Kai Mallari's Notes'

SOP_DIT_Pro

29 min read

A complete operating procedure for running a DIT station on a commercial photo shoot using Capture One Pro. This SOP covers pre-shoot setup, on-set operations, and troubleshooting for the Pro subscription tier.

Core principle: The hardwired HDMI display is your safety net. Everything wireless is a convenience layer on top of it. Set up the cable first, then add Capture Pilot and Capture One Live as layers of redundancy.

This is one of three tier-specific DIT SOPs. If the photographer has Studio, use SOP_DIT_Studio. If all wireless options fail, fall back to SOP_DIT_Wired_Only.

Intent

We do this because a commercial shoot with clients at video village requires real-time image review, overlay reference, and client rating. Success means the client sees every capture within seconds, can independently rate selects, and can reference the layout overlay — all without interrupting the DIT’s editing workflow.

Use When

  • The photographer’s laptop runs Capture One Pro (not Studio or Enterprise — check the title bar)
  • There is a client, art director, or creative team who needs to view images at video village
  • The shoot involves tethered capture with client-facing image review and/or layout overlays
  • You are the DIT operating the photographer’s equipment

Not for: Studio or Enterprise subscriptions (use SOP_DIT_Studio). Not for untethered shoots where images are reviewed after the fact. Not for situations where the photographer is also the DIT and no video village exists.

Why This Matters

Without this processWith this process
macOS permissions block Capture Pilot and you discover it on set, wasting 30 minutes of crew standby timePermissions are pre-configured at home; everything connects on first attempt
Capture Pilot drops repeatedly because you’re on venue Wi-Fi with 40 other devicesDedicated router isolates your traffic; drops are rare
Client can’t see the layout overlay on their iPad and doesn’t know if shots fit the compOverlay workaround is chosen in advance; static reference is printed or a second device is ready
HDMI cable is too short for video village, or display flickers, and you have no backupCable length, adapter compatibility, and spares are tested before the shoot
Client rates on both Capture Pilot and Capture One Live, creating conflicting ratingsRating protocol designates one device per reviewer; no conflicts

Baseline: a DIT who shows up with cables and software but no systematic pre-shoot preparation.

What Pro Does NOT Have

Before proceeding, understand the Pro tier limitations — these shape every decision in this SOP:

  • No Client Viewers. You get a standard Viewer window (a regular Capture One window), not an independent Follow Capture display. It shows your current selection and can be covered by other apps.
  • No Live for Studio. The dedicated iPad app for independent browsing is Studio-only.
  • No overlay on Capture Pilot. The overlay/grid/guide toggle icons in the Capture Pilot iPad app are Studio/Enterprise features. On Pro, the client sees clean images only.
  • Capture One Live has no overlay. The cloud viewer shows rendered images without overlays.

Your overlay-capable display path is the hardwired HDMI monitor only. Plan around this.

Architecture Summary

LayerToolNetworkOverlayClient Rates IndependentlyReliability
1Extended Display (HDMI)None (cable)Yes (coupled to your workspace)NoHighest
2Capture Pilot (iPad)Local Wi-FiNo (Pro limitation)YesMedium — drops common
3Capture Pilot Web (browser)Local Wi-FiNoLimitedFallback only
4Capture One Live (cloud)InternetNoYesDepends on internet

The 7-Step Pre-Shoot Setup

InputsPhotographer’s laptop with Capture One Pro (license active), dedicated portable router, Ethernet cable, HDMI cable + adapter, iPad with Capture Pilot, overlay files (PNG/PSD/TIFF with transparency), static overlay reference comp (printed or on separate device), power strips, charging cables.

Step 1: macOS configured for tethered shooting

Configure the photographer’s Mac so that macOS does not interfere with tethering, networking, or display output during the shoot. MUST be done at home before the shoot — the DIT cannot fix these on set without the photographer’s admin password.

