Connect a supported camera to your computer and open Lightroom Classic.
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- Lightroom Classic User Guide
- Introduction to Lightroom Classic
- Lightroom and Adobe services
- Lightroom for mobile, TV, and the web
- Import photos
- Workflows
- Apply Masking in photos
- Export and save your photos as JPEGs
- Export and watermark your photos
- Import your photos
- Adjustment Brush: the basics
- Adjustments with the Tone Curve
- Advanced video slideshows
- Control white balance
- Create a contact sheet
- Enhance your workflow with Lightroom Classic
- Adjustments with Lens Blur
- Edit and Export in HDR
- Workspace
- Viewing photos
- Manage catalogs and files
- Maps
- Organize photos in Lightroom Classic
- Process and develop photos
- Develop module basics
- Create panoramas and HDR panoramas
- Flat-Field Correction
- Correct distorted perspective in photos using Upright
- Improve image quality using Enhance
- Work with image tone and color
- Masking
- Apply local adjustments
- HDR photo merge
- Develop module options
- Retouch photos
- Cure red eye and pet eye effects
- Use the Radial Filter tool
- Use the enhanced Spot Removal tool
- Export photos
- Work with external editors
- Slideshows
- Print photos
- Photo books
- Web galleries
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Troubleshooting
When supported Canon or Nikon digital cameras are connected to the computer, you can import photos directly into a Lightroom Classic catalog. You can bypass the camera's capture software and import directly from a camera.
Note:
- For a list of cameras that can be tethered to Lightroom Classic, see Tethered camera support | Lightroom Classic.
- If you're having problems with tethered shooting, see Troubleshoot tethered capture in Lightroom Classic.
Start Tethered Capture
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Choose File > Tethered Capture > Start Tethered Capture.
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In the Tethered Capture Settings dialog box, specify how you want to import the photos:
Session
The session is the name of the folder that stores the captured photos. Select Segment Photos By Shots to create subfolders within the session. You can name the subfolders after clicking OK.
Destination
Choose a location for the session folder.
Information
Add metadata and keywords to the imported photos, if desired. See Apply metadata and keywords to photos when importing.
Disable Auto Advance
Select this option if you don't want Lightroom Classic to automatically select the most recently captured photo. Deselect this option to display the most recently captured photo in the preview area.
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Click OK to start the photo-capture session.
A camera detection window appears. The Tether bar appears after Lightroom Classic detects a camera.
Lightroom Classic detecting a connected camera for tether
Lightroom Classic detecting a connected camera for tether -
Use the floating tethered capture bar to adjust the camera controls and develop settings.
- Click the shutter release button (the large round circle) to capture a photo. Or, press the camera’s shutter release button.
- Optionally, choose a preset to apply on import from the Develop Settings pop-up menu. See Apply Develop settings to photos when importing.
- Click the Settings button in the lower-right corner of the floating bar to edit capture settings.
- You can control the Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO, and White Balance of the tethered camera from the floating capture bar.
- If you are segmenting photos by shots, press Ctrl+Shift+T (Windows) or Command+Shift+T (macOS) to create a new shot. You could also click the current shot name and enter a new shot name.
- Press Ctrl+T (Windows) or Command+T (macOS) to show/hide the floating tethered capture bar.
- Close the floating tethered capture bar or choose File > Tethered Capture > Stop Tethered Capture to end the session.
Tethered Live View
See exactly what you are shooting right in real-time while tethering with Lightroom Classic's live view for Canon and Nikon cameras. To turn Live View on, do the following:
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Choose File > Tethered Capture > Start Tethered Capture.
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In the Tethered Capture Settings dialog box, specify how you want to import the photos:
Session
The session is the name of the folder that stores the captured photos. Select Segment Photos By Shots to create subfolders within the session. You can name the subfolders after clicking OK.
Destination
Choose a location for the session folder.
Information
Add metadata and keywords to the imported photos, if desired. See Apply metadata and keywords to photos when importing.
Disable Auto Advance
Select this option if you don't want Lightroom Classic to automatically select the most recently captured photo. Deselect this option to display the most recently captured photo in the preview area.
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Click OK to start the photo-capture session. A camera detection window appears. The Tether bar appears after Lightroom Classic detects a camera.
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Click Live in the Tether bar to start Live view tethering.
Live view from the camera is shown in a separate window.
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While in the Live view, you can adjust the focus of your camera from the Tether bar using the Focus Control buttons.
- Click the AF button to turn on/off the Auto Focus mode.
- If the Auto Focus mode is disabled, use the
and 
buttons to control the focus manually.
Focus Control buttons
Focus Control buttons Note:- Focus controls are enabled only if the lens of your connected camera is in Auto Focus mode.
- The Focus Controls to manually adjust the focus are enabled only when the Auto Focus mode is disabled.
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Use the floating tethered capture bar to adjust other camera controls and develop settings.
- Click the shutter release button (the large round circle) to capture a photo. Or, press the camera’s shutter release button.
- Optionally, choose a preset to apply on import from the Develop Settings pop-up menu. See Apply Develop settings to photos when importing.
- Click the Settings button in the lower-right corner of the floating bar to edit capture settings.
- You can control the Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO, and White Balance of the tethered camera from the floating capture bar.
- If you are segmenting photos by shots, press Ctrl+Shift+T (Windows) or Command+Shift+T (macOS) to create a new shot. You could also click the current shot name and enter a new shot name.
- Press Ctrl+T (Windows) or Command+T (macOS) to show/hide the floating tethered capture bar.
- Close the floating tethered capture bar or choose File > Tethered Capture > Stop Tethered Capture to end the session.
