What's your workflow for the Eye-fi Card ? Fun uses?

[cayenne]

Hello all,

I just got the 8GB 'Pro" Eye-fi card for about $49.99 on Woot last week...waiting for it to come in.

I'm curious what those out there that use this card do for their workflow?

Do you have your laptop close by while shooting and have the card constantly be downloading content to a folder on the laptop?

I have the Canon 5D3...are there any issues I need to know about?

I'm using Aperture 3 for PP on my stills, I'm guessing I'll use Eye-fi to transfer to a folder, then, when done, move those to my usual filesystem storage file structure, and then go from there as I normally do with Aperture (import in, but leave files in place).

What other kinds of creative uses have you come up with using the Eye-fi card?

One thought I'd had, was to shoot with it at a party, maybe have several digital frames set up around the place with wi-fi enabled on them, and as the photos hit the computer a script runs that distributes them to the digital frames around the party.

I'd think this would be good for any type gathering..parties (i'm thinking of teaming with a DJ friend of mine as part of a package deal), weddings, etc...

Anyone out there doing something similar?

cayenne

[Mt Spokane Photography]

From what I've read about issues and download time, locking up the camera while downloading, and lots of other things with various Canon Bodies, I have decided to not buy one, not even for my wifes G1X. 
Maybe for a 10 mp camera with small jpeg files, it would be practical, but firing off shot after shot @30mb with a 5D MK III, they sound totally worthless.  Even the faster cards don't cut it, I wouldn't even consider the low end ones.

[cayenne]

From what I've read about issues and download time, locking up the camera while downloading, and lots of other things with various Canon Bodies, I have decided to not buy one, not even for my wifes G1X. 
Maybe for a 10 mp camera with small jpeg files, it would be practical, but firing off shot after shot @30mb with a 5D MK III, they sound totally worthless.  Even the faster cards don't cut it, I wouldn't even consider the low end ones.

Well, darn....

Thought it might be a fun toy....from what I'd read..the 'pro' version of the eye-fi card said it would handle RAW files....

Anyone out there that uses the eye-fi?

cayenne

[Drizzt321]

From what I've read about issues and download time, locking up the camera while downloading, and lots of other things with various Canon Bodies, I have decided to not buy one, not even for my wifes G1X. 
Maybe for a 10 mp camera with small jpeg files, it would be practical, but firing off shot after shot @30mb with a 5D MK III, they sound totally worthless.  Even the faster cards don't cut it, I wouldn't even consider the low end ones.

Well, darn....

Thought it might be a fun toy....from what I'd read..the 'pro' version of the eye-fi card said it would handle RAW files....

Anyone out there that uses the eye-fi?

cayenne

I've been somewhat thinking of maybe getting one to play with on my 5d3, since I can actually do some basic processing of RAW files/HDR. Not sure it gives me the option to choose where to save it, so don't know if saving to the CF card, and processing across to the SD card to have it automatically upload/post to a site or FTP only the ones I want. I will have to experiment with it.

[cayenne]

From what I've read about issues and download time, locking up the camera while downloading, and lots of other things with various Canon Bodies, I have decided to not buy one, not even for my wifes G1X. 
Maybe for a 10 mp camera with small jpeg files, it would be practical, but firing off shot after shot @30mb with a 5D MK III, they sound totally worthless.  Even the faster cards don't cut it, I wouldn't even consider the low end ones.

Well, darn....

Thought it might be a fun toy....from what I'd read..the 'pro' version of the eye-fi card said it would handle RAW files....

Anyone out there that uses the eye-fi?

cayenne

I've been somewhat thinking of maybe getting one to play with on my 5d3, since I can actually do some basic processing of RAW files/HDR. Not sure it gives me the option to choose where to save it, so don't know if saving to the CF card, and processing across to the SD card to have it automatically upload/post to a site or FTP only the ones I want. I will have to experiment with it.

Yeah, mine just arrived in the mail yesterday, I'll likely give it a try while I have time off over the Christmas holidays.

[mb]

For a smaller / medium P&S I think the EyeFi is quite okay.

I have it (a small/cheap EyeFi) permanently in my 5 year old PowerShot A720 (8MPix, Jpeg only), that I use quite often. Before the EyeFi I allways forgot to copy the pics to my computer, and when I copied, I never knew which pics I had copied before and which pics were new.
Now, if I leave the cam switched on at home for a few minutes, the card uploads the pics automagically to the EyeFi-server, and next time I use my computer the pictures are downloaded to the PC again. Never worry.

