MacBook and Lightroom classic tethering issues

[kirstineWalton]

Since Lightroom classic has updated so I no longer need to change to Rosetta to tether, I'm having so many issues. It will not detect my camera without having to switch off the MacBook and make 20 attempts to get it to connect. And then when it does connect it will suddenly disconnect and I'm unable to get it to reconnect. My colleague is having the same issues. We've tried new tether cables and nothing works. 

canon 5d mkiv, MacBook Pro m1

Anyone else having these issues and found a workaround? 

[Sameer K]

Welcome to the Lightroom Community @kirstineWalton. I'll need more info to help you figure this out. 

What version of Lightroom Classic & macOS are you working on?

Try these variables to begin troubleshooting:

• Confirm if the SD card is plugged into the camera.
• Reboot the Camera while keeping Lightroom Classic in 'scan mode' for the camera.
• If you're using an input hub for the mac, try plugging in the cable directly into the available ports on the MacBook.
• Insert an empty SD Card into the cameras before connecting the camera with Lightroom Classic.

Check this article for more steps to troubleshoot tethering: https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/kb/troubleshoot-tethered-capture-lightroom.html

Let me know how it goes from here.

Thanks!

Sameer K

[kirstineWalton]

I’ll need to confirm which OS and Lightroom classic versions but they
should be the latest ones as it auto updates.

I do have an SD card and CF card in the camera, I don’t use a hub, I tether
direct with a cable. I have tried switching the camera on and off multiple
times.

This issue started about 3-4 weeks ago so guessing it is due to an update.

Thanks

Kirstine

[kirstineWalton]

Just to confirm I am on OS Ventura 13.2.1 and LRC 12.2.1. I'm still constantly having issues. If anything it has gotten worse. It struggles to detect my camera. I have tried two cameras, two different tethering cables, different ports on the mac. I have tried switching the camera off, and sometimes it makes LRC crash and close. 

[johnrellis]

Try rolling back to LR 12.1.

[kirstineWalton]

I'll need to roll it back further than that. I was having issues with 12.1 too. 

[Yanick294244747df6]

I ma having the same issue with various sd or cf cards. Format all, shut down the computer, lightroom etc... It keep crashing and is impossible to use. Not good on set with clients.

[kirstineWalton]

Mine has nothing to do with the memory cards. The only thing I could do to get this to work again was to roll back to a previous version of LRC until they fix the issues. I went back a couple of versions and it works great again. 

[p2molvaer]

I have the same problem and I am on the latest Sonoma with everything updated, I am using a Canon R5 with latest FW. It is insane that Adobe has not resolved this yet as they are supposedly targeting a professional market! I guess I have to be shooting using EOS software for tethering? How can we raise awareness of this problem to Adobe and the other customers?

I even had a support agent controlling my Mac trying to figure it out for an hour, but he gave up and just quit.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

I have no issues connecting an R5 to a Macbook M1 machine running Sonoma (14.2.1).  The connection happens in under a second.  I've also tested a 5DMKIV, and it behaves similarly.

You may want to follow the troubleshooting steps in this document: https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/kb/troubleshoot-tethered-capture-lightroom.html 

Update: 4/9 - I tested 5DMKIV, R5, and Sonoma 14.4.1 on two separate MacBook Pro M1—there were no connection issues. 

[p2molvaer]

Weird thing that the Adobe support agents can't help then. They've tried
everything, the camera shows in the system profiler, tethering works with
EOS software and just doesn't with Adobe.

[VaughnDTaylor]

Absolutely NONE of Adobe's recommendations on how to fix tethering will work. The issue seems to be with the newest versions of Lightroom Classic, and have NOTHING to do with the camera, the tether cable, the OS on your computer, or anything else – it's Lightroom Classic at fault. This is what I've tried, and what actually works:

1. I updated the firmware on my Canon 5D IV to 14.x. DIDN'T WORK
2. I updated to the latest version of Lightroom Classic (13.x). DIDN'T WORK
3. I bought a new tether cable from Tether Tools. DIDN'T WORK
4. I turned on/off the camera. DIDN'T WORK
5. I ran Lightroom Classic in emulation mode with Rosetta. DIDN'T WORK
6. I downgraded Lightroom Classic from 13.x to 12.1 – THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT WORKED!

Luckily, I'm using my Macbook Air M2 laptop for tethered shooting only – I'm not trying to edit images on the laptop – I do this on my desktop. So, I can have LRC 12.1 on my laptop, and 13.x on my desktop which allows me to take advantage of the newest features in Lightroom.

Having said all of this, the solution I discovered is NOT EVEN CLOSE TO IDEAL! Adobe, you need to fix this issue. It's your issue, and not ours. Install the newest version of Lightroom Classic, connect a Canon 5D IV, a Nikon D850, or any other camera that people have reported having issues with, and PLEASE, for the love of god, have a look at what we are seeing. Then downgrade to 12.1 and the problem will go away. Seriously, Adobe, you've wasted enough of our time by pointing us to "solutions" that are not solutions at all!

[kevind36976440]

Adobe have never got Lightroom Tethering to be reliable. Why I have no clue. I have spent 100's of dollars on Capture One just to use to Tether too. Cost me money but saved me from going mad.