NikonGear'23
Gear Talk => Camera Talk => Topic started by: Akira on June 16, 2016, 21:08:34
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Well, the Wifi implementation of Nikon cameras is generally disappointing, but this owner is rather upset than disappointed...
http://www.dpreview.com/?utm_campaign=internal-link&utm_source=logo&utm_medium=image&ref=logo
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This is the direct link to the article on Dpreview: http://www.dpreview.com/news/2150261239/d500-owner-formally-accuses-nikon-of-false-advertising
(I suppose that is the one you intended to post, Akira. )
The problem seems to be that iOS might not allow simultaneous use of WiFi and BT by the same app, if we are to believe nikonrumors. This could in a worst case scenario mean that there won't be a Snapbridge app for iOS anytime soon, if at all. This may in turn have implications for the DL range of compact cameras as well as an upcoming D3500. Hopefully Nikon will be able to resolve this.
The reason for combining BT and WiFi communication, is to save energy and thus battery power, so the idea is sound enough.
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Bjørn, yes, your are right! Thanks for the correction.
The idea of combining bluetooth and wifi to spare the batterie power would be nice as it is, but this kind of unique use of the open format should cause the confusion and the compatibility issue. I think it is a bad idea with goodwill.
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I agree.
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The person with the complaint is just looking for a payday.
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it is kind of misleading in a way. the most misleading part is with the speedlights. :o :o :o
you will need that wifi dongle to communicate ::)
they really should make this super clear so we dont have to read the fine print
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If the D750 and D7200 worked with iOS devices a reasonable person would expect the D500 would also. I hope Nikon can resolve this soon.
I'm not a fan of things hanging off a camera. The less the better. Maybe add GPS and WiFi to a power booster?
Dave
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Have to agree with the guy. I doubt he is expecting a payday. It'd be more cost effective for Nikon to pay someone to fix the issue. I wish someone would put some fire under Nikon's ass to make their WMU app something other than garbage.
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Interesting. So far the best WiFi application I've come across in a camera is the implementation by Olympus EM1. My wife and son use that seamlessly with their Samsungs for transferring images and controlling the camera. My wife will often puts the camera on mini tripods with LEDs on other mini tripods for product shoots. Sony, through the Play Memories mobile App is not any better than WMU on the D750. Since I do not really use the feature , I have not paid much attention. What is obvious is the battery drain >:( .
That said, I attended a Company launch event last month. The young, paid photographer was using his D750, 50 1.4D to cover the event for a local Newspaper. We were chatting about the D750 and transferring the images to his paper. He was lightning fast at moving the images to his phone and the moving the image to the Paper's Instagram. For example purposes he did not try and do any in camera editing. He then used his network's 4G to send the image. Unfortunately, as I was about to ask him questions, the VVIPs started arriving .
It appears Nikon did not sort out the Apple arrangement prior to launching Snapbridge and of course, Apple sues every one ;) .
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Fuji's implementation is the best thing that I have tried on the other hand. never tried olympus' so i may have a crack at it this weekend :o :o :o
somebody should spank an engineer or two at Nikon, maybe even the bas"#'(&s at marketing
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Good luck to "Andreas V" in respect of his action against Nikon.
I have an Olympus E-M1, and can confirm that its WiFi function does work as advertised with both my ancient iPhone 4S and my new Android phones. The GPS coordinate merging from phone to camera is very straightforward, and the use of the phone as a cordless release works well..
In respect of spanking and engineer or two at Nikon, maybe removing certain parts of their anatomy with a rusty razor blade might get the message across more forcibly (on the other hand I don't want to be listening to singing camera bodies either, so maybe my idea is not so good after all! ;D ;D ;D). Certainly the marketing men at Sendai need to be brought into line. Seems as if they have not fully learnt all of the lessons from their recent D600 debacles.
