X1/X2-Tethering?

[dave.gt]

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Just wondering if anyone is using the X1/X2 tethered to a monitor or other device? It would be nice to tether to a tablet but I have no idea if that is even possible.

[Paul J]

Tried the X1, out of interest last week with Image Capture via USB on the Mac and didn't have any luck. You can download the images but being able to continue shooting is locked out. Nice in theory.

 

Im sure an Eye-Fi card would work to a tablet though. I've not tried them. Haven't been that enamoured by all the lack lustre reviews.

[dave.gt]

Tried the X1, out of interest last week with Image Capture via USB on the Mac and didn't have any luck. You can download the images but being able to continue shooting is locked out. Nice in theory.

 

Im sure an Eye-Fi card would work to a tablet though. I've not tried them. Haven't been that enamoured by all the lack lustre reviews.

 

 

Anyone tried to tether with an iPad? Is there even a USB or other port?

[atanabe]

I am using the EyeFi Pro card to tether the X1 to my iPad and have had a couple of issues regarding constant connectivity but otherwise have no complaints. The EyeFi Pro card can send both dng and jpg either in tandem or just the jpg. The iPad does not process the dng so why bother sending it. It can tether to any computer that has the software installed on it, I have tested it on my iPhone 4G and MacBook Pro. I have also tested it on the M9 and S2 and they both transmit fine.

 

I have one gripe regarding connectivity, when the camera goes to sleep, connectivity is lost and needs to reconnect. If connectivity is lost, files that have yet to be transmitted remain in the queue and will transfer once the connection is re-established. I have tested it from about 20 feet away and it still transmits the images. Aside from that issue, it is great to have a large monitor to review framing and focus along with exposure. On my last trip, I kept the iPad in my Tenba Messenger bag and while I shot, the images were constantly going to the iPad. I could easily review what I had just shot on the iPad rather than squint at the LCD. The side benefit is that you can also share the image almost instantaneously via email.

 

-Al

[dave.gt]

I am using the EyeFi Pro card to tether the X1 to my iPad and have had a couple of issues regarding constant connectivity but otherwise have no complaints. The EyeFi Pro card can send both dng and jpg either in tandem or just the jpg. The iPad does not process the dng so why bother sending it. It can tether to any computer that has the software installed on it, I have tested it on my iPhone 4G and MacBook Pro. I have also tested it on the M9 and S2 and they both transmit fine.

 

I have one gripe regarding connectivity, when the camera goes to sleep, connectivity is lost and needs to reconnect. If connectivity is lost, files that have yet to be transmitted remain in the queue and will transfer once the connection is re-established. I have tested it from about 20 feet away and it still transmits the images. Aside from that issue, it is great to have a large monitor to review framing and focus along with exposure. On my last trip, I kept the iPad in my Tenba Messenger bag and while I shot, the images were constantly going to the iPad. I could easily review what I had just shot on the iPad rather than squint at the LCD. The side benefit is that you can also share the image almost instantaneously via email.

 

-Al

 

Al, thanks for that information! It will add a whole new dimension to how I use the X1!

[Paul J]

I am using the EyeFi Pro card to tether the X1 to my iPad and have had a couple of issues regarding constant connectivity but otherwise have no complaints. The EyeFi Pro card can send both dng and jpg either in tandem or just the jpg. The iPad does not process the dng so why bother sending it. It can tether to any computer that has the software installed on it, I have tested it on my iPhone 4G and MacBook Pro. I have also tested it on the M9 and S2 and they both transmit fine.

 

I have one gripe regarding connectivity, when the camera goes to sleep, connectivity is lost and needs to reconnect. If connectivity is lost, files that have yet to be transmitted remain in the queue and will transfer once the connection is re-established. I have tested it from about 20 feet away and it still transmits the images. Aside from that issue, it is great to have a large monitor to review framing and focus along with exposure. On my last trip, I kept the iPad in my Tenba Messenger bag and while I shot, the images were constantly going to the iPad. I could easily review what I had just shot on the iPad rather than squint at the LCD. The side benefit is that you can also share the image almost instantaneously via email.

