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Canon PowerShot G5 X black front
PowerShot G5 X Support
FAQs & troubleshooting

Using an Android Smartphone to control the camera during remote shooting (PowerShot G5 X)

Content Id: 8202717500


As you check a shooting screen on your smartphone, you can use it to shoot remotely.

Shooting can also be performed via NFC connections using Android smartphones (installed with OS version 4.0 or later) that support NFC.

Caution

In the following explanation, smartphone setting procedures are indicated by the icon, and camera setting procedures are indicated by the icon.
When performing remote shooting, shooting modes other than [ P ], [ Tv ], [ Av ], [ M ], [ C ] cannot be selected.
Movie shooting is not possible.
In this article, Android™ smartphones and tablets are collectively referred to as 'smartphones'.
In camera settings, the smartphone must be allowed to view camera images.
In order to use a smartphone to control the camera remotely, the Camera Connect application must be installed on the smartphone.

Caution

Keep your fingers or other objects off the Wi-Fi antenna area. Covering this may decrease the speed of your image transfers.
Connections require that a memory card be in the camera.
On the screen, wireless signal strength is indicated by the following icons.

-[ ] high, [ ] medium, [ ] low, [ ] weak

The procedure for using a smartphone to control the camera during remote shooting via Wi-Fi is explained in the following four steps. Proceed in order from Step 1.

Step 1: Confirming the OS version

Step 2: Installing Camera Connect on the smartphone

Step 3: Connecting the camera to the smartphone

Step 4: Using the smartphone to control the camera during remote shooting

Step 1: Confirming the OS version

1. Check the smartphone’s specifications.

To confirm the Android™ OS version information, check the [Settings] menu ( ) [About device] [Android version].

Caution

Please refer to the related information for details on the smartphones which can be connected with a camera wirelessly.

Caution

Turning off the sleep function of the smartphone is recommended.
The setting procedures and items may differ depending on the Android™ OS version installed on your smartphone.

Step 2: Installing Camera Connect on the smartphone

Download Camera Connect from Google Play™ and install it on the smartphone.

If Camera Connect is already installed on the smartphone, please proceed to
Step 3: Connecting the camera to the smartphone.

Caution

The example procedure is shown in Android™ OS 4.0
The example screen images from the smartphone are used to explain the setting procedures and may differ from the screens shown on other models. For more information on the model you are using, refer to your smartphone’s instruction manual.
Interface or functions of Camera Connect are subject to change, for application improvement or update. In such a case, features of Camera Connect may differ from sample screens or operation instructions in this explanation.

Caution

For an NFC-compatible Android™ smartphone (OS version 4.0 or later) which have not been installed with Camera Connect, activating NFC and touching the smartphone against the camera’s N-Mark () will start Google Play on the smartphone, and Camera Connect will be downloaded automatically.

1. Touch the [Play Store] application on your smartphone to access Google Play™.

Caution

The Camera Connect application is free, but separate connection charges for accessing Google Play™ may be applicable.
A Google account is necessary to download Camera Connect.
It is not possible to download Camera Connect to smartphones not equipped with GooglePlay™.
Downloading the application via a cellular network may take longer than downloading via Wi-Fi.

2. Touch the search icon.

3. Enter [Camera Connect] in the search field, and then touch [Search].

4. Choose [Camera Connect] from the displayed search results, and install it on the smartphone.

After installation has been completed, tap the [Home] button to return to the Home Screen.

Step 3: Connecting the camera to the smartphone

1. Touch the menu key, and then touch [Settings] ().

2. Confirm that the smartphone is not set to [Airplane mode].

3. Set the [Wi-Fi] switch to [ON], and then touch [Wi-Fi].

4. Select the shooting mode.

Set the mode dial to [ P ], [ Tv ], [ Av ], [ M ], or [ C ].

Caution

It will not be possible to change the shooting mode after remote shooting begins.
If the camera is set to a shooting mode other than [ P ], [ Tv ], [ Av ], [ M ], or [ C ], the shooting mode will automatically be changed to [ P ] mode during remote shooting. However, some Quick Set menu and MENU settings you have configured in advance may be changed automatically.

