Sony Camera Connection Guide
Everything you need to connect a Sony camera to an iPhone or iPad for use in BoothLab — cables, camera settings, and the full compatibility list.
Overview
This guide explains how to connect a Sony camera to an iPhone or iPad for use in BoothLab.
Requirements
- Any supported Sony camera with PTP support.
- Correct cable/adapter:
- USB‑C iPhone/iPad → USB‑C to USB‑C cable
- Lightning iPhone/iPad → Apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter
- Recommended: AC power or full battery.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare Your Sony Camera
- Insert a charged battery or connect AC power, and insert an SD card.
- Set the mode dial to a photo mode (not movie).
- Turn on PC Remote. Go to Menu → Network → Transfer/Remote → PC Remote Function and set PC Remote to On and PC Remote Cnct Method to USB. On older bodies (a7 III, a7R III, a7R IV, a9, a6400) the path is Menu → Network1 → PC Remote Function.
- Set the transfer options, in that same PC Remote Function screen:
- Still Img. Save Dest. → PC+Camera. Camera Only leaves the photo on the card and BoothLab never receives it.
- RAW+J PC Save Img → JPEG Only. RAW Only sends nothing BoothLab can read.
- PC Save Image Size → Original. The 2M option sends a 2‑megapixel file, too small to print a strip from.
- Set the file format to JPEG. RAW‑only capture will not work; RAW+JPEG works because BoothLab takes the JPEG, but JPEG alone transfers fastest.
- Turn on USB power. Set USB Power Supply to On in the setup menu so the camera stays powered from the cable.
- Turn the camera off before connecting the cable.
2. Connect the Camera
- USB‑C devices:
- Connect directly with a USB‑C to USB‑C cable.
- Lightning devices:
- Use Apple USB 3 Camera Adapter.
- Connect the Sony USB cable to the USB port.
- Connect power to adapter.
3. Confirm the Connection
- Open BoothLab → Photobooth → Settings → External camera.
- If prompted on iPhone/iPad → tap Allow.
- If the camera is connected successfully, its name will appear under Connected cameras.
Required Camera Settings
- PC Remote: On, with PC Remote Cnct Method set to USB. Without this the camera mounts as a storage device and BoothLab cannot fire the shutter.
- Still Img. Save Dest.: PC+Camera or PC Only. Never Camera Only.
- RAW+J PC Save Img: JPEG Only. RAW‑only capture is not supported — BoothLab downloads the JPEG the camera produces.
- PC Save Image Size: Original, not 2M.
- File format: JPEG.
- Power save / auto power off: disabled or set to its longest delay — a body that sleeps drops the connection.
- Mode dial: a photo mode, not movie.
- Keep a memory card in the camera.
- Close the Imaging Edge Mobile app and any other remote control app.
- Continuous power: USB Power Supply On, plus a powered adapter or dummy battery, so the camera stays powered through the event.
Supported Sony Cameras
These models are known to work:
| Commercial Name | Model Code |
|---|---|
| Sony ILX-LR1 | ILX-LR1 |
| Sony α1 II | ILCE-1M2 |
| Sony α1 | ILCE-1 |
| Sony α9 III | ILCE-9M3 |
| Sony α9 II | ILCE-9M2 |
| Sony α7R V | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Sony α7R IV A | ILCE-7RM4A |
| Sony α7R IV | ILCE-7RM4 |
| Sony α7C R | ILCE-7CR |
| Sony α7S III | ILCE-7SM3 |
| Sony α7 IV | ILCE-7M4 |
| Sony α7C II | ILCE-7CM2 |
| Sony α7C | ILCE-7C |
| Sony α7R III A | ILCE-7RM3A |
| Sony α7 III | ILCE-7M3 |
| Sony α7 II | ILCE-7M2 |
| Sony α6700 | ILCE-6700 |
| Sony α6600 | ILCE-6600 |
| Sony α6400 A | ILCE-6400A |
| Sony α6400 | ILCE-6400 |
| Sony α6100 A | ILCE-6100A |
| Sony α6100 | ILCE-6100 |
| Sony ZV-E1 | ZV-E1 |
| Sony ZV-E10 | ZV-E10 |
| Sony ZV-E10 II | ZV-E10M2 |
| Sony ZV-1 II | ZV-1M2 |
| Sony ZV-1F | ZV-1F |
| Sony ZV-1 A | ZV-1A |
| Sony ZV-1 | ZV-1 |
| Sony RX0 II | DSC-RX0M2 |
| Sony RX100 VII A | DSC-RX100M7A |
| Sony RX100 VII | DSC-RX100M7 |
| Sony RX100 V A | DSC-RX100M5A |
| Sony RX10 IV | DSC-RX10M4 |
| Sony HX99 | DSC-HX99 |
Want the why and the booth workflow? Read How to Connect a Sony DSLR to Your Photo Booth.
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