Z6/7 still require $800 accessory for wireless tethering *SIGH*

They managed to put both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz wifi built-in to Z6/7 (one of best wifi hardware out there), and still requires $800 external accessory that is heavy, unreliable and extremely annoying to use. (I'm using one and I absolutely hate it. Just look at the cable!)

Canon recently added this function to their 5Dmk4 (only 2.4Ghz is supported though).

I just don't understand why Nikon is still selling this monstrosity... WHY Nikon, WHY? It's literally just a few lines of code to implement the function, and I can do it myself if they allow me to access their API!

Are you sure? I thought they had open wifi on these things?

A Owens said:

Are you sure? I thought they had open wifi on these things?

Click to expand...

If they did, they would not take the pic of z-7 connected to external wireless transmitter and introduce it along with z7.

The 5dmk4 is the only camera I know so far that has the automatic wireless ftp upload functionality built-in.

A Owens said:

Are you sure? I thought they had open wifi on these things?

Click to expand...

I think you raise a fair point - especially having regard to the OP's recent posting history ;-)

The brochure mentions wi-fi to smart devices or a computer at up to 433 Mbps - and also new downloadable software for better communication and control from a laptop.

https://cdn-4.nikon-cdn.com/e/Q5NM9...g-xcLVNVcp7mdwZQz5w==/Misc/Z7_Z6_Brochure.pdf

The first Z7 production models are due for release on 27th September.

I expect there will then be feedback on wi-fi ability from users of production models.

Taken from the Z6/7 brochure. Can we /thread now?

That picture seems to indicate that the WT-x is no longer required. That functionality is now built into the Z and it uses NIkon's Wireless Transmitter Utility installed on Win10 or OSX just like the WT-X does.

What is more interesting is the "New" method above that which implies a direct connection with a smart device. Presumably the Z has an HTTP server (please not FTP) connecting to a suitable app on the device. A bit more clarity on that would be welcome as it potentially mitigates the single card slot anxiety currently besetting the Z.

nerd2 said:

A Owens said:

Are you sure? I thought they had open wifi on these things?

Click to expand...

If they did, they would not take the pic of z-7 connected to external wireless transmitter and introduce it along with z7.

The 5dmk4 is the only camera I know so far that has the automatic wireless ftp upload functionality built-in.

Click to expand...

Where did you dig the pic up from?

Page 50 in the brochure in Leonard's link.

In Page 51 of that brochure they mentioned you can choose to use that accessory for a faster and more stable way of connecting if you don't want to use the built-in WIFI.

Droster said:

Taken from the Z6/7 brochure. Can we /thread now?

Click to expand...

It is NOT clear whether z6/7 has automatic file upload to ftp, which is the main functionality of the $800 wt7 wifi transmitter. If one has to go into review mode and manully select pictures to send, it is almost useless. I think that is how most companies implemented wifi image transfer so far.

nerd2 said:

It is NOT clear whether z6/7 has automatic file upload to ftp, which is the main functionality of the $800 wt7 wifi transmitter.

Click to expand...

The literature in page 51 suggests you'll need the WT7 if you want to upload to FTP. But...

nerd2 said:

If one has to go into review mode and manully select pictures to send, it is almost useless. I think that is how most companies implemented wifi image transfer so far.

Click to expand...

Pretty sure you don't need to go into review mode on your camera to manually select what photos you want and the photos go over to the PC/Mac with the Wireless Transmitter Utility app.

Heck, you don't even need to do that in Snapbridge if you set up Snapbridge to automatically download files from your camera. Literally just tried it on my iPhone and D500.

Realistically speaking I'm not going to expect the in-built WIFI to be blazing fast nor for the superuser of course, that's why the accessories exists, but it will work. They just need to update the desktop app.

