Is WiFi on the F800EXR of any use?

[CAcreeks]

I just bought a PCMCIA card with SD/SDHC card reader for my hand-me-down Dell laptop. It is fast! Might be the best $15 I have ever spent. Makes it easy to download camera images anytime.


So how would the WiFi on these newfangled cameras improve my life? What is the mechanism for recognizing a wireless network?

 

[Trevor G]

CAcreeks wrote:

So how would the WiFi on these newfangled cameras improve my life? What is the mechanism for recognizing a wireless network?

You don't need wireless on a new fangled camera - I just bought and successfully connected a wireless SDHC card with 8GB of storage. It's quick as well!

You just need a device which has wireless networking capabiliites, such as a tablet (Android is fine) or a laptop (Windows is fine) for the card (or your wireless camera) to connect.

My EZ Share card uses proprietary software (doesn't everything?) which installs to set up a wireless hot spot to allow you to connect to multiple computers if you like.

At this stage most wireless-capable cameras will only connect to Android or Apple devices. The wireless SD cards connect to any wireless network.

It downloads quickly, allowing me to check exposure without pulling the card out and inserting it in a reader or computer.

 

[CAcreeks]

Trevor G wrote:

My EZ Share card uses proprietary software (doesn't everything?) which installs to set up a wireless hot spot to allow you to connect to multiple computers if you like.

The proprietary software installs on ___ ?

1. Android?
2. Mac OS X?
3. Windows?

We have a WiFi Canon printer accessible for output from any of our laptop or deskside computers, but I don't understand how arbitrary input would work on WiFi.

I read today's review of the Nikon 800c and still don't understand.

 

[rattymouse]

CAcreeks wrote:

Trevor G wrote:

My EZ Share card uses proprietary software (doesn't everything?) which installs to set up a wireless hot spot to allow you to connect to multiple computers if you like.

The proprietary software installs on ___ ?

1. Android?
2. Mac OS X?
3. Windows?

We have a WiFi Canon printer accessible for output from any of our laptop or deskside computers, but I don't understand how arbitrary input would work on WiFi.

I read today's review of the Nikon 800c and still don't understand.

Such "features" could not possibly interest me less.

 

[Trevor G]

CAcreeks wrote:

The proprietary software installs on ___ ?

1. Android?
2. Mac OS X?
3. Windows?
4. iOS

All the above

We have a WiFi Canon printer accessible for output from any of our laptop or deskside computers, but I don't understand how arbitrary input would work on WiFi.

All wireless communication, even from laptop to printer, is 2 way.

Just see the EZShare as a device which lets a camera "print" images wirelessly to a computer.

Like any transmitter, the EZShare communicates in both directions as it transmits the images from the camera to the computer.

What's hard to understand about that? Even if you don't understand it, just accept it as fact.

 

[CAcreeks]

Trevor G wrote:

The proprietary software installs on ___ ?

1. Android?
2. Mac OS X?
3. Windows?
4. iOS

All the above.

Just see the EZShare as a device which lets a camera "print" images wirelessly to a computer.

OK, I get it. Useless for laptops. For Mac and Windows, which have SD card readers, this is less convenient than using an SD card, because I have to install more frickin' software.

It does seem useful for Android and iOS, which do not have an SD card slot. But they do have cameras, sometimes good ones. Most people wouldn't think that carrying an extra F800 around all the time is worthwhile.


Overall I have to agree with Rattymouse.

 

[dick52717]

CAcreeks wrote:

Trevor G wrote:

The proprietary software installs on ___ ?

1. Android?
2. Mac OS X?
3. Windows?
4. iOS

All the above.

Just see the EZShare as a device which lets a camera "print" images wirelessly to a computer.

Overall I have to agree with Rattymouse.

Me too. And if your computer doesn't have a USB card reader you can buy one for $5 or $6. Some SD cards came with a USB card reader, too.

Some people get carried away with new technology.

 

[depscribe]

A somewhat related question, for those who have had/used the wifi sdhc cards: do they work reliably? My thought is to use one solely because I'll often be shooting someplace and would like to deliver the invariably asked-for copies right there and then -- but people often do not have a card reader on their machines and I usually don't have a USB adapter.

