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CameraMator connects your mobile devices and DSLR

Lars Rehm | Published: Jan 8, 2013 at 20:15:27 UTC

CameraMator allows you to view your DSLR images on your mobile device in real-time. Photo by Lars Rehm.

If you're the owner of a Nikon D3200 and want to view and compose images remotely on a mobile device, or even trigger and control some of the camera functions remotely you've got the option to purchase Nikon's WU-1a Wi-Fi adapter that slots into the camera's AV-port.

However, for the owners of most other Nikon and Canon DSLRs, remote operation and viewing is much more difficult to achieve as the WU-1a currently only works with the D3200. Enter CameraMator. This Kickstarter-funded project has developed a Wi-Fi module that slots into your camera's hotshoe and hooks up with Android and iOS devices that have the corresponding app installed.

The CameraMator device creates its own Wi-Fi network connects to. Then you can view and preview your images remotely on your tablet or phone screen and control some camera functions including aperture, shutter, ISO and white balance. The implementation of further features is planned for the future. CameraMator is now available to order for $299, a list of currently compatible cameras can be found on the Kickstarter page.

Comments

Total comments: 56

if i have a tablet with android can i connect it to my camaera, it would work? and another question: it does need an internet conection to connect them? and where can i buy it in Mexico, or is just it throgh this page?

0 upvotes

Wonder if I can use a cable and not the hot shoe for my Nikon D800 with this devise. HDMI or usb cable???
Ken

0 upvotes

You don't have to use the hot shoe (it's simply for mechanical mount), and you use an L bracket w hot shoe and USB cable to connect the device to your camera.
See their web page w L bracket photo here:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/urashid/cameramator-wireless-tethered-photography

Comment edited 14 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Dumb product that will be obsolete right after you buy it.

0 upvotes

LOL

0 upvotes

That's a dumb statement.

0 upvotes

You really should not comment on something that you cannot understand.

Just to clue you in, this product is intended to be used when shooting on a tripod, and it allows you to control your camera from the ios or android device. Although I use a competing product (CamRanger), this particular product still provides competition.

Comment edited 57 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

This sounds like the best way to get a really good large screen remote view and also have lots of remote control over the camera. I'm waiting for a Android version that works with Sony RX-100 and Sony NEX cameras. It would also be extremely useful for it to work with video with all of the cameras. Great product and excellent pricing.

1 upvote

I like this. Sure it's not perfect but what aftermarket product is. Heck look at Nikon's product for the D4, it's way expensive and limited to that unit. I'm happy both my DSLRs are on the list. Bet once they update/upgrade the SW that more functions will be available.

0 upvotes

Does it have Live View, touch focus capability like DSLR Controller does?

0 upvotes

A used Galaxy s2 off craigslist was $120, DSLRController was $10, and now I can control not "some" but pretty much any function of my camera.

Comment edited 21 seconds after posting

1 upvote

DSLR Controller has alot of the features I look for .

But even though my new smart phone was a very recent product at the time, out of the box the version of Android it came loaded with was obsolete. Even if I upgraded to the newst possible version the phone would accept, I would have to root the phone for DSLR Controller, something I was not willing to do.

DLR Controller does not have much backward compatibility.

0 upvotes

You have to root the phone, without it nothing works - you can't use quality backup apps, you can't install security apps, file management capabilities are limited... That DSLR controller does not work is a minor issue really.
As for backward compatibility, the only camera of note it does not support is 5D, and that's a tech that's getting close to 10 years.

0 upvotes

As much as I like DSL controller, it requires a cable, and only works with a very limited set of cameras as of yet (and does not look like it will work with a lot more).

1 upvote

DSLR controller has a wi-fi passthrough, so you can connect a cheap android unit to the camera, and run it from a tablet via wi-fi. That it is limited exclusively to Canon DSLRs... well, it is everyone elses problem.

Comment edited 33 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Not sure if this question has been asked......
Can these Wifi gadgets be linked from camera to iphone etc whilst shooting videos.
G

1 upvote

The CamRanger will control the camera during video. It does have a bit of a lag and shows the Live View around 12 fps. So it's a bit jerky compared to a finished full connected video feed.

