The R5 Mark II is on a lot of commercial sets, and Canon's own forum has threads titled "Flaky Tethering with EOS R5 Mark II" and "R5 Mark II stopped sending photos to computer while tether capturing." Here's how to set it up so it doesn't happen to you.
USB setup
- Quit EOS Utility and Image Capture. Either one holding the camera is the number one cause of "connected but nothing arrives."
- USB-C to USB-C data cable, straight into the Mac. On long cable runs, use an active tethering cable.
- Choose PTP if the camera asks. If the R5 II is paired to a phone over WiFi or Bluetooth, turn that off while tethering over USB.
- Open TETHER STUDIO and press Space. ISO, aperture and shutter can be set from the Mac.
WiFi setup (CCAPI)
- Activate CCAPI on the camera once (steps in the Canon R5 guide, same process).
- Camera: Wireless → WiFi/Bluetooth → Remote shooting.
- Mac: join the camera's network. TETHER STUDIO: Connect → WiFi, enter the camera's IP.
R5 Mark II files are big. Over WiFi, expect several seconds a frame. On a product table, use USB.
If transfers stop mid-shoot
- Check nothing else woke up and grabbed the camera (EOS Utility auto-launch, Photos).
- Reseat the cable at both ends. Use a port directly on the Mac, not a dock.
- Disable camera auto power off, and use the AC adapter for long sessions.
- If it started right after a Lightroom update, it may be Adobe's June 2026 Canon tethering bug (v15.4). See Lightroom tethering not working.
Lightroom and EOS Utility
Lightroom Classic supports the R5 Mark II from version 14.4, wired only, on a Creative Cloud subscription. EOS Utility is free and Canon-only. TETHER STUDIO tethers the R5 Mark II over USB and WiFi for $99 once, with AI culling and client view built in.
Frequently asked
Can I tether the Canon R5 Mark II to a Mac?
Yes. TETHER STUDIO tethers the EOS R5 Mark II on macOS over USB and over WiFi via CCAPI. Lightroom Classic 14.4 and later also supports it over USB.
Why does my R5 Mark II stop sending photos while tethering?
Usually another app (EOS Utility, Photos, Image Capture) has grabbed the camera, the cable or dock connection is unreliable, or a recent software update introduced a bug. Quit other apps, connect directly to the Mac with a data cable, and check for known bugs after updates.
Can the R5 Mark II tether over WiFi?
Yes. After a one-time CCAPI activation, set the camera to Remote shooting, join its WiFi network from the Mac and choose WiFi in TETHER STUDIO.