31 December 2022

Understanding Canon's EOS Digital SDK

Canon EOS Digital Software Development Kit

Discover how the remote shooting possibilities of EOS and PowerShot cameras can be unlocked using Canon's innovative Software Development Kit.


Canon EOS Digital Software Development Kit

Canon's Software Development Kit unlocks a range of remote control features for Canon EOS and PowerShot cameras, such as the ability to change camera settings, take pictures and record videos, transfer and delete files from the memory card and (on compatible PowerShot cameras) operate the zoom.

When you need to control a Canon EOS camera remotely, there are numerous options available – from tethered shooting using EOS Utility on Windows and Mac, to working wirelessly with Canon's Camera Connect smartphone app. But what if you need a more advanced or robust solution? What is the best option if you have to generate a high volume of imagery day in, day out, or you want to integrate Canon cameras into an automated workflow? Enter Canon's SDK (Software Development Kit), which enables software developers and computer programmers to create customised digital solutions for controlling Canon cameras.

There are essentially two parts to the Canon SDK: EDSDK (EOS Digital SDK) and CCAPI (Camera Control API). Both offer the same core functionalities – remote shooting, image transfer, camera setting and Live View monitor – but the EDSDK requires a wired connection and the CCAPI offers wireless camera control.

"They're both ways of interacting with the hardware via software, and the gateway to controlling a camera remotely," says John Maurice, European Product Marketing Manager at Canon Europe. "The reason you come to the EDSDK or the CCAPI is that you have a problem that you need to solve by remote camera control. The ability to do this and integrate it with software has benefits for organisations across industries and across use cases.


Getting Started with Canon’s Camera SDK - Official Canon Video