Fuji's implementation is the best thing that I have tried on the other hand. never tried olympus' so i may have a crack at it this weekend :o :o :o
somebody should spank an engineer or two at Nikon, maybe even the bas"#'(&s at marketing
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It appears Nikon did not sort out the Apple arrangement prior to launching Snapbridge and of course, Apple sues every one ;) .
The WMU app cannot even be hit in the App Store when you try to search it. :o :o :o
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Does Camera Control Pro work wirelessly with the D500 without the (rather large) accessory wifi module?
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Does Camera Control Pro work wirelessly with the D500 without the (rather large) accessory wifi module?
According to Nikon website, the dedicated transmitter WT-7 is necessary to connect the camera with the computer via wifi using Camera Control Pro2.
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According to Nikon website, the dedicated transmitter WT-7 is necessary to connect the camera with the computer via wifi using Camera Control Pro2.
Thanks.
I think this is one issue also with Nikon wireless: there are many different modules (+ some built in) and it's just a chaos in terms of functionality and camera compatibility vs. device. What's more, the wifi modules for the high-end (professional) cameras are quite expensive (and may or may not work in other models in the future).
WT-6A (for the D5) doesn't seem to be ready for prime time either, according to a few early user reviews:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1214158-REG/nikon_27161_wt_6_wireless_transmitter_set.html
Arguably it can be user error also, but if Nikon is unable to help then the product may have been brought to market prematurely.
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Another product to look into is the CamRanger ( www.camranger.com ) I used that for remote control with liveview, when I had Nikon. It doesn't support the D500/D5 yet, but that can only be a matter of time. The CamRanger app for iPad is mature and that product has been around for several years now. They support most Canon and Nikon DSLRs.
The Sony Playmemories app works, but is primitive compared to the CamRanger app.
I think that WT-6a/7 are much more expensive than the CamRanger. The CamRanger is connected to the USB port on the camera via a cable and sets up a WiFi network.
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Another product to look into is the CamRanger ( www.camranger.com )
Thank you for the suggestion. It seems like a good solution because the same unit supports a range of cameras and the software seems to have a lot of useful functionality. The cost is reasonable as well.
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You're welcome. :)
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WT-6A (for the D5) doesn't seem to be ready for prime time either, according to a few early user reviews:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1214158-REG/nikon_27161_wt_6_wireless_transmitter_set.html
Arguably it can be user error also, but if Nikon is unable to help then the product may have been brought to market prematurely.
According to Nikon website (again), you need to install Wireless Transmitter Utility in addition to Camera Control Pro2 to make WT-6a work properly, which may be another reason for the confusion. And the fact that Nikon support didn't know how to make it work is definitely another bummer.
They should rename WT series transmitters to WTF series. :D
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+1 - Brilliant Mate - I like!
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They should rename WT series transmitters to WTF series. :D
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:D :D :D
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Back to something useful again.
http://dslrdashboard.info
This app can control Canon and Nikon DSLRs as well as mirrorless Sony cameras (Nex, A6000, A7 series)
This is a much more advanced app than the rather primitive Sony Playmemories.
A Nikon or Canon DSLR can also be attached via USB to a TP-link 3040 (if memory serves, and a special firmware needs to be installed on the router) router and be remote controlled via wireless from e.g. an iOS or Android tablet/phone using DSLR dashboard.
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Yes, or a laptop PC.
IIRC, Ann Shelbourne (over on the FZ site) used to drive her Nikon D3Ss in the way you describe, when she was doing studio work.
Back to something useful again.
http://dslrdashboard.info
This app can control Canon and Nikon DSLRs as well as mirrorless Sony cameras (Nex, A6000, A7 series)
This is a much more advanced app than the rather primitive Sony Playmemories.
A Nikon or Canon DSLR can also be attached via USB to a TP-link 3040 (if memory serves, and a special firmware needs to be installed on the router) router and be remote controlled via wireless from e.g. an iOS or Android tablet/phone using DSLR dashboard.
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Hi,
as I understand: You have to use Bluetooth to enable WiFi. If you want to use third party Apps you have to buy the WT 7!
