Recommendations for a camera+tablet combo for tethered remote viewfinder+shutter control

[josh_day]

<p>Hi Community,</p>

<p>I'm very new to the realm of photography, but I need to do some research on behalf of my employer. I am in the market for a camera that can be tethered to a tablet to act as a remote viewfinder and shutter button. All of my photos will be motionless and high-contrast and color is not a priority, though I believe megapixels are (I know, I know. People tout the contrary, but this isn't for typical photography).</p>

<p>Obviously I'd like to keep the cost at a minimal. For our purposes, a DSLR is overkill. A simple Canon PowerShoot would be "good enough" if it could be tethered and remotely viewed+controlled. Furthermore, I'd LIKE to use an Android-based tablet, but I'm not limiting myself to it if necessary. The only requirement for the tablet is that it have a cellular antenna (so that rules out the Surface and Surface Pro).</p>

<p>I am anticipating spending a few hundred dollars on the camera, and maybe another hundred on the tablet. All-in-all, I'm hoping for a solution that is less than $500. If this seems like an unreasonable price point, please let me know so I can reevaluate my needs.</p>

<p>TL;DR:</p>

<p>Need recommendation for low-cost point-and-shoot camera and a tablet to use as a tethered remote viewfinder/controller. Tablet must have a cellular antenna. I have no idea where to even begin looking. I know some cameras have Wi-Fi based tethering, which might work. Don't know expected cost range for this setup; hoping for around or under $500 for the whole bundle.</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>It will cost more than $500. But you could do it with a used or reconditioned late-model DSLR with a kit lens, and a recent, used late-model iPad or your choice of Android device ... and (the important part, here) a CamRanger. <br /><br />http://camranger.com/<br /><br />It's magic.</p>

[Member69643]

<p>I do the exact same thing with Canon's EOS 70D and a NEXUS tablet (or my Android smartphone), but you're talking more like $1500. No idea what there is in the mirorrless realm.</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

CamRanger.com , works great but I haven't used it with anything other than Nikon and Canon DSLRs.

[josh_day]

<p>@Matt Lauer,</p>

<p>I specifically would rather avoid getting a DSLR not only due to cost, but due to physical dimensions. I'm looking for compact/portability as well, so any point & shoot will be fine as long as it can be tethered to a smartphone or tablet. Am I correct in assuming that the remote viewfinder feature is almost exclusively limited to DSLRs? If so, why is that? It seems like something that should be pretty easy to implement if the camera is digital and has a USB port...which AFAIK just about all modern cameras are!</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

I'm pretty sure Nikon makes an android and/or iOS app for their newer point and shoots. I could be wrong. Have you

looked at Samsung's cameras?

[pmind]

<p>Any number of Sony cameras can be controlled with Sony's <em>Play Memories</em> mobile app. I use it on iOS to control the RX-10; it's also available for Android.</p>

[steven_clark]

So maybe that plus something from Asus's Memopad line

for the tablet.

[steven_clark]

On second thought: the advent of the Raspberry Pi has

made compact HDMI or composite in displays an item you

can get relatively cheaply. Rig that with a couple of

buttons hanging off whichever port does remote

triggering and you have a hardware-only solution, one

you might even be able to rework for different cameras.