about tethered shooting when I first started and knew that the XT-T30 didn't have it , I would've bought the X-T3...   Tethered shooting should be enabled for any camera, Pro or non Pro.

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56 minutes ago, pixbypatric said:

Yes! I totally agree, we need tethered shooting for the X-T30.  Its my first body and if I knew anything about tethered shooting when I first started and knew that the XT-T30 didn't have it , I would've bought the X-T3...   Tethered shooting should be enabled for any camera, Pro or non Pro.

Also it's required for using it as a webcam and that's necessary in today's world and lifestyle. everyone gives that feature to their camera's and x-s10 got it after the user feedback (x-t30 users were among that feedback, but was doing it among the x-s10 thread etc..). so let us all who have a x-t30 as a secondary body or primary body etc... sent feedback (through fujifilm x-t30 thread only, please, always mention the body while sending feedback)  , so that the feature is available soon to fujifilm x-t30... also fujifilm x-t30 was very good size and very much suitable to use a webcam too.. so it's unfortunate that it wasn't supported in the first place. well let's send feedback, since fujifilm listen to feedback always, let's hope to see the feature soon, if more users send feedback !. wish you a lucky day ahead !.

Edited by K PRETHVIRAJ
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  • 1 month later...

I’d just like to add my voice to that of other X-T30 owners who would appreciate the ability to tether this body. 

I moved from the Pentax stable and although I did examine the specifications of various fujifilm models, this didn’t include checking connectivity – perhaps naively, I just assumed that all modern cameras could tether…

I have been checking firmware updates and forums for any news on this for some time. The x webcam functionality is tantalising but more frustrating than useful, because it shows how close we are to a proper solution.

It seems to me that whilst there are a few users posting about this lack of functionality, there are probably many others like me, who just wait in the hope that it will arrive some day.

 

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9 hours ago, needafastalens said:

I’d just like to add my voice to that of other X-T30 owners who would appreciate the ability to tether this body. 

 

I moved from the Pentax stable and although I did examine the specifications of various fujifilm models, this didn’t include checking connectivity – perhaps naively, I just assumed that all modern cameras could tether…

 

 

 

I have been checking firmware updates and forums for any news on this for some time. The x webcam functionality is tantalising but more frustrating than useful, because it shows how close we are to a proper solution.

 

It seems to me that whilst there are a few users posting about this lack of functionality, there are probably many others like me, who just wait in the hope that it will arrive some day.

 

 

 

Thank you for voicing support, only when users send feedback or voice the need for the feature, it will be prioritized by Fujifilm.. that's why it was important to voice the need for the feature. so let's hope more ask for it, thus making Fujifilm prioritize it and implement it. have a nice day ahead !.

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  • 4 weeks later...
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Ok, here is a serious example of just how frustrating this crippled X-T30 tethering problem is.

I have just tried to obtain a covid vaccination certificate/pass from the UK Govt. NHS website. Part of the identification process requires you to submit a video. Unfortunately the website is unable to access the X-T30 camera.

End result, I'll have to go and borrow a webcam from someone tomorriow - or maybe just trade for Canon ..

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On 9/28/2021 at 2:31 AM, Sergey Savchenko said:

Agree, this is interesting  for non pro version (T-30) too. For example for home portrait experiment.

yes !, exactly... it makes it easier for us to experiment with different types of photography and videography..

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On 11/11/2021 at 3:11 AM, needafastalens said:

Ok, here is a serious example of just how frustrating this crippled X-T30 tethering problem is.

I have just tried to obtain a covid vaccination certificate/pass from the UK Govt. NHS website. Part of the identification process requires you to submit a video. Unfortunately the website is unable to access the X-T30 camera.

End result, I'll have to go and borrow a webcam from someone tomorriow - or maybe just trade for Canon ..

it is indeed a big cripple.... even xa-7 can be used as a webcam.. while more costly xt-30 can't be used....  i wish more people sent feedback.. so the fujifilm implement tethering support.. through the next firmware update... have a nice day !.

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3 hours ago, YOUTA said:

it is indeed a big cripple.... even xa-7 can be used as a webcam.. while more costly xt-30 can't be used....  i wish more people sent feedback.. so the fujifilm implement tethering support.. through the next firmware update... have a nice day !.

Starting with the v1.40 firmware update, the X-T30 was given some webcam support. This continued in the  v1.41 firmware update. If you use the camera remote app, you can also get single image support (there are still some limitations, but it does work).

 

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20 hours ago, jerryy said:

Starting with the v1.40 firmware update, the X-T30 was given some webcam support. This continued in the  v1.41 firmware update. If you use the camera remote app, you can also get single image support (there are still some limitations, but it does work).

 

my friend !, the webcam support is only in name.. it doesn't work. that's why i was taking about it !. it shows everything in the camera menu.. but it doesn't work on computer.. at least on windows... since i have tried every way, myself on windows 10 and windows 11... no apps detect camera(in webcam mode).. even the fujifilm webcam app doesn't detect camera...  the fujifilm remote app, works perfect,.,. for live view and image transfer etc... i have taken a star trails recently using that as remote shutter. but the webcam mode.. no luck so far.. and no solution in internet tooo.. i tried many seen in internet.. but never worked... maybe in the next firmware.. fujifilm will give a "working" webcam mode for windows computers.. anyway thanks for saying... wish you a nice day !

