Eye-Fi Wifi Memory Cards

ian408 · October 30, 2007

I was asked to test out an SD card from Eye-Fi.

The card comes in a swank package--one of the coolest I've seen in a long time.

The card works with Windows or OSX. I had some trouble getting the card to
work initially. Turns out that turning off SSID is what caused the problem and
this took a while and a software upgrade to fix. Diagnosed and fixed, the
rest of the install went well. The card is a replacement for your SD card
(that's the only type supported at the moment) and should work in
most cameras that support SD. I tried mine in an SD800is and an A640. I
still want to try this with my mkIII (the SD card can be used as a backup).

Once installed and configured, pictures you take are automatically uploaded
(or not) to your photo sharing site. I'm a Smugmug customer and that's what
I tested with. You can also configure the card to upload to your computer
instead of a photo sharing site. You can configure a number of different
wireless networks too. I didn't notice any significant difference in battery
life.

A couple of nigglies. Installation requires you turn the power saver feature on
your camera off so uploads aren't interrupted. If you're forgetful, you might
run out of battery if you don't turn the camera off. Capacity is also an issue
for larger MP cameras and if you're not near a convenient Wireless Access
Point, you'll soon run out of memory. At this time, you can't really choose
where to put your pictures with Smugmug. It's "other" and a directory name
derived from the date pictures were taken.

I don't have an idea of throughput but it's not fast. Usable but if you're a
sports shooter, probably not got to work like a Nikon or Canon wireless device.

The card is priced around $99 and available from various places like Amazon
and Best Buy. Is it worth it? For 2G and wireless, it's a neat thing to have
and it makes getting your shots uploaded simpler.

Shane422 · October 30, 2007

Wifi Memory cards available
I just got a release notice about the wifi memory cards from www.eye.fi. 2GB priced at $99. Here is a bit of the email. I want one in a bad way. Tethered shooting, but wireless. Here is a bit of the email.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 30, 2007 — Eye-Fi Inc., a company dedicated to helping people navigate, nurture and share their digital memories, today unveiled the Eye-Fi Card — the world’s first wireless SD memory card for digital cameras. The Eye-Fi Card uses home Wi-Fi networks to create an effortless and convenient way for users to send photographs directly from digital cameras to PCs, Macs and online photo and social networking sites. See release entitled “Eye-Fi Announces Support from Seventeen Online Photo Destinations.” Priced at $99.99 with 2GB of storage, the Eye-Fi Card is available now from major online retailers.

The 2GB wireless SD memory card, which holds approximately 1,000 images, is available now at major online retailers including Amazon.com, Buy.com and Walmart.com for $99.99 USD. It’s also available from the online stores of J&R, B&H Photo Video, dotPhoto and Photojojo. For more information, please visit www.eye.fi.

ian408 · October 31, 2007

Merged these. Same topic.

Andy · October 31, 2007

I was a beta tester, and then a gamma tester - as were several other Smuggers

The eye-fi card is da bomb :ivar

For me, on my Mac system in my studio, it just worked, within a couple minutes of plugging it in. Shoot, and the photos appeared on my SmugMug site.

I can think of some great uses:

* Pro, working in Studio, right from the camera to the computer, where your assistant is immediately evaluating, and offering lighting adjustments.

* Pro, working on say, product shots - and the buyer/client is in another city. Shoot, the files are on SmugMug instantly, and the client can give immediate feedaback.

* Home shooter - Happy Birthday for junior and Grandma can't make it? Have them hit your SmugMug site, shoot the photos, and they'll see them in real-time

I think eyefi did a great job with this technology - sure it's just going to improve, and of course get cheaper, but at $100 for a 2gb wireless solution like this, it's a fine deal at present.

Shane422 · November 21, 2007

Andy wrote:

I think eyefi did a great job with this technology - sure it's just going to improve, and of course get cheaper, but at $100 for a 2gb wireless solution like this, it's a fine deal at present.

So Andy, How fast was the transfer to your PC? How fast to you smugmug account?

Does it go to the PC first or is it running through eye.fi servers then back to your PC?

