As Wi-Fi starts to become a ubiquitous feature in cameras, it’s only slowly making its way into DSLRs. If you have a Nikon or Canon DSLR, a device called the Weye Feye from accessories maker XSories puts wireless connectivity into your camera and lets you control it remotely from an iOS or Android smartphone or tablet.
The Weye Feye isn’t a complete Wi-Fi solution, however. It doesn’t let you connect the attached camera (via USB) to a wireless network so that you can transfer files or upload them online, for example. What the Weye Feye device does is it creates an ad-hoc Wi-Fi network between the camera and a smart device, with a distance of up to 80 meters or 262 feet and minimal lag. With the Wefe Feye app running, you can remotely view through the camera via Live View and adjust ISO, white balance, aperture, focus, exposure compensation, burst, etc. (the settings depend on the camera model). You can also switch between still and video modes. In Gallery view, you can play back images on the camera, which you can transfer to the smart device (and then upload to the Web) or push to a computer or Dropbox.
The device if fairly compact – not tiny, but it’ll fit in a camera bag without taking up a lot of space. It has its own power source (8 hours before recharge), so it works independently of your camera. It doesn’t support all DSLRs, so check the compatibility list. Because DSLR image file sizes tend to be large, most users won’t want to use it as their primary way for transferring images. But the major appeal is the remote control. Imagine a wedding photographer being able to set a camera in a unique but difficult-to-reach position, and controlling it simply from his phone or tablet. That’s the kind of benefit the Weye Feye offers to DSLR users.
The Weye Feye goes for $250.
