SonShell - an effort to "ssh into my Sony camera"

A Linux-only helper built on Sony’s official Camera Remote SDK. It connects to supported Sony bodies (the full SDK model list is recognised) over Wi-Fi or Ethernet, mirrors new captures straight to your workstation, and drops you into an interactive shell for remote control.

The shell can download files automatically, trigger the shutter, tweak exposure settings, start live view, run post-download hooks, and keep retrying if the camera drops offline. Everything runs from a single terminal window.

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Demo

demo1.mp4

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Quick Start

Requirements

• Linux (developed on Ubuntu 24.04) with a C++17 toolchain (gcc, g++, cmake, make).
• Sony Camera Remote SDK v2.00.00 (download it from Sony and extract it somewhere convenient).
• Python 3 for the small header-generation scripts.
• pkg-config (or pkgconf) so CMake can locate GTK when linking Sony’s OpenCV bundle (omit when configuring with -DSONSHELL_HEADLESS=ON).
• Runtime deps: libedit, ncurses, libudev, libxml2, OpenCV 4.8 (bundled inside Sony’s SDK).

On Ubuntu/Debian you can grab the basics with:

sudo apt install autoconf libtool libudev-dev gcc g++ make cmake unzip libxml2-dev libedit-dev python3 pkg-config

Build in a hurry

1. Download and extract the Sony Camera Remote SDK v2.00.00, then configure CMake while pointing SONY_SDK_DIR at the folder that contains app/:

   cmake -S . -B build -DSONY_SDK_DIR="$HOME/SonySDK/CrSDK_v2.00.00_20250805a_Linux64PC"

2. Compile and copy the required Sony/OpenCV shared libraries next to the binary:

   cmake --build build --config Release

3. Run it (pass --sync-dir so downloads have a destination):

   ./build/sonshell --sync-dir "$PWD/photos" --keepalive 3000

Headless builds

If you are compiling on a machine without a GUI stack, pass -DSONSHELL_HEADLESS=ON to the CMake configure step. This skips the OpenCV/GTK dependencies and disables the live-view monitor command. The binary prints a reminder at startup and any monitor invocation warns that the build is headless.

The build copies libCr_*, the adapter modules, and Sony’s OpenCV libs into build/. Run the binary from inside build/ (or keep the copied .so files alongside it) so live view keeps working.

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Command-Line Options

Option	Description
--sync-dir <path>	Directory where downloads are mirrored. Auto-sync stays disabled unless this flag is provided.
--host <addr>	Connect directly to a camera at the given IPv4 address (e.g. 192.168.1.1). Skipped when enumerating automatically.
--mac <hex:mac>	Optional MAC address for direct-IP connects (aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff). Used to seed the SDK’s Ethernet object.
--model <name>	Optional camera model hint for direct-IP connects (e.g. a7r5, fx3, zve1). Enumeration ignores this flag and always picks the first discovered device.
--user <name>	Username for cameras with Access Auth enabled.
--pass <password>	Password for Access Auth. Combine with --user.
--cmd <path>	Executable/script that SonShell calls for every file event (new downloads, syncs, rating changes, …). Arguments: <path> <mode> <operation> [new] [old]. Runs asynchronously; SonShell does not wait for completion.
--keepalive <ms>	Reconnection delay after failure or disconnect. 0 disables retry (SonShell exits on error).
--verbose, -v	Print detailed property-change logs and transfer progress from the SDK callbacks.

If no --host is provided SonShell enumerates available cameras and uses the first match. Without --sync-dir, transfers remain off until you restart with a destination folder. A fingerprint of the successful connection is cached under ~/.cache/sonshell/fp_enumerated.bin so subsequent launches pair faster.

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Hook Events

When --cmd is provided SonShell calls the hook for every file-affecting event. The hook always receives:

<path> <mode> <operation> [new] [old]

• path – absolute path to the newest local copy of the file.
• mode – current camera operating mode resolved via the SDK. Examples:
  • record/still/m → still capture in manual mode.
  • record/still/auto_plus → still capture in Auto+ mode.
  • record/movie/cine_ei/sq → movie clip shot in Cine EI with S&Q enabled.
  • playback → events raised while browsing files on-body.
• operation – high-level action SonShell observed.
  • new – a freshly captured file copied to disk.
  • sync – a file mirrored during a manual/auto sync.
  • rating – the camera changed the star rating of a file (works wherever the SDK reports the update).
• new / old – optional values tied to the operation. For rating hooks SonShell now sends the current star count first, followed by the previous value. For new/sync only the new value is populated with the original camera path.

