Wireless Help

[brian_f2.8]

I have to send images to a client this year as I take the images at various races. I have a wireless verizon/att/sprint card which should give me internet at each race.

As I take each image the images are sent to a FTP site and the client looks at them from there.

So I have a Nikon D3, the wt4 is big n bulky. Is this device my only option? The D4 is nice but I can't afford 2 D4's at the moment.

Trying to avoid a switch to Canon, they use Mark 3's which are very cheap and would suffice this task.

 

[curtyoungblood]

When you say they're using mark 3's, do you mean 1d or 5d?

If you're talking about 5d's, I don't really think that's the best solution for you. It has a relatively slow 6 fps, and the wireless adapter doens't look much less bulky. It does have an SD slot that you could use for an eye-fi card though. If this is a route you're considering, it strikes me that the D600 would be a cheaper and just as effective option.

If you're talking about a 1d iii, I think you'll end up spending way more money than you really want to in that transition. I'm sure you'd end up upgrading to a 1d X before long.

I think if you go either of these routes, it may work well for the transferring of files wirelessly, but since you shoot sports full time, you'll be disappointed in the camera pretty quickly (at least when you start shooting stuff that isn't racing).

If there isn't a better option out there, it looks like the WT-4a could be attached to a monopod pretty easily to get it out of the way.

 

[sk66]

Do you own a D4? There's the WT-5A which is pretty small and costs less than the WT-4 (you said you can't afford two D4's..)

Eye-fi might be ok for jpegs and short distances. Mine will do raw files, but it's slow.

 

[brian_f2.8]

Yes the other guys are using 1D MIII's. Nice cameras and they do ok for what we need. The .jpg small files go straight to the client(wirelessly) and we keep the raw files for our other clients. The 5D MIII is nice but not ideal for sports. I WANT not NEED faster than 6fps. I want to avoid the 1D MIII because when I do my own work, I like to provide better quality. Im not happy with the Mark III above 800 ISO.

I dont own a D4, I wish. Selling 2 D3's for 4k and then spending another 6k out of pocket for used D4's isnt smart. I really dont want to spend the money because the D3 has been very good to me and there is a lot of life left. No clue who designed the WT4 but man fire that guy. I can't stand looking at that thing. Good thing the WT5 came out. Only the D4 and D7100 support this that I know of and the D7200 is rumored this summer.

I will investigate the eye-fi card. Ill see if they make an eye-fi card for CF cards. If not get an eye-fi card(SD) and insert it to a dummy cf card.

I really appreciate the help guys, anyone else with an idea let me know.

 

[TheLost]

At the risk of getting attacked again ( ) talking about WiFi...

Good luck with the eye-fi card. Its slow.. its software isn't great.. its really not made for what you are trying to do.

Nikon (and Canon to some degree) REALLY need to come out of the dark ages when it comes to what people NEED/WANT in regards to wireless. IMHO, the first company that gets it right is the company that will take over the sports/action/photojournalism market.

 

[brian_f2.8]

I know just trying to figure out my options at the moment. At the very least Ill just shoot a little less and upload more frequently. Anything that is needed immediate will be delivered within 15/20 min as opposed to the end of the day.

Thanks for the help and I welcome any new ideas from other members.

 

[Derrel]

Have you looked around robgalbraith.com's site? It has some specific suggestions on various wireless FTP transfer gear.

 

[brian_f2.8]

no but i will, thanks Derrel

 

[TheLost]

I know just trying to figure out my options at the moment. At the very least Ill just shoot a little less and upload more frequently. Anything that is needed immediate will be delivered within 15/20 min as opposed to the end of the day.

Thanks for the help and I welcome any new ideas from other members.

I love going to NBA games and watch them bring out ladders at half time to pull the memory cards out of the cameras mounted up on the backboard

Not sure if you've seen this... but here is a wireless workflow using canon's gear..
The BYU Workflow: An Automated Wireless Photography Workflow

I use a more 'amateur' (aka.. ghetto) workflow for youth & hs football..
Hardware: Nikon D7100 w/WU-1a adapter, Macbook pro (sometimes an iPad), Wife/Assistant.

As i take pictures.. my unpaid assistant (wife) pulls select images from the camera, does a quick edit & crop then posts to the teams facebook/twitter feeds in near-ish real time. It gets the job done but you have to work around Nikon's cheap-arse sub-consumer-grade tech (short range, slow speed, no-software-support).

 

[brian_f2.8]

Thats why the guys I work with use Canon's 1D Mark III because the files are small and Canon has better software/firmware support for wireless transmitting images.

Nikon isnt up to date but who knows the D4s and D7200 are due soon so maybe they will meet their demands.

 

[TheLost]

Nikon isnt up to date but who knows the D4s and D7200 are due soon so maybe they will meet their demands.

Nikon is not a software company... i seriously doubt they will ever be a leader in wireless workflow

 

[brian_f2.8]

While I agree with you because I see how Canon is further along with this technology. At the super bowl there were more Canon shooters than Nikon shooters. Sure they were all tethered for that event but for other events when they can't tether they know they have the right gear to transmit wirelessly. Unless Im forced to switch, I wont. I really like Nikon's equipment and their build quality, among many other things.