Keep stepping on tether

Let me preface by saying that I know this is a trivial problem and that any

reasonably intelligent human could come up with a solution. But, I like to hear

what others have done to solve it.

 

I shoot tethered in the studio and more than once I have stepped on the cord and

popped it out of the camera body. Since I'm running Windows, such glitches are

not handled gracefully, and both DPP and Capture One have a difficult time

reconnecting to the camera after I plug the cable back in.

 

So, how do you protect your tether from clumfootedness?

I've used both a USB and Firewire 15' extension cord (depending on the camera) and I've been able to run it down the leg of the tripod and tape it to the floor with gaffer tape. Fortunately, I've been able to put the laptop close to the camera.

Well, it's a simplisitc answer, but a longer cord, run back behind you, out of the way, and taped to the floor might do the job

I found longer USB cables can be flaky. However, with a powered hub, no problems. Plus if

you accidentally jerk the cable you're less likely to send your laptop tumbling.

I have a 16' cord, conected to a 6' cord. It works best to have the longest cord you can, so you can drape it out of your way.

There are "Active" USB extension cables. I have a couple of this type:

http://www.amazon.com/USB-2-0-Active-Extension-Cable/dp/B0006V5LB6/

 

If you look around I think you can find them for about $16 online.

 

I bought mine because I wanted to mount some USB cameras outside my house as "security" cameras, but they'd be good for your application also.

You could support the cable ABOVE you and the equipment. Depending on your situation, you could suspend strings from the ceiling, use something like lighting stands, or many other ways to support the cable above the camera and computer. Of course, a very simple way would be to have the camera and computer mounted on a single roll-around fixture in the studio.

I left out something important when I worded the question: the camera is not on a tripod, it's handheld. The cable hangs from the camera to the floor, goes over there to where the computer is, and plugs into the computer. It's plenty long for the job. But because it's underfoot and because I'm a clums-o, I just keep stepping on it while I'm moving around the model. To keep it from unplugging from the camera, I've knotted it around the wrist-strap, but the knot slips. As I originally said, this is a trivially-easy problem to solve if I provide a little brainpower, I'd like to see if other folk who shoot tethered+handheld have dealt with it. Or maybe no one else is as clumsy as I am?

<p>I have heard of the existence of wireless USB connections. I have never used one or looked into them so I can't say how much they cost or if they have compatibility or performance or reliability issues. But they might be worth consideration, as they'd surely solve your problem.</p>

Not sure what you studip layout and movement requirements are, but maybe set a tripod or some other support up behind you and tape/drape the cable over it (or a piece of string to the ceiling) and have the cable run from the camera over your shoulder over the tripod to the computer? leave enough slack between you and the tripod to allow easy movement but it would just droop down between your shoulder and the intermediate support and keep it off the floor.

Yeah, you definitely have to get the cable up off the floor, at least for a few horizontal feet...maybe a sawhorse?