The hook is executed asynchronously, so long-running work should be handled internally or by delegating to background jobs.

Scripts

The scripts/ directory contains helper utilities that SonShell can trigger through the --cmd hook or that you can run manually:

• scripts/broadcast.sh – YAML-driven dispatcher that maps incoming hook arguments to one or more handler commands. Flags: -v|--verbose enables logging, -c|--config PATH points at an alternative YAML file, and --help prints usage. Pass -- before the event payload (e.g. broadcast.sh -v -- <path> playback rating 5 4). Requires python3 with pyyaml installed.
• scripts/debug.sh – Diagnostic helper that shows the received arguments in a dialog (prefers kdialog, zenity, dialog, or whiptail, falling back to echo). Accepts any arguments; no flags.
• scripts/find_adb.sh – Scans the network for Android devices listening for wireless ADB and optionally connects to the first match. Options: -v for verbose logs, -s START:END to set the port range, and -m MIN_SCORE to raise or lower the neighbour scoring threshold.
• scripts/to_android.sh – Interacts with a paired Android device (default backend: KDE Connect). Actions: send-file (default) copies one or more image/video files, while notify pushes a notification to the handset. Options: -v verbose mode, -m MIN_SCORE for neighbour selection, -b|--backend NAME to choose an alternate transfer backend, -a|--action ACTION to pick send-file/notify, --message TEXT for the notification body (falls back to positional text), and -h|--help for usage info.
• scripts/show.sh – Opens the supplied file via xdg-open (show.sh <path>). Pass --single to reuse the viewer and keep only one window open (show.sh --single <path>).
• scripts/show_single.sh – Compatibility wrapper that calls show.sh --single.
• scripts/gmic.sh – Applies a configurable GMIC grade (default: tensiongreen_1) to the provided photo, writes the processed copy next to the original, and displays it via show_single.sh. Usage: gmic.sh [-v] [--no-show] [--preset <name>] [--strength <0-1|0-100>] [--pre-resize <WxH>] [--post-quality <n|none>] [--post-strip <on|off>] [--post-interlace <mode|none>] [...] <photo>; consult the script for all adjustment flags. -v enables colored debug logging; --no-show skips opening viewer windows and prints the graded file path so the script can be chained in automation. Requires GMIC/ImageMagick.

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Shell Command Reference

Command	Variants / Subcommands	What it does	Shortcut
help, ?	–	Print the built-in overview of available commands.	–
status	–	Snapshot the body/lens info plus exposure, focus, and movie settings (StatusSnapshot).	–
shoot, trigger	–	Full-press the shutter (locks S1, fires, releases).	F1 (mapped in the REPL)
focus	–	Half-press S1 long enough to autofocus, then release.	–
sync	sync, sync <N>, sync all, sync on, sync off, sync stop	sync/sync <N> downloads the newest N items per slot (skips existing files). sync all mirrors every item, preserving Sony’s DCIM/day folder layout. sync on/off toggles automatic downloads triggered by new captures. sync stop cancels an active sync after the current file finishes (sends CancelContentsTransfer when the body supports it).	–
exposure	exposure show, mode <value>, iso <value>, aperture <f-number>, shutter <value>, comp <value> (aliases: sensitivity, f, fnumber, speed, compensation, ev)	Inspect or change exposure parameters. Values accept friendly forms like manual, auto, f/2.8, 1/125, 0.3, or 1/3. SonShell surfaces hints when the camera mode dial must change.	–
monitor	monitor start, monitor stop	Start/stop the OpenCV live-view window. Close it with monitor stop.	–
record	record start, record stop	Toggle movie recording (simulates the camera’s red button). Confirms state when possible.	–
button	button dpad left/right/up/down/center, button playback, button shutter, button movie	Remotely tap d-pad directions, playback toggle, the top shutter button, or the dedicated movie button.	–
power	power off	Request a remote power-down. Enable “Remote Power OFF/ON” plus “Network Standby” on the camera for best results.	–
quit, exit	–	Leave SonShell. Also triggered by Ctrl+D.	Ctrl+D

Automatic downloads queue in worker threads. Newly captured files are renamed to avoid clashes (e.g. DSC01234.JPG, DSC01234_1.JPG, …) unless you run a manual sync, in which case the original names and folder layout are preserved.

