Camera Setup and Configuration

Updated 4 days ago · 8 min readIntermediate

FMX supports a variety of camera types for photo and video capture. This article covers how to connect your camera, configure settings, and optimize performance for events.

Supported Camera Types

FMX works with four categories of cameras:

Type	Brands/Models	Live View	Take Photo	Record Video	Property Control
Canon DSLR/Mirrorless	EOS R, R5, R6, 5D Mark IV, 6D Mark II, etc.	Yes	Yes	Yes	Full (ISO, aperture, shutter, WB, etc.)
Nikon DSLR/Mirrorless	Compatible Nikon bodies	Yes, when FMX shows a live preview as available	Yes, for supported JPEG still capture	Yes, when live preview is available	Limited in the current UI
Sony Mirrorless	A7 series, A9 series, ZV-E10, etc.	Yes, in PC Remote mode	Yes, in PC Remote mode	Yes, when live preview is available	Supported Sony photo settings
USB Webcam	Standard USB or built-in webcam	Yes	Yes	Yes	Resolution, FPS, rotation, mirror

Connecting Your Camera

Canon Cameras

Connect your Canon camera to the computer using a USB cable.
Turn the camera on and set it to Manual (M) mode.
FMX automatically begins monitoring for connected Canon cameras when it starts.
Open Global Settings > Camera tab. Your camera should appear in the camera list.
Select the camera from the dropdown.

Tip: If your Canon camera does not appear after connecting it, restart FMX with the camera powered on and connected directly by USB.

Nikon Cameras

Connect your Nikon camera via USB.
Set the camera to Manual (M) mode.
On the camera, use the USB remote or PTP mode required for computer control, if your model provides that option.
Open Global Settings > Camera tab. Nikon cameras appear with a nikon: prefix in their device ID.
Select the camera from the dropdown.

If FMX shows a Nikon camera as detection-only, Windows can see the camera, but FMX cannot use it for booth capture. Select a Nikon camera that appears as ready for capture before running the experience.

For Nikon Take Photo, set image quality to JPEG or JPEG+RAW. Record Video is available when FMX can display a Nikon live preview. FMX does not use the camera body's in-camera movie mode.

Sony Cameras

Connect your Sony camera via USB.
Set the camera to Manual (M) or Aperture Priority (A) mode.
On the camera, set the USB connection to PC Remote mode.
Open Global Settings > Camera tab. Your Sony camera should appear in the camera list.
Select the camera from the dropdown.

Tip: Sony cameras require their USB connection mode to be explicitly set to "PC Remote" in the camera's setup menu. Without this, FMX cannot communicate with the camera.

FMX can record video from Sony cameras through the Record Video workflow feature when Sony live preview is available.

USB Webcams

Connect your USB webcam to the computer.
Open Global Settings > Camera tab. Webcams appear in the camera list.
Select the webcam from the dropdown.
Configure resolution and frame rate from the available options.

Camera Tab Settings

The Camera tab in Global Settings provides controls specific to the selected camera type.

Common Settings (All Camera Types)

Camera Selection -- Dropdown listing all detected cameras. Select the camera you want to use.
Refresh -- Re-scans for connected cameras. Use this if you connect a camera after FMX has started.

DSLR/Mirrorless Settings (Canon, Nikon, Sony)

When a Canon or Sony camera is selected, FMX displays camera-specific property panels. Nikon currently shows rotation and connection status rather than the same full property editor.

Photo Settings

These settings control how the camera behaves when capturing a photo:

ISO -- Sensor sensitivity (e.g., 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600). Lower values produce cleaner images with less noise; higher values are better in low light.
Aperture (f-stop) -- Lens opening size (e.g., f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6). Lower numbers create a shallower depth of field (blurry background). For group photos, use f/5.6 or higher.
Shutter Speed -- Exposure time (e.g., 1/125, 1/60, 1/30). Faster speeds freeze motion; slower speeds let in more light. For photo booths, 1/125 is a good starting point with flash.
White Balance -- Color temperature adjustment (Auto, Daylight, Tungsten, Flash, Custom Kelvin). Set this to match your lighting environment.

Live View Settings

Live View steps can display the selected webcam, Canon, Sony, or a supported Nikon preview. Canon exposes the most complete live-view property controls in the current UI; Sony and Nikon provide fewer exposed controls.

Live View Mode -- Start or Stop. Controls whether the camera streams its viewfinder output to FMX.
Background Mode -- Normal, Green Screen, or Blue Screen. When set to a chroma key color, FMX processes the live view feed in real time to remove the colored background.

