topic Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

Shortybiscuit — Wed, 06 May 2026 03:34:15 GMT

How do I playback video from my R7 - on a different device without having to walk up to the camera to play it or download it first?

I've tried using the Camera Connect app and I can see video thumbnails and see photos, but I cannot play the videos on the app. I am using the app to remote shoot and each time I want to review footage I have to walk back to the camera or download it to my phone which is painstakingly inefficient. Please tell me there is another way.

The point of it being remote is well, remote…

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

stevet1 — Wed, 06 May 2026 03:48:38 GMT

Shortybiscuit,

I'm not sure you can. You can use the device to remotely shoot the video, but it's not stored on your device yet until you download it. The app has "shoot" features, but I'm not sure that the app has "playback" features.

Steve Thomas

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

Shortybiscuit — Wed, 06 May 2026 03:53:13 GMT

That’s been my experience. So if not the app, then how? The only way can’t be pressing the button on the camera.

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

stevet1 — Wed, 06 May 2026 04:05:16 GMT

Shorty ,

If you want to play it on your device, I think you'll have to save it or download it first.

I've found that VLC is a good movie viewer and editor app which supports many video formats.

Steve Thomas

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

Shortybiscuit — Wed, 06 May 2026 04:15:06 GMT

The downloads take way too long, unfortunately. I even tried USB hoping for faster transfers but it’s only available via WiFi. Ah well.

Makes no sense that you can’t playback without downloading.

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

stevet1 — Wed, 06 May 2026 17:09:08 GMT

Shortybiscuit,

You can play it back on your camera because it's stored there. You can't play it back on your device because it's not stored or downloaded there yet.

If you wanted to, you could take the card out of your camera, and using a card reader, copy the video from your card to your computer. or upload it from your camera to some kind of cloud storage.

Steve Thomas

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

Shortybiscuit — Wed, 06 May 2026 17:26:37 GMT

Here is the use case I am trying to solve and have been for a long time (years).

I am IN FRONT of the camera. I am the subject. I am using Camera Connect on my phone or tablet (iOS) to frame, adjusst settings, press record, etc.

Let's say I'm behind a desk or 10 feet away. I record myself for 3 minutes. Now, I want to play back that video to ensure the sound is right, I said what I needed to say, etc.

Now, I have to get from behind the desk, losing the framing- walk to the camera to press play. OR download the video to my phone/table to watch it. The download is SLOW and takes up space on the device (yes, I can delete it).

There has to be another way. If it's another piece of hardware or a different software, that's fine. But - how do I make it that I don't have to wait for the file to download to my device or walk back to the camera to view the footage I JUST recorded.

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

stevet1 — Wed, 06 May 2026 21:33:15 GMT

Shortybiscuit,

Maybe others who have done this can better advise you, but I believe that you can send your video to a device (like a computer) over HDMI using an HDMI capture card. (That capture card connects the HDMI port on your camera to a USB port on your computer. You would need an HDMI cable.

Using this method, I believe that you can see the video on your computer as it is being shot, but it doesn't save it. These run around $10.00. You can do a Google search for HDMI capture card to find a brand that appeals to you.

I believe that there are capture devices that save as well as capture. If you don't want to go that route, you can save the video signals that are flickering across your screen using a second piece of software. There is a free screen recorder software called VSDC that can capture and save things that are coming across your screen.

Steve Thomas

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

Shortybiscuit — Wed, 06 May 2026 22:12:17 GMT

Thanks! Yup - I’ve tried HDMI and I can see real time. What I cannot do is playback.

Adding - also cannot use HDMI and WiFi/Bluetooth at the same time - so when I connected the HDMI, I could no longer connect to the app to control the camera.

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

stevet1 — Thu, 07 May 2026 01:38:28 GMT

Shorty biscuit,

You can download videos to your computer via USB either by connecting your camera and computer via USB and going through your File Explorer, do a copy and paste, or by using the Canon software called EOS Utility, which handles the download for you.

Steve Thomas

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

Shortybiscuit — Thu, 07 May 2026 01:44:06 GMT

Yes - aware. Does not solve for the use case.

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

shadowsports — Thu, 07 May 2026 02:29:46 GMT

The Canon Connect app is not a video player.

Visit this page and expand using the more button to see the features and capabilities of the app under iOS.

‎Canon Camera Connect App - App Store https://share.google/sVtbQKQJTHxCxqcLm

My colleague @steve1 has provided possible solutions to your use case.

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

Shortybiscuit — Thu, 07 May 2026 02:33:59 GMT

From the start I acknowledged that the app does not do what I need. My question is - what does?

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

stevet1 — Thu, 07 May 2026 04:46:20 GMT

Shortybiscuit,

Okay. Here's what I can give you:

I personally use an app called Camera Connect and Control to do my tethered shooting. I can use it to shoot stills or video. This is a paid app. I think it costs about $20.00 now. I got it back when it was $9.00. There is a 3-day free trial. You can use it via wi-fi or by USB.

I have an Android tablet and phone. You didn't say what kind of phone you have, but the app is available on the Apple Store, so I'm assuming you can use it with Apple products as well.

I just tested it out, and took a short video (3 or 4 seconds worth) over wi-fi using my tablet. I was able to replay the video, only if I downloaded it to my tablet first.

I then loaded the VLC video player app and watchd the video. When I loaded the VLC player though, it disconnected the Camera Connect app and i had to reestabish the connection in order to shoot more video and change setting, etc. That only took a few seconds.

In the write-up to the app, it says that the app supports the R5 and R6 via wi-fi, but does not mention the R7. Perhaps you could ask around in different forums to see if anyone who has an R7 uses this app.

Steve Thomas

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

shadowsports — Thu, 07 May 2026 05:46:48 GMT

@Shortybiscuit

The options were provided previously. The source video must be present on the device you are trying to view it on. Camera, phone, tablet or PC. Another option would be an external monitor with recording capability such as an Atomos Ninja device. I'm sorry if this is not what you were hoping to hear.

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

Waddizzle — Thu, 07 May 2026 10:56:13 GMT

I have not read through all replies. I stopped when I read the remark that the EOS web utility was limited to 720P resolution. Here’s why you cannot transmit 4K 60 fps video using the camera’s USB port or Wi-Fi.

There’s a clear cut reason for that, and it has nothing to do with Canon. Physics. A USB serial port has limited bandwidth. There’s USB port is also the fastest means of external communication built into the camera.

While the camera may have/use Wi-Fi, that doesn’t mean the camera is fully networkable. The Wi-Fi hardware is used as a way to speed up and extend the limited range of serial Bluetooth communications. It requires the use of a dedicated app on a smart device or computer to use it.

Re: Unable to Playback Video in the Camera Connect App

Shortybiscuit — Thu, 07 May 2026 19:22:57 GMT

Thanks! This is exactly the answer. " An external monitor with recording capability such as an Atomos Ninja device".