 

-Al

 

HI there,

 

How did you get on with the Eye-fi and M9? Work OK? How long did it take to get to the iPad? What kind of range did you have?

 

Sorry for all the Q's! Thanks!

[robert blu]

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Even if I'm a Mac user I never considered an i-Pad, but after that I read this thread ...

robert

[atanabe]

Paul,

I have used the EyeFi card in my M9 and it worked just fine. I have heard issues about the signal not being able to penetrate the metal but I can say that with a MD Grip attached to the bottom plate adding an additional layer of aluminum there is no signal loss. As to the practicality of the setup, it depends on how much you shoot in a day. It is a 8gb card and you need to shoot in either jpg or dng + jpg, I shoot the latter and have not found a limitation for my style of shooting. But if you tend to shoot a LOT then you may have a problem with storage. This card can transmit in dng and jpg but of course the time of transfer goes up and the card has a limited buffer so you may have an issue shooting in rapid succession. I only transmit the jpg file, and later download the dngs to Lightroom on my computer. It gives me freedom that I never had before with a camera, I can shoot and send images almost immediately from any location with a cell signal.

 

The pros to this setup:

1) I can evaluate the image on a big screen to check for focus and framing

2) Transmit image from iPhoto after doing some adjustments on the fly

3) Works in all of my cameras

 

The warts:

1) Connectivity is sometimes lost, don't know why yet. But once it is reestablished the transfer picks up where it left off.

2) Not a super fast card to start with so write speeds are not as robust as the high end SD cards

 

-Al

[prk60091]

Tried the X1, out of interest last week with Image Capture via USB on the Mac and didn't have any luck. You can download the images but being able to continue shooting is locked out. Nice in theory.

 

Im sure an Eye-Fi card would work to a tablet though. I've not tried them. Haven't been that enamoured by all the lack lustre reviews.

 

I bought an eye-fi partially for that purpose. In a word the results are meh.

 

I didn't pay alot so I'm not that disappointed but I would not recommend the purchase

[atanabe]

Prk60091,

Beats the alternative, hard wired tethering. Yes, has it's limitations but if you go in knowing them what is "meh" about it? I could shoot tethered via cable but that would mean having a laptop up and running with someone carrying it open while I wander shooting, really not practical. The ability to get an image captured so that I could check the framing, exposure and focus is worthwhile to me. It is still much better than chimping on a tiny screen.

[prk60091]

Prk60091,

Beats the alternative, hard wired tethering. Yes, has it's limitations but if you go in knowing them what is "meh" about it? I could shoot tethered via cable but that would mean having a laptop up and running with someone carrying it open while I wander shooting, really not practical. The ability to get an image captured so that I could check the framing, exposure and focus is worthwhile to me. It is still much better than chimping on a tiny screen.

it burned thru my camera battery in about 4 hours of use- (i.e. walking shooting walking etc) not 4 hours of continous shooting but 4 hours of being "on" actually 3.5 hours of standby and maybe 1/2 hour actually taking images-

 

if i use the eye-fi i now have to carry the extra battery *all* the time i want to use the eye-fi which makes it "meh" i am not accustomed to changing batteries mid-day which makes it harder when on vacation-- i was away last week and having only 1 charger made it "meh" and a pain in the butt each night making sure i had 2 fully charged batteries in the am.

[brill64]

good point! battery charging loses valuable sleeping time. i've often thought that. i carry two batteries since v.1 firmware so i'm used to that now. i guess this set up is not ideal for every situation where you would use a camera but at times it could be & i find it's interesting to hear how other people actually work & think. plus the screen on both m9/x1 (& now the x2) is not so great that viewing the image on a larger screen, without having to take out the sd card to download to another device could be considered an advantage..but then i rarely feel or have the need to blog & send pics out immediately so it's all relative. perhaps i should? what does "meh" mean, btw? so-so?..