D800 and the Eye-Fi Wifi card.

[FredBGG]

The new Eye-Fi firmware now supports the D800 and works quite nicely.

Today I put it through a good test and it worked nicely.

Here is my setup.

D800
Compact Flash Card and SD Eye-Fi card in the camera.
Camera is setup for Raw saved to the CF card and Jpeg saved to the Eye-Fi.

Samsung Slate PC tablet running full Window & Professional. (Much better than the iPad because I can calibrate the monitor with the same software and hardware I use
on my workstation in the office)

I use this in and out of the studio.

The WiFi network is created by the Samsung Slate that has the Intel My WiFi chip.
The Samsung can if needed also be on another Wifi network if needed.

The Eye-Fi sees the Samsung generated WiFi network and works just like it was on any other network.

The Eye-Fi software on the Samsung collects the files and I setup Lightroom to watch that folder
and auto import the files to lightroom. I can even apply a processing so that Lightroom will preview my final look as I
shoot... for example sepia black and white. As I shoot Lightroom pops up the last image full frame.

I then have a plug-in that can show the processed lightroom image on Android devices (I may also make one for Apple) over the WiFi
network. The app does not save the file or allow the file to be saved on the Android device. It's just for viewing.

While the Eye-Fi is slow for the huge D800 raw files it works nicely with Jpeg. And Jpeg is all I need for preview while I shoot.

It takes about 6 to 7 seconds for the file to download and lightroom to import and apply the processing to the image.
This however is not a problem because the camera shoots to the card. Also the download keeps going as the previous files are being imported by lightroom.
I can still shoot rapid fire. The cards such up the shots no problem and the Eye-fi card can store new files while it is sending out files over the WiFi.

The whole lot fits in my small camera bag. Very nice setup.

What is also nice is that the Samsung Tablet has a built in on screen Wacom tablet, so no finger prints on the display

The range is not huge. It works best if you are in the 20 ft range.

[TMARK]

Awesome.

[ccroft]

I've been doing the same thing with D800>EyeFi ProX2>MacBook for about 6 months without a failure, even with the old firmware. I'm shooting to a hot folder watched by Aperture though. I looked at switching to Lightroom or Capture1 due to, let's say, Apple's lack of interest in this app. There's one part of my workflow that I couldn't quite figure out in those, and it's pretty important to me.

Maybe you can help me out Fred.

During the shoot I review the jpegs on laptop with the art director/stager and we rate selects as we go. Back at home base I filter the jpegs for the select rating in Aperture. When I import the NEF's I have options something like "Matching Raw Only" and "By Current Filter" and that's exactly what happens: only the select NEF's are imported.

It's automatic matching of rated jpeg to raw.

Outside of manual file management can you tell me a way to do similar in Lightroom or Capture1?

BTW, in reading Eye-Fi forums it appears the firmware update is mostly about trouble with "Direct Mode" where wi-fi is generated by the sd card. I've always let the laptop supply the network and eyefi has never had a problem with that. I just updated the card firmware. Hopefully it all still works the same or in some way better...

Thanks in advance.

[FredBGG]

Drat..... After testing the card with the Android Eye-Fi app I can't get it working again with the D800.

I don't need Direct mode so maybe I need to go back to the older firmware?


The firmware was updated automatically when I first setup the card.

[ahotflash]

hi FredBGG
I am currently using an iPad 1 for editing (Light Room 4.2, Aperture2, & Raw Developer); it is very close to final print "look' that I take to CVS here locally if they remove all auto settings.
Can you post a comparison (if it is worth it and you have the time/inclination to do so) on the Samsung Tablet you are using and the iPad you used?
thanks!
Doug Y

[FredBGG]

The eyepad screens are very good, but I need screen calibration for several reasons.

First to compensate for the light where I will be viewing the screen. The ambient light will effect how the colors apear on screen.

I'm referring to ambient lighting when viewing the screen, not the ambient lighting of the photo I am taking.

For example If I am shooting flash the shot light balance is flash/daylight, but the viewing ambient light is the tungsten pilot lights and ceiling lights.

Also grey scale calibration is very important for accurate highlight display when shooting for black and white and viewing the conversions in lightroom previews

[ahotflash]

ok, think I understand
when shooting for clients that are previewing photos in real time (for color accuracy, etc) it is a good tool as can be calibrated with ambient light when viewing under different light.

[ccroft]

Drat..... After testing the card with the Android Eye-Fi app I can't get it working again with the D800. I don't need Direct mode so maybe I need to go back to the older firmware? The firmware was updated automatically when I first setup the card.