Edited by YOUTA
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This sounds like a Windows problem, it works in Linux and as far as I have tested, macOS. 

I have used KStars with my X-T30 to record videos as .ser files which then can be stacked in programs such as FireCapture. I got the linux setup working first on my desktop system (Mint) and then on my Raspberry Pi (Astroberry) and then a brief test on my mac system.

If you can get gphoto2 to run on your Windows box, this command:

gphoto2  --capture-movie  --stdout | ffplay -

will put up a movie in the viewer for you. I am still waiting for single frame capture — that would help me cut out the current clunky way of using remote camera app as a go between.

https://github.com/gphoto/gphoto2/issues/196

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Hi Jerryy

Interesting, and I’m glad that you found a method to support X-T30 video capture.

My experience has been far less positive and I would appreciate any thoughts you may have.

Firstly, I found that the introduction of webcam support in firmware 1.40 did allow me to use the X-T30, but only in limited applications. For example, when connected and configured as per Fuji instructions, the camera would be recognised and usable with Zoom video conferencing.

But, it was not available as a generic webcam to any other apps. For example, VLC could not pick it up as a functioning source. Also, websites where I granted camera access could not obtain any image from the camera.

I have not applied the 1.41 firmware update as the release notes didn’t seem to indicate any further webcam functionality.

I am not sure that the lack of webcam support on this camera is a ‘windows’ problem as you suggest, but I suspect it is a crippling of functionality within the X-T30 firmware to maintain differentiation of features between this camera and other Fuji models.

However, I would be happy to be proved wrong!

You mentioned your experience of additional webcam support in firmware 1.41 and successful image captures with gphoto2, I would be very interested in this – can you let me know what functionality you get with gphoto2 and X-T30 because I see on the gphoto.org website that it doesn’t seem to have any support for this model?

Thanks in advance

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The image captures are strictly video only. As i mentioned, single image capture is not (yet) implemented, though these functions should be feasible in other programs based upon having the features available in the Remote Camera App. for example, gphoto2 --list-config lists a toggle switch that turns bulb capture mode on or off, but it is currently set to read-only mode.

GPhoto2 is a front end for libgphoto2. The library itself is usually used by the various applications such as the KStars program I wrote about. Those programs tend to not give you direct access to the commands they use, but you can use gphoto2 to get at those:

http://gphoto.org/doc/remote/

The documentation is a little open-ended as many open source projects tend to be. You will need to scroll all the way to the end of the page i linked to in my reply to YOUTA to find out the maintainer has added the X-T30's live view capabilities to their listing, but the general documentation has not been updated to reflect that.

The camera uses the PTP language, so your system may need a generic PTP camera driver to go outside of the Zoom world. I used it in KStars EKOS module to record live view video, the program automatically turned it into the .ser format, and saved it. All i had to do was click on the start / stop buttons. This was with the camera's Connection Setting set to X Webcam, I have not tried the other USB video options (I have read those are there for controlling the camera using gimbals, etc.).

 

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I do think that this approach (webcam over usb) should be taken with a view of what the physical limits impose. The X-T30 uses the usb 3 standard which has a theoretical 5.0gb limit — if you plug it into a similar type port on your computer, etc. You can easily run into problems if your computer is sharing that port with other usb devices while trying to push full screen, deep bit-depth, high frame rate video while trying to use those other devices, — your computer may bog down or at least have problems including dropping frames or stuttering. Setting smaller sizes, slower rates, lower bit depth, etc. may be a better choice.

Even better, use the HDMI connector. You start off with over 10gb data transfer, (this is the starting point, notice the usb connector speed is “up to” which means you normally get that only under ideal circumstances). This may be troublesome if the webcam software expects the camera on the usb port, a lot of those usb webcams are not high quality video capture devices.

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I've not yet had the chance to build a linux(ish) box to try this (I doubt a modest RPi has the necessary horsepower) but I take your point completely concerning port clogging on shared usb devices at high bandwidth. I will persevere, because it is an interesting project.

I suppose HDMI out to a decent quality converter is probably a much simpler, off-the-shelf solution, subject to the same usb caveats.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record though (for those of us who remember them) all of this could probably be resolved with a small firmware tweak by Fuji.

I live in hope.

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On 11/21/2021 at 4:38 AM, needafastalens said:

I've not yet had the chance to build a linux(ish) box to try this (I doubt a modest RPi has the necessary horsepower) but I take your point completely concerning port clogging on shared usb devices at high bandwidth. I will persevere, because it is an interesting project.

I suppose HDMI out to a decent quality converter is probably a much simpler, off-the-shelf solution, subject to the same usb caveats.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record though (for those of us who remember them) all of this could probably be resolved with a small firmware tweak by Fuji.

I live in hope.

I wish they release a firmware fixing these indeed !. because the other methods seems a bit complex... let's hope.. because fujifilm used to listen to users since the start...

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