My sense (read: hope) is that these come up as another network connection, to which people can hook up, then open the card in their browser of choice, then copy such pictures as they desire, then log out.

Is this even remotely close to accurate?

If it is, then which if the cards is best, both for reliability and for low drain on the camera's battery?

 

[CAcreeks]

**** wrote:

Me too. And if your computer doesn't have a USB card reader you can buy one for $5 or $6. Some SD cards came with a USB card reader, too. Some people get carried away with new technology.

If I have to install Finepix Viewer to use the F800EXR WiFi, that is very bad.


That piece of %*#$@ software wasted 3 hours of my life. First I installed it and it didn't work well. So then I downloaded an update (this is what wasted the most time) and that didn't work well either.

 

[CAcreeks]

depscribe wrote:

My sense (read: hope) is that these come up as another network connection, to which people can hook up, then open the card in their browser of choice, then copy such pictures as they desire, then log out. Is this even remotely close to accurate?

That is how you would want it to work.

But this would require DHCP network service, or something similar, to recognize the device on WiFi and communicate with it.

Somehow I doubt that Japanese camera vendors will be able to cope with IP addresses and all that.

 

[depscribe]

I was thinking less of a camera which has built-in wifi (as with gps, that strikes me as a bit of an abomination) as an SD card that has one. Looking at the descriptions of the wifi SD cards out there, it seems to be kind of as I described, but if that were so, why would there be need for dedicated software applications for them? (Also, customer reviews seem at best mixed, which is why I asked if anyone had one that was reliable.)

 

[CAcreeks]

depscribe wrote:

I was thinking less of a camera which has built-in wifi (as with gps, that strikes me as a bit of an abomination) as an SD card that has one. Looking at the descriptions of the wifi SD cards out there, it seems to be kind of as I described, but if that were so, why would there be need for dedicated software applications for them? (Also, customer reviews seem at best mixed, which is why I asked if anyone had one that was reliable.)

If a camera with a whole huge menu system cannot advertise itself with an IP address, it seems less likely with a teeny SD card.

That's why I remarked about reading yesterday's Nikon S800c review and still not understanding. The S800c is running full fledged Android! And yet the review did not show how to reach it from arbitrary computers on the network.

 

[depscribe]

Lord -- I don't want it on the whole Internet -- just able to work wirelessly with a machine that's on a local wireless router or that has its own wireless. The card mentioned here: http://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/01/25/LZeal-releases-ezShare-WiFi-SD-card suggests such an ability; my sense was that its chief difference from others is that it has an on/off switch for the wifi. Is this not so?

 

[rattymouse]

CAcreeks wrote:

**** wrote:

Me too. And if your computer doesn't have a USB card reader you can buy one for $5 or $6. Some SD cards came with a USB card reader, too. Some people get carried away with new technology.

If I have to install Finepix Viewer to use the F800EXR WiFi, that is very bad.

That piece of %*#$@ software wasted 3 hours of my life. First I installed it and it didn't work well. So then I downloaded an update (this is what wasted the most time) and that didn't work well either.

You got that right. FinePix ANYTHING is pure crapware. It is amazing how poor Fujifilm's software is. Absolutely amazing. Fuji makes Microsoft look like Apple in comparison.

You would have to search the 4 corners of the globe to find worse software than FinePix Viewer, FinePix Studio, or FinePix anything.......

 

[CAcreeks]

depscribe wrote:

Lord -- I don't want it on the whole Internet -- just able to work wirelessly with a machine that's on a local wireless router or that has its own wireless.

Wi-Fi networks are only local visible, and most require password authentication. Probably NFC (near field communication) would be more appropriate for cameras than Wi-Fi, but Bluetooth is already starting to fade and NFC seems like yet another stupid idea that might never make it into the mainstream. Samsung advertises NFC on television (e.g. the spot where iPhone buyers are waiting in line, while two Samsung phones touch to exchange a photo).

The card mentioned here: http://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/01/25/LZeal-releases-ezShare-WiFi-SD-card suggests such an ability; my sense was that its chief difference from others is that it has an on/off switch for the wifi. Is this not so?

