Objects of Desire: Epson Photo Viewer Tethering

Epson's snazzy multimedia photo viewers have made an appearance in these pages before but this time we'd like to single out a long overdue "new" feature—tethering. Yes, the wait is finally over for what Epson reps have called "the single most requested feature" on its photo viewers.

Though this isn't necessarily groundbreaking or revolutionary stuff, it is helpful. Just connect the Epson P-6000 or P-7000 viewer to your DSLR via USB 2.0 cable and as you shoot, an image will be saved onto the camera's memory card while a backup copy is stored on the viewer.

And if you feel your camera's 2-inch or 3-inch LCD isn't giving you enough of an idea of the quality of your shots, you can review them directly on the Epson viewer's gorgeous 4-inch, high-res LCD. The viewer's zoom function will let you quickly zero in on a shot to check focus or fine detail in your photos.

Tether the photo viewer to your camera via an extra-long USB cord and you can let the art director or client follow along during a shoot while keeping them a safe distance from the subject. (Believe me, that can be a big help.) The latest firmware for the P-6000 and P-7000 also includes a remote shutter release function so you can trigger your DSLR directly from the photo viewer.

The tethering feature is a free download from Epson.com while the viewers, themselves, are now retailing for $600 for the P-6000 (80 gb) and $800 for the P-7000 (160 gb).

Cost: Free firmware download

Further information: www.epson.com