Harald
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Hi,
as I understand: You have to use Bluetooth to enable WiFi. If you want to use third party Apps you have to buy the WT 7!
Harald
CamRanger is an app + WiFi hardware that connects to the camera via a USB cable. CamRanger is much cheaper than the WT-x units from Nikon and the app much better and more mature. You can then control your camera with liveview on an iOS/Android tablet in the field.
With DSLRDashboard on a wifi tablet you will need to find a suitable WiFi hardware yourself, e.g. battery powered router with a USB port and install custom firmware and software on it yourself, to use it with Nikon. Sony mirrorless cameras have an onboard WiFi with an openly documented interface (API).
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Snapbridge and new firmware for the D500 is available for download now.
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I just signed up for notification from Nikon when Snapbridge is available for iPhone and iPad devices, i.e. it's not available now.
From reading the Nikon trash concerning this D500 built in feature it appears to me it's intended for social media use and never intended for professional or like use. That is it's a cool toy.
I haven't spent much time researching this so I could be wrong here but that's the impression I have at the moment. Also I don't own a D500.
People frequently hate manuals but it's a good thing to research a purchase by reviewing the manual. At first Nikon USA would only allow one to download a manual for a camera they owned. I called and emailed explaining that I used manuals to research a purchase. A few weeks later they allowed downloading available manuals despite not being a registered owner of the product. These manuals do not allow copy and past so if you want to quote a few sentences you have to type them out. If memory service me Nikon UK didn't mess with the customer by requiring a registered product.
I got burned on a Nikon F100 purchase as it doesn't allow release priority in AF-S mode and that mode was required for AF assist from an SB-24 and SB-800. Anyway...
Dave
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My Snapbridge Experience is that my phone is too old to make proper use of the APP, so I switch of the feature.
If I want pictures fast I just connect my phone to the camera via a 3 Euro cable (USB3 mini to USB A micro) and download them via "gallery APP" or "ES file explorer"
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Snapbridge for iOS is available for download now. Note that it's marked as an iPhone app in app store, so it won't show if you search for "iPad only". Still it will run on an iPad.
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It is not a "toy". It may not work optimally as of yet, but fast and easy electronic transmission of images from dedicated cameras through the internet is hugely important and Snapbridge can do it more fluidly and transmits images even when the camera is off and you don't have to waste time reconnecting the camera and phone every time you want to use it.
Online transmission of images is a part of many professionals' everyday work. This is not just photography professionals but various fields where photographs are used as technical records etc. I can easily list a
dozen fields where the mobile phone is not ideal as a camera but fast transmission of screen size small jpgs from a proper camera is useful and crucial to efficiency and minimizing delays. I would imagine many non-PJ professional photographers will edit their work on a proper computer but for PJ, medical, forensic, law enforcement, engineering, science, etc. any situation where a record shot is needed and is to be sent immediately, I imagine Snapbridge is a useful step forward. It may be a prototype but nevertheless it is an important tool. Of course it has been primarily developed because normal people no longer buy dedicated cameras and so without fluid electronic transmission the company's future is bleak.
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This might be an alternative to the lack lustre D500 WiFi function:
http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php/topic,4233.msg65585/topicseen.html#msg65585
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I talked to many people having used several remote control aka tethering solutions
It all comes down to CamRanger. If I reallly needed this function with Nikon I would put 350 Euros
on the table for CamRanger.
But. I only do it via cable in the studio so ControlMyNikon is my solution.
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A question about Camranger (sorry, not related to the D500 specifically). I'm trying to get a larger screen for easier manual focusing for video applications for use with my DSLRs. I don't at present need the full capability of an external recorder. I am thinking that since with the Camranger, one can use an iOS device for LV, but this works through a wireless connection, is the live view shown on the iOS device screen (via Camranger) really synchronous with the live view on the camera, or would there be a noticeable additional delay?
