Get the operator app
One app on the laptop that runs the station. It talks to your camera, applies your adjustments, and handles delivery, including when the venue wifi doesn't.
On an Intel Mac? Download that build instead (143 MB). Apple menu → About This Mac tells you which you have; if you take the wrong one macOS says so and nothing breaks.
PopStudio is in pilot, on macOS first. The download is free and needs no account. To run an event you create one free, set the event up on the web, and type the pairing code it gives you into the app. The laptop at the event never signs in. Version 0.2.11, published 2026-09-12.
Windows is not ready yet, and we would rather say that than take your money for a date we cannot promise. It is being built to ship through the Microsoft Store. If Windows is what your team has, tell us when you sign up and we will let you know the moment it is ready.
Canon is the brand we have tested end to end on a real body. Nikon and Sony use the same tethering standards and we expect them to work, but we have not confirmed them on hardware yet and would rather say so than find out at your event. Ask us and we will test yours with you.
The Mac app is signed and notarised by Apple, so it opens without the "unrecognised app" warning that makes a volunteer stop and go looking for someone to ask. Windows will ship through the Microsoft Store for the same reason.
The app bundles Canon's camera SDK and a set of open-source components. Whose, and under what terms.
Does it work with my camera?
PopStudio tethers over USB, so most cameras made in the last fifteen years can talk to it. Below is what we have actually put a camera in front of, and what we expect to work but have not confirmed yet. If yours is in the second group, tell us and we will test it with you before you commit to an event.
| Brand | Bodies | Status | Setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canon | EOS R series, 5D/6D/90D and most EOS DSLRs | Tested | Canon guide → |
| Nikon | Z series, D850/D780 and most recent DSLRs | Should work | Nikon guide → |
| Sony | Alpha a7 / a7R / a6000 series | Should work | Sony guide → |
| Fujifilm, OM System, Panasonic | Most recent bodies | Should work | Ask us |
Not sure about your exact camera? Send us the model and we'll tell you straight, including if the answer is no.
On the night
- A camera and a data USB cable (many are charge-only)
- A Mac running macOS 12 or newer (Windows is coming soon)
- Power for both. Four hours is a long time
- The printed A4 sign at the head of the queue
- Wifi if you have it; the app copes if you don't
Four steps to a test shot
- Install and sign in with your event's device key
- Name the station, "Station 1"
- Plug in the camera; the status turns green
- Take one shot and watch it develop and deliver
Get the pilot build
Create an account and we'll send the current build for your platform, plus help setting up your first event.
No credit card · Read your camera guide first →