Cam Ranger ?

[David Anderson]

Anyone using the Cam Ranger for remote shooting and care to offer an opinion ?
Anything else out there along the same lines worth a look ?

I can think of a few potential uses, but don't want to spend the money if they're not up to the job. 

[Conner999]

I've yet to use it in anger, but in testing it works flawlessly. Both in terms of remote display of Jpegs to an iPad mini (my primary desire for when I can't tether) and in remote control of camera.  Tried using via the ipad and my iPhone 4 w/no issues.  Didn't do any long-range tests.  

It tested so well, it was a non-event.  I spent more time finding a way to integrate it with my AiR units on my camera's hotshoes (D3s, D800e). Went with self-adhesive 1/4-20" socket on bottom of CR unit and self-adhesive coldshoe on top for AiR unit (plus sync cord of course).  Having it dangling from camera or my belt wasn't an option I wanted. Also - if NOT hanging from a tripod, etc, the supplied USB3 cord is way too long - you'll want to pick up a shorter one as option.

My ONLY complaint is that the next -gen versions should be refined to make the mechanics of using it with radio triggers more elegant.  A simple hotshoe pair molded into bottom & top of the case with a simple sync pass-thru would work.

[TonyFlora]

I used the cam ranger last week for a large interior project.  I found it very useful and worked with out too much fuss.  I would advise buying a back up battery or skip the battery and buy a portable USB charger with dual ports.  This will allow you to charge the cam ranger and the iPad at the same time while you are shooting.  Very easy to set up, simple to use, and works as it should.  Software interface is not very elegant but it works and has all of the features I need. 

[Herbc]

I find it useful for landscapes, I expect for portraits it would be a big help, as you can do some camera functions right from an Ipad.  For focusing, I am not overwhelmed with it, as I have a smaller 5 inch diagonal Sony viewer that mounts to the hotshoe  via HDMI cable and allows peaking focusing, which suits my needs more.

[GregShapps]

I've been using my Cam Ranger since Jan 2013 with my Canons while on location and its an awesome tool.   For me its been 100% stable and works perfectly.  Regular updates over time have really added some nice new features like focus peaking.    I run it with 2 iPads, the second one running the CR Share app.   I have 2 batteries that I charge up the night before a shoot and last me all day.

[Ellis Vener]

I use CamRanger regularly. Most recently this weekend for an architectural project including a shot where I couldn't put my head behind the camera. I used it to drive the camera (set exposure, change color balance, set ISO) and also  to automate the process of shooting bracketed exposures for "HDR" work. The primary lens I used was a manual focus Canon tilt-shift lens so while I could not set focus by tapping on the screen on my iPad, I could use the enlarged view on the iPad's screen to very precisely set my center point focus and then carefully adjust the tilt of the lens. I've also used it for product/still life where I sometimes need to do focus stacking,  and for industrial work. Finally it is useful if you are not toting a computer around and want to share  the previews with a client. In general I think the CamRanger is a very handy useful tool.

[David Anderson]

Thanks for the information - sounds like they do what they say they do - always a good start.

Specifically, I want to run a third camera on a tripod at events mounted where it wouldn't be convenient to access it while working.
I assume I can just pull out my iPhone and fire off a few frames quickly from around the venue if the camera and Cam Ranger are left on ?
An iPad or laptop would be a bit cumbersome.

[Ellis Vener]

Thanks for the information - sounds like they do what they say they do - always a good start.

Specifically, I want to run a third camera on a tripod at events mounted where it wouldn't be convenient to access it while working.
I assume I can just pull out my iPhone and fire off a few frames quickly from around the venue if the camera and Cam Ranger are left on ?
An iPad or laptop would be a bit cumbersome.

you will have to leave the CamRanger app on your iPhone open and you'll need to keep the WiFi setting on the iPhone (or iPad or Android, etc.) set to the CamRanger's WiFi as  the transceiver is an ad hoc private WiFi base station. What kind of range are you considering and what type of venue?

[bjanes]

Anyone using the Cam Ranger for remote shooting and care to offer an opinion ?
Anything else out there along the same lines worth a look ?

I can think of a few potential uses, but don't want to spend the money if they're not up to the job. 