  1. System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network — Toggle Capture One ON. If not listed, open Capture One, start Image Server, accept the macOS prompt.
  2. System Settings > Network > Firewall > Options — Confirm Capture One is in the allow list. If the firewall is on and Capture One is not listed, Capture Pilot will silently fail.
  3. System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen Recording — If using a window manager (Rectangle, BetterTouchTool), grant Screen Recording permission.
  4. System Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates — Turn off all toggles.
  5. System Settings > Siri & Spotlight > Spotlight Privacy — Add the capture destination folder.
  6. Stage Manager — Disable via Control Center > Stage Manager > Off.
  7. Energy Settings — Set to never sleep when plugged in. Use caffeinate -d in Terminal or Amphetamine as a safety net.

If macOS permissions cannot be configured (no admin access):

  • Alternate: Ask the photographer to configure them remotely via screen share before the shoot day.
  • Contingency: On set, ask the photographer to enter their admin password while you walk through each setting.
  • Emergency: Skip Capture Pilot entirely. Fall back to SOP_DIT_Wired_Only (HDMI only). Capture Pilot requires Local Network permission — without it, the iPad will never connect.

Step 2: Network up and tested

Establish a dedicated local network so Capture Pilot traffic is isolated from venue interference.

  1. Set up the dedicated portable router. Use a known SSID and password. Disable AP isolation / client isolation.
  2. Connect the laptop to the router via Ethernet. Do not use Wi-Fi for the laptop.
  3. Connect the iPad to the router’s Wi-Fi.
  4. Confirm both devices are on the same subnet (e.g., both 192.168.x.x).
  5. Do NOT use the venue’s production Wi-Fi.
  6. If using Capture One Live, route cloud traffic through a separate interface (laptop Wi-Fi to venue internet or mobile hotspot).

Step 3: External display connected and Viewer window placed

Set up the hardwired HDMI display at video village — your most reliable client-facing output.

  1. Connect the external monitor via HDMI before launching Capture One. Let macOS detect and arrange displays first.
  2. System Settings > Displays — Set to Extended Display (not mirrored). Position logically.
  3. In Capture One: Window > Viewer. A second Viewer window opens.
  4. Drag the Viewer window to the external monitor. Resize to fill.
  5. Assign the client monitor to a dedicated macOS Space containing only the Viewer. This prevents other apps from drawing over it when you switch to Photoshop.

This Viewer shows your current selection — it is NOT an independent Follow Capture window. During active shooting, new tethered captures auto-select in the browser, which effectively gives Follow Capture behavior as long as you don’t manually select a different image.

If display does not appear or flickers:

  • Alternate: Try a different USB-C to HDMI adapter. Some cheap hubs cannot sustain 4K60 under load.
  • Contingency: Lower the external monitor’s refresh rate to 50Hz (System Settings > Displays > Refresh Rate).
  • Emergency: Use a direct USB-C to HDMI cable (no hub). If no signal at all, check the cable length — standard HDMI is reliable only up to 15 feet (5m). Use an active HDMI or fibre-optic cable for longer runs.

Step 4: Capture Pilot running and iPad connected

Set up the iPad for independent client browsing and rating over the local network.

Capture Pilot is legacy software. It was removed from the App Store for new downloads in 2024. If your iPad already has it installed, it works. If not, you cannot install it — use the browser fallback (Step 4 item 6) or upgrade to a Capture One Studio license for Live for Studio.

  1. In Capture One: Capture Tool Tab > Capture Pilot tool.
  2. Basic tab: Confirm Server Name, select the Folder matching your capture destination, optionally set a password. Set Publish To to “Mobile and Web.”
  3. Mobile tab: Enable “Rate images” and “Color tag images.” MUST manually assign a port number (not “auto”) — stop the server first, type the number, then restart. Write down the port number and keep it posted at the DIT station.
  4. Click Start Image Server.
  5. On the iPad: open Capture Pilot. Server should appear in Local Servers list. Tap to connect.
  6. If server does not appear: tap ”+” on the iPad, manually enter the laptop’s IP address and your assigned port number.

Pro limitation: Capture Pilot on Pro does NOT support overlay, grid, or guide display. The client sees clean rendered images only.

