Founder at work

Master the skills to create and launch your next SaaS company

How to setup Canon DSLR T3i as a webcam on MAC

by 14 Comments

Setting up a DSLR as a webcam can be a bit tricky to do, especially if Canon does not want you to do it. Here we will be setting up a T3i as a webcam without using desktop sharing. This could possibly work with other EOS DSLR cameras.

If you are planning on using the DSLR as the fully dedicated webcam, I would suggest that you purchase the power adapter to always have it on.

Kapaxen ACK-E8 AC Power Adapter
DSLR adapter

You are going to need to download the following applications. Each of the links is to the exact files that I used if you want to obtain the latest release use the source links.

  1. Canon T3i EOS Utility 2 Download for OSX
  2. [Camera Live OSX Download]
    1. Source Github
  3. [Cam Twist OSX Download]
    1. Source Cam Twist Studio

Camera Live only works with Canon.

Now that you have all of those applications installed you will need to configure them.

Step 1 Configure EOS utility

It’s annoying to have to close the EOS utility every time that you turn on the camera. The fastest way to disable this is to go to your navbar and select

[code lang=text]
Do Not Launch EOS utility
[/code]

Step 2 Configure Cam Twist

Open the application and go to the navbar and select

[code lang=text]
Preferences
[/code]

Set up the frame rate to

[code lang=text]
30FP
[/code]

The video size to

[code lang=text]
custom
[/code]

with the following aspect ratio

[code lang=text]
1920 x 1080
[/code]

Close the window.

YOU MUST FULLY EXIT THE APP!

You can do this with

[code lang=text]
CMD+Q
[/code]

That’s it for the one-time setup.

Startup procedure

This is a procedure that you MUST go through every single time that you want to use the DSLR camera as a webcam.

  1. Quit all browsers if you are wanting to use the camera with a web application
  2. Quit the three required apps if they are running EOS utility, Camera Live, or Cam Twist.
  3. Start the applications in this order
    1. Startup Camera Live
    2. Turn on DSLR (Camera Live needs to say active)
    3. Startup Cam Twist (Click on view and main window) Select Syphon double click and select camera live.
    4. Minimize apps
  4. Enjoy your new webcam

If you are having issues with the audio syncing or the video not showing up just use a capture card instead of the software solution.

Leave a comment below if you are still having issues with either the Hardware or the Software Solution.

Talk soon,

Rick H.