1 upvote

I'm looking for a device to share pictures straight out of my camera on a party . Thinking about sharing to website-beamer-wall. Then what is the real benefit of this thing against an EyeFi card? Cause I would think that people who are looking for a kind of a device like this, just want to share pictures straight on the wall on parties and things like that. And a good EyeFi card is about $50,- ......... Off course they say you can also control some camera functions with the CameraMator (like changing the whitebalance) but that I can already do with my camera. So what's the real benefit of the thing?

0 upvotes

The CamRanger is a way to control and monitor a camera wirelessly. If that is not what you need, the EyeFi card is probably great for you. My comment earlier about not wanting an item like this on my hotshoe wasn't because it was connected this way, but because the CameraMator is designed to be used there while the CamRanger has a pouch with a hook to hang from the tripod or belt. The ability to have Live View is very important as are the focus controls. The CameraMator does not have these functions!

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

0 upvotes

eye-fi is only for wireless transfer of photos that have been shot. you cannot control any camera functions or live view with it

0 upvotes

Hey George and Intensity studios,

Thank you both for your answers. Appreciate it!

@George; some tool which can be interesting for you is the Triggertrap (unless you already know it).
Is also there to control your camera on distance by phone with an App (Apple or Android) in combination with a dongle. Mainly for the shutter, maybe also to control the whitebalance with this device. But not shure.

0 upvotes

because some of have cameras (like the Nikon D700) that use CF cards and thus cannot use an eye-fi card.

0 upvotes

WU-1a will be reversed engineered and a cheaper version that will work with more cameras will be available within a year.

0 upvotes

hopefully. WU-1a does all the things this does for $250 less

0 upvotes

Within a year all new cameras will have it built in.

0 upvotes

With this device attached to the camera ... I can put my flash where ?

0 upvotes

I'd think the device ran on its own battery power and doesn't use the hot shoe at all so you'd just need a longer cable and you could keep it in your pocket.

0 upvotes

I have been saying for years (since my first Android phone) that DSLR manufacturers should be building in WI-FI tethering to allow you to use your phone as a remote viewfinder.

It's such an obvious thing to do that I am surprised it has taken 3rd parties to come up with the hardware.

How soon until Canon/Nikon see that utility of such a device and make their own though?

It happened with external flashes and radio communication so I would imagine it would be just a matter of time.

0 upvotes

Why build it in when you can charge extra for it?

0 upvotes

Canon already has - this functionality is built into the 6D I believe. The app is called Canon EOS Remote.

0 upvotes

nikon and canon have started doing this recently, either internally or through a cheap dongle.

0 upvotes

You see, they add things like that slowly, one per iteration - to keep something for future cameras. Add articulating screen to T2i, get T3i, add wi-fi to T4i, get T5i.

0 upvotes

Come one, This device is just a copy of CAMRANGER...

=> www.camranger.com

doesn't need a Kickstarter to copy something.
The Camranger is great device for iPhone, iPad, Ipod touch and soon for MAC and PC....

5 upvotes

Great news that there are already three products out there to integrate Tablets within the shooting workflow. This is definitely a useful trend! I hope this becomes a mainstream and must have features for DSLRs.

Comment edited 29 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

It certainly would be useful, do want one.

0 upvotes

Someone should tell you not everyone owns a Canikon, or wants too.

2 upvotes

And that's totally ok, but there's a price associated with such choice.

0 upvotes

Wish the 2013 SLR products will include WiFi as standard with no extra cost. Perhaps WiFi n Bluetooth all combined.

1 upvote

some photographer used a small AP router and did the job.
Forget how he connected, but some small AP router takes battery. So he dangled it on he belt.

the solution is already out there....

0 upvotes

I believe that was using an Eye-Fi card and a portable router from Zalip. The router is no longer necessary now that newer Eye-Fi cards support Direct Mode, which sets up its own Ad Hoc WiFi network. Problem with Eye-Fi is that it's an SD card, which rules out lots of cameras. Also, many cameras don't support it well. The CamRanger is pretty bullet-proof and offers a far richer feature set. I just got mine a couple weeks ago.