Tip: Camera properties can be overridden per session using the Override Camera Settings toggle. When enabled, FMX applies the settings from Global Settings before each capture. When disabled, the camera retains whatever settings were manually set on the camera body.

Webcam Settings

When a webcam is selected, FMX displays:

Resolution -- Select from available resolutions reported by the webcam (e.g., 1920x1080, 1280x720, 640x480).
Frame Rate (FPS) -- Select from available frame rates (e.g., 30, 15, 10).
Rotation -- Rotate the webcam feed: 0, 90, 180, or 270 degrees. Default is 90 degrees (useful for portrait-mounted webcams).
Mirror Live View -- Flip the feed horizontally so guests see a mirror image of themselves. Enabled by default.

Live View Configuration

Live view shows guests a real-time camera feed on the booth display. This is controlled through the Live View step in your workflow.

Starting Live View

Add a Live View step (mode: Start) to your workflow before the Take Photo step. This activates the camera's live preview and displays it on screen.

Chroma Key in Live View

When using a green or blue screen:

Set the Live View step's Background Mode to Green Screen or Blue Screen.
Configure your chroma key settings in Global Settings > Camera > Chroma Key (Green/Blue Screen).
FMX processes each live view frame in real time, removing the colored background.

Stopping Live View

Add a Live View step (mode: Stop) after your capture step to hide the live preview. If the camera is still needed for recording, FMX keeps it available until recording is finished.

Tip: If a workflow records video, place the Live View Stop step after the Record Video step so guests can see the preview while recording is active.

Camera Orientation

FMX supports both landscape and portrait camera orientations:

Portrait mounting -- Use the Rotation setting when the preview or capture needs rotation. You can also mount DSLR/mirrorless cameras in portrait orientation, where appropriate for the layout.
Landscape mounting -- The default orientation. No rotation needed.

The print layout and final photo are rendered according to your experience design on Foto Master Cloud, independent of the camera orientation.

Multi-Camera Setups

While FMX selects one primary camera for photo/video capture, the camera system supports multiple connected cameras:

All connected cameras appear in the camera list during refresh.
You can switch between cameras by selecting a different one in the dropdown.
Camera settings are stored per camera ID, so switching back restores previous settings.

FMX remembers camera-specific settings such as ISO, aperture, and rotation for each camera, so switching back to a previously used camera restores its saved settings.

DSLR/Mirrorless Video Frame Rate

For video recording with Canon, Sony, and Nikon cameras, FMX uses the DSLR/mirrorless Video Frame Rate (fps) setting. In the current UI, this shared setting is shown in the Canon camera panel:

Default: 24 fps (cinematic quality)
Available range: Configurable based on your needs

A related setting, Canon DSLR Base Audio Delay (ms), helps keep audio in sync during DSLR/mirrorless video recording. The default of 250ms works well for most setups.

Tips for Optimal Camera Settings at Events

Lighting

Use consistent, even lighting. Studio strobes or continuous LED panels work best.
Avoid mixed lighting (e.g., daylight and tungsten) as it makes white balance difficult.
If using flash, set White Balance to "Flash" and Shutter Speed to your camera's flash sync speed (typically 1/200 or 1/250).

Focus

Use autofocus with a single center focus point for the most reliable results.
For fixed-distance setups (where guests always stand at the same distance), consider switching to manual focus and pre-focusing at the mark.

Exposure

With flash: ISO 200-400, f/5.6-f/8, shutter speed at flash sync (1/200). Let the flash provide the main exposure.
Continuous lighting: ISO 400-800, f/4-f/5.6, shutter speed 1/125 or faster. Adjust based on your light intensity.
Webcam: Ensure adequate room lighting. Most webcams handle exposure automatically.

Memory Cards

Use a fast memory card (UHS-II or CFexpress) to minimize the delay between capture and image transfer.
Format the card before each event to ensure maximum performance.

Battery

Use an AC adapter or dummy battery to avoid running out of power during long events.
If using batteries, bring spares and check levels regularly.

Cable Management

Use a high-quality USB cable (USB 3.0 for best transfer speeds).
Secure the cable to prevent accidental disconnection during the event.
For Canon cameras, avoid USB hubs between the camera and computer when possible.

Tip: Always do a full test run before the event starts. Capture several test photos, check focus, exposure, and color, and verify that prints come out correctly.

New: FMX for Windows now supports Nikon DSLR and Sony Alpha cameras via tethered capture, in addition to Canon and webcams. See Using Nikon and Sony Cameras with FMX for setup instructions and a comparison of what each brand supports.

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