If Capture Pilot will not connect:

  • Alternate: Stop Image Server, wait 5 seconds, restart. Force-quit Capture Pilot on iPad, reopen.
  • Contingency: Use the browser fallback — on the iPad, open Safari and navigate to http://[laptop-IP]:[port]. Rating is limited but viewing works.
  • Emergency: Abandon Capture Pilot. The client views images on the hardwired HDMI monitor only. You relay ratings verbally per SOP_DIT_Wired_Only.

Step 5: Capture One Live shared (if internet available)

Set up cloud-based viewing for remote stakeholders or as a fallback for Capture Pilot.

  1. In Capture One: right-click Capture folder in Library > Share Online.
  2. Images upload as captured. Progress bar shows on thumbnails.
  3. Copy the sharing link. Open in a browser at video village or send to remote stakeholders.
  4. Client can star-rate, colour tag, and comment. Tap binoculars button for Follow mode.

MAY skip this step if no internet is available or no remote stakeholders need access.

Key limitations:

  • Requires internet. If it drops, client loses access until reconnection.
  • 5-15 second upload delay per image on slow connections.
  • Comments do NOT sync to Capture One desktop — only visible in the web interface.
  • Filtered views do not auto-update when new images arrive. Client must refresh manually.

Step 6: Overlay configured and workaround selected

Configure the overlay for your workspace and choose how the client will reference the layout.

  1. Load the overlay file in the Overlay tool (Capture tool tab). Adjust opacity, scale, position. Enable “Follow Crop.”
  2. Assign a keyboard shortcut for overlay visibility toggle.
  3. Choose your overlay workaround for the client (since Capture Pilot on Pro has no overlay):

Option A: Keep overlay on, use Spaces to isolate Photoshop. Overlay stays visible on the HDMI monitor at all times. Photoshop opens in a separate macOS Space so it doesn’t cover the Viewer. Best when the client is at video village watching the monitor continuously.

Option B: Static layout reference at video village. Export a reference frame with the overlay baked in (screenshot or Photoshop composite). Print it or display on a separate device. The client maps the layout mentally onto clean images on Capture Pilot. Best when the client primarily uses the iPad.

Option C: Periodic overlay check. Between setups, enable the overlay and tell the client: “Overlay is up now, take a look.” Then disable when editing. Best when overlay is needed occasionally, not constantly.

△ Confirm: Agree with the art director / creative lead on which overlay workaround they prefer before the shoot starts.

Step 7: Rating protocol agreed with client

Establish who rates, how, and where — before the first frame is captured.

  • Stars are the client’s. 5 stars = select. Unrated = pass. Binary only — no 1-3-5 scale.
  • Colour tags are the DIT’s. Green = sent to Photoshop. Red = technical issue. Yellow = photographer revisit.
  • If both Capture Pilot and Capture One Live are active, MUST designate one rating device per reviewer. On-set client uses the iPad. Remote stakeholders use the browser. Last write wins on conflicts.
  • Filter by 5 stars on your browser to pull selects and relay to the photographer.

△ Confirm: Verbally confirm with the client: “Rate your selects with 5 stars on the iPad. I’ll relay them to the photographer.”

Outputs
Leading indicators (signals during setup)Capture Pilot connects on first attempt and shows thumbnails. Viewer window on external monitor updates when you select images. Overlay appears on the HDMI display. Rating from iPad appears on your desktop within seconds.
Lagging indicators (final result)Full chain runs for 15+ minutes at home without drops, freezes, or display issues. On set, the client can browse and rate independently while you edit in Photoshop without disrupting their view.

On-Set Operations

These are not sequential steps — they are ongoing operational patterns during the shoot.

Active Shooting Workflow

  1. Keep Capture One’s browser visible on your primary display. Each new tethered capture auto-selects, updating the Viewer on the client monitor.
  2. The client monitors the HDMI display and/or browses independently on Capture Pilot.
  3. When the client rates with 5 stars on Capture Pilot, it appears in your browser immediately. Filter by rating.
  4. Relay selects to the photographer as they come in, or batch between setups.