5. Secure the camera.

・Once remote shooting begins, the camera lens will come out. Lens motion from zooming may also move the camera out of position. Keep the camera still by mounting it on a tripod or taking other measures.

Caution

For an NFC-compatible Android™ smartphone (OS version 4.0 or later), connections to the camera can be made using NFC. To perform remote shooting operations with Camera Connect, make sure that the camera is set to shooting mode, or turned off before making the connection.

6. Press the camera’s [ Mobile device connect ] ( ) button.

(Hereafter referred to as the ⋖⋗ button.)

Caution

When setting up Wi-Fi for the first time, the camera nickname registration screen will be displayed.

 

This nickname will be displayed on [Select a Device] screen when connecting to other devices via Wi-Fi.
If the [Device Nickname] screen is displayed, press the ⋖⋗⋖⋗ buttons to choose [OK], and then press the ⋖⋗ button. (The camera model name (G5 X) is set as the nickname by default.)
To change the camera’s nickname, press the ⋖⋗⋖⋗ buttons to choose the [Nickname] field, press the ⋖⋗ button to display the keyboard, and then enter the desired nickname. After you have finished entering the nickname, press the ⋖MENU⋗ button to return to the registration screen, press the ⋖⋗ button, choose [OK], and then press the ⋖⋗ button.

7. When the following screen is displayed, press the ⋖⋗⋖⋗ buttons to choose [ ], and then press the ⋖⋗ button.

8. The camera’s SSID is displayed on the screen.

Caution

When you are in the vicinity of an access point that you have previously connected to, the camera will automatically connect to it.
To change access points, select [Switch Network] from the screen that will be displayed when the connection is being established.

9. Choose the SSID (network name) displayed on the camera’s screen from the list of access points displayed on the smartphone.

Caution

For better security, you can display a password on the screen by accessing MENU and choosing [ ] tab ⋗ [Wi-Fi Settings] ⋗ [Password] ⋗ [On]. In this case, enter the password displayed on the camera in the password field on the smartphone when it is displayed.

After confirming that the smartphone and the camera are connected, touch the [Home Button] to return to the [Home Screen].

10. Tap the [Canon Connect] () application icon on the smartphone to start [Camera Connect].

After the camera recognizes the smartphone, a device selection screen is displayed.

11. Press the ⋖⋗⋖⋗ buttons to choose the smartphone you want to connect with, and then press the ⋖⋗ button.

12. After a connection is established with the smartphone, the smartphone’s name is displayed on the camera. (This screen will close in about one minute.)

13. Touch [Images on camera ] in Camera Connect.

Caution

Once you have connected to a smartphone initially via Wi-Fi by pressing the ⋖⋗ (Mobile device connection) button, you can simply press the ⋖⋗ (Mobile device connection) button after that to connect again for viewing and saving camera images on connected devices.
One smartphone can be registered to the ⋖⋗ (Mobile device connection) button.
Once a connection has been established with a smartphone, you can automatically reconnect to the registered device by simply pressing the ⋖⋗ button, even if the camera has been turned off.

Caution

To clear smartphones registered to the camera, display the menu screen, press the ⋖⋗⋖⋗ buttons to choose the [Mobile Device Connect Button] on the [ ] tab, and then press the ⋖⋗ button. Press the ⋖⋗⋖⋗ buttons to choose [OK] on the confirmation screen, and then press the ⋖⋗ button to complete the process.

If you wish to register a different smartphone to the ⋖⋗ button, clear the one currently registered first.

Step 4: Using the smartphone to control the camera during remote shooting

1. In Camera Connect on the smartphone, choose [Remote shooting].

Caution

The camera lens will come out. Do not press near the lens, and make sure no objects will obstruct it.

2. Once the camera is ready for remote shooting, a live image from the camera will be displayed on the smartphone. At this time, a message is displayed on the camera, and all operations except pressing the power button are disabled.

3. Use the smartphone to control the camera. Press the button to shoot.

Caution

Any jerky subject motion shown on the smartphone due to the connection environment will not affect recorded images.
Captured images are not transferred to the smartphone. Use the smartphone to browse and import images from the camera.

*Android™, and Google Play™ are trademarks of Google Inc.

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