Andy · November 21, 2007

Shane422 wrote:

So Andy, How fast was the transfer to your PC? How fast to you smugmug account?

Does it go to the PC first or is it running through eye.fi servers then back to your PC?

I use a Mac, and yeah, the files go there, and to SmugMug, instantly. How fast? I dunno, take a shot, and within seconds the transfer starts happening. And then before you know it, it's in the SmugMug gallery.

ian408 · November 21, 2007

Shane422 wrote:

So Andy, How fast was the transfer to your PC? How fast to you smugmug account?

Does it go to the PC first or is it running through eye.fi servers then back to your PC?

You can drop shots to your desktop at about 2mbps. The configuration will
allow you to go straight to Smugmug or drop a copy on your desktop.

DoctorIt · November 22, 2007

This is really cool, and besides the Pro apps Andy already mentioned, perfect for moms and everyday shooters all over! I really dig it.

One silly question: in their FAQ, in response to Will the Eye-Fi Card work outside the USA? they state The Eye-Fi Card is currently only supported in the USA... uh, if I use smugmug and my local wireless network, what difference does it make?

somebody ship me one already!

Shane422 · November 22, 2007

I had to ask because I saw this post on David Ziser's Blog who doesn't seem to get it.

I think he is just forming opinions without seeing the product. So Ithought I'd ask those who had had the product in hand.

If I don;t get one for Christmas, the order will be placed myself on Dec 26th

. The "wireless tether" possibilities are what intrigues me most.

ian408 · November 22, 2007

The blogger is correct about not working w/raw files. But states incorrectly
that images uploaded only to your computer must go to the Eye-Fi servers.

If you upload only to your computer, images are not sent to Eye-Fi.

BBones · November 25, 2007

So I gotta ask, if I put my back pack on with my laptop in it and go out shooting at the racetrack with it would it be a useful thing? it seems that I would be (in a sense) doubling my intake. Though if there was a way that it would just constantly be dumping files to my laptop (either on my back or reasonably close by) this could be quite a useful solution.

Shoot shoot shoot and let the RAW files just dump to the (semi) local laptop and never need to bring a CF reader with me or pause to free up my memory cards.

In my case I wouldn't want to post to Smugmug live, I would just want to send to my laptop. While shooting I am usually in certain "safe" areas so my laptop would only be within about 50 feet.

ian408 · November 25, 2007

I've never tried that. But it's something I doubt would work because the card
depends on connecting to your wireless router. It doesn't connect via a
peer-to-peer connection.

urbanaries · November 26, 2007

dumb question but is there a CF card available or in the pipeline?

Shane422 · November 26, 2007

Photojojo sells it with a CF adaptor. So it must work that way.
http://photojojo.com/store/awesomeness/eye-fi-wifi-memory/

ian408 · November 26, 2007

urbanaries wrote:

dumb question but is there a CF card available or in the pipeline?

There isn't a CF version today. However, like Shane points out, there are
adapters available. Be forewarned though, just because there's an adapter
available, it may not work in your configuration.

Aaron Wilson · November 28, 2007

20d
Has any one tryed this card in a cf adapter for a 20D?

darryl · December 1, 2007

BBones wrote:

In my case I wouldn't want to post to Smugmug live, I would just want to send to my laptop. While shooting I am usually in certain "safe" areas so my laptop would only be within about 50 feet.

ian408 wrote:

I've never tried that. But it's something I doubt would work because the card
depends on connecting to your wireless router. It doesn't connect via a
peer-to-peer connection.

If you have a power outlet, you could get around this with something like an Airport Express, essentially a very compact Wifi router. Or hey, they even have battery powered routers nowadays: http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/07/cradlepoint-busts-out-ctr-350-cellular-travel-router/

Wow, 3G. That'd be sweet!

(Oh, this is cheaper and USB powered tho: http://www.amazon.com/D-Link-DWL-G730AP-Wireless-Pocket-802-11g/dp/B0002Z45DQ)

--Darryl

(I just found out about this product from Phanfare's blog. Holy cow it looks cool. I think I'm going to gift myself with one. My dad will be so jealous. :-})

(OH -- the integration with Phanfare has something that I feel is a very important difference with SmugMug. You can elect to "suppress publication of new images by default. That way I can shoot, and then go into Phanfare and choose what to publish, shoeboxing the rest." This is because PHANFARE HAS A "HIDE PHOTO OPTION" UNLIKE SMUGMUG.