Switching Setups Mid-Shoot

  1. Change your Capture destination folder in Capture One.
  2. Capture Pilot: Capture Pilot tool > Basic tab > Folder dropdown > select the new folder.
  3. Capture One Live: Share the new folder online. Send updated link if needed.
  4. Brief the client: “I’m switching setups, give me a moment to update your feed.”

Overlay Management

  • If using Option A (Spaces): overlay stays visible whenever Capture One is active.
  • Toggle with keyboard shortcut when switching between editing and client display.
  • After returning from Photoshop, hit the overlay shortcut immediately.

Client Communication Protocol

  • Start of shoot: “You’ll see images on the monitor and on the iPad. Rate your selects with 5 stars on the iPad. I’ll relay them to the photographer.”
  • Capture Pilot drops: “Give me 15 seconds, I’m reconnecting the iPad.”
  • Setup changes: “I’m switching folders, your feed will update in a moment.”
  • Overlay check: “I’m putting the layout overlay up on the monitor now — take a look.”

Troubleshooting Reference

Network & Connectivity

Capture Pilot “server unavailable” / connection drops. The most common Capture Pilot failure. iPad shows “server unavailable” and kicks back to the server list.

Capture Pilot sees session but shows “No Images.” iPad connects, shows correct session name, but thumbnail grid is empty.

Bonjour blocked (server not discoverable). Capture Pilot relies on Bonjour (mDNS) for discovery. If blocked by router config, iPad cannot find server.

FIX: On iPad, tap ”+” to add server manually. Enter laptop IP and port from the Capture Pilot tool > Mobile tab. For the full step-by-step (including how to find the IP and port) → Manual Connection Fallback

Capture Pilot connects then drops repeatedly. Root causes: busy network > firewall interference > laptop under heavy load.

FIX: After checking network and firewall, fall back to browser method or Capture One Live.

Capture One Live uploads compete with local traffic. Cloud uploads can saturate bandwidth and introduce latency on Capture Pilot.

FIX: Separate interfaces. Ethernet for local traffic (Capture Pilot). Laptop Wi-Fi for cloud uploads (venue internet or hotspot).

DHCP lease expiry drops iPad after 2-4 hours. iPad loses Capture Pilot connection after sustained use. The router’s DHCP lease expired and the brief renewal disrupted the connection.

FIX: Extend the DHCP lease to 24 hours in the router admin panel, or assign static IPs. For details, see EC - Router Config Checklist.

RF interference from wireless triggers or walkies. Capture Pilot drops correlate with strobe fires (Godox, Profoto wireless triggers) or walkie use. These devices operate on 2.4 GHz and directly interfere.

FIX: Switch to 5 GHz Wi-Fi on the dedicated router. Move the router away from trigger receivers. For details, see DIT Triage - Network Setup.

Multiple iPads on same Capture Pilot server. Supported — 2-4 iPads work fine. Designate one iPad for rating to avoid last-write-wins conflicts. For details, see DIT Triage - iPad Disconnected.

IP Conflicts (Two Devices Get Same Address). Symptom: Intermittent connectivity — devices sometimes reach each other, sometimes not. Fix: Assign static IPs (laptop: .10, iPad 1: .20, iPad 2: .21) or set DHCP reservations in the router. → EC - Router Config Checklist

Ethernet Adapter Not Working. Symptom: USB-C to Ethernet adapter not detected or no network via Ethernet. Fix: Try a different USB-C port. Check System Settings > Network for the Ethernet interface. Some adapters need drivers on macOS Sequoia. Known-good: Apple USB-C to Ethernet, CalDigit, Anker USB-C Ethernet adapters.

macOS-Specific Issues

Local Network permission silently denied. No visible error in Capture One, but Capture Pilot fails to connect. This can also happen after a macOS update resets permissions — even if you verified it at home the day before.

FIX: System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network > Capture One ON. Re-verify on shoot morning if any OS updates occurred overnight (including MDM-pushed updates on corporate/agency laptops).