The switch seems like a totally excellent idea! As is the idea of advertising itself as an HTTP server. Internet devices can use some local address 169.254.n.n to advertise themselves without being assigned a regular IP address. I am assuming the LZeal device does this for its HTTP service.

I am reading the F800EXR manual now... It is nice that they offer it in playback mode, and support reduced size, but transfer seems to require a specialized application that they call DSC. Looks like the wireless transmitter does not waste battery until you enable transfer. Presumably the PC or smartphone where you install DSC must have a Wi-Fi receiver (duh).


http://app.fujifilm-dsc.com

 

[CAcreeks]

rattymouse wrote:

You got that right. FinePix ANYTHING is pure crapware. It is amazing how poor Fujifilm's software is. Absolutely amazing. Fuji makes Microsoft look like Apple in comparison.

You would have to search the 4 corners of the globe to find worse software than FinePix Viewer, FinePix Studio, or FinePix anything...

I am going to mark rattymouse's post, because it comes closest to answering the question.

Whether XYZ brand SD card with Wi-Fi works well is immaterial to the F800EXR question, although apparently they work better.

The F800EXR can upload wirelessly only to an iPhone or Android. Not Windows, Mac, or Linux. You need to install a free app called Finepix [sic] DSC or something. There is one app with read/write access, and another read-only app for friends to install. As if.

Loading…

app.fujifilm-dsc.com

 

[Trevor G]

CAcreeks wrote:

Trevor G wrote:

Just see the EZShare as a device which lets a camera "print" images wirelessly to a computer.

OK, I get it. Useless for laptops.

Why is it useles for laptops?

It works fine on my laptop, which also has a card reader.

The technology allows you to quickly check images to make sure they are focused and not over-exposed or clipping or crushing highlight colour.

For toy cameras like the F series it allows you to quickly upload an image to your web space, whether that be Facebook or one of the other social media sites which are catering to smart phone users.

 

[Trevor G]

depscribe wrote:

A somewhat related question, for those who have had/used the wifi sdhc cards: do they work reliably? My thought is to use one solely because I'll often be shooting someplace and would like to deliver the invariably asked-for copies right there and then -- but people often do not have a card reader on their machines and I usually don't have a USB adapter.

My sense (read: hope) is that these come up as another network connection, to which people can hook up, then open the card in their browser of choice, then copy such pictures as they desire, then log out.

Is this even remotely close to accurate?

If it is, then which if the cards is best, both for reliability and for low drain on the camera's battery?

I have used the EZ Share because it was the cheapest.

It works very well. I haven't done a battery test.

EZ Share shows up as another wireless network and you log on in the usual way with a pass key.

Do you want your end users to have all images? If yes, then it could work very well for you.

Range in good conditions is stated as 30 feet. It would be less under cluttered conditions. It uses wireless g.

The card itself is quite quick - it took me 17 seconds to complete a BFC with RAW while a 95Mb/s card will do the same task in about half the time.

 

[Trevor G]

rattymouse wrote:

You got that right. FinePix ANYTHING is pure crapware. It is amazing how poor Fujifilm's software is. Absolutely amazing. Fuji makes Microsoft look like Apple in comparison.

You would have to search the 4 corners of the globe to find worse software than FinePix Viewer, FinePix Studio, or FinePix anything.......

I regularly use FinePix Viewer to check certain EXIF information which does not easily appear in other software, such as EXR mode and DR settings.

It works better than anything else in this regard. It's simple to install and easy to use.

 

[Trevor G]

**** wrote:

Me too. And if your computer doesn't have a USB card reader you can buy one for $5 or $6. Some SD cards came with a USB card reader, too.

Some people get carried away with new technology.

Do you say that because you are still using a very old EXR camera from 2009?

I'm sure it works well for you but things have advanced since then. These tools are being made because there are people who really want to use the technology to do something that is otherwise impossible.

Having a card reader is not the issue. Pulling the card out to read its contents onto another device takes time and disturbs the shoot. For some people that time could be critical.

The wireless SDHC card allows you to keep shooting while the images are being transferred to an external device.

I bet it makes more sense now!