From that brochure :

The optional WT-7/A/B/C Wireless Transmitter provides a faster way to securely transfer images to storage. It can transmit images and movies to a computer or FTP server via both wired and wireless LAN. It’s faster and more
stable than connecting to a computer via built-in Wi-Fi and also provides a wide range of features that meet the needs of professionals. Wired LAN supports 1000BASE-T and delivers transmission speeds of up to approx. 1000 Mbps*2 , while wireless LAN supports IEEE802.11ac and enables transmission at up to approx. 866.7 Mbps*2 , over distances of up to approx. 200 m/656.1 ft*3.

The WT-7/A/B/C also offers two methods for controlling the camera remotely. Camera control mode allows wireless remote operation from a computer using the optional Camera Control Pro 2 software, while HTTP server mode lets you control the camera remotely using the web browser on a computer or smart device.

So the Z7 can transfer photos directly to a PC wirelessly, but it's unclear exactly how that functionality works or what its limitations are. If you need the extra features of the WT-7 (like wired LAN), it can provide that functionality.

Given Nikon's history here, I wouldn't get my hopes up when it comes to wireless tethering, but at the same time this will be the first camera with this feature built in, so hopefully it'll meet most people's needs.

Leonard Shepherd said:

A Owens said:

Are you sure? I thought they had open wifi on these things?

Click to expand...

I think you raise a fair point - especially having regard to the OP's recent posting history ;-)

The brochure mentions wi-fi to smart devices or a computer at up to 433 Mbps - and also new downloadable software for better communication and control from a laptop.

https://cdn-4.nikon-cdn.com/e/Q5NM9...g-xcLVNVcp7mdwZQz5w==/Misc/Z7_Z6_Brochure.pdf

The first Z7 production models are due for release on 27th September.

I expect there will then be feedback on wi-fi ability from users of production models.

Click to expand...

I was at a Nikon Z7 event today (have my ZZ T-shirt as proof lol).

The rep specifically said that the camera has it built-in. The adapter is an option. It is faster, has many more options but in NOT needed for wireless tethering.

The spec as mentioned is 433 Mbps. It is over 800 with the adapter.

nerd2 said:

A Owens said:

Are you sure? I thought they had open wifi on these things?

Click to expand...

If they did, they would not take the pic of z-7 connected to external wireless transmitter and introduce it along with z7.

Click to expand...

Droster said:

Page 50 in the brochure in Leonard's link.

In Page 51 of that brochure they mentioned you can choose to use that accessory for a faster and more stable way of connecting if you don't want to use the built-in WIFI.

Click to expand...

And thus we see the errors that applying pseudo-logic to a question may lead us.

From that brochure :

"The optional WT-7/A/B/C Wireless Transmitter provides a faster way to securely transfer images to storage. It can transmit images and movies to a computer or FTP server via both wired and wireless LAN. It’s faster and more
stable than connecting to a computer via built-in Wi-Fi and also provides a wide range of features that meet the needs of professionals."

Which means that Z-7 itself DOES NOT have automatic FTP upload function! (which meets the needs of professionals)

And 5Dmk4 *does* have the function, BTW:

nerd2 said:

From that brochure :

"The optional WT-7/A/B/C Wireless Transmitter provides a faster way to securely transfer images to storage. It can transmit images and movies to a computer or FTP server via both wired and wireless LAN. It’s faster and more
stable than connecting to a computer via built-in Wi-Fi and also provides a wide range of features that meet the needs of professionals."

Which means that Z-7 itself DOES NOT have automatic FTP upload function! (which meets the needs of professionals)

Click to expand...

More of that "logic" of yours!

nerd2 said:

And 5Dmk4 *does* have the function, BTW:

https://www.p4pictures.com/2017/01/ftp-images-from-eos-5d-mark-iv/

Click to expand...

400 mb/s WiFi sounds promising. The protocol, FTP or otherwise, is irrelevant. Let's wait and see until production cameras get into the hands of someone that knows what they are talking about.

That Nikon tries to push it's$700, possibly redundant device is no surprise.

