P: Cannot tether Sony A7 IV (ILCE-7M4) with latest 3.01 firmware

[David J Wood]

Lightroom Classic 13.3 adds tethering support for selected recent Sony cameras, including the A7 IV. However, I cannot get tethering to work with a USB-C connected Sony A7 IV (3.01 firmware) on my Windows 11 computer; I get a "Detecting Camera" dialog with a spinning wheel, but no further. The same camera, cable and camera settings work correctly in the Remote part of Sony Imaging Edge.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

We are aware of the issue with the updated firmware incompatibility and are working on a solution. Thank you for the report.  The engineering team is attempting to contact you via direct message for troubleshooting. 

[David J Wood]

I have responded to the message from your colleague, Rikk, and look forward to assisting with this bug.

[David J Wood]

We now understand the issue on Windows following a Teams meeting with a couple of Adobe engineers this morning.

Lightroom Classic needs to interact with the camera as a WinUSB device. However, if you have Sony Imaging Edge installed, it will likely install a different driver for the camera that is incompatible with Lightroom Classic's tethering. The engineers believe there is a similar incompatible driver issue if you have Capture One installed.

If you connect the camera in PC Remote mode, open Device Manager, and see a "Sony Remote Control Camera" under "libusbK Usb Devices" then Lightroom Classic's tethering will not work. To fix this situation:

• right-click "Sony Remote Control Camera"
• choose "Update Driver"
• choose "Browse my computer for drivers"
• choose "Let me pick from an available list of drivers on my computer"
• choose "MTP USB Device"

You should then be able to tether successfully in Lightroom Classic. If you want to use Sony Imaging Edge's Remote program, you must switch the driver back to the "Sony Remote Control Camera" driver. When the camera is using the correct driver for Lightroom Classic, it will appear under "Portable Devices" as its Sony model name, so "ILCE-7M4" for an A7 IV.

If you don't want to use the Sony Remote software at all, you can uninstall the Sony driver as follows:

• right-click "Sony Remote Control Camera"
• choose "Uninstall Device"
• check "Attempt to remove the driver for this device"
• press "Uninstall"
• disconnect and reconnect the camera

If you have Imaging Edge installed and you do not uninstall the Sony driver then Windows will prefer the Sony driver if the camera is reinstalled for any reason.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Updating status. Thanks for reporting back. 

For others on the thread: you can verify your camera's support status here: https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-discussions/p-tethering-support-requests-and-inform... 

[gadgetgeek2000]

I have a Sony A7RIV (The A7RIVa version, which is the most recent version of the camera). I have followed the support document https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/kb/sony-tethered-support.html to set my camera menu settings PC Remote:On and PC Remote Cnct Method:USB. I am unable to find the camera in Lightroom.

The camera reports:

Connected via USB .

Execute an application that supports remote operation.

Lightroom reports:

Detecting Camera... and just has a spinning wheel.

I reported this issue in the beta forums but nobody answered me. Now this is released and the software still does not work.

I can confirm that the Imaging Edge Remote software works fine in this same configuration -- I see the preview on the screen, and can change my camera settings using the native Sony app. Lightroom refuses to connect to my camera. Can someone please advise? I have tried to plug in an unsupported camera -- my A7III and Lightroom tells me the camera is unsupported. I get no response from Lightroom with my supported camera.

Lightroom version:  Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic, version 13.3 release for Windows.  

Body: Sony ILCE-A7R4A

Firmware version: 1.10 (latest available)

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Check this post: https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-bugs/p-cannot-tether-sony-a7-iv-ilce-7m4-with-lates... 

[gadgetgeek2000]

Changing the driver is the exact fix. I'm glad a solution was known. I hope the documentation pages get updated to include this information. Thank you for pointing me to that article. 

[Sa LiM]

I'm having the same issue with a Sony Alpha A7R V.
I hope there will be a fix or a solution that booth would work. Sony Imaging Edge AND Lightroom Classic.
I don't want to fiddle around with drivers everytime I choose a tool. Thanks

[darkoroom]

Thanks for this. It worked for my A7IV.

I still have an issue with my A9ii - it connects to Lightroom but the images are not importing - any ideas on thet?

