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Transferring photos/videos wirelessly

jwolf6589

jwolf6589

macrumors 601
Original poster
Dec 15, 2010
4,922
1,645
Colorado
On vacation in Alaska and did not bring my dongle nor USB cable so I am set to transferring photos/videos wirelessly to my phone. Notice there is a delay in transferring them and there is almost no delay in doing this via a USB cable. I do not know why camera makers have decided not to ship their cameras with USB cables these days thinking that wireless transfer will replace it when it will not. But since many would rather use their phones over a regular computer I guess that is the reason why. Anyone? Oh and most of my videos are being done on my Canon Camcorder but this one was a cheaper model lacking a wireless feature so those videos will have to wait till I get home to be on my Mac.

Oh and this is a good reason why NOT to choose the highest resolution when shooting photos because of the delay in transferring them.
 
Most photographers pack appropriate hardware and connection devices when traveling. Corded options are always faster. We just take a card reader and go that route or understand the limitations of wireless transfer.
 
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FWIW I recently replaced my SD card. A fast 32GB card cost me $12CDN. Unless you are shooting RAW or a lot of video, 2 of those will take a very long time to fill.

I believe your camera uses a tiny 4.8x6.4mm sensor. If you remember the old Kodak disk cameras, the negative was ~8x11mm. It is doubtful that going from 4MP resolution to 8MP will result in any better detail capture. The additional pixels are almost certainly interpolated in camera from a 3 or 4 MP capture. This is pretty easy to determine by putting the camera on a tripod and shooting the same highly detailed scene at the various resolutions, then interpolating the smaller captures up to the largest size on your computer.

I shoot my 16MP Fuji XP90 at 8MP, knowing on those rare occasions when I might need more pixels, interpolating from 8 to 16 on the computer will produce results identical to shooting at 16. I could possibly go lower but prefer that resolution.
 
OldMacs4Me said:
FWIW I recently replaced my SD card. A fast 32GB card cost me $12CDN. Unless you are shooting RAW or a lot of video, 2 of those will take a very long time to fill.

I believe your camera uses a tiny 4.8x6.4mm sensor. If you remember the old Kodak disk cameras, the negative was ~8x11mm. It is doubtful that going from 4MP resolution to 8MP will result in any better detail capture. The additional pixels are almost certainly interpolated in camera from a 3 or 4 MP capture. This is pretty easy to determine by putting the camera on a tripod and shooting the same highly detailed scene at the various resolutions, then interpolating the smaller captures up to the largest size on your computer.

I shoot my 16MP Fuji XP90 at 8MP, knowing on those rare occasions when I might need more pixels, interpolating from 8 to 16 on the computer will produce results identical to shooting at 16. I could possibly go lower but prefer that resolution.
Click to expand...
I use a 32GB card and shoot video on occasion. However my camcorder uses a 64GB card. I have over 7 hours of video left and been using the card since 2018.

Since I rarely print and most of my shots are for me only I set my camera at 4MP. However if I need to shoot a mountain or what not I can set the camera to a higher res. But by default I am at 4MP. Transferring a 4MP image over wireless can take some time but almost no time over standard USB.
 
jwolf6589 said:
On vacation in Alaska and did not bring my dongle nor USB cable so I am set to transferring photos/videos wirelessly to my phone. Notice there is a delay in transferring them and there is almost no delay in doing this via a USB cable. I do not know why camera makers have decided not to ship their cameras with USB cables these days thinking that wireless transfer will replace it when it will not. But since many would rather use their phones over a regular computer I guess that is the reason why. Anyone? Oh and most of my videos are being done on my Canon Camcorder but this one was a cheaper model lacking a wireless feature so those videos will have to wait till I get home to be on my Mac.

Oh and this is a good reason why NOT to choose the highest resolution when shooting photos because of the delay in transferring them.
Click to expand...
well, learn your lesson and do not forget necessary accessories for your next trip.
And no, you should ALWAYS shoot in highest resolution because you never know what you'll take photos off and regret it later. I always shoot RAW with my DSLR and have 2 64GB SD cards, they are cheap.
And on my iPhone, I shoot videos in 4k because I might do a video that I didn't plan for ...
Storage is CHEAP and you're driving yourself from opportunities if you shoot low(er) resolution.
 
