Bo_Lorentzen Posted January 4, 2011 Share #1 Posted January 4, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) EyeFI and M cameras is not really a new topic, sorry for rehashing. So far I have avoided even looking at this concept. But then tonight, I was intrigued by the ShutterSnitch iPad app. So I spend $8 for the app and installed on the iPad, borrowed the EyeFI card from my girlfriends GH2. Nothing worked... so I got a bit closer to the hotspot, and suddenly it started raining jpg's on my iPad.. Oh YEAH... Basically my M9 works perfectly with the WiFi less than 10 feet from the WiFi spot. JPEG fine files transfer in about 10 seconds a pop, not quite like wired studio cameras, but it put "chimping" at a favorite cafe in a whole new perspective... Im testing with a batterypowered mini hotpost tossed in my bag the next couple of days. will report back. Enjoy. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 Hi Bo_Lorentzen, Take a look here EyeFI on my M9. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
erlingmm Posted January 4, 2011 Share #2 Posted January 4, 2011 JPEG fine files transfer in about 10 seconds a pop, not quite like wired studio cameras, but it put "chimping" at a favorite cafe in a whole new perspective... Enjoy. . Does it handle DNG, or do you have to shoot DNG+JPEG? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpattison Posted January 4, 2011 Share #3 Posted January 4, 2011 be careful. look at this... Support John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 4, 2011 Share #4 Posted January 4, 2011 Oh dear.. Does this explain the broken SD slots we saw lately? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jto555 Posted January 4, 2011 Share #5 Posted January 4, 2011 be careful. look at this... Support John Damned gotchas, nothing is ever simple! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted January 4, 2011 Share #6 Posted January 4, 2011 Interesting to hear that it worked even if there is a questionmark over possible damage to the camera. I frequently use a wireless connection with my Nikons even though the clunky adapter is far from optimal compared to the add on base we used to have for the D2x. I would much rather Leica presented us with this type of technical innovation to expand and extend the use of the camera instead of trying to convince us that stuffing a few red LEDs in the viewfinder is real progress. Whatever the moneymaking opportunity might have been for the M9 Tit, it has nothing, whatever, to do with meeting the needs of real photographers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 4, 2011 Share #7 Posted January 4, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I don't recall Leica presenting it as such, Mark I agree, something like electronically projected framelines would give far more scope for innovation than that little red LED. Let's hope the locked department in Solms is putting all that money they earned to good use. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo_Lorentzen Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share #8 Posted January 4, 2011 Erling, you think can transfer DNG files, but I do not believe you can review the DNG file. however timewise you are much better off shooting DNG+JPG and only grab the JPG. as they will arrive faster on the iPad, you can make the experience much faster by shooting DNG+JPG and pick a smaller size compressed jpg to reduce WiFi transfertime. Mark. Yes for sure. agree entirely, though I would not have minded a M9 milled from Ti to save a bit of weight. :-) But being able to leave this in my backpack and then pull out the iPad and review shots is a very practical feature. (unfortunately not Leica pioneered) So far I have not managed getting the card stuck in the camera, and I noticed that for each card type the wording is identical, possible this is to prevent people from purchasing the card and returning when it don't work. This will ONLY work at about 10-12 feet from my WiFi. I purchased a battery powered hotspot to play with, keeping it in a shoulder-bag close to me and the camera. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted January 4, 2011 Share #9 Posted January 4, 2011 this is pretty amazing miniaturization. Bo: any concern about using the device? Lets hope whatever issue there is (mechanical/electrical) it can be resolved? I had an idea like this a while back though mine was a far larger device: Does anyone think there would be a market for a new 'motor drive' style WIFI 'super baseplate' for the M9? This is what the device could offer: extended battery life- extra media storage (dual card slots for backup? a HD?), wireless (and tethered) file transfer, and perhaps a hand grip? Would it be possible to have such a device connect to the camera entirely via the card slot reliably? If you could shoot directly (or almost directly) to one of the new ipad type computers- only one optimised for photo viewing, storage, editing, transfer, etc- it seems like it could be a powerful set up. I just had another thought concerning the Eyefi card: I bet the Luigi M8/M9 M-Mate baseplate would greatly improve the transfer signal. It has far more holes/slots in it- especially the ones directly around the card itself. The alloy is also likely considerably less dense... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diogenis Posted January 4, 2011 Share #10 Posted January 4, 2011 The idea of the wifi card is very cool. Not to use it as a replacement of your main SD class10 when you go on a shooting, but when you run some tests for whatever the reason, or when you clean that sensor and you want to test how good job you did and so on... These are the only occasions when I curse the metal plate, and wished I had that thing installed. Also Bo, notice that there is a fast version with 802.11n wifi, which means maybe double the throughput and comes with the pro x2 cards. Maybe your wife had the consumer version and 10s for a transfer sound a lot for a jpeg. Which one card did you tried? Edit: Also even if the card is the x2 the router also has to support the n spec and also has opened its radios in the 40mhz (both channels on) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo_Lorentzen Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share #11 Posted January 4, 2011 Yup, its the latest and greatest card from EyeFI, its my impression that the metal case of the M do not contribute to throughput. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted January 4, 2011 Share #12 Posted January 4, 2011 As usual Bo is exploring at the bleeding edge of technology. Quite inspiring. Thanks. Here are some links I found illuminating: ShutterSnitch 2 Adds Automation, Metadata and Speed. Lots of Speed | Gadget Lab | Wired.com Rob Galbraith DPI: A first look at ShutterSnitch 2.0 for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch Rob Galbraith DPI: Wireless photography with an iPad and ShutterSnitch Great Images and Instant Gratification with Eye-Fi’s Direct Mode – THE Mobile Solution | Eye-Fi Apparently, Rob Galbraith expended quite a bit of effort to explore EyeFI cards and the ShutterSnitch iPad app with Canon and Nikon cameras and a wireless router to carry the Wi-Fi signals between the transmitter and the iPad. I am convinced that a lot of the expertise Rob gained should also be applicable to the Leica M9. Hopefully one doesn't damage the M9 in the process. k-hawinkler Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Roberts Posted January 4, 2011 Share #13 Posted January 4, 2011 Yup, its the latest and greatest card from EyeFI, its my impression that the metal case of the M do not contribute to throughput. . Could you somehow jury-rig a plastic base?! I know it's blasphemy, but it might help the distance limitation, no? Too bad they couldn't make a version that used the M9's metal case as a transmitter antenna or something Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomed Posted January 5, 2011 Share #14 Posted January 5, 2011 I was playing around today with the X2 Eye-fi pro 8gb today also, on my M9, and learned that a piece of masking tape with a tiny piece of plastic protruding over the button on the base, keeping the button depressed, fools the camera into thinking it has a bottom plate on. The Eye-fi seems to do a much better job without the bottom plate on, which makes sense. Then, I just used the half-case to cover this, voila, base is protected, and looks ok! My Netgear router is about 25 feet away and upstairs from where the camera was, and it transferred medium jpg's fairly quickly, 10 seconds or so, and compressed dng's take about 30 seconds, using an n signal. But, alas, you cannot view the raw files, only the jpg's in the transfer process. But, I'm undecided on the utility of all of this, due to the speed limitations, and might return the card. I don't notice any physical problems with the card fitting in and out, ie, there's no sticking, and it latches/unlatches and slides easily in and out without catching, so I wouldn't expect any physical damage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted January 5, 2011 Share #15 Posted January 5, 2011 Could you somehow jury-rig a plastic base?! I know it's blasphemy, but it might help the distance limitation, no? could this be the answer: Leicatime Luigi Crescenzi : leica cameras leica compur mp elmar 250 reporter leicavit Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diogenis Posted January 5, 2011 Share #16 Posted January 5, 2011 Yup, its the latest and greatest card from EyeFI, its my impression that the metal case of the M do not contribute to throughput. . Bo, this is a quotation of the n wifi standard: Wi-Fi Alliance As of mid-2007, the Wi-Fi Alliance has started certifying products based on IEEE 802.11n draft 2.0.[10][11] This certification program established a set of features and a level of interoperability across vendors supporting those features, thus providing one definition of 'draft n'. The Baseline certification covers both 20 MHz and 40 MHz wide channels, and up to two spatial streams, for maximum throughputs of 144.4 Mbit/s for 20 MHz and 300 Mbit/s for 40 MHz (with Short Guard interval). A number of vendors in both the consumer and enterprise spaces have built products that have achieved this certification.[12] The Wi-Fi Alliance certification program subsumed the previous industry consortium efforts to define 802.11n, such as the now dormant Enhanced Wireless Consortium (EWC). The Alliance has upgraded its suite of compatibility tests for some enhancements finalized after draft 2.0. Furthermore, it has affirmed that all draft-n certified products remain compatible with the products conforming to the final standards.[13] The Wi-Fi Alliance is investigating further work on certification of additional features of 802.11n not covered by the Baseline certification, including higher numbers of spatial streams (3 or 4), Greenfield Format, PSMP, Implicit & Explicit Beamforming and Space-Time Block Coding. 300Mbps is almost close to USB2 (480Mbps). Even with only one antenna it can reach half of this speed. 300Mpbs also means some 35MB/s. You said that you waited like 10s for a file to upload. It sounds a lot. Is your wifi hotspot 802.11n? Because if it isnt and it's just a simple 802.11g then this drops to like 50 or less Mbps. More close to what you get Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo_Lorentzen Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share #17 Posted January 5, 2011 Im surely not arguing with you about the definition of the standard, nor the designed capacity. but simply stating my actual user experience, maybe with firmware updates this will become more impressive. I have no doubt this is why they strongly discourages M users from trying the card, most will return the card claiming it is defective, this was never made to barely work through a brick of metal. Im waiting for another Pro x2 card to arrive Friday, maybe it will perform better. If it does I will be posting it. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diogenis Posted January 5, 2011 Share #18 Posted January 5, 2011 I am not arguing either. On topic, I also checked specs for their Pro X2, and they also don't support 5GHz routers. It's quite picky. I believe the bottleneck is in the hotspot (router) not the card Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomed Posted January 5, 2011 Share #19 Posted January 5, 2011 Yikes, I must have mispoke. Apparently I'm not using the "n" signal from my router, but in fact the "g" signal. (it puts out both.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diogenis Posted January 5, 2011 Share #20 Posted January 5, 2011 It appears they plan on introducing the "direct mode". This way you wont need a router anymore and so things will be more robust. They should have sold the memory chip with a bundled usb router or something to secure high speeds. You should be able to reach at least half the theoretical speed of the n, even by taking that base plate, even by putting the camera real close to a carefully adjusted router Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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