So this is an important consideration: How many of your shots are "keepers"? How many are actually too embarrassing (or embarrassingly bad

to make public? Immediately. On Smugmug... Where they'll show up in your "Recent Photos" feed. Without being able to take them down until you get to a computer.

I assume (maybe) that Eye-Fi's configuration lets you at least choose to make the upload galleries Private rather than Public. If not, they really need to add that feature, stat.

But still, once you do get to reviewing the photos, you'll end up having to do the annoying bulk move to a Public gallery. Wouldn't it be nice if you could just "hide" a particular photo, but leave it in the gallery? Yeah, it is, actually. Try it on Phanfare and you'll see. :-})

ian408 · December 1, 2007

When I upload to smugmug using Eye-fi, I upload them to a public gallery.

Nothing says you can't make that gallery private.

darryl · December 1, 2007

Ah, so they've fixed this then:

ian408 wrote:

At this time, you can't really choose
where to put your pictures with Smugmug. It's "other" and a directory name
derived from the date pictures were taken.

(From your first post in this thread.)

Even so, the hassle of "pruning" photos is still there. I realize you could just delete the bad ones and then make the gallery public, but sometimes you don't want to delete photos. Maybe they're all good, but you just have a lot of similar shots. In retrospect you may want to go back and display another one. If you delete, there's no going back. Sure, your originals will presumably be backed up to hard drive, but it's a hassle.

For me, one of the great advantages of Phanfare is that I can really use it as a true backup. Every photo goes up. Only *really* bad ones get deleted. Questionable/redundant ones stay, and are simply hidden. I don't really have to choose all or none, as I do with SmugMug.

Certainly more of an issue for home shooters as opposed to pros. But still, I want to make *use* of my unlimited disk space. :-}

ian408 · December 1, 2007

The "private" setting is a part of the Eye-fi setup.

As far as hassle, I don't really want to turn this thread into a comparison
of two photo sharing services. However, you can move images quite easily
using smugmug so I wouldn't say there's any problem.

As far as keeping lots of stuff, I've come to realize that keeping track of
lots of stuff is a major pain in the butt. Better to get rid of it now than
wonder why you kept it later. But that's a personal choice.

darryl wrote:

Ah, so they've fixed this then:

(From your first post in this thread.)

Even so, the hassle of "pruning" photos is still there. I realize you could just delete the bad ones and then make the gallery public, but sometimes you don't want to delete photos. Maybe they're all good, but you just have a lot of similar shots. In retrospect you may want to go back and display another one. If you delete, there's no going back. Sure, your originals will presumably be backed up to hard drive, but it's a hassle.

For me, one of the great advantages of Phanfare is that I can really use it as a true backup. Every photo goes up. Only *really* bad ones get deleted. Questionable/redundant ones stay, and are simply hidden. I don't really have to choose all or none, as I do with SmugMug.

Certainly more of an issue for home shooters as opposed to pros. But still, I want to make *use* of my unlimited disk space. :-}

Andy · December 1, 2007

darryl wrote:

" This is because PHANFARE HAS A "HIDE PHOTO OPTION" UNLIKE SMUGMUG.

This is actually untrue, my wifi shots via Eye-fi go to a private gallery, so they are hidden till I decide what to do with them.

darryl · December 3, 2007

Andy wrote:

This is actually untrue, my wifi shots via Eye-fi go to a private gallery, so they are hidden till I decide what to do with them.

Sorry for shouting. And yes, I understand that they've fixed things so that Eye-Fi can go straight to a private gallery. And yes, I'm sorry for hijacking this thread. Here, let me continue in a more [post=694057]appropriate one[/post].