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mollyc said:
Most photographers pack appropriate hardware and connection devices when traveling. Corded options are always faster. We just take a card reader and go that route or understand the limitations of wireless transfer.
Click to expand...
I get tired of the bulk so left the dongle and usb cable at home. Don’t I wish modern Macs included a SD card reader as my 2012 MPB had? I sure do. But I am afraid I am not paying $40 for another dang dongle SD card reader! USB cable works fine and it’s been paid for.
 
jz0309 said:
well, learn your lesson and do not forget necessary accessories for your next trip.
And no, you should ALWAYS shoot in highest resolution because you never know what you'll take photos off and regret it later. I always shoot RAW with my DSLR and have 2 64GB SD cards, they are cheap.
And on my iPhone, I shoot videos in 4k because I might do a video that I didn't plan for ...
Storage is CHEAP and you're driving yourself from opportunities if you shoot low(er) resolution.
Click to expand...
I disagree.
 
jz0309 said:
well, learn your lesson and do not forget necessary accessories for your next trip.
And no, you should ALWAYS shoot in highest resolution because you never know what you'll take photos off and regret it later. I always shoot RAW with my DSLR and have 2 64GB SD cards, they are cheap.
And on my iPhone, I shoot videos in 4k because I might do a video that I didn't plan for ...
Storage is CHEAP and you're driving yourself from opportunities if you shoot low(er) resolution.
Click to expand...
4MP images are perfectly clear and fine for my needs. Remember I am a hobbyist not a professional. If I need to shoot a mountain or what not I will set the camera to a higher res.
 
When preparing for a trip, the day before I always get the photo gear ready, especially if it is a trip where I am planning to do a fair amount of shooting. First thing I do is charge all the batteries I am taking with me, and then I get out and organize the various accessories that I'll be taking (SD card reader, which really takes up little space, extra battery charger (only need this on extensive photo trips, so that I'll be able to charge two batteries simultaneously in the hotel room in the evenings), extra SD memory cards, any cables that I might need, chargers, power adapters, etc. If I am driving I also take along an extra surge protector with several places to plug in my devices since sometimes hotel rooms don't have the electric plugs in the most convenient locations.

On a trip where I'm taking more than one camera I check each with its needed accessories, including lenses, of course, and then after everything is together I pack it all up, ready to take, ready to use. While I am packing up the camera electronics gear I also pack up accessories for my other electronics: laptop, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and make sure that I have the needed items for each device. With my luggage I keep a "travel kit" already packed with extra cables and chargers for just this purpose.

On most trips, especially if I am somewhere new to me and a place to which I am unlikely to return, just as I do at home, I shoot in RAW Uncompressed so that I will have plenty of megapixel room in which to work later while editing the images. Resolution is very important in the final outcome of an image.
 
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jwolf6589 said:
I get tired of the bulk so left the dongle and usb cable at home. Don’t I wish modern Macs included a SD card reader as my 2012 MPB had? I sure do. But I am afraid I am not paying $40 for another dang dongle SD card reader! USB cable works fine and it’s been paid for.
Click to expand...
Well unfortunately there is a trade off between speed and convenience as you have discovered.
 
Clix Pix said:
When preparing for a trip, the day before I always get the photo gear ready, especially if it is a trip where I am planning to do a fair amount of shooting. First thing I do is charge all the batteries I am taking with me, and then I get out and organize the various accessories that I'll be taking (SD card reader, which really takes up little space, extra battery charger (only need this on extensive photo trips, so that I'll be able to charge two batteries simultaneously in the hotel room in the evenings), extra SD memory cards, any cables that I might need, chargers, power adapters, etc. If I am driving I also take along an extra surge protector with several places to plug in my devices since sometimes hotel rooms don't have the electric plugs in the most convenient locations.

On a trip where I'm taking more than one camera I check each with its needed accessories, including lenses, of course, and then after everything is together I pack it all up, ready to take, ready to use. While I am packing up the camera electronics gear I also pack up accessories for my other electronics: laptop, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and make sure that I have the needed items for each device. With my luggage I keep a "travel kit" already packed with extra cables and chargers for just this purpose.

