Phocus mobile and wifi

[davidthescot]

One of the most exciting things about the new H6D100C for me was live view using Phocus mobile i.e. untethered.  I was looking forward to using my iPad or iPhone as a remote trigger and viewer much as I use my laptop tethered but without all the wires and stuff.  I am not a computer expert but it was disappointing to find that, unlike the Sony wifi setup, I needed a wifi network to connect the camera to the iPad.  That meant having a wifi network wherever I wanted to shoot in this way.  My studio is in a barn and has no wifi and most locations are similar.  I always thought that wifi and the internet were indivisible  but that is not the case.

Using an old Apple Airport Extreme I set up a new wifi network without bothering with the internet or other network connection.  I had to do a hard reset of the Airport module before setting this up but once that was done it was easy to set up my new "photo net" and this can be done anywhere you have an existing wifi network and a Mac.  This Airport Extreme unit now provides me with a mobile solution that can be used on location (provided there is a power supply) or in my studio.  I can use my iPad instead of the laptop and all the wires - the only difference being that the images are saved as raw files on the cameras card with just a preview (but quite a good one) on the iPad.

No doubt other more technical photographers have already done this but some like me may have also struggled.  I understand also that there are battery powered wifi routers available at low cost which would enable similar connectivity in the open air.

If I have got this wrong and there is a simpler solution please let me know.

[stephanbruehl]

I hope I understand you right.
In the camera menu you can choose Network connection then you need a WiFi network, which of course you don't have in your barn or somewhere out in the landscape.

But you can also choose "direct connection" and then the camera works as a  local hotspot and you can connect the iPad to this address. I don't have the H6D-100, but only the H5D-50 WiFi and there it works quite well.

Best, Stephan
   

[davidthescot]

Hi Stephan

I had a look at the menu but there is no option for direct connection.  I know that all the features of the H5 have not yet been implemented in the H6.

When I first tried to use P Mobile just after I got the camera it would not form a direct connection but only via wifi network.  I have now updated to the latest firmware and tried again without a network i.e. in the open air and it seems to work albeit slowly.  I think that they must have tweaked it in firmware.  However it seems very slow and the camera is reluctant to auto focus - perhaps it is because it is busy communicating with the iPad.

I will keep experimenting but thank you for the useful information.

[docmoore]

I assume that you are adding a step that is unnecessary ...

Turn on WIFI in the camera ...

On the iPad or phone use settings and discover the signal from the camera .... use it as your network.

Once you have connected to the camera ... open Phocus mobile and it will show the camera on the left ...

Connect to it and you should be good to go without the router.

Bob