PM and Nikon D4 Ethernet connection to MBP

[JonHob]

I'm wondering if PM can be used with the Nikon D4/s connected with the Ethernet cable to a Macbook Pro? Can images be downloaded straight in to a destination folder like I would normally do with my CF cards? Also if it does work like this, how fast is it compared to say, a FW800 reader and CF card.

I'm looking at a D4 or a D4s but as there are the CF and XQD cards, I don't want to have two card readers pitch side of a football match. I hope this makes sense?

Thanks!!

[Hayo Baan]

Hi Jon,

If you set up your camera and laptop correctly for a (wired) network connection, you can have your camera (automatically) send your shots to a specified folder on your mac. This folder you can then use to (live) ingest from in PM. I just tried this with my own D4 (never done so before) and it works just fine

Enjoy,
Hayo

[JonHob]

Thanks for your reply.

And what is the speed like?


Thanks again!
Jon

[Hayo Baan]

Hi Jon,

Speed seems to be Ok (haven't done any “scientific” tests), but do expect raw files to take a couple of seconds (2~3) to transfer. This is on a D4, the D4s will probably be a bit faster as it has a Gigabit LAN connection instead of “only” 100Mbit.

Hope this helps,
Hayo

[vasha]

I did the Ethernet set up tonight for the first time (unrelated to this thread - I wanted to try it as a means of being able to edit some photos as I shot for a gymnastics meet, especially after reading about its use in Sochi). It takes a few seconds to transfer RAW files, and if you run out of space on both cards it can cause problems - I waited till one card had cleared, hoping to format it since I had all the files transferred as I filled the other one to the max. It would not format and the upload broke for a spell when I pulled the first card so I could keep shooting.

I had to restart the upload at that point. But the system was very dependable and after a bit of getting used to it I found it to be fairly easy to work with.

I can't wait for the D4S however as Gigabit Ethernet will make RAW file transfers much faster. When shooting a gymnastics meet, I found the D4 and its 10/100 Ethernet falling behind on the transfers a bit.

Still it is a great option in the right circumstances. For Basketball or gymnastics it should be very useful and I expect it to work well for baseball too. I'd guess Soccer (or futball to the UK folks) would be good if you had a place to stash the laptop and access it.

Notes: I was using a MacBook Pro with OS X 10.9.2 and recently installed Wireless transmitter Utility from Nikon, which is needed to get the setup up and running, as is a USB Mini to USB standard cable for pairing only. Current Photo Mechanic live ingested from the standard Wireless transmitter Utility folder. Works like a charm on Photo Mechanic's end.

[Tom Parkes 2]

Guys, I realise this is an old thread but if either of you are around and can help, or anyone else for that matter, I'd appreciate it.

I'd like to do pretty much what you describe: connect my D4 to my MBP via Ethernet and have PM live ingest the files. The PM side I can figure but connecting the camera has me stumped. I can see how to turn on the network connection and my browser can see the images on the card, but how do I transfer the images automatically to the MBP?

Is there something I need to set on the camera or laptop or do I need additional software?

Thanks

[Tom Parkes 2]

I'm just going to update my own question for the benefit of anyone else similarly scratching their heads as I've now found the solution. To connect the D4 to the laptop via Ethernet you need both a USB lead and the Nikon Wireless Transmitter Utility. Who would have thought it?

[Hayo Baan]

The USB cable should not be required as far as I know...

[Tom Parkes 2]

Definitely needed the USB cable. The camera asked for it during the pairing of the laptop with the camera. As soon as it was plugged in the camera asked for it to be removed and the process was complete. Now only the Ethernet cable is needed. Nikon's instructions on the process are pretty vague but in the end I found a video on YouTube of one of their guys going through it.

[Hayo Baan]

Ah, right. I thought you meant to imply that the USB cable was always required, not only when first pairing the device with the Nikon wireless transmission utility. For pairing, you indeed need the USB cable.

[Tom Parkes 2]

Yes, it didn't make much sense to me that as the two were already connected via one cable that you then needed to add a second, albeit briefly. It's one of those things that really is simple once you've done it the first time but had me stumped (along with why the wireless utility was needed when I plainly wasn't working wirelessly!) Thankfully, the PhotoMechanic aspect of it was easy and intuitive.

[Eric]

While a bit off topic, for anyone who is looking to tether without the wire I would suggest looking at the TP Link MR3040 wifi 3g/4g router. This is essentially a CamRanger without the cost. I picked one up a few weeks ago and have not looked back. For $30 I have found my favorite accessory for filing on deadline.  With this devices I just plug a short ethernet cable from the D4s to the router and run a FTP server on my laptop. Images get sent from the camera to a 'live' folder on the laptop and PM live ingests the folder on the fly. It is ridiculously fast and easy.  My understanding is that it will work with USB too but I have not tried that as the D4s has a dedicated ethernet port.

[JonHob]

Hi guys

After starting this original thread ages ago, in still haven't sorted out the Ethernet connection but will try and do it today 

I did chat with a Canon tog yesterday that also mentioned the TP Link MR3040. Tbh I didn't really understand how this all works so if anyone can advise me, I would be greatfuly thankful. I'm not a computer buff at all so understanding FTP is a bit confusing. I use a MBP and an EE mobile wifi/broadband device that I send my images with. Not sure if this is any help?

Kind regards Jon

[JonHob]

I have finally managed to set up my D4/D4s with an Ethernet lead to my MBP to allow me to use Live Ingest in to PM. I had to load Nikon's Wireless Transfer Utility before it would work. Do I actually need to use this software at all?

I'm now a bit confused with Photo Mechanic's Live Ingest and setting the 'Root Path' in particular. What actually am I setting with the Root Path? I imagined that I need to just tell PM to 'look' at the folder the images are going in to which I've set in the Live Ingest Source Folders?

Also, can I still load images off another camera through my card reader in to the same folder?

Thanks for your help in advance.

Jon

[Kirk Baker]

Jon,

I have finally managed to set up my D4/D4s with an Ethernet lead to my MBP to allow me to use Live Ingest in to PM. I had to load Nikon's Wireless Transfer Utility before it would work. Do I actually need to use this software at all?

I'm now a bit confused with Photo Mechanic's Live Ingest and setting the 'Root Path' in particular. What actually am I setting with the Root Path? I imagined that I need to just tell PM to 'look' at the folder the images are going in to which I've set in the Live Ingest Source Folders?

The "Root Path" that you refer to is one of three Destination root paths, which is where your images will go once they're copied.  Your "Copy Photos:" choice will determine where the full destination will be, but the root is where the path building starts.  You don't want any of the Destination Root Paths to be in one of the folders that Live Ingest is monitoring.  You would create an infinite loop.

Also, can I still load images off another camera through my card reader in to the same folder?

I'm not quite sure what you're asking here, but you could have an Ingest and a Live Ingest going at the same time, putting files into the same destination folder hierarchy, yes.  But I wouldn't recommend it unless your folder naming schemes are different between the two tools or at least the naming of the images themselves differ.  Otherwise naming collisions are bound to occur.

HTH,

-Kirk