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Nikon D850 connection drops randomly

Posted: 28.02.2019 00:15
by JewelryPics
I've got a Nikon D850 connected to an iMac Pro via a new TetherTools 15' USB cable. It's plugged directly into the iMac USB-A port, not a hub. I don't have any other apps running, only Helicon Remote.

The connection to the camera keeps dropping and then reconnecting within a few seconds. The time between drops is random. Sometimes it'll happen every few seconds, other times it's every few minutes. It'll happen while trying to set up my focus points, which resets them when the connection returns (frustrating) or while I'm in the middle of shooting a stack (exasperating).

At this point, I can't even use the software because the connection won't stay alive long enough to capture a full stack. Where do I begin to troubleshoot this?

Re: Nikon D850 connection drops randomly

Posted: 28.02.2019 11:09
by Stas Yatsenko
Try a short USB cable. If the connection is stable then, the problem is definitely with the cable.

Re: Nikon D850 connection drops randomly

Posted: 28.02.2019 23:59
by JewelryPics
Yep—the shorter cable that shipped with the camera worked. I've taken it up with TetherTools' Customer Service, and they're recommending I add a TetherBoost Pro USB Core Controller, which adds power to the USB connection. I guess the USB ports on some computers can't maintain consistent power over a long cable, so their device was designed to compensate for that. We'll see how it works when it arrives.

Re: Nikon D850 connection drops randomly

Posted: 12.03.2019 21:43
by JewelryPics
So I added the Tether Tools TetherBoost Pro USB Core Controller, and that seems to have done the trick. No more disconnections.

The way I'm using it is as a USB extension. It's a short cable with (USB-A) male & female ends—the male into my iMac Pro, and my 15' tether cable is attached to the female end. There's an option to add power to the device—it comes with a cable that allows you to add power from a (not included) USB charger, but I haven't tried that yet—they claim it's not necessary to prevent disconnections, but rather it prevents the camera battery from discharging while tethered.