Wireless options

[jeremy_wakefield]

<p>Hi </p>

<p>I intend to shoot a number of social events in the coming months and they will require the use of some sort of wireless system to move images from my camera to computer as I shoot. I have a Canon 5Ds ( mk3 and mk2 ) and I know the WFT options from them are available but I'm not sure I want to go down that route if it is possible to avoid.</p>

<p>I was considering the various wireless SD card options with the mk3 ( and leaving the mk2 out of the equation for now ) such as "eye-fi" etc. but know nothing about this. Is there somewhere i can go for advice with a very simple guide to it all? Also would anyone have particular advice on this subject as how best to proceed?</p>

<p>Thanks for your help</p>

<p>William</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>First, can you comment on what sort of files you're expecting to move off-camera (full RAW files, or smaller, quite-compressed JPGs, etc), and the pace at which you expect to shoot? Are we talking about moving hundreds of images per hour, or a green-screen meet/greet head-and-shoulders shot every couple of minutes? WiFi only has so much bandwidth, and in a busy venue with literally hundreds of mobile devices all sniffing around for WiFi access, the link from camera to computer can be tenuous. Are you looking at wandering banquet tables, or working a mobile studio-style rig? <br /><br />There are many approaches to this, but there's no point discussing all of them when your circumstances will immediately rule some in, some out.</p>

[jeremy_wakefield]

<p>Hi Matt<br>

The main reason I want the wireless is to produce small jpeg files of no more than 5mb and have them transfer to a laptop.</p>

<p>There would be around about 200 guests at these functions and I would want to be able to produce probably in the region of 400 - 500 photographs in a couple of hours.</p>

<p>I would like to be able to do this even when there is no home network I can use.</p>

 

<p>I don't know if that is possible or not, but I am guessing there might be a way using a wireless router creating some sort of "private network" for me to do this. As the files would be small I hoped that would help and also as I'd be the only photographer there I thought that might also make things easier.</p>

<p>If not, I will resort to using a cable from my camera as I have before but I have to admit it was a pain.</p>

<p>Thank you for your help.</p>

<p>Willam</p>

 

[acedigital]

<p>I just got an Eye-Fi Pro card for my Canon 1DMkIIn. its very cool. Get the PROx2 version. You can get a CF card adapter if your camera does not take SD cards.<br>

You can shoot both RAW+Jpeg and just have it transfer the JPEG files, takes about 15 secs/file.<br>

I walk into the house from shooting outside and launch the Eye-FI app (on an iPad) and it starts tranferring. Camera must be ON (turn off Auto Power down). The card creates its own WI-FI network and so you can have it transfer the files to your laptop also.<br>

Tranferring RAW files thsi way would probably take way too long as Matt said.<br>

16GB cards are about $99, 8GB under $50, pretty neat. If you use Lightroom you can create a WATCH folder and have them auto-imported etc.</p>

 

[jeremy_wakefield]

<p>Thank you for that Mark. What I want though is to shoot the picture and as I shoot they transfer to my laptop. I have done it using lightroom and also canon software but have used a usb cable and extender to my laptop. It was a pain because of the danger of treading on the cable and tripping up etc. I'd like to do it without wires if possible</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>The Eye-Fi cards WILL allow you to transfer as you shoot. You can set up an ad hoc network between the card and a laptop (no external routing required), and the card will push files over to folder on the laptop as you shoot. But I'm still not clear if you intend to do this as you walk a large room, or if you intend to work close by to the laptop. If the idea is to remain in a shooting area, but to do so without the penalty of being physically tethered, the Pro X2 Eye-Fi card should do the trick, right out of the box (provided you have a WiFi-enabled laptop sitting there listening).</p>

[jeremy_wakefield]

<p>Hi Matt</p>

<p>I wouldn't imagine I'd be more than 30 feet from the laptop at any time.</p>

<p>Does this sound realistic?</p>

<p>If so is it easy to set up and fairly reliable? Last is the eye-fi brand the best to buy? I notice sandisk and others make these cards now.</p>

<p> </p>

[goldbergbarry]

<p>But remember that Eye-Fi cards eat up battery life on your camera much faster (I found it be 2X) so be prepared to deal with that.</p>

[jeremy_wakefield]

<p>Thanks Barry. I have plenty of batteries so not a problem. My main concern would be the simplicity of set up an reliability. Also which brand is regarded as best in these areas.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>Once you've got the Eye-Fi software set up on the laptop, and train the rig to use the right network settings (very simple), it does "just work." The only problem would be some environmental situation where there is an enormous amount of local WiFi traffic, and that slows down your ad hoc network. The physically closer you are to the laptop/base the better it's going to behave in such circumstances. 30 feet is reasonable under most conditions. <br /><br />Yes, other companies make such cards - but you'll find that the Eye-Fi products have been around for quite a while, are well supported, and lots of forums/etc talk about implementation and experiences with them.</p>

[shawn_mertz]

<p>You need to have a back up plan too. Wireless transfer is one of those things that have a tendency to mess up right when you need it most.</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>You don't need a backup plan. They're still on the card, the same way they would be if you didn't have wi-fi, in fact, the configuration he wants gives you more backup than you would usually have during shooting. In fact, he can shoot on two cards with his 5D3.</p>

[jeremy_wakefield]

<p>True enough Jeff. However, I would certainly have a back up method of transferring the files though ie a USB cable extension in case the wireless fails</p>

[shawn_mertz]

<p>Sorry I should have gone into more detail. I was referring to a back up plan to get the files from the camera to the printer. A card reader, and a few extra cards might be enough. A third worker for relaying cards and other things that come up can also be useful. </p>