My Flu Card came today, (the proper 16GB Flu Card Pro for Pentax K-3, just to be clear.)
The packing.. substantial, perhaps overly so, but whatever...! Once it WAS unpacked I unfolded the multi language quick set up sheet and carefully followed the instructions to the letter.
I had already found and downloaded the Flucard set up and User Guides from the Pentax Ricoh site and had a read, through so I already had an idea.
I set the auto power off feature of the camera to 10 minutes so as not to get disconnected while I play around.
Turn camera off, insert Flucard into SD slot 2,(closest to the back, marked "2"..) close cover, switch camera on, the card gives a quiet beep then a series of quiet beeps and a visual indication on the camera rear screen as the Flucard activates.
I know my windows smartphone would not be usable for Flucard (yet?) so have given into my kids and bought one of the less expensive Android OS Tablets, a Tesco Hudl 7" tablet for £119.
I fired that up and opened the WiFi settings and there was the Flucard, clicked on it and selected 'connect' and connect it did!
I then opened the chrome browser and typed into the address bar
http://pentax and it connected. a small confirmation box that "the default settings were set" appeared and I clicked OK then I tapped an arrow twice as instructed and the menu screen appeared.
(NB add the Pentax Flucard to the browser favourites so it's a one click find next time)
I was viewing the tablet in vertical position (recommended) and clicked on "remote capture" and there it was, live view on the tablet, a focus point, basic settings and a shutter button.
It all worked, fairly swiftly, and as advertised, from all around a decent sized room.
I might be easily impressed, I may still have a childlike fascination with gadgets, but it was almost like magic!
As usual on Pentax Forums, there's always someone moaning and putting Pentax down, BUT ISN'T THIS THE FIRST DSLR WITH OPTIONAL WIRELESS TETHERING THAT DOES NOT NEED SPECIAL SOFTWARE OR EXPENSIVE HARDWARE? No trailing wires, no clip on attachments, no big laptops, just a special SD card and a standard Android or Apple Tablet or device which many people already have anyway?
I bought the Flucard and a budget Android tablet for £219 British Pounds total and it just works great! Shouldn't this be something we can shout about?
Isn't this another classic understated Pentax First, in the true tradition of the brand?