Are the Eye-fi cards worth it?

PixleFish · 01-15-2011, 10:40 PM

Hey everyone, I'm planning on getting a K5 soon and in the meantime I'm upgrading the rest of my equipment (lenses and the like)

My current SD card is old, and I will probably want to get a new one, so I was wondering was you thought about the Eye-fi cards. Are they worth it? or would it be better to get a class 10 card?

I really like the concept, but I can see how it might be a bit gimmicky in practice. Any regrets from Eye-fi owners?

THanks!

30v iPentax · 01-15-2011, 11:30 PM

Eye-Fi-kortti on turha siotus. Hankkii mieluiten 2 SD 64 10 korttia on enemmän hyötyä ja iloa.

gerard7452 · 01-16-2011, 03:55 AM

I find my X2-pro VERY useful in and around the studio/house.... i use it when in reach of my own WIFI-net to copy shots directly to the server where auto-import Lightroom reads and displays on a large 24inch LCD.
For stationary work i prefer tethering from Tomasz ofcourse.

rG

bobmaxja · 01-16-2011, 07:05 AM

Be aware that Eye Fi card will transfer on the wifi only JEPG not raw

30v iPentax · 01-16-2011, 07:06 AM

Aina paranee!

philippe · 01-16-2011, 07:14 AM

Originally posted by bobmaxja

Be aware that Eye Fi card will transfer on the wifi only JEPG not raw

Are you sure?
If yes, I am very disappointed...

RonHendriks1966 · 01-16-2011, 07:40 AM

Originally posted by philippe

Are you sure?
If yes, I am very disappointed...

I think there is one that transfers RAW, but not shore that it will work good. Different things I read about them (not using them myself).

The problem with RAW from K-5 is that the files are uge and transmittingspeed is slow.

peterh337 · 01-16-2011, 02:38 PM

I read somewhere the eye-fi card doesn't (yet) work with a K5.

Why doesn't it transfer RAW files? Surely it is just a wifi client, so the camera is visible as a standard windoze networked device and you can browse the flash storage.

Or does the card use special PC software which is needed to see the card contents?

IMHO it would be very useful to be able to wifi-transfer pics off the camera, even if it takes longer than USB, which will always be the case, except that it takes a bit of fiddling to connect up the USB cable, and the flimsy little micro USB connector on the K5 is going to break pretty soon. And if I want to transfer 1000 pics I will pull the SD card out...

bobmaxja · 01-16-2011, 04:18 PM

Sorry , only the new Eye-fi Pro X2 can send Raw file wireless not the other card

Eye-Fi Pro X2 8GB Wireless SDHC Card - simply the most powerful memory card yet | Eye-Fi

kenyee · 01-17-2011, 08:14 AM

X2 does raw and supposedly the last K5 firmware update fixes the eye-fi compatibility w/ the K5...

You normally don't have it transfer RAW if you're tethering...take both JPEG+RAW and set JPEG size to 6MP for faster xfer speed. Take shots to get an idea of how your studio lighting looks and have it show up on your wireless display (tablet or laptop). Save the RAW for download/processing later

bobmaxja · 01-17-2011, 08:39 AM

Originally posted by kenyee

X2 does raw and supposedly the last K5 firmware update fixes the eye-fi compatibility w/ the K5...

The X2 do not do Raw wireless, only the Pro X2
Eye-Fi Explore X2 8GB Wireless SDHC memory card - the easiest way to upload photos & videos on-the-go | Eye-Fi

kenyee · 01-17-2011, 01:36 PM

Originally posted by bobmaxja

The X2 do not do Raw wireless, only the Pro X2

sorry...meant to type Pro (I had just looked at the comparison page).
That said, if you don't ever transfer raw, the other ones work fine...

The only caveat is the adhoc wifi they're releasing later this year will only work w/ Pro cards so you might as well get a Pro X2...

**Lowell Goudge** · 01-17-2011, 02:26 PM

I can see a use for them in the studio, perhaps, or more likely for photographers covering events, feeding direct back to the photo editors for fast release of photos. In this application JPEG would be just fine,

For many people, self included, I have more cards than cameras and always download from a card reader. I think most amatures would be in a similar position, for them it would be useless.

twitch · 01-17-2011, 03:28 PM

The geek in me loves the idea. The pragmatist in me simply can't see value for money. I mean, how hard is it to put a USB card into a reader, and then get far faster xfer speed anyway, and not have to run down the camera battery.

There are far more useful photography gadgets to buy IMHO.

dperreno · 01-18-2011, 07:57 AM

I got one last year when I signed up for a year's storage on Picasa to use for taking pictures of items I'm selling on ebay. It was a real pain to take 4-5 pictures, take the card out of the camera, put it in the card reader, transfer the photos, etc. Using the Eye-Fi card, I take the pictures, they are immediately transferred to my computer and pulled into Picasa. Then I can apply some simple corrections and upload them online and link them into my ebay listings. It's pretty slick. For all other purposes, I rely on a regular SD card.