Sequoia tethering regression. Intermittent failures — rainbow wheel for 30 seconds before images appear in some configs. Sonoma 14.2 also broke camera connectivity.

FIX: Pin to a known-good macOS + Capture One version pairing. If tethering works, do not update the OS.

Automatic updates interrupting a shoot. macOS downloads and prompts for updates, consuming CPU and bandwidth.

FIX: Disable before shoot day. System Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates > all off.

Spotlight indexing CPU spike on new RAW files. Each new file triggers indexing, consuming CPU.

FIX: Add capture destination folder to Spotlight Privacy exclusion list.

Stage Manager interfering with Viewer window. Groups windows by app, pulls Viewer off external display when switching apps.

FIX: Disable. Control Center > Stage Manager > Off. Use Spaces with “Displays have separate Spaces.”

Sleep/wake causing display detection loss. Mac sleeps, loses external display on wake.

FIX: Energy settings: never sleep when plugged in. caffeinate -d or Amphetamine as safety net.

Sonoma+ breaks ad-hoc networking. Internet Sharing (Mac-hosted network) unreliable on Sonoma+.

FIX: Do not rely on ad-hoc. Bring a dedicated router. Browser fallback (IP:port) may still work.

Display & Video Output

Viewer window disappears when switching to Photoshop. Standard Viewer window loses focus and gets covered.

FIX: Dedicate a macOS Space to the Viewer on the external display. Or use a window manager (Rectangle, BetterTouchTool) for always-on-top.

Display arrangement resets on cable reconnect. Unplugging HDMI causes rearrangement and Viewer jump.

USB-C hub display dropouts. Cheap hubs can’t sustain 4K60 under load. Intermittent black frames.

FIX: Use a known-good adapter (Apple, CalDigit, OWC). Avoid multiport hubs for video.

Sequoia display flickering. Sequoia 15.1 introduced HDMI flickering. Partially fixed in 15.3/15.6.

FIX: Lower refresh rate to 50Hz. Prefer DisplayPort over HDMI. Keep a spare adapter.

HDMI cable too short. Standard HDMI reliable up to 15 feet (5m) only.

FIX: Active HDMI cable or fibre-optic HDMI for longer runs. SDI converters as alternative. Spare standard cable for short-run backup.

Client monitor colour mismatch. Consumer TVs/field monitors display colours inaccurately.

FIX: Manually set colour profile in System Settings > Displays. Brief client: composition reference only, not colour-critical.

Capture One Software Issues

Image Server doesn’t auto-start after crash/restart. Client iPad goes dead.

FIX: Immediately restart Image Server after any relaunch. Capture Pilot tool > Start Image Server. iPad should auto-reconnect.

Crash loses Viewer window layout. Positions not saved between sessions.

Memory leak during long sessions. 8+ hour sessions see memory climb, causing slowdowns.

FIX: Restart Capture One during lunch break. Save workspace first. Restart Image Server after.

Tether cable disconnect during file write. RAW file may be corrupt.

FIX: Wait for transfer indicator. Keep spare tether cable. Reshoot if corruption occurs. The card copy is almost always intact — import from card after the shoot to recover. For full corruption scenarios, see EC - Crash Recovery Sequence.

Capture One crash recovery (Pro). Target: under 60 seconds.

Disk full during shoot. Tethering stops with “Cannot save file” errors.

FIX: Stop shooting. Delete preview cache (10-50 GB), empty Trash, or redirect capture destination to a different drive. For emergency response steps, see EC - Disk Full Recovery.

iCloud syncing the capture folder. Files appear to vanish or show upload badges. macOS is trying to sync RAW files to iCloud because Desktop & Documents sync is enabled.

FIX: Move the capture destination outside Desktop/Documents, or disable iCloud Desktop & Documents sync. See DIT Triage - Slow Performance.

Capture Pilot histogram blank. Known bug — histogram overlay renders blank.

FIX: Known display bug. Don’t waste set time. Client doesn’t need the histogram.

