Lightroom Now Supports Native Tethering for Leica SL3 and Q3
Leica photographers are finally getting support for tethering in Lightroom Classic. With version 15.0, the SL3 and Q3 camera systems are natively supported, meaning that no additional plugins are necessary for tethering to work.
“We are delighted that Lightroom Classic now offers native tethering support for Leica cameras. This development is the result of close collaboration between Leica Camera and Adobe, aimed at optimising photographic workflows and further enhancing the Leica user experience,” Nico Köhler, Head of Product Experience at Leica Camera AG, says.
As part of the update, the live view function with autofocus point selection can now be used directly in Lightroom Classic in real time, which Leica says offers precise control over exposure, aperture, ISO, and white balance. The company notes that this marks the first time that Leica cameras have been natively integrated into Adobe’s creative workflow.
Studio photographers regularly rely on tethering since it gives them the ability to confirm shots as they happen. Shooting tethered a computer (typically a laptop) takes just about all of the guesswork out of wondering if a photographer is getting the photos they think that they’re getting, thanks to a much clearer view of what is being captured (a laptop screen is a lot better than a low-resolution rear camera LCD).
“Seeing the photo as soon as you take it on a high-resolution, color-accurate screen really lets you focus on what it is you’re capturing. It lets you really see the photo and notice small problems that you’d never notice on the camera’s LCD screen,” Caleb Kerr wrote in a guide to tethered photography back in 2017. “I also find that seeing the photo full size lets me take a step back and gauge if the shoot is moving in the right direction creatively.”
Now that Leica is directly supported inside of Lightroom, photographers can use personal computers or even rely on a studio’s provided setup and know that, as long as the software is up to date, support is guaranteed. That takes significant guesswork out of the equation.
Lightroom’s support for the Leica SL3 and Q3 cameras will land with Version 15.0, which is likely going to be fully announced this week at Adobe MAX.
