EOS 90D file numbering while tethering

[Wattophoto]

I recently bought a 90D body specifically for dslr scanning of negatives, slides and prints. I'm really happy with the quality and using the EOS Utility 3 for shooting live on my Macbook Pro.

One thing is bugging me, though, and that is the numbering returns to 0001 every time I turn the camera back on. 

I read in the manual, checked online and watched some video tutorials, but they all only talk about file numbering when shooting to card. I know I can set File Numbering to "Continuous" to ensure the number doesn't reset every time the card is changed, but it doesn't help when shooting tethered.

I have large archive jobs to scan, and want to be able to have the file numbers continuous, even if shooting on different days.

Is there some way, either on the camera or in the software, that I can make sure the numbers are continuous when shooting tehtered?

Thanks.

Watto.

[March411]

Wattophoto, first post....welcome to the site!

In the 90D menu (gold wrench) you will find that you can set the camera to use continuous numbering and not reset. If you have the manual look at page 502, if you don't have it download it from the Canon site.

https://www.usa.canon.com/support/p/eos-90d

It will walk you through how to configure the numbering system to the method you are attempting to achieve.

[Wattophoto]

Thanks March411 for your quick response and welcome to the group. However, this doesn't solve the issue for me. I have set the camera for continuous, but when tethered to my computer, so not shooting to the card, the numbers return to 0001, each time I turn the camera on for a new session, even if shooting to the same folder on my computer. So, when it saves the file to the same folder on my computer, I now get, for example, IMG_0002.CR3, IMG_0002_1.CR3 and IMG_0002_2.CR3 etc. 

My aim is to have continuous numbering, from 0001 to 9999 in one folder on my computer, regardless of how many shooting sessions are involved.

I hope this makes sense.

[March411]

It does make sense. So you are not writing to the card at all your are writing to a folder on your computer?

Just curious, is there a reason your are not writing the images to a card?

Are you using the EOS utility software?

PC or Mac?

[Wattophoto]

Correct. I am not writing to the card, but writing directly to the computer. I am using the Canon Utility 3 software.

[March411]

Sorry Wattophoto but when I have used the utility I have always written to the card and transferred the images to the PC.

[Wattophoto]

Okay. Thanks for the info anyway.

[March411]

Found this post though, doesn't look like anyone has found a method to do what you are attempting.

https://community.usa.canon.com/t5/Camera-Software/How-preserve-file-name-with-EOS-Utility/m-p/32058...

[Wattophoto]

Thanks for that. Looks like I'll have to try and find another solution. Shooting to the camera card and then downloading to the computer is not a viable option. That's how I was doing it with the previous camera body, but not only is it a slower process, it also means with my set up having to stand and bend over the camera for focussing, etc. Tethering straight to the computer and using the Utility software means I can work sitting at the computer and work much quicker without straining my back. The file numbering is the only downfall. I'll let you know if I work something out. I know I can do what I want with Capture One, but that is an expensive option just for the numbering protocol. 🙂 

[p4pictures · Accepted solution]

I have seen this issue appear over the years with many EOS cameras when using EOS Utility. If you choose to only save the image to the computer, and not on the camera card, then there is no image number created by the camera, so the computer starts from 0001 each time. 

There is a workaround, since you can customise the filename that is saved by EOS Utility when you are only shooting to the computer or you shooting to card and computer.

I'm on a Mac so I have Mac screenshots, but the settings are the same in Windows. 

To customise the filename open the EOS Utility preferences...

When the preferences opens select File Name from the dropdown at the top. Then click on Customise. 

EOS Utility allows three different custom filename settings to be created. I have selected the third one as I already had some configuration in the other two. From each of the drop downs you can select the data to make the filename, or simply type text in.

To create a unique filename, I will use the shooting month, shooting day, hyphen, shooting time, hyphen and then sequential number. This is to ensure that if you capture more than one image in the same second there's no duplicate filenames. You might not even need that sequential number if you capture pretty slowly.

Once you have made the setting, press OK and you will then need to select this customised setting as the one to use from the first filename screen. 

Deciding where to write files, camera or computer or both

With EOS Utility running you will see a screen like this one below. Click on the camera icon just below the ISO box.  

This will display this screen where you can decide where to save images when shooting tethered. 

One feature I often use is to shoot RAW + small JPG for portrait shoots and send only the JPG to the computer as a quick preview for me and the subject. Small JPG is usually more resolution than the computer and transfers quickly.