On most trips, especially if I am somewhere new to me and a place to which I am unlikely to return, just as I do at home, I shoot in RAW Uncompressed so that I will have plenty of megapixel room in which to work later while editing the images. Resolution is very important in the final outcome of an image.
Click to expand...
Well I did not do that. Maybe I should have at least brought a charger as my camcorder is halfway to being dead.
 
FWIW, I don't think I have ever used the usb cable that came with the camera. I mean, maybe at one point some camera required it for a firmware update, but honestly everyone I know uses a card reader.
 
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jwolf6589 said:
4MP images are perfectly clear and fine for my needs. Remember I am a hobbyist not a professional. If I need to shoot a mountain or what not I will set the camera to a higher res.
Click to expand...
that's fine and totally up to you ... but when you look at the photos in years to come, you might change your mind. I cn tell you the when I look at photos I took 20 or so years ago, they look meh compared to today's photos. And monitors/TVs are only going to increase in resolution and certainly my eyes are not getting any better with age.
And, I'm a hobbyist too, never got a single cent for any of my photos.
Back about 30 years ago I went on a 6.5 week trip to the South Pacific, I took ~ 10 rolls of film with me, back then 10 rolls + developing (slides) cost me around $70-80, for 360 photos ... fast forward ... a 64GB SD card cost me ~ $50 and holds ~ double # of photos, at full resolution and RAW - but you pick what works best for you
 
mollyc said:
FWIW, I don't think I have ever used the usb cable that came with the camera. I mean, maybe at one point some camera required it for a firmware update, but honestly everyone I know uses a card reader.
Click to expand...
I tried them with the various P&S ones I had and found them rather useless, so I totally agree with you
 
jz0309 said:
well, learn your lesson and do not forget necessary accessories for your next trip.
And no, you should ALWAYS shoot in highest resolution because you never know what you'll take photos off and regret it later. I always shoot RAW with my DSLR and have 2 64GB SD cards, they are cheap.
Click to expand...
Sorry but to put this in perspective, shooting a small sensor P&S camera at 16 MP, would be the equivalent of shooting a full frame at 400+ MP. Even shooting at 3MP gives the same pixels/square inch as a full frame 75MP image. Those sensors are incredibly tiny. While I use the medium 8MP setting on my Fuji, I doubt I would lose anything by dropping back to the small 3.2MP setting. I go with 8MP not for any improvement in detail capture, but because clear blue skies show less JPEG noise at that size.

On small sensor cameras the high resolution setting is an interpolation of an image captured at 2-4MP, something which can be accomplished just as well on the computer, should the need arise.

As to RAW there are times I wish I had that feature, but I would probably still shoot best quality JPEG at least 90% of the time. While CMOS sensors have some issues they do have really good underexposure latitude, so in most most cases exposing for highlight detail gives me an image that can be corrected later on.

Having said all of that, the higher resolution monitors which are now becoming common create a need for bigger sensors on low end cameras. A need that is so far unmet in a reasonable ~$500 price range.
 
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OldMacs4Me said:
Sorry but to put this in perspective, shooting a small sensor P&S camera at 16 MP, would be the equivalent of shooting a full frame at about 400+ MP. Even shooting at 3MP gives the same pixels/square inch as a full frame 75MP image. Those sensors are incredibly tiny. While I use the medium 8MP setting on my Fuji, I doubt I would lose anything by dropping back to the small 3.2MP setting.

On small sensor cameras the high resolution setting is an interpolation of an image captured at 2-4MP, something which can be accomplished just as well on the computer, should the need arise.

As to RAW there are times I wish I had that feature, but I would probably still shoot best quality JPEG at least 90% of the time. While CMOS sensors have some issues they do have really good underexposure latitude, so in most most cases exposing for highlight detail gives me an image that can be corrected later on.

Having said all of that, the higher resolution monitors which are now becoming common create a need for bigger sensors on low end cameras. A need that is so far unmet in a reasonable ~$500 price range.
Click to expand...
My first camera a Palm pilot and black berry show photos at 640x480 and video at 320x240. 4MP is light years ahead of those junkers!!
 
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