What is a Digi Tech?

The person between the camera and the screen

A digi tech — short for digital technician, sometimes called a digi op or digital operator — is the person responsible for managing the digital capture workflow on a photo shoot. They sit at the tethering station, making sure every frame the photographer shoots arrives safely on screen, is properly exposed, correctly colour-managed, and backed up.

If you've ever been on a commercial shoot and seen someone hunched over a laptop with a calibrated monitor, adjusting settings in Capture One while the art director peers over their shoulder — that's the digi tech.

What does a digi tech do?

Before the shoot

• Set up the tethering station — laptop, calibrated monitor, tethering cables, card readers, backup drives
• Configure the capture software — Capture One is the industry standard, though some productions use Lightroom or Phocus (for Hasselblad systems)
• Create the session structure — folders, naming conventions, metadata templates
• Calibrate the monitor — using a hardware calibration device (X-Rite i1 Display or similar) to ensure what's on screen is colour-accurate
• Test the tether — make sure the camera-to-laptop connection is solid before the talent arrives

During the shoot

• Monitor every frame — checking focus, exposure, and composition as shots come in
• Apply basic adjustments — exposure tweaks, white balance corrections, initial colour grading so the art director can see something close to the finished look
• Manage selects — flagging frames the photographer likes, creating pick rounds, sometimes applying star ratings
• Troubleshoot — tether drops, software crashes, card errors. The digi tech is the first responder.
• Back up continuously — mirroring to a second drive as the shoot progresses. Losing a day's work is not an option.

After the shoot

• Final backup — verified copies on at least two drives
• Handover — delivering the files to the retoucher, agency, or client in the agreed format
• Session notes — documenting any colour profiles, lens corrections, or special processing applied during the shoot

What kit does a digi tech need?

A working digi tech typically owns or has access to:

• A powerful laptop — MacBook Pro is the industry default. Enough RAM and storage to handle high-resolution files without lag.
• A calibrated monitor — Eizo ColorEdge is the gold standard, but a well-calibrated Apple display works for most jobs.
• Tethering cables and adapters — USB-C, Thunderbolt, the specific cables for whatever camera system is on set. Always bring spares.
• Capture One Pro — the software the vast majority of commercial shoots run on. Know it inside out.
• Backup drives — at least two portable SSDs. Some techs bring a RAID setup for larger productions.
• A calibration device — X-Rite i1 Display Pro or Datacolor SpyderX for monitor calibration.
• A tethering table or stand — Tether Tools make purpose-built options.
• Gaffer tape, cable ties, and a Sharpie — because every set needs them.

Digi tech vs photo assistant

They're related but different roles:

• A photo assistant works primarily with the physical setup — lighting, grip, camera handling, set management.
• A digi tech works primarily with the digital workflow — capture, colour, files, backup.

On smaller shoots, one person might do both. On bigger productions, they're separate roles with separate rates. A digi tech is usually paid more because the role requires specialist software skills and often their own kit.

Some people start as photo assistants and transition into digi tech work as they develop their Capture One and colour management skills. It's a natural progression, and the two skill sets complement each other well.

What does a digi tech earn?

Day rates for digi techs in the UK typically range from £300–£500 for an experienced tech, with senior techs who bring their own kit commanding £450–£650+. London rates sit at the higher end; rates outside the capital are lower but the gap is narrowing.

If you're providing your own kit (laptop, monitor, drives), you should either charge a kit fee on top of your day rate or build it into a higher overall rate. Kit has a finite lifespan and calibration isn't free.

How to become a digi tech

The most common route is:

1. Assist on shoots — get comfortable on set, learn how productions work
2. Learn Capture One thoroughly — not just the basics, but colour management, session workflow, live view, output recipes
3. Invest in kit — you'll need your own laptop and monitor to be taken seriously
4. Offer to run tether on shoots you're assisting — many photographers will let you handle the tethering station if you ask
5. Build a reputation — digi tech bookings, like assisting, run on word of mouth

The role is increasingly in demand as camera resolution climbs and clients expect to see polished images on set in real time. If you're technically minded and enjoy the software side of photography more than the lighting side, it's a rewarding specialisation.