The last time I wrote about the Eye-Fi SD card, which enables you to wirelessly upload photos from camera to PC and online photo sites, I groused that the uploads were just too slow. Last month, a reader suggested that I try the new $150 Eye-Fi Pro card, which adds some useful tricks and faster uploads. So I did, and I'm no longer grumbling.
First of all, the 4GB Eye-Fi Pro can now upload RAW photos to both Windows and Mac machines. That's great news for those who prefer to shoot in RAW.
Second, it offers a feature that will automatically geotag images taken within range of certain Wi-Fi networks (more on that later). It's great for those who primarily take photos in urban areas.
And finally, uploads are noticeably faster. I didn't perform a time comparison between the card I bought a couple of years ago and the new Eye-Fi Pro, but I know it's faster because I'm no longer annoyed. Eye-Fi says it achieved this speed bump via a firmware update.
The RAW upload feature works flawlessly, although Eye-Fi doesn't support RAW upload to sites like Flickr, Shutterfly, Facebook and others. The reason, most likely, is that RAW photos are much larger files. For instance, RAW images shot with my camera (a Nikon D60) are 9 megabytes or larger, while the best-quality JPEGs are typically less than 4 megabytes. RAW photos consume much more bandwidth and storage space.
The geotagging feature doesn't use GPS satellites. Rather, it relies on triangulation of Skyhook Wireless Wi-Fi networks. I took photos in New York City and the system accurately geotagged all images, which is great for sites like Flickr and apps like iPhoto that plot your photos on a map. But the Skyhook network probably won't work in most remote locations. I snapped some photos in a rural area just outside of Woodstock, N.Y., and the card was not able to geotag the images, presumably because there were not enough Wi-Fi networks (other than my own) in the area.
The Eye-Fi Pro enables you to wirelessly upload photos and video to more than 25 online sites. I use Flickr and sometimes experienced glitches in uploads; it's impossible for me to know if the glitches were caused by the Eye-Fi card or Flickr, although the images faultlessly uploaded to my computer. As I write this, however, the Eye-Fi Pro is uploading to Flickr with no trouble.
My second look at the Eye-Fi revealed a faster and more robust device, one that's definitely worth a look. It's pricey when compared with standard SDHC cards, but it pays off in convenience. Here is a comparison of the entire family of Eye-Fi cards.
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