Always keep your Mac up to date
Before I start to tell you how you can connect your SLR camera to your Apple computer, the first thing you have to do is have your Mac in perfect condition and ready to carry out all the actions involved in connecting a camera. Therefore, the first recommendation that we want to send you is that you keep your Mac updated to the latest version of its operating system.
This is very important, not only for connectivity and compatibility with your camera, but also for security reasons. Our recommendation is to always keep your Mac updated at all times, both to enjoy the latest news that is included in each version of macOS, and to always have it shielded with the maximum possible security.
Ways to connect your camera to the Mac
There are several alternatives through which you can connect your SLR camera to your Mac. These will depend to a greater extent on the computer model you have and, above all, on how old it is. Therefore, as we will see below, it is possible that in some cases you need to use an accessory that allows you to connect it.
Don’t need accessories? Perfect
One of the points that you have to take into account are the ports that your computer has and the type of cable that the camera manufacturer provides to connect it. On many occasions, if you have a Mac that only has USB-C ports, you may find that the camera cable is USB-A.
However, if you have a Mac that does have USB-A ports, it is common for most cameras to have a cable compatible with that port. However, the most modern and latest releases usually come with a cable with a USB-C termination. In any case, if you do not need any accessories since the camera cable is fully compatible with the ports of your Mac, to connect it you just have to turn on the camera and use the cable to make the connection.
Make use of a USB-C hub
The fact that you need a hub to connect the camera to the Mac is very common. As we have already mentioned before, the incompatibility of the cable provided by the camera manufacturer with the ports that your Apple computer has is frequent, so the purchase of an accessory that allows the connection between the two is usually almost essential.
Of course, the purchase of a hub must be done correctly, since you are going to spend the money on an accessory, try that it has a wide variety of ports so that, in this way, you can not only connect your camera to the Mac , if not also other accessories or devices. In addition, for the file transfer you have to choose an alternative that guarantees an adequate transfer speed so that the experience is satisfactory.
Manage all camera files
The main reason why most users connect the camera to the Mac is to be able to manage all the files that are inside it, although really, both the photos and the videos are stored on the memory card that is inside the camera itself. As we mentioned before, in the event that you use a hub to connect the camera to the Mac, it is very important that you take into account the transfer speed of said hub so that the fact of transferring your photos and videos from the camera to the computer does not it took too long.
However, there is another way to manage all the files on the camera. As we have mentioned a few lines above, actually both the photos and the videos are stored inside a memory card. What many users do is remove the card itself and connect it to the computer, without having to connect the camera through its cable.
Use your reflex camera as a webcam
One of the uses that has grown considerably in recent years as a result of platforms such as YouTube and Twitch is to connect the camera to the Mac so that it is in charge of collecting the image that is subsequently broadcast live, that is, using a reflex camera as webcam. Next we want to tell you what you need to be able to carry it out and the steps you have to follow to do it.
Accessories needed to use your camera as a webcam
Fortunately for all users who want to use their SLR camera as a webcam, the number of accessories they need is not very large. However, it may happen that, depending on the camera you have, you don’t even have to use any accessory other than a cable that allows you to connect and that allows the computer to take the image from the camera. However, the most common is that if you need to make use of two very specific accessories.
Get a capturer
The quintessential accessory that the vast majority of users need to be able to send the camera image to their Mac so that it can use it as if it were the computer’s own webcam is a capturer. Surely if you are familiar with the streamer world you will already know what this device consists of.
But for all those who are not, a capturer consists of a device that is responsible for transferring the image captured by the camera to your computer so that it can make use of it, making it possible for the different applications to use and display it depending on your needs and goals.
You need the right cable
Depending on the capturer you will need one cable or another, however, the usual thing is that you have to acquire a cable with mini HDMI and HDMI since they are the usual connections that you will need to be able to connect your camera to the capturer. In turn, the capturer will connect to your Apple computer via USB.
Steps to use your camera as a webcam
The use of a reflex camera as a webcam can not only be focused on directing on platforms such as YouTube or Twitch, it can also be a fantastic way to offer a quality image in the meetings that you have to carry out electronically. In this way you can differentiate yourself by offering a really attractive image.
Well, once you have all the necessary devices to connect your camera to the Mac and use it as a webcam, the steps to achieve this are really simple, it will only take a few seconds and you will immediately be able to enjoy a fantastic image to show. Here’s how to do it.
- Place your camera on a tripod at a height that allows you to focus properly.
- Connect the camera to the capturer using the corresponding cable.
- Connect the capturer to the computer.
- Connect the camera to the power cable so that, in this way, you do not consume the battery of the same and you can not worry about it if you are going to perform long-term live shows.
After these simple steps, you will have the camera image available to use with any application.
Charge your camera by connecting it to the Mac
In many cases, you may not have enough plugs on hand to be able to charge the camera directly connected to the power. Therefore, another reason why many users connect the camera to the computer is simply to be able to charge it and use it later.
This is especially useful when you travel since suitcases and backpacks are usually filled with cables and adapters to be able to charge the batteries of all the devices that accompany you on your adventure. Thus, you can save at least one adapter and you can charge the camera simply by connecting it to your Mac.
