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Wifi Camera Uploads without Computer
* * Beatles-Beatles writes to tell us NewsDay is reporting that Kodak has released the first "computer-free wireless camera." The new widget can connect directly to the Internet wherever there's Wi-Fi available to download and e-mail pictures. Users can even use the camera to view photos stored in Internet photo albums via Kodak's Easyshare Gallery service.
Nikon's D2X, the holy grail of cameras, can upload wirelessly via ftp when in range. All I'm seeing in the article is that the camera forces you to use some service that they offer, something more annoying than straight up FTP. Nothing to see here. What am I missing?
I've got a Sony SNC-RZ30 at work since two years and it has got wireless, smtp, ftp, web and alarm capabilities... See it here
Kodak thinks it has found a solution to plumetting revenue as everyone in the world suddenly goes digital. If everyone in the world pays five bucks a month rent^H^H^H^Hservice charge then even after T-Mbile takes a slice, Kodak are going to be happy unies once again. And of course you have these Kodak branded print kiosks as well.
I can't see it working myself, both for the reasons you describe, and for the fact that after paying $600 for the damn thing, I;d be anoyed to have to pay $5 a month to keep it working.
Especaially since the damn thing doesn't seem to have an option to talk to my computer direct. To say nothing of all the folks who already pay T-Mobile or similar for basically the same service for their phones...
Don't let THEM immanentize the Eschaton!
true, most of the hi-end cell phones are capable of doing this; but, we are talking about a digital camera here -- 4 megapixels, 3x optical zoom, etc. (if i am not mistaken) the highest resolution you can get from a built-in cell phone camera is 2.
You're not missing anything.
Canon's EOS 1Ds Mark II and 20D cameras do Wireless + FTP Uploading too, given the appropriate wireless adaptor (WFT-E1, for both of them).
Note for anyone fact checking: The Canon EOS 20D needs a firmware update (free) to support the WFT-E1, but otherwise works fine on wireless.
- Nikon: $5,000 (plus $500 for wireless)
- Canon: $1,900 for EOS-1, $1,400 for EOS-20 (according to a couple of Froogle searches)
- Kodak: $600 (plus $5/month)
Obviously the original "first wireless computerless camera" claim is overblown, but Kodak may well have the first camera in that class that's anywhere near this cheap. Not that I would know - if you have a counterexample, by all means post it.(Froogle turned up a couple of used EOS-1 models in the $400-$600 range, but that's comparing apples to oranges. Presumably, a used Kodak would sell for considerably less than $600.)
Dlink has had WIFI equiped video cameras with built in FTP to send stills to an Internet server for over a year now.
When digital loomed as a threat, they held a big strategy meeting, and they brainstormed, and came up with the conclusion "digital is a passing fad", sat on their hands and waited for the market to return to film. Their accounts are significantly worse now, for obvious reasons.
This may be the first WiFi camera but it's not the first camera that can upload images without a computer.
Sony has had bluetooth enabled cameras that can connect to the net and upload images if you have a bluetooth cell phone for 2-3 years now. (no computer needed)
And of course all the cellphones with camears built in do it just fine without a computer including the 7 megapixel samsung.
Might refine that search. A $1,900 EOS-1 is a film, not digital, camera. EOS-1 series DIGITAL cameras are the 1D, 1Ds, 1D MII, and 1Ds MII.
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