Capture One Live filtered views don’t auto-refresh. New images matching filter don’t appear until manual refresh.

FIX: Tell reviewers: “Refresh to see new images.” Suggest Follow mode (binoculars) instead of filtering.

Client ratings not syncing. Ratings from Capture Pilot or Live don’t appear on desktop.

FIX: Confirm “Rate images” enabled in Capture Pilot Mobile tab. Live ratings sync only while session is active. Comments do NOT sync to desktop.

Antivirus Real-Time Scanning Slowing Captures. Symptom: Each tethered capture takes 100-500ms longer than expected. Lag increases with file size. Check Activity Monitor for falcon, MBAMDaemon, NortonAutoProtect, or SophosScanD. Fix: Add the capture folder to the antivirus exclusion list. If MDM-managed, this may not be possible — live with the lag. → DIT Triage - Slow Performance

Multiple Capture One Instances Running. Symptom: Session locked, “database in use” error, or unexplained slowness. Fix: Open Activity Monitor, search for “Capture One.” If multiple processes exist, force quit all but one. Relaunch.

Session or Catalog Corruption. Symptom: Session opens but shows no images, or Capture One errors on launch. Fix: If the .cosessiondb file is corrupt, re-import from the capture folder — sidecar adjustments (.cos folder) are preserved. Sessions are more resilient than catalogs for tethered work. → EC - Crash Recovery Sequence

Time Machine Backing Up Capture Folder. Symptom: Periodic slowdowns during the shoot, disk I/O spikes correlating with Time Machine icon showing “Backing Up.” Fix: System Settings > Time Machine > Options > exclude the capture folder. → DIT Triage - Slow Performance

Preview Cache Corruption. Symptom: Thumbnails or previews display incorrectly (wrong colors, garbled, wrong image). Fix: Capture One > Settings > Performance > “Clear Cache.” Previews regenerate on demand. Briefly slower after clearing.

Mac Hardware & Performance

Thermal throttling. Sustained tethering + RAW processing + Capture Pilot server + display = heavy load. CPU/GPU throttle, causing lag.

External SSD disconnect. USB-C SSD disconnects under load or if bumped.

FIX: Direct USB-C connection (not through hub). Tape cable. Consider tethering to internal storage, syncing to external later.

USB-C port contention. Camera + display + SSD + power can exceed available ports.

FIX: Plan port allocation before shoot. Thunderbolt dock with passthrough charging. Keep a port map.

Camera body swap mid-shoot. Photographer swaps bodies without warning. Tether drops, Capture One shows “No Camera Detected.”

FIX: Wait for macOS to detect the new body (2-10 sec). Capture One should auto-detect. If not: Camera > Select Camera, or unplug/replug, or restart Capture One. For the clean swap procedure, see DIT Triage - Tether Drops.

Camera Firmware Broke Tethering. Symptom: Tethering worked before a firmware update but no longer connects. Fix: Check Firmware Known Issues for known-bad versions. No on-set fix for bad firmware. → EC - Card Import Fallback

Wireless Tethering as Emergency Fallback. Symptom: All wired tethering has failed (cable, port, or camera issue). Some cameras have built-in Wi-Fi that can transfer images wirelessly — very slow (2-10 seconds per image) but functional for review. Check EC - Camera Brand Setup for wireless capabilities per brand.

Tethering Completely Dead — Card Fallback. Symptom: All tethering troubleshooting exhausted. Camera will not connect. → EC - Card Import Fallback for the shoot-to-card-and-import-between-setups workflow.

iPad & Client Device Issues

iPad battery drain. All-day Capture Pilot use drains significantly.

FIX: Power strip to video village. Charging cable at the iPad. Route cleanly if mounted.

Images loading slowly. Rapid-fire bursts create 5-15 second preview backlog.

FIX: Brief client about delay during fast shooting. Keep iPad in thumbnail view during bursts.

Storage & File Handoff

Drive format incompatibility. APFS/HFS+ drives are unreadable on Windows without third-party software.

