Introduction
Wireless image transmitters are devices that connect to digital cameras (or are integrated into them) and send images to a computer via a wireless network. These transmitters allow photographers to continue shooting with their images automatically moving to their computers at the same time. For photographic disciplines where time is of the essence, this can provide significant improvements in workflow as images can be processed/viewed moments after being shot.
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History
The first public demonstration of this technology was a prototype version of the
WiPics transmitter produced as a thesis project by
RIT student
David Rea. As this product took some time to come to market, the Nikon
WT-1 was the first transmitter to become commercially available. Canon followed up with their
WFT-E1 transmitter a year later, and Nikon provided the faster
WT-2 shortly after that. The
WT-3 has recently been released, adding wireless support for the
D200.
Aside from those high-end offerings, a number of compact cameras have also come to market providing these features. The Nikon
Coolpix P1/
P2 were the first consumer cameras with this functionality, however they were followed by a number of other products from both Canon and Nikon.
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Devices
As this is a relatively new technology, there are only a handful of devices currently on the market. The following is a list of currently available wireless transmitters:
- Off-Board Transmitters
- Nikon WT-3/3A (802.11g/Ethernet) - Nikon's wireless transmitter for the D200 brings wireless functionality to Nikon's smaller DSLRs. Currently, this transmitter only works with the D200.
- Nikon WT-2/2A (802.11g) - Nikon's second generation wireless transmitter provides support for both FTP and PTP/IP protocols. In addition to transmitting images, this device also allows computers to remotely control the camera. Works with all D2-series cameras except for the D2H (ie only the D2Hs, D2X and D2Xs).
- Nikon WT-1/1A (802.11b) - Nikon's first generation offering provides FTP image transmission over 802.11b networks. Form fitted to the base of the D2 series, this unit connects via the USB port on the camera. Works with the D2H, D2Hs, D2X and D2Xs.
- Canon WFT-E1/E1A (802.11g) - Canon's wireless transmitter works with a large number of their DSLRs using either a USB or Firewire connection. Transmits images using the FTP protocol over either a WiFi or Ethernet connection.
- Dice America Wi-Pics (802.11g*) - An aftermarket wireless image transmitter that attaches to a wide range of cameras via their Compactflash slot. Offers a number of additional features including an optional 20GB hard drive and barcode reader. Can transmit images via the FTP protocol, or allow remote machines to retrieve them via SMB.
- Wireless-Equipped Cameras
* Early versions of the WiPics transmitter supported both 802.11g and 802.11a, however newer revisions use a new WiFi module that only supports 802.11g.
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Software Requirements
While many of the cameras with integral wireless come with all of the necessary software, the larger transmitters typically require additional software to make full use of them. Depending on the protocol in use, different programs are required.
Cameras using
FTP to transmit images act as
FTP clients, so an
FTP server package must be running on the computer in order to recieve the images. The
FTP server accepts the incoming images and saves them on the target computer - it controls many aspects of the transmission, so it is an integral component of the system. Packages like Pixagent's
ITP 2.0 are designed specifically for this purpose and provide assistance in configuration of the camera and computer.
Transmitters using
PTP/IP must use drivers and software provided by the manufacturer. In the case of the Nikon
WT-2 and
WT-3, users must have Nikon
Capture 4.x or Nikon
Capture Control Pro in order to make full use of this feature. Vendors such as Pixagent are currently working on aftermarket solutions for this protocol.
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Protocols
As noted above, different transmitters use different mechanisms to transmit the images. Each of these protocols has advantages and disadvantages with respect to one another, and many transmitters (such as the
WT-2) provide the option to select which one users would like to use.
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FTP
The most common protocol for higher-end transmitters, cameras using
FTP connect to a remote computer and push images as they are shot. This provides the user with extensive control over the transmission process from inside of the camera, allowing them to specify whether they'd like to send all images or just specific selections. It can also send images over the Internet, so cameras using this protocol can transmit photographs directly to computers in distant locations.
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PTP/IP
Supported in the Nikon
WT-2,
PTP/IP provides the ability to remotely control the camera as well as transfer images. Unlike
FTP,
PTP/IP connections are initiated by the computer which then manages the transfer of images. This means that there are very few controls in the camera itself as all options are managed on the computer end.
Unlike
FTP, current
PTP/IP implementations cannot function outside of the local network. As such, transmitters running in this mode can generally only communicate with computers that are nearby.
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SMB Server Message Block is the protocol used by the Windows file sharing system. Transmitters like the
WiPics will appear as a file share - this allows users to connect to the transmitter and move files as if they were stored on a drive directly connected to the computer. This protocol generally doesn't provide any automatic image transfer capability, so additional software may be necessary to move images from the camera.
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See Also - Nikon WT-3/3A - Nikon's wireless transmitter offering for the compact D200 DSLR.
- Nikon WT-2/2A - Nikon's second generation wireless transmitter offering 802.11g networking.
- Nikon WT-1/1A - Nikon's first generation wireless transmitter offering 802.11b networking.
- Canon WFT-E1/E1A - Canon's first generation wireless transmitter offering 802.11g networking.
- FTP - Protocol used by most wireless image transmitters to send photographs to remote computers.
- PTP/IP - Protocol used by the WT-2 and many compact cameras to allow access to image files on the camera.
- SMB - File sharing protocol used by the WiPics transmitter.
- Pixagent ITP - Software designed to optimize wireless workflows when used with these transmitters.
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