Lightroom Not Detecting Camera (Nikon D810)

Report · May 31, 2019

Hey all,

I can't seem to get Lightroom to detect my camera. I'm using Lightroom Classic 8.3.1 and my camera is updated to the latest firmware (1.14). I've gone through the entire Fix Tethering article on the Adobe website with no luck: Fix tethered shooting in Lightroom

I've tried several different USB cables and computers with no luck. Could it be a problem with my camera? When I connect the HDMI cable to the camera and computer my camera completely freezes up and won't let me take any pictures at all. Is there some setting on the camera I need to activate to get the computer to recognize it or is my camera just bugged?

Report · May 31, 2019

Not familiar with the camera, but in its settings , probably under connections, what options exist for USB connection?

Report · May 31, 2019

Hi David, I don't see any USB options, nor can I find anything when searching online for Nikon D810 USB options. It doesn't look like there are any special settings for the D810. It's supposed to be just plug and play for tethering.

Report · Jun 01, 2019

PC or Mac?

A possible cause on a PC of a tethered camera not being seen by Lightroom is if some of the necessary services are not running. The following should all be running (see Task Manager -> Services tab, "Description" column)

Windows Image Aquisition (WIA)
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator (sometimes this is not running)
RPC Endpoint Mapper
DCOM Service Process Launcher
Shell Hardware Detection

If any is not running, right-click and click start. If that fixes it, but the problem returns when you reboot, go into Task Manager, Services again, click "Open Services" at the bottom, find the service, right-click, choose properties and set startup type to automatic.

Report · Jun 01, 2019

I’m on a Mac (10.14.6). Is there a Mac equivalent?

Report · Jun 01, 2019

The services problem I posted is PC-specific, AFAIK.

Report · Jun 01, 2019

I don't do tethering, but I do have a D810, and I couldn't get it to work either on Windows 10. I just get Detecting Camera... and a spinning cursor.

All the services mentioned by Simon are running, except I couldn't find WIA in the (very long) list.

Report · Jun 01, 2019

The service names I mentioned are as they appear in the "Description" column of Task Manager (Windows). In the "Name" column, "Windows Image Aquisition (WIA)" shows as "stisvc" on my PC.

Report · Jun 07, 2019

You wrote "When I connect the HDMI cable to the camera and computer my camera completely freezes up". I assume this is a typo. You connect the USB cable from the D810 to your computer, not HHMI. The HDMI from the camera is meant to go to a monitor or recording device. Unless your computer has a HDMI in for recording do not connect the two. Also, it is best to use a USB 3 cable.

One other thought, if all you are doing is reading photos into LR, use a card reader, it will be much faster.

Report · Jun 07, 2019

You're right, I am using a USB cable, not HDMI.

Card reader is our backup method to transfer files to the computer during shoots but it is not faster as you can't transfer while shooting. We need tethering to be able to preview the photos as they are coming out of the camera for the whole team to be able to make changes as needed.

Report · Jun 07, 2019

jfredrickson01 wrote
You're right, I am using a USB cable, not HDMI.
We need tethering to be able to preview the photos as they are coming out of the camera for the whole team to be able to make changes as needed.

And why do you need that specifically. Can't the Whole Team view the images after they are transferred off the card?

And what changes are they doing that can't be done after the shoot is over?

Report · Jun 07, 2019

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Just+Shoot+Me wrote
And why do you need that specifically. Can't the Whole Team view the images after they are transferred off the card?
And what changes are they doing that can't be done after the shoot is over?

I need my hair, makeup and styling team to be able to make changes during the shoot. If we have to shoot 10 images and then transfer them to the computer via SD card to check them before making any changes it slows down the shoot way too much. I need everyone to be able to watch the photos as they come in to be able to jump in quickly to fix things so we can get the shots and move on. I also need to be keeping an eye on my lighting consistency and focus as the models are moving around and it's much easier to see this on the big screen. I often catch things after import that I would have rather caught while shooting so that we don't have to go back and reshoot after a transition.

How is this even a question? Every photography team I've ever worked with shoots tethered so that the whole team can be involved in the production while it's happening.

Not being able to get my D810 to work tethered is a huge problem for us right now.

Report · Jun 07, 2019

jfredrickson01 wrote
I need my hair, makeup and styling team to be able to make changes during the shoot. I

OK you didn't say that or I missed it. I was under the impression your Team was making edits to the photos as it came into the computer.

Best of luck to you.

Report · Jun 07, 2019

One of the recommendations at this YouTube video is using tetherboost cables.

Nikon D810 USB 3 Tether Port Failing - YouTube

Report · Jun 07, 2019

99jon wrote
One of the recommendations at this YouTube video is using tetherboost cables.
Nikon D810 USB 3 Tether Port Failing - YouTube

Thanks, we've tried all the tether tools cables including their tether boost. No luck.

Report · Nov 17, 2022

Hi I am having the same problem with my D810 not being detected by Lightroom, also updated firmware but still no luck.

Did you find a solution?

Report · Nov 17, 2022

If you're on Mac OS 13, there's a known incompatibility with tethering and simply connecting the camera by USB cable to import:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-discussions/p-mac-ventura-known-issues-please-read-...

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-bugs/p-unable-to-import-from-direct-connected-nikon...

This is likely caused by a change or bug introduced in Mac OS 13. Nikon appears to be having problems with its own camera utilities on Mac OS 13, and since LR relies on a Nikon library to do tethering, you'll have to wait until Apple and Nikon sort out their issues.

If you're importing via USB cable (and not tethering), then the workaround is to use a card reader.

I recommend following the two threads above to get the latest information. (You've posted in a very old there here.)

Report · Jun 07, 2019

I could only get tethering to work on my machine by using very specific high quality USB cables and by not going through a USB hub - i.e. directly plugged into the computer.

Report · Jun 07, 2019

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Jao+vdL wrote
I could only get tethering to work on my machine by using very specific high quality USB cables and by not going through a USB hub - i.e. directly plugged into the computer.

What cables have worked for you? We've tried tether tools and several others with no luck.

Report · Jun 07, 2019

This is probably not helpful but the only cable I found going through the

bin that worked was an amazon brand one. They sell hundreds of different

ones and no idea where this one came from. I rarely shoot tethered so not a

big deal for me but if you have to it is surprising how flaky it is.

On Fri, Jun 7, 2019 at 1:28 PM jfredrickson01 <forums_noreply@adobe.com>