If the screen is reasonably real time and has adequate resolution for focusing, this would mean that I can avoid for the time the additional cost and weight of an external recorder. One reason I don't want an external recorder is that I would like to have a reasonably light weight screen (my iPhone 6 is 129g, whereas external recorders weight from 300g to 1000g, roughly speaking). Another reason is that external recorders that support 4K through HDMI tend to be larger (7" screen, weight approaching one kg) than HD recorders (5" screen, ca. 400-600g) and of course, more expensive as well. A HD only recorder cannot to my knowledge take 4K output and downsample it, and the D5 (or D500) outputs 4K through HDMI when recording 4K. In a way I would like to maintain a smaller and lighter screen (but still bigger than the camera LCD) for focusing, but record 4K internally, and then resize the video in editing to FullHD so as to preserve a larger tonality (the bitrate is higher in 4K than FullHD, thus there should be more tonal information in FullHD generated by resizing 4K original data). Does this make sense? I have limited knowledge of video but I would like to experiment with it.
Perhaps the FullHD output is sufficient for all my purposes, and should be faster to post-process. In that case, just having a FullHD recorder with 5" would do it. However, I would like to try Camranger as it would allow me to use whatever screen I have in terms of mobile devices, if there is no significant additional lag. Camranger also advertise that the screen can be color calibrated, or this is how I understood it. I read about a green cast in Blackmagic's video assist recorders in user reviews. If there is a delay with wireless transmission of live view, then would a corded setup (connecting the iOS device directly to the camera via a cord and using an appropriate application) work better?
Thanks for any help.
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Very interesting question, Ilkka.
Only one side note: The live view output seems not to feature the same color and quality as a recorded video stream
or single picture of same resolution. How can I tell? I use my 24 inch screen as VF for table top shots with my Sinar.
To judge white balance I have to take a picture, download and view it on a calibrated computer.
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My guess is that you would need a specialized/professional video screen that offers focus peaking for video, else I think you are going to have a hard time focusing. AF-S lenses may not be optimized for video AF, and Nikon has no PDAF or dual pixel (Canon) in video/LV mode.
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I would be using manual focus lenses for video. Many of the external recorders offer peaking, and according to the manual, so does Camranger. With AF-S zooms I think I'd lose my hair trying to focus them manually especially if the subject is moving. But higher end AF-S primes and true manual focus lenses should be easier.
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I've seen that Nikon Ai lenses can have a longer focus throw than their Nikon Ai-S counterparts. Maybe something to look into and see which fits video use best. I think it should be possible to de-click manual Nikkors.
On the other hand, you may be using specialized focus gears designed for video?
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I don't have specialized lenses for video but I have a set of Zeiss lenses with quite good manual focusing movement and reasonably long throw. Only one of them is modern enough to have the de clicking feature. But at least they didn't cost as much as their dedicated video lenses.
The PC 35mm also has a declicked aperture ring ;-) Though I am sure it wasn't designed for video.
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Have you seen these from Zeiss, http://www.zeiss.de/camera-lenses/de_de/cine_lenses/slr/lens-gear.html
Seems they aren't for the Classic series, but I guess there are third parties who make gears for the classic series.
The 35PC was made in another time. :)
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Well the geared focus systems weigh quite a lot, they're not so practical for me. I will try to manage without.
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From what I've seen and read lately Snap bridge was created as a bridge for young photographer who have little or no experience with a "proper camera" but with cell phone cameras. I'm led to understand that Instagram [does] not offer a method for uploading photos from a computer. With Snap bridge a D500 user could shoot NEF + JPG (small) and have their phone instantly upload the photo to social media sites like Instagram. Snap Bridge was never intended to replace professional WiFi options.
That's my understanding. I scarcely use my cell phone camera and have never visited Instagram or similar sites.
I hope Nikon is successful with Snap Bridge as I now believe it is important to the health of the company.
Dave
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A bit slow but...
Snap Bridge is named as it is because it bridges the gap between a dSLR through a smart phone to social media Websites that only communicate with smart phones.
Dave