FIX: Use exFAT for any handoff drive. Supports files up to 16 EB. If tethering to internal (APFS), copy to exFAT drive for handoff. Do not use FAT32 (4 GB limit).

On-Set Environment

Power loss at video village. Monitor goes black, router drops, all wireless connections die. macOS may rearrange displays.

FIX: When power returns — wait for monitor and router to boot, verify display arrangement, reopen Viewer if it closed, restart Image Server. A small UPS (600VA) prevents this entirely. For details, see DIT Triage - Environment.

Client brings own device (not iPad). Android tablet or Windows laptop — no Capture Pilot app available.

FIX: Send them the Capture One Live web link (works in any browser, requires internet). Or use Capture Pilot Web fallback (browser to laptop IP:port). If no internet and no compatible device: client views images on the hardwired HDMI monitor only. See DIT Triage - Environment.

Venue IT insists you use their Wi-Fi. Corporate/venue policy forbids rogue access points.

FIX: Use venue Wi-Fi for internet only (laptop Wi-Fi for Capture One Live uploads). Keep the dedicated router for local laptop-to-iPad traffic — it doesn’t need internet access. See DIT Triage - Network Setup.

No Power at Video Village. Symptom: The client review area has no electrical power. Options: battery-powered field monitor (SmallHD/Atomos with V-mount: 2-5 hours), iPad on battery via Capture Pilot (8-10 hours), or long extension cord from DIT station. → DIT Triage - Environment

Photographer Handoff Not Done

Arriving to an unprepared laptop. The photographer didn’t follow SOP_Photographer_Handoff. macOS permissions aren’t set, software may have been updated, camera may not be configured for tethering.

FIX: Run the 5-minute arrival assessment: check Capture One tier and license, test tether, check macOS permissions, check admin access, test display, check storage space. If admin access is available, fix permissions in 5-10 minutes and proceed with the full SOP. If admin access is unavailable, fall back to SOP_DIT_Wired_Only.

For the complete triage framework, decision tree, and specific failure scenarios, see DIT Triage - Photographer Unprepared.

Deep Dive Reference

For on-set troubleshooting, start with → DIT Troubleshooting

For extended root-cause analysis, prevention strategies, and edge cases beyond this troubleshooting section, see DIT_Edge_Cases:

Official Documentation

Capture One:

Apple:

TetherTools:

Switching Workflows Mid-Shoot

If a core capability fails during the shoot and cannot be recovered, transition to a simpler workflow without stopping production. → EC - Downgrade Transition

What failedSwitch to
All wireless (Capture Pilot + Live)SOP_DIT_Wired_Only
Tethering completely deadEC - Card Import Fallback

Quick Reference

Pre-shoot checklist for someone who has run this SOP before:

  • Capture One Pro license active (check title bar)
  • Capture One version tested with tethering (do NOT update before shoot)
  • Capture Pilot iPad app confirmed working (do not update day-of)
  • macOS: Local Network ON, Firewall allows Capture One, auto-updates OFF, Spotlight exclusion, Stage Manager OFF, never sleep
  • Dedicated router packed + tested
  • Ethernet cable, HDMI cable + adapter, backup HDMI cable
  • Active HDMI extender or fibre cable if long run
  • Overlay files prepared (PNG/PSD/TIFF with transparency)
  • Static overlay reference (printed or on device) for Option B
  • Capture Pilot port number set manually, recorded with laptop IP
  • iPad charged, spare iPad packed
  • Charging cables + power strip for video village
  • Overlay keyboard shortcut assigned
  • Rating protocol agreed: stars = client, colour tags = DIT
  • External drives formatted exFAT
  • Full chain tested at home 15+ min: tether + display + Capture Pilot + overlay
  • Browser fallback tested (IP:port in Safari)
  • Internet tested (if using Capture One Live)
  • Workspace saved
  • Laptop PSU, cooling pad, all adapters packed

FAQs

  • Can I use Live for Studio on a Pro subscription?

