Recently Epson updated it’s P-6000 and P-7000 Multimedia Photo Viewers and added the ability to tether directly to your camera without the need for a computer. Currently the ability to tether, shoot, save and review images without the requirement of a computer appears to be an Epson exclusive. Epson says that the new tether feature will streamline your shooting both in and out of studio and reduce the amount of gear you’ll have to pack around by removing the need of a computer to tether.
“The new tethering feature in the Epson P-6000 and P-7000 Photo Viewers can dramatically enhance the workflow of any photographer, and is yet another demonstration of our commitment to developing products that meet the needs of the professional photography marketplace,” said Rick Day, senior product manager, Epson America. “Whether working in their studios or in the most remote of locations, an Epson photo viewer is a must-have tool for backing-up and viewing images without a computer.”
Epson tethers using a simple USB connection between your camera and the Photo Viewer, images are automatically saved to the camera’s memory card while the Photo Viewer saves a backup copy to the Viewer’s internal hard disk drive. The tether feature enables photographers to preview images immediately on the Photo Viewer’s high resolution, 4 inch color-accurate LCD. This allows for much greater accuracy and faster adjustments to be made on the spot. The new firmware update that activates the tether feature also includes a remote shutter release function for even more ease of capture.
The new feature is already shipping with Photo Viewers since late-October and is also available as a free download on Epson’s website to current P-6000 and P-7000 owners. The one hitch is that the tether only works on select Nikon and Canon DSLR’s. The complete list is said to be on Epson’s website but at the time this was posted I was unable to find any support documentation for this feature on Epson’s website. The firmware update for the P-6000 and P-7000 is available on the Epson website here.
For those wondering the Spec’s for the Photo Viewers:
Epson P-6000 and P-7000 Multimedia Viewers
Epson multimedia photo viewers are ideal companions for the digital SLR. Epson’s exclusive Photo Fine® LCD technology has advanced to a new benchmark in screen quality with Photo Fine Premia which encompasses 94 percent of Adobe RGB color space for superior color accuracy. With 80GB (P-6000) and 160GB (P-7000) hard drive capacities, thousands of RAW image files can be backed up wherever images are captured for peace of mind and security. Other features include:
- Large 4-inch LCD with exclusive Epson Photo Fine Premia technology displays over 16.7 million colors
- Convenient jog dial to quickly scroll through images
- Wide LCD viewing angle
- Zoom function to confirm image focus and fine detail
- RAW and JPEG file support
- Built-in CompactFlash and Secure Digital memory card slots with many other cards supported via third-party adapter
- Compatible with high-speed UDMA CompactFlash cards
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasts up to three hours for extended shoots
- High-speed USB 2.0 interface for device to device backup
- Audio/video output to present customized slideshows
- Travel Pack with dual battery charger, car adapter and more (P-7000 only)