I have been using the Camranger for a couple of months, mainly for focus stacking with close up and macro shots and it does work well with some limitations. A major limitation is the cost of $300. The Camranger is an adaption of the TP-Link MR3040, which can be obtained for $30 and it is possible to load new firmware into the MR3040 and obtain much of the functionality of the Camranger for $50 (see here). This do it yourself setup can use the freeware DSLR Dashboard software, which is only for Android (no IOS as yet). This software offers more features than the Camranger software (I used it with a Nexus 7 and a USB link), but its interface drove me crazy and I bought the Camranger which has a simple and intuitive interface and is available for both Android and IOS.

For macro focus stacking the Camranger allows precise focus. I usually focus on the nearest part of the scene. With an autofocus lens, one can then use the software to focus in small increments on the more distant part of the scene. The software allows one to use a pre-determined focus step and number of shots, but there is no good way to determine the size of the steps or the number of images required to cover the scene. The manual states that if the whole range of the scene has not been covered, one can take additional shots. For medium closeups, I use the manual focus Zeiss 135 mm lens whose long throw and smooth helicoid makes focusing in small steps very easy. The Camranger software does offer focus peaking and it is easy to determine when a sufficient number of steps have been captured. With a short throw autofocus lens, the manual approach is more difficult.


Another solution for this kind of macro work is Helicon Remote, which requires a USB connection and therefore can not be used with the iPad or an iPhone. With this software, one focuses on the closest object in the scene and locks this in, and then focuses of the most distant element of the scene. The software determines the number of shots required for the chosen aperture and takes the required number of shots. With a Nerxus 7 tablet, the interface is balky and hard to use and I gave up on it and now use the Camranger with an iPad. If one uses a laptop, the software interface is much better. If only the Camranger software were more complete....

I would be interested in how other users approach focus stacking with either of these setups.

Bill

[David Eichler]

I have not used the Camranger yet, but I have lately heard from those who have been using it that recent software updates have caused some significant performance problems. I am wondering if anyone else has been experiencing this lately.

[Ellis Vener]

I have not used the Camranger yet, but I have lately heard from those who have been using it that recent software updates have caused some significant performance problems. I am wondering if anyone else has been experiencing this lately.

 Not in my case. I have kept up with the updates and most recently used the CamRanger last Sunday (6/15) I am using the iOS version of the CamRanger app on a 4th Generation iPad with Canon EOS-1DX and a 1Ds Mark III cameras.

[jrsforums]

I have been using the Camranger for a couple of months, mainly for focus stacking with close up and macro shots and it does work well with some limitations. A major limitation is the cost of $300. The Camranger is an adaption of the TP-Link MR3040, which can be obtained for $30 and it is possible to load new firmware into the MR3040 and obtain much of the functionality of the Camranger for $50 (see here). This do it yourself setup can use the freeware DSLR Dashboard software, which is only for Android (no IOS as yet). This software offers more features than the Camranger software (I used it with a Nexus 7 and a USB link), but its interface drove me crazy and I bought the Camranger which has a simple and intuitive interface and is available for both Android and IOS.

For macro focus stacking the Camranger allows precise focus. I usually focus on the nearest part of the scene. With an autofocus lens, one can then use the software to focus in small increments on the more distant part of the scene. The software allows one to use a pre-determined focus step and number of shots, but there is no good way to determine the size of the steps or the number of images required to cover the scene. The manual states that if the whole range of the scene has not been covered, one can take additional shots. For medium closeups, I use the manual focus Zeiss 135 mm lens whose long throw and smooth helicoid makes focusing in small steps very easy. The Camranger software does offer focus peaking and it is easy to determine when a sufficient number of steps have been captured. With a short throw autofocus lens, the manual approach is more difficult.


Another solution for this kind of macro work is Helicon Remote, which requires a USB connection and therefore can not be used with the iPad or an iPhone. With this software, one focuses on the closest object in the scene and locks this in, and then focuses of the most distant element of the scene. The software determines the number of shots required for the chosen aperture and takes the required number of shots. With a Nerxus 7 tablet, the interface is balky and hard to use and I gave up on it and now use the Camranger with an iPad. If one uses a laptop, the software interface is much better. If only the Camranger software were more complete....

