SnapBridge: that was fun! Now what: USB Tethering? WiFi?

[Akira]

A friend of mine who is pro photographer just bought the latest iPad Air, and he found that he could transfer the NEF files very quickly from his Z6 connected with iPad Air via USB-C cable.  You just have to connect the Air and Z6 and boot "Photo" app.

You cannot control Z6 from iPad Air, but at least you can transfer the NEF files quickly.

[RobOK]

i have increasingly been using my iPad... I use a USB-C card reader, have not tried the direct cable. I import the images directly into Lightroom.

[David H. Hartman]

I haven't been able to get SnapBridge to do more than transfer GPS data to my D850 for about a week. GPS is all I really need though it bothers me that I can't set this right even if I don't need JPG file transfer to my phone.

AirNEF has worked well though the D850's Wi-Fi annoyingly drop connection to this laptop instantly on most any error. This laptop reconnects to its normal Wi-Fi router easily. I find AirNEF an easy way to transfer a few NEF files without messing with using a card reader. It takes about 21 to 23 seconds per D850 NEF so AirNEF is limited by the slow speed of the D850's Wi-Fi. l prefer a card reader for any volume of NEF(s).

The error I've had using AirNEF seem to be caused by a microwave oven. The errors with SnapBridge are persistent and probably a setting on my Android phone. I've been through Nikon's online trouble shooting list too many times. I am glad to get GPS location data transfer.

Dave

[Ilkka Nissilä]

I haven't been able to get SnapBridge to do more than transfer GPS data to my D850 for about a week. GPS is all I really need though it bothers me that I can't set this right even if I don't need JPG file transfer to my phone.

Can you describe how you are trying to use Snapbridge, what exactly do you do that doesn't work?

[David H. Hartman]

Can you describe how you are trying to use Snapbridge, what exactly do you do that doesn't work?

In the camera tab of the SnapBridge screen there are three options: Auto link (on), Download pictures and Remote photography. The Download pictures and Remote photography options require "Enable camera Wi-Fi." With both options pressing OK starts "Connecting to camera..." and this always fails for the last week with the error message, "The connection to the camera has failed. Try again after reading..." For a time SnapBridge made the leap to Wi-Fi but now it doesn't. 

Dave

If Auto link isn't "On" this is easily corrected by turning Bluetooth on in the camera's Setup menu or perhaps Bluetooth is off on the phone which is also easy to correct by touching the Bluetooth symbol on the SnapBridge screen.

[David H. Hartman]

For those with a need to transfer JPG(s) to a Phone then use the phone to send them on with email or Text...

Since I'm not having much luck with transferring JPG(s) to my phone with SnapBridge I decided to pull out something I haven't used much. A UNI brand USB-C to USB-A "On The Go" pigtail. I plug a tiny SanDisk USB SDXC card reader in the on the go adapter.

An Android file explorer named CX File Exporter is working and not too flaky. It has a clean interface. Android asks and then marks the SDXC card recording permissions or whatever. From CX I can copy files to the phone or better share them right off the SDXC card via email and probably MSM text.

My recent favorite file explorer Astro File Explorer doesn't always recognize the SDXC card via the on the go and USB card reader. I never successfully initialized the SDXC card from Astro so Astro falls away.

Another file explorer, File Manager + has a nice interface but it loaded the SDXC card with junk folders, pictures, music, ringtones, etc.

So CX File Explorer is working fine to share JPG(s) which I'll need to send photos to my friend for her eBay listings.

Dave

[Ilkka Nissilä]

In the camera tab of the SnapBridge screen there are three options: Auto link (on), Download pictures and Remote photography. The Download pictures and Remote photography options require "Enable camera Wi-Fi." With both options pressing OK starts "Connecting to camera..." and this always fails for the last week with the error message, "The connection to the camera has failed. Try again after reading..." For a time SnapBridge made the leap to Wi-Fi but now it doesn't. 

On the phone settings side, does it show that the wifi is connected to the D850? On my iPhone, I have to initiate wifi connection from the camera, then in the phone settings, and finally the link is established and Snapbridge notices it.

[David H. Hartman]

Ilkka,

That would be easy. Unfortunately with Android you have to have establish a Bluetooth connection between SnapBridge and the camera first, then SnapBridge tells the camera to switch to Wi-Fi. I tried connecting by turning on Wi-Fi on the camera first and then connecting the phone to the camera but then back in SnapBridge Download pictures and Remote photography are grayed out. If I press the Bluetooth button SnapBridge says the camera is out of range when only 1m (3') way.