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Hardware Shortcut Mapping

You can map Linux input events (gamepads, keypads, foot pedals) to SonShell commands. Create ~/.config/sonshell/input-map.yaml (or pass a custom file with --input-map /path/config.yaml) and describe devices plus bindings:

input:
  devices:
    - path: /dev/input/event2
      bindings:
        KEY_LEFT: button dpad left
        KEY_RIGHT: button dpad right

Each device entry watches one /dev/input/eventX node and fires the listed commands on key-down. Key names accept common KEY_* / BTN_* symbols or numeric codes (decimal or 0x prefixed). Commands go through the regular REPL pipeline, so logging, hooks, and safety checks apply. Make sure your user can read the chosen device (e.g., add a udev rule or run SonShell with the proper group).

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Keyboard Shortcuts

• F1 inside the REPL: triggers shoot (full shutter press).
• Ctrl+C: cancel the current input line and repaint the prompt immediately.
• Ctrl+D: exit the shell (same as quit).

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Features

• Auto-connect via enumeration or direct IP, with fingerprint caching under ~/.cache/sonshell/ and optional username/password for Access Auth bodies.
• Automatic download of new captures with unique local filenames plus manual sync flows (latest N or full mirror).
• Unified hook callbacks (--cmd) fired on every file event (new captures, sync mirrors, edits like rating changes) with rich context including capture mode (record/still/m, record/movie/cine_ei/sq, …).
• Exposure control commands that wrap Sony’s SDK properties, including helpful mode hints when the body rejects a setting.
• Live-view streaming implemented with the SDK monitor APIs and bundled OpenCV 4.8 binaries.
• Robust REPL built on libedit: asynchronous logging, history persisted to ~/.cache/sonshell/history, and key bindings for shutter control.
• Keepalive loop (--keepalive) that retries connections without manual intervention.
• Clean shutdown handling: SIGINT/SIGTERM set a global stop flag, downloads wind down gracefully, and the SDK is released once background threads exit.

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Supported cameras

SonShell recognises every entry in Sony’s CrCameraDeviceModelList (SDK v2.00.00). Common aliases like a7r5, fx3, zve1, and a6000 resolve automatically when used with --model for direct-IP sessions. When no model is supplied SonShell simply connects to the first enumerated camera.

• ILCE-7RM4 (a7r4, a7rm4)
• ILCE-9M2 (a9m2, a92)
• ILCE-7C (a7c)
• ILCE-7SM3 (a7s3)
• ILCE-1 (a1)
• ILCE-7RM4A (a7r4a)
• DSC-RX0M2 (rx0m2)
• ILCE-7M4 (a7m4, a74)
• ILME-FX3 (fx3)
• ILME-FX30 (fx30)
• ILME-FX6 (fx6)
• ILCE-7RM5 (a7r5)
• ZV-E1 (zve1)
• ILCE-6700 (a6700)
• ILCE-7CM2 (a7c2)
• ILCE-7CR (a7cr)
• ILX-LR1 (lr1)
• MPC-2610 (mpc2610)
• ILCE-9M3 (a9m3, a93)
• ZV-E10M2 (zve10m2)
• PXW-Z200 (pxwz200)
• HXR-NX800 (hxrnx800)
• ILCE-1M2 (a1m2, a12)
• ILME-FX3A (fx3a)
• BRC-AM7 (brcam7)
• ILME-FR7 (fr7)
• ILME-FX2 (fx2)
• ILCE-6000 (a6000 – legacy body without an explicit SDK enum)

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How It’s Built

• Single translation unit (src/main.cpp) stitches together the SDK callback interface, the REPL, and async transfer logic.
• QuietCallback implements SDK::IDeviceCallback, dispatching transfers, aggregating progress, and feeding a log queue so the shell stays responsive.
• A background input thread owns libedit; download work happens in detached worker threads; live view runs in its own thread guarded by g_monitor_mtx.
• Generated helper headers – prop_names_generated.h and error_names_generated.h – are produced by the Python scripts in tools/ using Sony’s official headers so logs can spell out property/error names.
• CMake links directly against libCr_Core.so, libCr_PTP_IP.so, and Sony’s OpenCV libs, then copies those .so files into the build output so ./build/sonshell runs without extra LD_LIBRARY_PATH tweaking.
• Persistent state (fingerprint, REPL history) lives under ~/.cache/sonshell/ and is recreated on demand.

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Tested cameras

• Sony α6700 (body firmware v2.00). Other models listed above share the same SDK support but have not been explicitly tested yet.

Tested systems

• Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS x86_64
• Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS aarch64

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License

See LICENSE for licensing details.

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Links

• Sony Camera Remote SDK: https://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/app/sdk/en/index.html

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