D850 Wifi & Bluetooth? I have never owned a camera with Bluetooth and/or Wifi and I see that the new D850 has both as features. Could someone enlighten me as to some of the...

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

I have never owned a camera with Bluetooth and/or Wifi and I see that the new D850 has both as features. Could someone enlighten me as to some of the uses/advantages of these features in a DSLR. Any recommendations for apps or software to maximize these facilities would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Miamisburg Jim Loc: Miamisburg, Ohio, USA

If I understand it correctly, WiFi is used to download files and control some of the newer remote flash units. Bluetooth will allow some of the camera functions to be controlled by an iPhone or other compatible device.

GregWCIL Loc: Illinois

I don't believe the wi-fi will communicate with flashes. It is for transferring photos to a phone, computer or I-pad. The bluetooth controls the wi-fi and also lets you remotely focus and trigger the shutter with your phone, etc. All is done via Nikon's Snapbridge app which has had it's share of bugs. You should start to see hands-on reviews in the next days and weeks as folks try in on the new D850.

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

Miamisburg Jim wrote:

If I understand it correctly, WiFi is used to download files and control some of the newer remote flash units. Bluetooth will allow some of the camera functions to be controlled by an iPhone or other compatible device.

Thanks for the quick response, Jim.

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

GregWCIL wrote:

I don't believe the wi-fi will communicate with flashes. It is for transferring photos to a phone, computer or I-pad. The bluetooth controls the wi-fi and also lets you remotely focus and trigger the shutter with your phone, etc. All is done via Nikon's Snapbridge app which has had it's share of bugs. You should start to see hands-on reviews in the next days and weeks as folks try in on the new D850.

Thank you, Greg. I'll do some research on Snapbridge.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

Snapbridge is a weak application. I don't and probably will never use it. CamRanger works well.

joehel2 wrote:

Thank you, Greg. I'll do some research on Snapbridge.

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

Thank you, David. I will check it out.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

GregWCIL wrote:

I don't believe the wi-fi will communicate with flashes. It is for transferring photos to a phone, computer or I-pad. The bluetooth controls the wi-fi and also lets you remotely focus and trigger the shutter with your phone, etc. All is done via Nikon's Snapbridge app which has had it's share of bugs. You should start to see hands-on reviews in the next days and weeks as folks try in on the new D850.

I sure hope that with the release of the D850, Nikon has upgraded and improved Snapbridge. If not the poor performance of previous versions will drag the D850's reputation down. I did see one early report where the reviewer was happy with it.
Time and a lot of user reports will tell.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Rich1939 wrote:

I sure hope that with the release of the D850, Nikon has upgraded and improved Snapbridge. If not the poor performance of previous versions will drag the
D850's reputation down. I did see one early report where the reviewer was happy with it.
Time and a lot of user reports will tell.

I think that it is going to be a work in progress.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Bluetooth is a point-to-point (one device such as a camera talks/listens to one device such as a phone or laptop) protocol with a limited range (see chart below for range and bandwidth of various versions):

Bluetooth version Maximum speed Maximum range
3.0 25 Mbit/s. 10 meters (33 ft)
4.0 25 Mbit/s. 60 meters (200 ft)
5.0. 50 Mbit/s. 240 meters (800 ft)

Wifi is a network protocol. It can be either point-to-point (ad hoc) like Bluetooth or your device can be part of a larger wifi network. Wifi is typically faster than Bluetooth depending on the speed of your network/router allowing faster image transfers (see chart below)

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

TriX wrote:

Bluetooth is a point-to-point (one device such as ... (show quote)

Thanks, I get it now, two wifi enabled devices are not going to communicate without a router/network somewhere in the loop, whereas two bluetooth enabled devices can communicate independently.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

joehel2 wrote:

Thanks, I get it now, two wifi enabled devices are not going to communicate without a router/network somewhere in the loop, whereas two bluetooth enabled devices can communicate independently.

Actually, two wifi devices can communicate directly without a router when in ad hoc mode. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. That's the mode used when EyeFi cards or CamRangers communicate directly with a computer (usually a laptop)

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

TriX wrote:

Actually, two wifi devices can communicate directly without a router when in ad hoc mode. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. That's the mode used when EyeFi cards or CamRangers communicate directly with a computer (usually a laptop)

EyeFi is a memory card with built-in WiFi, to be used in a camera without builtin WiFi??

So I would need an app on my phone to move images directly from my camera to my phone??

Do you have any actual experience with these??

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Correct (Eyefi is a memory card with built-in wifi). Not suggesting it, just giving it as an example of an ad hoc (point-to-point) wifi network to move images from camera to laptop or phone without a router. If your body has wifi, then what you need is an application running on your phone, laptop, ipad, etc. I'm a Canon user, and I use Canon's Camera Connect if the body has wifi or a Camranger (and its associated ap) if it doesn't. Sorry I don't know the Nikon equivalent, but perhaps some Nikon users can comment.

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

Thanks for the excellent responses everyone, I now understand the uses and benefits.