Eye-fi (SD) Cards

They work fine with Pentax cameras, probably more info
on the US site than here although all you need to know
is that they work.

I use one with a K-5 to check exposure and WB.
Used it on a K20D before that.

Well, what a surprise. After I'd pretty much ruled out one of these on cost grounds, my fabulous other half hears me talking about them, and buys me one as a surprise early birthday present!

She got me an 8GB X2 pro, and so far, I'm liking it a lot.

Taking the card out of its packaging, you find it inserted into a USB adaptor, which you plug in. Once it's detected, you install the software (which is on the card) which then self-updates.

Then it downloads and installs new firmware for the card!

And then it works. I had a very strange problem after the first couple of pics, which was that I lost all ethernet connection to my router. WiFi was fine, but I had to reboot the router to regain wired connection. I find it very hard to believe that this is just coincidence, since the router and computer are both permanently on, and have been rock-solid for months.

Anyway, it seems fine now. The card uploads DNGs from the K-5 with no problem - it takes about 10 seconds from taking a picture to being detected, and then another 15s or so for a 20MB DNG to come up.

Not particularly fast, I know, but I love the convenience. I know it's not that inconvenient to take the card out, and put it in the reader, but it is so nice to just put the camera down, and have the pics appear by magic. Especially if I just have a few images at a time, which is mostly how I work.

I don't much go for nice-to-haves like that, but as a treat, it's just fab.

how about video files? any problems?

Dunno yet. However, K-5 video files are HUGE.

So I might be uploading any I take overnight!

Edit: 16s of video, 100MB, about a minute from putting the camera down.

I imagine that if I use it all the time, it's going to clobber the battery life.

Mines just the basic 4GB Jpeg only one, but it's still great

There's no problem using more than one PC either. I just put the
card and SD reader on a 2nd PC and installed the latest software
from the Eye_Fi site. It found the card (probably didn't need to
put it on the PC) and asked me which of the two PC's I wanted to
upload to I assume that I will be able to chose which one
if I go into manager.

Pity I can't upload to two PC's at once? Does anyone know of any
software that will watch a folder and then automatically send any
files to another PC over the WiFi? I suppose backup programs will
do it? At present I just drag the files across in Explorer.

I've been using it this afternoon with a laptop in the kitchen
trying to sort out the focusing on the K-5 with MF lenses and
it was great seeing each shot on the screen as it was taken
Still didn't sort it out even Live View isn't accurate enough
I'll have to try again tomorrow and see what focus aids work
in LV.

Much safer than tethering as well I have a USB mouse radio dongle on
a short lead and when I finished I closed and moved the laptop
without unplugging it If that had been connected to the
camera.... the camera and tripod would have gone over

ChrisA, you mention DNG. Do they work with PEFs?

The Pro version is supposed to work with all RAW files.
With the standard version if you save RAW+JPG it just
uploads the JPG and you can copy the RAW files from the
card later via a USB Reader. It doesn't have to be the
Reader supplied with the card.

Just tried it - yes. Just did one; detected and uploaded in a similar time.

cheaper at this link 8GB X2 pro,
link

Thanks, someone has just asked mw to do a job and they want the dreaded tethering. At least I can avoid a cable!

I saw that site, does anyone have any experience of Overstock?

£50 Definitely not focussed on the snapper market.

Regards
Stan

I can't understand why people will pay big money for cameras and lenses and then complain about paying for innovative products.

The software alone is worth £50 it integrates well with the Eye-Fi website, Flickr etc. and will keep itself updated and also update the firmware on the card. It also handles GEO tagging.

The hardware supplied includes an SDHC card into which they have built a computer, plus a special USB reader.

They have also tested the card with just about every camera ever made

You remind me of the people who used to buy expensive cameras and then complain about D&P costs

How are things at the Flat Earth Society anyway?

I think this is a bit harsh.

There's only so much money available for gear, and by the time the camera and lenses are bought, justifying anything else becomes a lot harder, especially if the benefit is not large - after all, it's not exactly hard to remove the card and plug it into a reader.

I wouldn't have bought mine myself, but it is a very nice treat

Things are really great at the F. E. S. and the Turtle it rests on is fit and well.

If I was a Pro Photographer, Yes, I've have all the latest greatest gear I would ever need, paid for by the clients of course.

As a budding beginner on a very tight budget (pensioner aged 6with other needs such as food etc., it is difficult to justify £50 on such a gadget. It's as easy to swap out SDHC cards to download the current photographs. There are a few lenses I'd love too but will never own outside of a lottery win.

Regards
Stan