Fuji Fuji Remote App

[Covey22]

Well, the first test of the Fuji Remote App in a high stakes environment (i.e., family group photos at Thanksgiving - what else ) was a mixed bag.

When I previously used this in the field for transferring good grab shots for immediate upload via phone to E-mail/Social Media Channels it works like a charm.

The Remote Shutter function is a bit harder to work. If you're in a location where there is an existing WiFi signal, but don't choose to connect to it (or can't if you don't know the password), the camera and your mobile device running the App take a LOT longer to synch up and connect. In fact, the app crashed a few times which of course impacts the workflow and general mood.

The good:

When it works, it works.
Focus touch and being able to control the timing and firing is so convenient compared to setting a delayed shutter.
Composition while seated in your spot for the group shot - awesome.

The not-so-good:

When it doesn't work - it can crash (on the mobile device) and crash bad.
You really need to up the timeout values on the camera to max - impacts to battery life.
1st shot shows the live view, but even just shooting Large-Fine JPEG, the remote view blacks out (presumably while the file is writing).
The remote shutter will still respond to firing commands even with a blacked out Live View, but then you've lost the immediate benefit of seeing the Composition before firing.

Overall I'll need to experiment with this more where I'm in a WiFi free zone and then in an area where I'm authorized to connect to the dominant WiFi signal.

One way the WiFi piece might be mitigated - future versions should consider using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) - but that's a very low bandwidth connection which makes the Live View feed questionable, so I'm not sure that resolves the whole deal.

Yours truly lower right with my phone/trigger in hand.

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[Safari]

Thanks for the tips. I've used the app a few times, though never in a really critical situation nor with significant WiFi competition. Worked well for me, though several times I captured myself looking down at the app - gotta work on knowing just where the shutter is, so I don't have to look.

 

[Mike G]

Armando, did you have to feed them all?

 

[Blythe]

I gave up trying to make this work because I wanted to use it as a remote trigger for long exposures, often outside in the wilds, with of course no mobile or wifi. I would have preferred a bluetooth option that only requires the camera to see the phone, rather than a network. Or better still, just give us a good old fashioned screw threaded cable release to the shutter button (I mean, why not?)

 

[Covey22]

Yep, the XE and XTs all have threads. What I like about the app is seeing the composition in real time , especially if I'm in it.

 

[Mike G]

the X-T2 of course has a threaded shutter button

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Here is mine sporting a natty orange SRB

 

[rixpix]

I gave up trying to make this work because I wanted to use it as a remote trigger for long exposures, often outside in the wilds, with of course no mobile or wifi. I would have preferred a bluetooth option that only requires the camera to see the phone, rather than a network. Or better still, just give us a good old fashioned screw threaded cable release to the shutter button (I mean, why not?)

I think you may be misunderstanding using the wifi with the remote app. You do not need an existing network ... the camera creates an adhoc wifi network instantly when you choose "communicate" and you just connect to that wifi from your phone/tablet/pc (the phone sees the camera, not vice versa).

 

[Covey22]

I think you may be misunderstanding using the wifi with the remote app. You do not need an existing network ... the camera creates an adhoc wifi network instantly when you choose "communicate" and you just connect to that wifi from your phone/tablet/pc (the phone sees the camera, not vice versa).

I think that the ad-hoc network is being interfered with by either an existing WiFi connection (i.e., you're at home or you know the password) or the presence of open networks is competing with the ad-hoc connection. Case in point - After activating the WiFi function the camera, I see at least a 30-45 second delay after launching the app when I click the Connect button on my mobile device. I see my WiFi icon on my mobile device flash, then throw an exclamation notice, which means it's in transition or it lost a signal and is attempting a reconnect. At this point, it's a 60-40 chance it will connect to the camera and give me the usual four choices. Mostly, however, it will crash and say cannot connect, try again.

 

[Covey22]

I'll experiment with an old phone that is no longer in service and simply is a WiFi only device. I'll have it "forget" my home network to see if that helps. But it seems pretty silly that Fuji didn't test this in an existing WiFi environment or on a device that is already connected to an existing WiFi network.

 

[rixpix]

I'll experiment with an old phone that is no longer in service and simply is a WiFi only device. I'll have it "forget" my home network to see if that helps. But it seems pretty silly that Fuji didn't test this in an existing WiFi environment or on a device that is already connected to an existing WiFi network.

I have used the WiFi in the "camera creates an Ad-Hoc network and phone looks for it" mode in my home which has two different WiFi access points and is also in range of several of the neighbor's. With my iPhone and iPad, I have no problem simply selecting the Fuji WiFi and don't have to forget the others. I like the idea of using an old phone as a dedicated controller, but it shouldn't be necessary.