    No. Live for Studio is a Studio/Enterprise feature. It will not appear in Capture One Pro. Your iPad options are Capture Pilot (local network) and Capture One Live (cloud/browser).

  • Why can’t the client see the overlay on their iPad?

    Capture Pilot’s overlay toggle icons are Studio/Enterprise features. On Pro, those controls are absent. The client’s iPad shows clean rendered images only. The hardwired HDMI monitor is the only place overlays are visible.

  • Should I update Capture One or macOS before a shoot?

    No. Updates can break tethering, change interface behavior, or introduce new bugs. Only update if you have a specific problem that a newer version fixes AND at least a week to test the full chain. If tethering works, do not touch the OS or the app.

  • What if the photographer doesn’t give me admin access to configure macOS permissions?

    Ask them to configure it themselves using the Step 1 checklist, ideally over a video call so you can verify. If permissions are not configured, Capture Pilot will not connect and you’ll fall back to HDMI-only per SOP_DIT_Wired_Only.

  • Can I run Capture Pilot and Capture One Live at the same time?

    Yes. This is a good redundancy strategy. Capture Pilot for fast local viewing, Capture One Live as a fallback. Have the client rate on one system only to avoid conflicting ratings (last write wins).

Common Traps

“It worked at home” complacency. The full chain worked perfectly in your living room. You skip the on-set network test. Venue Wi-Fi interference, a different router config, or a macOS permission that got reset after a software update causes Capture Pilot to fail in front of the client. Always re-test the chain on-site before the shoot starts.

Updating software the night before. Capture One pushes an update notification, you install it “to be safe.” The update changes tethering behavior or breaks Capture Pilot compatibility. Now you’re troubleshooting unfamiliar bugs on set with a crew on the clock. Never update software right before a shoot.

Relying on Capture Pilot as the primary display. Capture Pilot drops connections. It’s a known issue across multiple versions. If you treat it as the primary client display, every drop is a visible failure. Treat the hardwired HDMI monitor as primary and Capture Pilot as a convenience layer.

Not briefing the client on the overlay workaround. You chose Option B (static reference) but didn’t tell the art director. They keep asking you to “put the overlay up” and you have to explain the limitation mid-shoot. Agree on the overlay strategy before the first frame is captured.

Rating on two devices simultaneously. The on-set client rates on Capture Pilot. A remote stakeholder rates the same image on Capture One Live. Last write wins — one rating silently overwrites the other. Designate one device per reviewer before the shoot.

Keeping This SOP Alive

This procedure is a hypothesis about how to run a DIT station on Capture One Pro. When you follow it and something doesn’t work as described, update the SOP — don’t blame yourself or the client.

Refactoring triggers:

  • A new macOS version breaks a permission path or display behavior → update the macOS-specific troubleshooting section
  • A new Capture One version changes Capture Pilot behavior or adds Pro-tier features → update Architecture Summary and relevant steps
  • A new edge case appears on set that isn’t covered → add it to the Troubleshooting Reference
  • The photographer handoff keeps failing at the same point → update SOP_Photographer_Handoff with more specific instructions
  • You keep skipping a step → it’s either unnecessary or the default has changed — clarify or remove

When this SOP needs more than a tweak:

  • Iterate: A step needs refinement or a new workaround exists → update the step
  • Pivot: Capture One Pro gains Client Viewers or overlay-capable iPad features → restructure the SOP around the new architecture
  • Dissolve: The team standardizes on Studio subscriptions and this tier is no longer encountered → archive with a note

North: Where does this come from?

  • SOP_Photographer_Handoff (what the photographer must prepare before the DIT can use this SOP)
  • Capture One Pro feature set and subscription tier limitations

East: What opposes this?

  • SOP_DIT_Studio (the fuller-featured alternative when Studio subscription is available)
  • Ad-hoc / improvised DIT setups with no systematic preparation

South: Where does this lead?

  • SOP_DIT_Wired_Only (fallback when all wireless options fail)
  • Post-shoot file handoff to client (exFAT drive with selects)

West: What is similar?

Graph View

Backlinks