Workaround for gphoto2 with certain Sony camera models problem on system restart

For some Sony camera models e.g. the Sony Alpha-A7R III, gphoto2 will not be able to connect and/or trigger an image capture after a Linux computer system restart with the camera powered on. This issue is described in more detail at the gphoto2 github repository https://github.com/gphoto/gphoto2/issues/279 but it is currently unresolved.

gphoto2 will be able to work again with the Sony camera if you physically extract out and plug in the USB cable again. But I wanted to do it programmatically. I found this great utility uhubctl at https://github.com/mvp/uhubctl that I can use with a supported smart USB hub to switch a USB port power off and on. You need to connect the Sony camera to the USB hub, and the hub to a Linux PC, Ubuntu in my case.

In this post, I describe the steps I use to setup and programmatically switch the power to the USB port of the hub connecting to the camera (using a Canon for illustration as I don't have a Sony on hand).

Install uhubctl

1. On the Linux PC, open up a Terminal and install uhubctl.
   
   $ sudo apt install uhubctl
   
   

Identify the USB hub's vendor id and product id

1. In a Terminal, type in the following command:
   
   $ lsusb
   
   A list of usb devices is shown.
   
   
   
   
2. Note down the vendor id and product id of the smart USB hub.
   
   05e3:0610 is identified as the vendor id and product id of the USB hub.
    

Identify the port number of the USB hub that is connected to the camera

1. In a Terminal, type in the following command:
   
   $ sudo uhubctl
   
   A listing of hubs and ports is displayed.
   
   
   
2. First, look for the smart hub with the previously noted vendor id and product id, e.g. 05e3:0610.
    
3. Then under the selected hub, identify the port with the Sony(Canon) camera connected.
   
   Port number 1 is identified.
   
   

Switch off the port to the camera

1. In a Terminal, type in the following command to switch off the USB port of the camera:
   
   $ sudo uhubctl -n 05e3:0610 -p 1 -a 0
   
   where -n 05e3:0610 is the vendor id and product id of the USB hub,
   -p 1 is the port number of the camera
   -a 0 is to power off
   
   
   
   

Switch on the port to the camera

1.  In a Terminal, type in the following command to switch on the port to the camera:
   
   $ sudo uhubctl -n 05e3:0610 -p 1 -a 1
   
   where -n 05e3:0610 is the vendor id and product id of the USB hub
   -p 1 is the port number of the camera
   -a 1 is to power on
   
   
   

Use gphoto2

From this point on, the Sony camera should be functional again from gphoto2.