[darkoroom]

UPDATE: if i select transfer RAW+JPG to PC it works, only RAW or only JPG does not

[Sharma_Nitin]

Hi @darkoroom 
We are looking into this issue.
Can you please share whether Preferences->Treat JPEG files next to raw files as separate photos is
selected ot not.
If it is not selected, please select and give it a try.

[Cookiemonster]

I have been unable to get  LR v 13.3 to tether with my Sony A1, A7R V and A6700. I'm using the factory cable, and each of my cameras has the latest firmware (2.01 on the A1, 2.02 on the A7R V and 1.03 on the A6700). I'm also running Windows 11 and it is also up to date. When I run LR, and try tethering, the icon just spins continuously "searching for a camera". I'd love to hear from someone who has either of these cameras with that firmware and Windows 11 and who have made it work with LR. I'm getting the feeling that Adobe may have made the changes to LR based on earlier firmware versions of the camera.

Some questions for those who have successfully gotten it to work.
1. Should Blue Tooth be on or off?
2. Should the camera be connected to the PC by Wi-Fi?

[hypcx]

I have the same behavior with Mac OS 14.4.1, LR 13.3, and a USB-C connected Sony A7R V. It never detects, despite the computer knowing the camera is connected. I have never installed any Sony software on that machine, nor have I installed any Phase One software.

[Sharma_Nitin]

Hi @Cookiemonster , @hypcx 

Could you please confirm if PC Remote mode is set to on in your camera.

-Nitin

[Cookiemonster]

Yes, PC remote is set on the camera. FYI, I followed the directions given
by the Adobe Team and was able to get tethering working on all three
camera. I just hope something can be done in the next release that enables
this to happen without having to jump through so many hoops.

[David J Wood]

For those wondering what is happening beneath the surface, it appears that Adobe has chosen to implement tethering itself using the Sony Camera Remote Command documentation of the Sony proprietary extensions to PTP rather than the Sony Camera Remote SDK. This explains both the need to change the USB driver on Windows if you have Imaging Edge installed, as well as the lack of Wi-Fi and wired LAN tethering support.

I am very grateful to have any Sony tethering support in Lightroom Classic. However, I would like Adobe to consider switching to the Camera Remote SDK. I realise the Camera Remote SDK has drawbacks: it is not currently available for Windows on ARM, and it will require Lightroom Classic's Sony tethering support to be reimplemented. However, switching to Camera Remote SDK would eliminate the need to switch drivers if you have Sony Imaging Edge installed and will allow network tethering with recent Sony cameras.

[hypcx]

@Sharma_Nitin, yes, PC Remote is ON. The Camera displays -PC-, but Lightroom does not detect it.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

@hypcx 

Please follow the instructions on this video for setup hints: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aucolYzygos&t=142s 

[hypcx]

Thanks @Rikk Flohr: Photography . Unfortunately the a7rV has different menu pics than the a1.

For example, I don't have the option to toggle smartphone connect ON or OFF. I beleve it is disabled because when I select that menu item, it gives me a QR code to set up a connection.

PC Remote doesn't have a connect method option.

[Sharma_Nitin]

@hypcx 
We have sent a direct message to you for troubleshooting the issue.

[Cookiemonster]

The instructions in that video do not work for the latest firmware on many of the supported Sony cameras. What I found to work was that the Adobe Team suggested earlier in this thread involvog using the MTP USB Device driver. I'd suggest no longer recommending that video as it will usually just lead to frustration.

[hypcx]

@CookiemonsterI was able to get it working on windows, but unfortunately it was an academic experiment because my windows machine is a desktop that lives in my home office. Still haven't gotten it to work on my Macbook Pro.

[hypcx]

@Sharma_Nitinwas able to walk me through it on MacOS. Evidently, the menu setting for PC Remote ON is different than the PC Remote prompt that comes up when you connect USB.

[NaraCorrea]

Porque não consigo conectar minha sony A7III para fazer captura vinculada? Tá tudo atualizado , mas não consigo. Adobe resolve isso aí uai.

[enricoluzi]

This worked perfectly, thanks a lot !