A Owens said:

nerd2 said:

From that brochure :

"The optional WT-7/A/B/C Wireless Transmitter provides a faster way to securely transfer images to storage. It can transmit images and movies to a computer or FTP server via both wired and wireless LAN. It’s faster and more
stable than connecting to a computer via built-in Wi-Fi and also provides a wide range of features that meet the needs of professionals."

Which means that Z-7 itself DOES NOT have automatic FTP upload function! (which meets the needs of professionals)

Click to expand...

More of that "logic" of yours!

A Owens said:

And 5Dmk4 *does* have the function, BTW:

https://www.p4pictures.com/2017/01/ftp-images-from-eos-5d-mark-iv/

Click to expand...

400 mb/s WiFi sounds promising. The protocol, FTP or otherwise, is irrelevant. Let's wait and see until production cameras get into the hands of someone that knows what they are talking about.

That Nikon tries to push it's$700, possibly redundant device is no surprise.

Click to expand...

It will be clear once Z7 full manual is released online (which shouldn't take long).

And transfer speed alone is largely meaningless... I use WT-7 (rated 866.7Mbps) with Netgear AC1750 router (rated 1750Mbps) but actual transferring speed is way slower.

nerd2 said:

A Owens said:

nerd2 said:

From that brochure :

"The optional WT-7/A/B/C Wireless Transmitter provides a faster way to securely transfer images to storage. It can transmit images and movies to a computer or FTP server via both wired and wireless LAN. It’s faster and more
stable than connecting to a computer via built-in Wi-Fi and also provides a wide range of features that meet the needs of professionals."

Which means that Z-7 itself DOES NOT have automatic FTP upload function! (which meets the needs of professionals)

Click to expand...

More of that "logic" of yours!

nerd2 said:

And 5Dmk4 *does* have the function, BTW:

https://www.p4pictures.com/2017/01/ftp-images-from-eos-5d-mark-iv/

Click to expand...

400 mb/s WiFi sounds promising. The protocol, FTP or otherwise, is irrelevant. Let's wait and see until production cameras get into the hands of someone that knows what they are talking about.

That Nikon tries to push it's$700, possibly redundant device is no surprise.

Click to expand...

It will be clear once Z7 full manual is released online (which shouldn't take long).

And transfer speed alone is largely meaningless... I use WT-7 (rated 866.7Mbps) with Netgear AC1750 router (rated 1750Mbps) but actual transferring speed is way slower.

Click to expand...

On that we certainly agree! Very little correlation between claimed speed and observed speed with these devices.

I’m sorry for bumping an old thread, but I didn’t Feel this deserved it’s own thread.

Just wanted to know if it is possible to simultaneously shoot to the internal XQD while being tethered to a mobile device as shown with the EOS R in this video?


Does anyone have experience with the tethering feature on the Z7?

GSharp87 said:

I’m sorry for bumping an old thread, but I didn’t Feel this deserved it’s own thread.

Just wanted to know if it is possible to simultaneously shoot to the internal XQD while being tethered to a mobile device as shown with the EOS R in this video?

Does anyone have experience with the tethering feature on the Z7?

Click to expand...

I tried this. You can do this and even send large NEF and equivalent JPG files direct to your PC. If you have, say, an Intel NUC or HP 800 G3 mini with 1 TB of SSD drive and WiFi, you can leave it in your bag. As soon as you take a shot, the files will be automatically uploaded to the NUC/HP through WiFi and saved in XQD. It is actually quite cool to see your files just show up in the folder few seconds after taking the shot.

For pro's, who needs dual XQD slots? All you need to figure out is find a battery power to your NUC/HP. Of course, I would think a laptop will work out fine too. Just install Nikon's Wireless Transfer Utility to the PC.

We have an App on Mac which can wireless tether Nikon D750, but didn't try Z6/7 yet, the D750 WIFI speed is not that fast, one 16MB photo need about 10~20 seconds to download on WIFI.