DISCLAIMER: I have not actually tried this grand experiment yet, but in theory, based on what I know about the devices in question, it should be possible to set up a Canon digital camera so that it will transmit photos that it takes, wirelessly, to the Apple iPad. If I can work up the nerve, I might ask someone at the local Apple store if they will allow me to test the theory. The procedure would involve a device called the Canon WFT-E4A. This is a wireless transmitter which attaches to the base of your 5D Mark II, similar to a battery grip. Among other features, it boasts that it will allow you to transfer pictures as you shoot them over to a nearby laptop computer. There are similar models also for the 1D III, 1Ds III, 40D and 50D. The iPad, as you’ve probably heard, has some limitations. It does not have a USB port , which already makes it difficult for a professional photographer to get his pictures onto it. Nor does it have a camera (although you wouldn’t want to use it for professional work, anyway. What’s more, an iPad is not a laptopâ€"not exactly. That’s what makes this an iffy purchase. Will a transmitter such as this work equally well on Apple’s newest device that even some colleges report are not connecting exactly right? One would think soâ€but as of right now, I don’t know anyone who has tried it. Supposedly, you should be able to set up the WFT-E4A in one of three ways. First, you could set it up as an FTP client, allowing you to transfer shots to your laptop as you shoot. The second way to set it up would be as a PTP client. Using this method, you would have total remote control of your camera through an EOS utility. You would have a live view image, again, wirelessly. This would be great for remote cameras. It’s the third method, though, that I think would probably be easiest to set up with the fewest headaches. This is to set it up in HTTP mode. Recognize those letters? You should. They’re the letters that start each Web address. That’s because the transmitter, in HTTP mode, actually starts an in-built Web server. As you shoot pictures, the device creates a Web page with those images on it. In theory, then, if you can get on the Web, you should be able to get access to the pictures you just tookâ€"including by using an iPad. The signal that the WFT-E4A operates on is compatible with most wireless cards currently on the market, so this should mean that it is able to connect to the wireless card inside even the cheapest iPad. Again, in theory. Everyone I’ve known who has tried to connect the transmitter even to a laptop admits it’s not a quick or easy process. But for a professional photographer who also loves to find ways to use the latest technology for his trade, it’s a temptation that’s almost too enticing to resist.
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