deutsche version  English version
Camera Remote Control
via Notebook and WiFi
Software

Camera RC

Camera RC is an application for remote controlling Sony cameras from a notebook over WLAN with the WiFi protocol. You can download similar software from Sony's homepage: But the first one (PlayMemories Mobile) is running only on smartphones and not on PCs, and the second one (Imaging Edge) needs an USB cable connection. The USB program can show the live view in the meantime, but this was not possible at the time I developed the application. Mainly this last shortcoming caused me to develop the software.

The software is based on Sony's Camera Remote API available on some higher priced Sony camera models. May be the software is running with all of these cameras - but I could test it only with my Alpha 7 II, an Alpha 7 and an HX60 where the last two showed some restrictions. A user reported successful operation with his Alpha 7 S II.

The program is written in Java and has been successfully tested under Windows, Linux and macOS. On the camera Sony's camera app Smart Remote Control must be running; see the manual for details.

Features

  • Live View of the current camera picture.
  • Setting of shutter speed, aperture and ISO value and all parameters available in Sony's programming interface.
  • Setting the focus point for the camera's autofocus.
  • Creation of image sequences with different autofocus points ("focus bracketing") for improving the depth of field with an external stacking software.
  • Rotation of the live view for pictures in portrait format etc.
  • Trigger the camera (still image and movie).
  • Zooming (digitally and optically if available in the camera).
  • Self-timer.
  • Overlay of different grids.
  • Real time histogram.
  • Transfer the files from the camera to the notebook.
  • No installation necessary, unpacking the ZIP file is sufficient if the Java Runtime Environment is installed.
  • User interface in German and English, manual only in English yet.

Screenshots

In the user interface's standard view you can adjust the most important settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO value) and trigger the camera:

Camer-RC-Benutzeroberfläche

Further camera settings can be adjusted in a separate window:

Camera settings

If available in the camera, digital and optical zooming is possible:

Zooming

A special timer dialog allows the time controlled, automatic triggering of the camera in more detail than the self timer built-in into the camera:

Self timer

With the focus bracketing dialog you can create sequences of pictures with different focus:

Focus bracketing Unfortunately Sony's API does not allow to set the focus directly; therefore, in this mode, the camera's autofocus point will be driven along an user defined line before a picture is taken.

The histogram (in the live view in real time) can be used to estimate the exposure:

Histogram

And you can transfer files from the camera to your notebook's harddisk:

Transfer files

Download

File
SizeDescriptionVersionPlatform
CameraRC_162_Setup.exe 4717 kB Camera RC for Sony Remote API cameras,
Java-Binary with Windows installer
1.6.2 Windows with
JRE 1.8.0 or newer
CameraRC_162.zip
4776 kB Camera RC for Sony Remote API cameras,
Java-Binary without installer
1.6.2 JRE 1.8.0 or newer

Attention: To use Camera RC you need additionally the current Java Runtime Environment. Download it at www.java.com (ca. 50 MB).

Change Log

10 July 2022, Version 1.6.2:
  • A German manual is available finally.
  • Small changes in the German user interface.
8 January 2022, Version 1.6.1:
  • The Zoom dialog's skin has not been updated when changing the skin in the Preferences dialog.
3 January 2021, Version 1.6.0:
  • The focus bracketing crosses have not been removed from the life view panel when closing the Focus Bracketing dialog with Cancel.
  • The skin, set in the Preferences dialog, has not been saved when closing CameraRC.
  • CameraRC has set the skin at program start always actively to the system skin; this prevented the user from forcing the application to use another (not built-in) skin by setting the Java VM option swing.defaultlaf.
  • Corrections in the manual and new chapter 14 describing the use of the Java VM option swing.defaultlaf.
13 April 2020, Version 1.5.0:
  • Focus bracketing is supported now by driving the auto focus point automatically along a user defined line.
6 January 2020, Version 1.4.0:
  • Zooming is supported.
  • The application crashed when transferring files from the camera and the camera was not set to one of the allowed modes.
  • Better handling of features available in Sony's API but not available in a camera model.
26 May 2019, Version 1.3.0:
  • The "Bulb" shutter time is supported now.
  • Handling of the long time shutter speeds is improved; e. g. the live view is activated automatically again after taking a long time shutter speed picture, and the Timer dialog is working now with the long time shutter speeds.
  • Some minor bug fixes in the Transfer Files dialog and the Timer dialog.
20 January 2019, Version 1.2.0:
  • The user interface is available in German.
  • The "Look and Feel" can be changed.
  • These settings can be adjusted in a new Preferences dialog.
  • All dialogs have Help buttons to open the user manual at the appropriate location.
  • The camera can be triggered with the left mouse button now when the mouse pointer is over the Live View or the Last Taken Picture panel. This is useful with a wireless mouse: It can be used as a cheap remote control device in this way.
  • Even if the camera is triggered directly (i. e. not with the software but the camera's trigger button) the last taken picture can be shown in the Last Taken Picture area now.
15 December 2018, Version 1.1.0:
  • Grids in different sizes can be layed over the live view and the last taken picture.
  • A histogram can be shown.
30 October 2018, Version 1.0.0:
  • New dialog Transfer Files for copying and moving files from the camera to the PC is available. All basic functionality Sony's API provides is implemented now.
  • Tooltips for the control elements added.
  • Some minor bugfixes.
7 July 2018, Version 0.9.5:
  • Documentation updated: Successful test with a Sony HX60.
9 April 2017, Version 0.9.4:
  • New dialog Camera Settings is available; all camera parameters provided by Sony's API can be set now.
  • New dialog Camera Commands is available; it replaces the former Generic Methods split pane in the main window.
  • Shortcuts for all buttons available.
  • Event handling improved.
8 November 2016, Version 0.9.3:
  • The live view and the taken picture can be rotated (in steps of 90 degree). Useful if the camera is mounted in portrait format on a tripod.
  • The live view's and the displayed taken picture's colors can be inverted. Useful when copying negative slides.
  • Some shortcut keys are defined.
5 June 2016, Version 0.9.2:
  • "Touch AF" functionality added: You can set the point where the camera's autofocus is working on.
  • Reentrancy problems with the underlying JSON parser solved - making the application more stable.
27 April 2016, Version 0.9.1:
  • Timer dialog added.
15 April 2016, V.0.9.0:
  • First published release.

Links of Interest