Hi Fred,
Just to be clear, I've not tried to put Android or IOS device in the loop. I'm just been shooting to my laptop for review.

I've tested things with the firmware update and all is still fine for me. Possibly better in fact. Eye-fi card used to go to sleep after a bit, and was sometimes a little hard to get going again. That bit seems better.

Any ideas on my raw to jpeg select matching question? (see my previous post)

[John Nollendorfs]

I was on the phone with eye I support last week and was very happy with their help. It took them several months to resolve the problem with the D800, and they found the problem to be that Nikon's implementation of USB3 was interfering with the channel they had picked to use for WiFi. My reason for the support call was that mysteriously the card quit sending uploads to my Nexus7 pad. Somehow the eye I card setup had turned off the sending command.

It is very cool for clients to see the images appear magically on the pad. :-)

[FredBGG]

Hi Fred,

Any ideas on my raw to jpeg select matching question? (see my previous post)

I wonder if you can make a report that lists the files in a lightroom catalog. Then use the test to do a multiple file name search.
And then from the search window drag and drop them into the catalog.... just a wild guess...

[RFPhotography]

You calibrate your tablet and laptop in every shooting situation?  Curious why when laptops are, generally, so bad for viewing/editing photo.

Curious why you go from the camera to the tablet to the laptop and not just directly to the laptop. 

[SunnyUK]

Thanks Fred! I'm using the old SW version for connecting my D800 via Eyefi to an iPad, but will now try the upgrade. Maybe it'll work without the seaprate battery powered router I had to buy.

[FredBGG]

You calibrate your tablet and laptop in every shooting situation?  Curious why when laptops are, generally, so bad for viewing/editing photo.

Curious why you go from the camera to the tablet to the laptop and not just directly to the laptop. 

I don't think I was very clear.

Let me explain it in other words.

When I am shooting I want the Samsung Slate tablet to give me a good preview.
However most of the time I am shooting in situations with bad screen viewing lighting.
For example I may have tungten light from the modeling lights so I need to load a calibration curve for the monitor so that
things preview keeping in mind that my eyes are adjusted to tungsten light. For this reason I need the screen to be a bit warmer.

I don't go from the tablet PC to a laptop. Actually I just send jpeg preview files to the tablet so that crew and I can see the images.
The raw files stay on the memory card as I shoot and get backed up to two Samsung PC tablets. They have solid state drives so very reliable.
I

[ahotflash]

FredBGG
This is a good way to work with tablet (iPad, Samsung, etc.) as a second monitor for clients and crew to view set-ups one takes in "real time". (like a polaroid).
I have a Macbook that can be tethered to my 1Ds (nice colors and sharpness); and with the "air-display" app which "connects" my laptop to the iPad wirelessly  (with the iPad as its second monitor), this set-up can be used to accurately "gauge" color, contrast, etc. in real time (as pictures are taken through Aperture-tether) although I have yet to use it that way-as the 1Ds is primarily used as previewing set-ups for my black and white film stuff.
The only thing wrong with using Aperture tether is that the pictures cannot be saved to my CF card; only to the computer!
aloha
Doug Y

[FredBGG]

On another note... I got my Eye-fi working again.
Just took a call to Eye-Fi. They reset something on my account.
Now it's all working nicely.

[FredBGG]

and with the "air-display" app which "connects" my laptop to the iPad wirelessly  (with the iPad as its second monitor),
Doug Y

That Air App looks very handy. Particularly usefull with lightrooms dual monitor mode.
You can set up one monitor to display the image full screen while you work and select on the other screen.

Thanks for suggesting it.

[RFPhotography]

I don't think I was very clear.

Let me explain it in other words.

When I am shooting I want the Samsung Slate tablet to give me a good preview.
However most of the time I am shooting in situations with bad screen viewing lighting.
For example I may have tungten light from the modeling lights so I need to load a calibration curve for the monitor so that
things preview keeping in mind that my eyes are adjusted to tungsten light. For this reason I need the screen to be a bit warmer.

I don't go from the tablet PC to a laptop. Actually I just send jpeg preview files to the tablet so that crew and I can see the images.
The raw files stay on the memory card as I shoot and get backed up to two Samsung PC tablets. They have solid state drives so very reliable.
I

OK, got it.  That makes more sense.

[ahotflash]

hello FredBGG
yup, I like it alot for two reasons:
-inexpensive iPad as second monitor (iPad has very accurate color, contrast-etc better than my 24" or Macbook) and as a bonus it is wireless connectivity
--your clients or assistants need not crowd around laptops
-if there is no available wi-fi one can create a network and still wirelessly tether both the iPad and Mac!
Doug Y