But the opload (cam to EyeFi-server) takes quite a while, even for 8MPix-jpeg, so I definetly would never use it for >=18 MPix.

Mattias

[TallCoolOne]

I have the 16GB Eye-Fi class 10 card and have used it with my Canon Powershot S95 as well as my Canon 5D Mk III. I have not seen my camera lock up for large periods of time with it like others have mentioned, but then again, I don't use it for all my shots. I usually set my 5dmk3 to capture to both cards, RAW to fast CF card and JPEG to Eye-Fi card. If I need to shoot fast burst mode I will set the camera to write only to the CF card. But for regular shots I go to both. Also, I usually don't transfer every picture I take, although I have set it up to do that as well before. I usually transfer to my iPhone in direct mode (Eye Fi card makes a wifi hotspot). It works quite well for me and I can upload photos directly to facebook or wherever else from there. The JPG files don't take very long to transfer (a few seconds) so it's not so bad, especially if you're only transferring the ones you select. The Eye-Fi software on the phone is a little flaky, newly transferred images don't show up for me in the Eye-Fi app's main photo library, but they do show up in the iPhone's photo library, so it's not a huge deal. I've also had issues with it freezing or crashing in its Settings screen.

One of the things I am disappointed in is the geotagging feature. I was expecting it would geotag photos as soon as it pushed them to my iPhone, and then when i post process I could move the geotagged information to the RAW file. The mobile apps do not geotag at all, it only geotags when pushing to a computer via their Eye-Fi servers. This is quite lame IMO, it would be super easy for them to tag the photo at the time you transfer it to your phone, and use the phone's built in GPS to do so. There are workarounds to this using other geotagging apps but it would have been nice for Eye-Fi to do it for me.

[rexbot]

I've used one successfully with my 5D3 and my iPad. Capture RAW to the CF card and medium or small sized JPEGs to the SD (Eye-fi) card. The JPEGs transfer fine to the iPad for quick review or sharing without a router or anything. Put the Eye-fi card in "continuous" mode, which allows it to auto-overwrite when the card fills up.

[kbmelb]

I use it with my 5D3 and iPad and love it. I use it so marketing reps and art directors can see the photos without me being tethered to a computer (hate shooting tethered) or constantly handing the camera over for previewing.

It works fairly well I send small jpgs to it so the files go fast. The RAWs get saved to my CF. It is nice because I can text or email shots right from my iPad to an AD's phone of tablet and they will have low rez proof to start comps with.

It's also nice to check for exact focus on some shots.

I have gotten the Err80 once. No big deal. Pull the battery and starts back up.

[docholliday]

I had one when they first came out (the original Pro). Used it in my 1DIIN and 1DsII as a cheaper solution for wireless "tethering" with Lightroom when shooting architecturals. I had a laptop outside of the room that was receiving the files and an on-site editor which was calling back adjustments/changes so that I could tweak the room and lighting.

It sucked.

It was slow, unreliable (wouldn't connect correctly most of the time), and full of bugs. As a software developer for the last 25 years, I spent some time with them on the eye.fi forum trying to work things out and they pretty much didn't do anything to make it better.

When I moved my cams to 1DsMkIII's, I tried it again and gave up. Ended up with the WFT-E2A and haven't had a single problem - fast and reliable. So, I gave the eye fi away to a friend to use in a P&S that they were capturing inventory/stock pictures for ebaying, etc. They tried it with an iPad, laptop, and a desktop and was so frustrated with the piece that they ended up taking it back out. The transfer times (10.1MP P&S) and unreliable connection (sitting the camera no more than 6 feet from the AP) made it still quicker to pull the card and dump it directly via a reader.

Granted, there is a lot of signal loss on a device that uses a printed antenna sitting inside a magnesium chassis (Faraday cage anybody?). But on a plastic P&S, that should have improved.

When it did work, I had it dump the files into a folder, which I set as a watched folder in LR. An import preset was applied directly (color temp, camera profile from Colorchecker Passport, noise reduction, lens profiling) and that was about it. The site editor would zoom in (on a Fujitsu tablet running Win7Enterprise), check out the details and flag/star the file for later "fine" editing on the desktop. The card retained the RAW files until all was good before it was formatted.

Now, I just capture the images the same way, either via WFT-E2A and FTP to the Fujitsu or via an ethernet cable the same way to a drop folder. The advantage to the WFT-E2A is that I can focus/fire from the TabletPC outside of the room so that in tight spaces, I can shove the camera all the way into the corner.