I would be interested in how other users approach focus stacking with either of these setups.

Bill

Bill, the variability on the steps is because of the Canon SDK and the difference in stepping by lens.  CamRanger is constrained by what is available, as would anyone using this interface.

[David Anderson]

Ellis,

The bigger concert venues.
At a guess 100 feet would probably cover everything I have in mind.
I've played with the little WU-1a wifi on a D7100, but it's clearly very limited.
The last shows I shot, I couldn't get it to work properly from 30 feet and I found it very slow & tedious.

In an ideal world, I would mount the camera behind the drummer looking out into the crowd and fire it from the front or side of the stage.
If the light was right I imagine pulling out the phone, and firing off a few quick shots.
IF there's a long start-up time or a lot of stuffing around it might not be worth it.

Bill, you have way more patience than me !! 
I had wondered if the Cam Ranger through my phone would by useful for landscape stuff and live-view and if I get one it will go into
my kit for shooting fishing stories.

[Ellis Vener]

"Ellis,

The bigger concert venues.
At a guess 100 feet would probably cover everything I have in mind.
I've played with the little WU-1a wifi on a D7100, but it's clearly very limited.
The last shows I shot, I couldn't get it to work properly from 30 feet and I found it very slow & tedious.

In an ideal world, I would mount the camera behind the drummer looking out into the crowd and fire it from the front or side of the stage.
If the light was right I imagine pulling out the phone, and firing off a few quick shots.
IF there's a long start-up time or a lot of stuffing around it might not be worth it."

Ah! A better solution, if you don't want to drive the camera from your iPhone,  would be to use either two PocketWizard Plus III or MultiMAX v2 transceivers (or a mix of both): one connected to the camera to fire it and the other in your pocket.  leaving the camera in Aperture priority mode and possibly prefocused.

 Have you seen Mike Corrado's concert work?

[David Anderson]

"Ellis,


 Have you seen Mike Corrado's concert work?

Just checked it out - some very cool stuff there.
Drummers are hard work !
(to photograph as well.. )

Pre-focus works and a trigger system would probably be quicker ( I have a cheaper Vello thing ATM), but I am keen
to use live-view and change settings if possible.

[Ellis Vener]

Just checked it out - some very cool stuff there.
Drummers are hard work !
(to photograph as well.. )

Pre-focus works and a trigger system would probably be quicker ( I have a cheaper Vello thing ATM), but I am keen
to use live-view and change settings if possible.

once you take out the auto-focus the CamRanger is pretty quick.  Maybe not fast enough for the kind of action work you are discussing.

Try writing Mike directly. He's a great guy, and as a Nikon technical advisor, one of his jobs is to help photographers solve problems

[David Anderson]

Cheers for the info Ellis..

[David Anderson]

My CamRanger arrived today and I've had a short test of it now.

Basically, I'm very impressed with how easy it is to get up & running on both the phone and Mac and pretty happy with the simple control layout.
Everything about it is straight forward and easy..
 

[Some Guy]

Got mine today and using on a 10.1" Samsung Tab 3 (Android).  Not too hard to set up once the battery was charged up and registered the serial number to the software.

I did notice the tablet battery to begin draining pretty quick as the screen was set to brightest and Wi-Fi on.  Don't know how long it or the CamRanger will run off one charge either.  Might become an issue for some, and I certainly do not want to have a bunch of wires and chargers plugged in each time I use it.  I got it as the Wi-Fi SD card sucks the camera EL-15 battery down too quick and the CamRanger has its own.

Transfer time off a D800E (Set to RAW+Fine) takes about 3 seconds to make the image appear on the tablet's thumbnails, about 5 seconds for the full screen image to appear once tapped on.

I mounted the entire affair on the tripod leg and using a Matthews clamp and articulated arm to a tablet holder.  Gives me a lot of angling possibilities to view the screen.

I do like the remote operation of the controls in the Android screen.  Outdoors in bright sun, eh, but that goes for most any LCD screen in sunlight too.

That all said, I do find it slows me down - a lot! - in shooting by playing with all the controls and fiddling with the tablet.  Much more so than looking through the viewfinder and clicking off a shoot and chimping at the LCD on the back.  I honestly don't know how worthwhile this is going to be yet. 

SG