Dave

Incidentally AirNEF connects to this laptop as described for the iPhone which is why it is relatively easy to par the D850 with this laptop. The connection is sometimes fiddly because Windows 10 puts the USB flash drive to sleep against my best efforts so I have to wake it up before establishing a connection. In the end I always succeed.

[Ilkka Nissilä]

Are you using the latest firmware in the camera and the latest version of Snapbridge? Bluetooth should not be needed to make a wifi connection any more. Unfortunately, I don't have an Android phone to test.

[David H. Hartman]

The D850 is up to date with C 1.2 and LD 2.018 firmware. SnapBridge is version 2.7.1.

Dave

I just update my Moto G7 Android phone and still the jump from BlueTooth to Wi-Fi fails.

[Ilkka Nissilä]

To start the wifi connection between D850 and Snapbridge on my iPhone, I start the app (and make sure the right camera is selected and it is in wifi mode), turn on Wifi on the camera, and then the camera shows up on the list of wifi networks I can connect to, and I select it and then the app hopefully activates those features. I don't try to jump from bluetooth to wifi. That used to be necessary but not since about 1.5 years ago. I can try if that is still possible later.

You could try uninstalling the Snapbridge app, reinstalling it and seeing if it helps get back to where you were before.

[David H. Hartman]

I tried uninstalling and reinstalling SnapBridge. The D850 and SnapBridge are repaired again. The pair won't make the transfer from Bluetooth to Wi-Fi. It makes no sense to me to connect the D850 and Android this way.

AirNEF connects the laptop and D850 much as the D850 to iPhone. It takes a series of clicks but the laptop usually connects quickly and downloading JPG(s) quite fast.

I guess I'll try the online trouble shooting guide then shoot my phone. 

[ColinM]

Ilkka, it seems you've got a stable configuration there that works consistently each time you need it.
It was the lack of consistent behaviour that forced me to abandon Snapbridge,

A friend of mine who is pro photographer just bought the latest iPad Air, and he found that he could transfer the NEF files very quickly from his Z6 connected with iPad Air via USB-C cable.  .

Hi Akira, I must say that even with hardware a few years older than the Z line (D500) I never had a problem getting a connection with my Windows laptop using a USB cable. That worked fine for both file transfers (not a priority for me) and to a degree, for remote control using the Digi Cam program.

Sadly because of the need to use Nikons proprietary USB connector, the limited cable length again restricted its use.
    Edit - I now realise this was wrong

But what I really wanted was a reliable wireless connection - ideally with my tablet, but at a pinch the laptop.

[Akira]

Hi Akira, I must say that even with hardware a few years older than the Z line (D500) I never had a problem getting a connection with my Windows laptop using a USB cable. That worked fine for both file transfers (not a priority for me) and to a degree, for remote control using the Digi Cam program.

Sadly because of the need to use Nikons proprietary USB connector, the limited cable length again restricted its use.

But what I really wanted was a reliable wireless connection - ideally with my tablet, but at a pinch the laptop.

Colin, I wasn't even aware of that program, as I hadn't been in need of tethering.  But that sounds handy, as the cameras now have more common USB connectors.

[David H. Hartman]

Sadly because of the need to use Nikons proprietary USB connector, the limited cable length again restricted its use.

The USB cable my D850 accepts is a USB-3 Micro-B 10 pin. The D850 will also accept a USB-2 Micro-B 5 pin in the larger side. USB-3 Micro-B 10 pin is a standard type but probably only gets moderately wide use as USB-3 Type C is clearly dominant. I have a Lexar multi card reader that accepts the Micro-B 10 pin and a friend has a 1TB external HD that does the same. The USB-3 Micro-B 10 pin has the advantage of saying plugged in better than other types.

I believe the D500 also accepts the standard USB-3 Micro-B 10 pin or USB-2 Micro-B 5 pin cable. For greater distance a high quality 3m (9.8') cable can be used. Longer extention is possible but there are length restrictions to consider. These are available with various connection types at each end.

But what I really wanted was a reliable wireless connection - ideally with my tablet, but at a pinch the laptop.

I'm quite sure the D500 and D850 are slow transferring large NEF files due to the limitations of the Wi-Fi hardware used in the camera.

Dave