01-15-2011, 10:40 PM	#1
PixleFish Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 44	Are the Eye-fi cards worth it? Hey everyone, I'm planning on getting a K5 soon and in the meantime I'm upgrading the rest of my equipment (lenses and the like) My current SD card is old, and I will probably want to get a new one, so I was wondering was you thought about the Eye-fi cards. Are they worth it? or would it be better to get a class 10 card? I really like the concept, but I can see how it might be a bit gimmicky in practice. Any regrets from Eye-fi owners? THanks!

01-16-2011, 03:55 AM	#3
gerard7452 New Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Wassenaar Posts: 8	Eye-FI I find my X2-pro VERY useful in and around the studio/house.... i use it when in reach of my own WIFI-net to copy shots directly to the server where auto-import Lightroom reads and displays on a large 24inch LCD. For stationary work i prefer tethering from Tomasz ofcourse. rG

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01-15-2011, 11:30 PM	#2
30v iPentax Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Suomi , Finland Posts: 368	Eye-Fi-kortti on turha siotus. Hankkii mieluiten 2 SD 64 10 korttia on enemmän hyötyä ja iloa.

01-16-2011, 07:05 AM	#4
bobmaxja Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Laval, Quebec Canada Posts: 2,171	Be aware that Eye Fi card will transfer on the wifi only JEPG not raw

01-16-2011, 07:06 AM	#5
30v iPentax Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Suomi , Finland Posts: 368	Aina paranee!

01-16-2011, 07:14 AM	#6
philippe Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Flanders Fields Posts: 463	Originally posted by bobmaxja Be aware that Eye Fi card will transfer on the wifi only JEPG not raw Are you sure? If yes, I am very disappointed...

01-16-2011, 07:40 AM	#7
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	Originally posted by philippe Are you sure? If yes, I am very disappointed... I think there is one that transfers RAW, but not shore that it will work good. Different things I read about them (not using them myself). The problem with RAW from K-5 is that the files are uge and transmittingspeed is slow.

01-16-2011, 02:38 PM	#8
peterh337 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: London Posts: 573	I read somewhere the eye-fi card doesn't (yet) work with a K5. Why doesn't it transfer RAW files? Surely it is just a wifi client, so the camera is visible as a standard windoze networked device and you can browse the flash storage. Or does the card use special PC software which is needed to see the card contents? IMHO it would be very useful to be able to wifi-transfer pics off the camera, even if it takes longer than USB, which will always be the case, except that it takes a bit of fiddling to connect up the USB cable, and the flimsy little micro USB connector on the K5 is going to break pretty soon. And if I want to transfer 1000 pics I will pull the SD card out...

01-16-2011, 04:18 PM	#9
bobmaxja Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Laval, Quebec Canada Posts: 2,171	Sorry , only the new Eye-fi Pro X2 can send Raw file wireless not the other card Eye-Fi Pro X2 8GB Wireless SDHC Card - simply the most powerful memory card yet \| Eye-Fi

01-17-2011, 08:14 AM	#10
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	X2 does raw and supposedly the last K5 firmware update fixes the eye-fi compatibility w/ the K5... You normally don't have it transfer RAW if you're tethering...take both JPEG+RAW and set JPEG size to 6MP for faster xfer speed. Take shots to get an idea of how your studio lighting looks and have it show up on your wireless display (tablet or laptop). Save the RAW for download/processing later

01-17-2011, 08:39 AM	#11
bobmaxja Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Laval, Quebec Canada Posts: 2,171	Originally posted by kenyee X2 does raw and supposedly the last K5 firmware update fixes the eye-fi compatibility w/ the K5... The X2 do not do Raw wireless, only the Pro X2 Eye-Fi Explore X2 8GB Wireless SDHC memory card - the easiest way to upload photos & videos on-the-go \| Eye-Fi

01-17-2011, 01:36 PM	#12
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	Originally posted by bobmaxja The X2 do not do Raw wireless, only the Pro X2 sorry...meant to type Pro (I had just looked at the comparison page). That said, if you don't ever transfer raw, the other ones work fine... The only caveat is the adhoc wifi they're releasing later this year will only work w/ Pro cards so you might as well get a Pro X2...

01-17-2011, 02:26 PM	#13
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	I can see a use for them in the studio, perhaps, or more likely for photographers covering events, feeding direct back to the photo editors for fast release of photos. In this application JPEG would be just fine, For many people, self included, I have more cards than cameras and always download from a card reader. I think most amatures would be in a similar position, for them it would be useless.

01-17-2011, 03:28 PM	#14
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	The geek in me loves the idea. The pragmatist in me simply can't see value for money. I mean, how hard is it to put a USB card into a reader, and then get far faster xfer speed anyway, and not have to run down the camera battery. There are far more useful photography gadgets to buy IMHO.

01-18-2011, 07:57 AM	#15
dperreno Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 28	I got one last year when I signed up for a year's storage on Picasa to use for taking pictures of items I'm selling on ebay. It was a real pain to take 4-5 pictures, take the card out of the camera, put it in the card reader, transfer the photos, etc. Using the Eye-Fi card, I take the pictures, they are immediately transferred to my computer and pulled into Picasa. Then I can apply some simple corrections and upload them online and link them into my ebay listings. It's pretty slick. For all other purposes, I rely on a regular SD card.