0 upvotes

Also...

"CamRanger does it" - I was fortunate enough to use a CamRanger for a shoot. It is, in fact, a GREAT product. However, I want it to support Android, which at this point it does not (IIRC). When they add this feature in the future, CameraMator will need to update the software to be able to control more in order to stay competitive (or drop the price by half, and allow us to call it a stepping stone to the CamRanger).

"More camera's will have this feature built in" - I think this is a good point, but cameras also have built-in flash and a part (however small) of the reason I use an off-camera flash is because it is inherently more powerful than the built-in one (along with more versatile). This adapter will probably overshadow any built-in wifi for awhile.

0 upvotes

I might be the first comment here to look at this device somewhat objectively and say that it shows promise.

Some of the main complaints here were:

"I don't want this on my hotshoe" - It seems to be a cold shoe mount, so you can use a flash bracket in order to free up the hotshoe.

"The price is outrageous" - I sort of agree there; however, the only photo equipment that does not seem to apply to that factor is DIY gear.

"Size" - It is smaller than a flash, hehe. I haven't used it yet, but I feel the size might be a good thing, allowing smoother, or in the very least a more powerful, performance. I would need to try it to confirm, or take a closer look at the exact hardware specs.

0 upvotes

You guys really need to Feature CamRanger, it's better in every way and shipping NOW and for the past 3 months or so. Get with it, CamRanger is one of the best SHIPPING products of 2012. The app has already been updated 4 times or so with new features and fixes. I've talked with the developer a few times and they are completely open to adding the additional features Commercial Photographers might want.

Robert

1 upvote

I'd like to propose a feature to them. Do you have an email address for them that has worked well for you.

The feature I want to add is the ability to scroll through images from the card. At the present, you have to View, go back to thumbnails, View, go back to thumbnails etc. I'd like to go from picture to picture directly, even at iPad native resolution rather than 1:1.

0 upvotes

No mention of live viewing lag time, very important to know.

0 upvotes

With CamRanger there is a little lag time with Live View. When you pan, there is some blurring until it catches up. You couldn't use it for fast action. I do architectural photography and it's perfect. There is a client mode which strips out the Exif info and shows the client a high-quality image on the iPad. I haven't used it yet for remote trigger release or focusing, but others seem happy with those aspects.

0 upvotes

The CamRanger is the same price and on my Canon cameras allows Live View and changing focus. Neither of these are available on the CameraMator. Live View is very important as is resetting focus from up to 150 feet. Plus I don't want this on my Hotshoe.

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

1 upvote

Shame theres no support for 5d classic. Also its a shame about the size!

0 upvotes

Expensive, and look to big to carry along.

0 upvotes

thats the price i bought my s100. and its a hotshoe connect. no, this company wont get start.you guys got to think more deeply than the competitions.

0 upvotes

There is another one:
http://www.camranger.com

1 upvote

Hijacks the hotshoe, awkward size, $299...I don't think it's a winner, no.
Anyway, this is all moot now as CameraMator (...and others...) have only a small opportunity window to benefit from.
The Canon 6D has opened a door that will never close again.

5 upvotes

The WU-1a works with the D600. It's a bit clumsy (and not weather-sealed) compared to the Canon D6, with built-in wifi, if that floats your phot) but it works. I don't see how this CameraMator can kickstart itself with a $299 price tag compared to built-in with Canon or a cheap ($60?) dongle from Nikon.

2 upvotes

WU-1a also slated to work with new Nikon D5200

0 upvotes

Completely agree.

However, I want to point out that the Wu-1a works with the D3200, and will work with the D5200 upon its release, but not with the D600. IIRC, the Wu-1b is the adapter that works with the D600, as well as the Nikon 1 later models (V2, J3, S1).

If I am mistaken, please let me know.

Comment edited 13 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

Toshiba FlashAir does it far more simply via FTP for a sixth of the price.
IF you want to control the other things then yes, tethering is great but only if you have a compatible camera.
What's the RAW transfer speed?

0 upvotes

Total comments: 56

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