For studio portrait/fashion work and product stuff, I still tether directly via a 100' USB cable - the transfer is much, much faster than anything wireless.

[RustyTheGeek]

What rexbot, kbmelb and TallCoolOne said.  Good info there.

Set the 5D3 to only save small JPGs to the SD slot and you're good to go.  Simple as that after you set up the software, etc.

I think the Eye-Fi will work great for you.  The PC to other WiFi frames thing at parties is a great idea as long as you have fast enough transfer speed on the frames.  That will likely be your bottleneck.  Another reason to keep the JPGs small.  The RAW files will be for editing later.

Another similar idea... do the same thing with the Eye-Fi camera to a PC to other WiFi Frames at a party but instead, have the Eye-Fi camera set up in a corner "photo booth" type deal on a tripod with props, couch, etc where people can have fun and fire off shots of themselves together like a photo booth using a remote shutter release.  Then those pics go out to the frames around the party.  I think THAT would be a blast and something I have considered trying sometime.

[RustyTheGeek]

The newer version Eye-Fi cards are better than the older original versions.  WiFi is better now too.  The router/AP can make a difference depending on what brand, type, firmware, etc.  In general, I've experienced both good and bad times with the Eye-Fi.  Trying to use it with older CF card adapters and DSLRs it wasn't designed for was frustrating.  Using it in P&S and newer DSLRs that are made to work with it is a better experience.  I haven't tried it yet with the 6D or the 5D3.  Just haven't had time.  But in general, the smaller JPG files help the performance a lot.

[PeterJ]

I use one with a 5D3 and I've been happy with it, although my usage is different I mainly use it for tripod type shots or when I only have a few images to transfer. I send the full RAWs and with a good Wi-Fi connection that takes about 45-60 seconds per image, but saves disturbing the camera setup and is generally less hassle if you're not in a rush.

Depending on your use it might be worth investing in a decent access point and antenna. With a 400mW access point and large antenna mine works out in my backyward about 25 meters away and through walls at full speed.

[docholliday]

Funny that you mention a HP access point - I was using it with a Ubiquiti that was pushing 1W on a Pico2HP plugged into a 5' +15db gain antenna for the P&S transfers. It was still unreliable. I could get the tablet to connection almost 1200' away.

Even though the newer ones may be a bit improved, it's still a toy. I have no use sending over JPGs as a "preview". I needed the actual RAWs sent. In a high-reliability situation, I'd save to the CF, SD AND to the remote! There was not any CF adapters in use - it was directly in slot 2 on the 1DsIII. It's that 30-60 seconds sometimes to actually spool up and transfer one file that was horrid. The WFT sends the raws in under 3-5 seconds - that I find is acceptable for having no cables.

I had always thought it'd be neat to set the 1DsIII on a equatorial mount with a 21/2.8 Distagon and an Eyefi outside. Let it shoot the sky all night, all the while sending the images back into the warm inside for editing (shooting meteor showers the other night in the cold and sending into the warm truck with the tablet receiving!).

[dmills]

I was frustrated with mine at first with the 5D3. Here are a couple of hints that I've learned over the months that I've been using it. Now I love mine!

1) Use with small JPG.
2) You need to use the Eye-Fi app on your ipad/iphone for the initial setup. Afterwards, go to the homescreen and shut off the app. Next, download Shuttersnitch. You'll love it. The Eye-Fi app sucks, but Shuttersnitch is great.
3) BIG HINT: Most people don't know this, and I sure didn't when I started, but you DO NOT have to have your ipad or receiving device running while shooting. You can turn on Shuttersnitch AFTER all your shooting is done, pop off one shot, and the eyefi will send all of your pictures over to the ipad at once... That's huge for me, because it means that after a shoot, I can have my wife do the first proof on the way home in the car.

Eye-Fi solves several problems for me:
1) If i'm "out and about" and I take one snapshot for someone with my DSLR, maybe a friend, or stranger, and I want to send them that photo, I don't have to remember to do it later. I can just pop it over to the ipad, and email it to them right away in JPG form.
2) By looking over the JPGs before I get back to my computer, I already have an idea of what photos I like, and want to do work on. I also have an idea of a certain number of photos that look good already in JPG.
3) I like having those small JPG files. Even small JPG is enough for a lot of the web work I do, and I use those JPGs straight of of the camera, and straight off of the ipad in those situations. For my personal work, I still use all RAW, but having those small JPG work fine for the work that I am not so personally invested in.