Anyways though, yeah, that Eye-Fi is cool. Gotta pick one up. :-}

gubbs · December 3, 2007

I apreciate that this won't handle uploading Raw files to your smugmug site but will it upload them to your pc/mac?

darryl · December 3, 2007

FAQ sez it doesn't do any non-JPEG at all:

http://www.eye.fi/help wrote:

The Eye-Fi Card currently supports JPEG photo uploads. Non-JPEG content can be stored on the Eye-Fi Card like a standard SD memory card, but only JPEG photos will upload.

But a comment in the Gizmodo review of Eye-Fi finds these interesting tidbits:

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/review/eye+fi-adds-wi+fi-to-almost-any-digital-camera-316537.php#c2822527 wrote:

BY FILDAWG AT 10/30/07 09:05 PM
I received this reply re: SD-CF adaptors:
"Thank you for contacting EyeFi. To answer you question, there have been some successful instances in which the sD card was put in a cF adapter, though it is not a supported configuration. The main limitation is the file type. It will only upload JPG/JPEG pictures. We are currently working on a cF card that should be released by next year that will handle JPG/JPEG, NEF and RAW files. I hope this answers your question and again, thank you for contacting EyeFi."

Alas, this post was disconfirmed, and RAW is now just a "maybe":

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/review/eye+fi-adds-wi+fi-to-almost-any-digital-camera-316537.php#c2935094 wrote:

BY ZGILLAT AT 11/10/07 03:20 AM
@fildawg: This post is completely incorrect, and I hope it really didn't come from Eye-Fi.
We are NOT officially planning on creating a CF card.
We are also not officially signing up for RAW support. We may or may not do it, but cannot comment on our roadmap, publicly.
If you would like more info on CF adapter, please visit [photojojo.com]

Shane422 · December 7, 2007

Corrupted files from Eye-fi
So I got my Eye-fi card today, and I got it all set up. But about half of my transferred pics look like this. It doesn't matter if I have wireless encryption on or not. And they look fine on the camera LCD, and fine if I take them off of the card using the card reader. Did any of the Smugmug beta testers see this?

ian408 · December 7, 2007

Shane422 wrote:

Did any of the Smugmug beta testers see this?

I didn't see any problem.

gillat · December 8, 2007

Hi Shane,

Thank you for reporting it. We're aware of the problem (which is rare, I'm surprised you're seeing it frequently), and will release a software upgrade over the next couple of days. Please stay tuned.

Thanks ---

Ziv.

Shane422 · December 8, 2007

I'll definitely stay tuned. I was actually thinking of returning the card, but you and the eye.fi support people have been all over this, which makes me really want to support your product even more. So I think I'll be hanging on to it.

I do have a couple of other questions while we have your attention at DGRIN.

1. I usually format my card in camera after dumping the pictures. Can I do this with the eye.fi card or does other software live on card that I would lose in formatting.

2. If, I'm not near my wifi, what does the card do? Is it looking for a connection every X minutes?

3. What wireless security protocols are compatible? i.e. WEP, WPA, MAC address filtering. It appears that the SSID broadcast must be left on. Does the card actually have a MAC address to give router access to?

4. What happens if I turn my camera off during a transfer? Is the file that was interrupted transferred at the next opportunity? or will that require a manual transfer.

4. Will you be selling a USB reciever sometime so we can go without a router.

6. Is the card using 802.11a, b, or g wireless protocol? What transfer speeds is the card capable of?

Shane422 · December 9, 2007

The firmware update supplied by eye.fi seemed to fix all of my transfer problems. Today in Iowa, the windchill is about -10F, so I'm just sitting in the family room poppping off pictures and watching them show up on the PC now. Its actually pretty cool.

Andy · December 9, 2007

So we at SmugMug gave the Eye-fi cards quite a robust workout on Friday night at our party. Two Canon 1Ds Mark IIIs fitted with CF cards for the RAWs and Eye-fi cards for the jpgs, which went automagically and instantly up to the party gallery which we displayed on giant monitors all around

They performed flawlessly.

ian408 · December 9, 2007

Shane422 wrote:

Its actually pretty cool.

That's great to hear!

Yeah Eye-Fi!

Eye-Fi Wifi Memory Cards

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