Customer Reviews

Eye-Fi Explore X2 8 GB Class 6 SDHC Wireless Photo & Memory Uploads EYE-FI-8EX

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Update 6-25-10: Please see below this review for a question I answered about the EyeFi's Geotagging feature. Thanks.

First off, one limitation to this particular model forced me to return it:

This one does not transfer RAW images or transfer directly to a computer, this was MY FAULT because I didn't read.

I take RAW images so the one I need to get is the Eye-Fi X2 pro which will transfer RAW and directly to a computer via WiFi.

So, I took this out of the package and popped it into my laptop's SDHC slot and it asked me if I wanted to install the software. Simple install, took seconds. I configured the wireless router WPA2 security settings with ease and it was connected.

The Software lets you choose from 25 online companies to upload the pictures to, as well as the ability to simultaneously download to your computer (via your WiFi router, not directly from Camera to Computer).

I chose to download pictures and video to both my backup HDD and to [...]

I took it out and popped it into my Canon T2i which now has the Eye-Fi menu support, and took some pictures. The T2i immediately flashed the Eye-Fi connection icon and showed that it was transmitting. Within seconds, a popup from the tray icon on my computer indicated which file was being transfered with a thumbnail of it.

The 802.11n is alot faster than the previous model Eye-Fi card's b/g. When it finished transferring, I verified that it indeed uploaded to my MobileMe account and it was on my backup HDD. Then, Carbonite immediately took over and started backing up the pictures from my backup HDD to it's online backup servers.

So in a nutshell, I took the pics and without doing anything it uploaded to my MobileMe account and my External HDD. Then Carbonite backed up from my External HDD to it's online backup. Bamn, 4 copies (SDHC card, MobileMe, HDD, Carbonite) for secure, backed up pictures without really doing anything.

I love this. I will be getting the Eye-Fi X2 pro 8GB just for the RAW picture transfers and Ad-Hoc mode (Camera to Computer direct transfer). If you do not take RAW or you will be using your wireless router for the transfer, then the Explore X2 is fine.

UPDATE: I got 2 of the X2 Pro 8GB cards and wrote a review about it also.

UPDATE: I've been using this in my Compact Point-and-Shoot through some battery cycles and I have noticed a difference in battery life. Its significant enough for me to take notice, I am getting about 2/3 the battery life by using this Eye-Fi. That is understandable I guess because it is transmitting via WiFi.

Also, the card does get much hotter than a standard SDHC card so it does start to warm up the camera more than usual. This shouldn't affect anything.

So be aware that this will shorten battery life, carry a spare and make sure both are fully charged before going out to take pictures.

This is really a fantastic product and something that I had been waiting for a long time. I just got this on April 30, 2010, and have had a few days now to play around with it.


The Good:
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1. Technology

This device is just fantastic and the engineers at Eye-Fi really deserve to be commended! Basically, what this device does (for those who are not quite clear on the concept), is it turns your camera (check compatibility on their website) into a wifi-enabled device that can upload photos directly (via wifi, not ad hoc -- you need Eye Fi Pro X2 for that) from your camera to your computer and/or favorite internet photo hosting site (picasa, snapfish, fotki, photobucket, etc.).

This is how it works: you first connect the card to your computer using the supplied USB SD card reader and install/download the software (require internet connection obviously). Then you configure the software (including login info for your online photo hosting site), which is fairly simple. Then, when prompted, you remove the Eye Fi card and put it into you camera and take a test picture which is then uploaded to your computer (PC or Mac) and internet photo hosting site. After this test photo, you are ready to use it anywhere! You can 'add' up to 32 wifi networks via configuration (through the computer).


2. 'Configurability'

You can set the card (via the software) to upload photos in several configurations. First, is automatic uploading of ALL photos on your camera to your computer AND internet photo hosting site. Second, is uploading of ALL photos on your camera to you computer and SELECTED photos to your internet photo hosting site. Third, is uploading SELECTED photos to your computer and SELECTED photos to your internet photo hosting site. The way you select which photos to selectively upload is by using 'protect' (or similar function) on your camera to select each photo you wish to upload.

For automatic uploading settings, the camera (after turned on, or after taking a picture) will automatically connect to the wifi/hotspot network and start uploading. If you turn off your camera or leave the network area, the upload stops of course but will resume automatically when you return to a wifi/hotspot network area. Awesome!

I should also note that the engineers have really thought this product out well, so that when you are out of the house (and your home wifi network) and upload some new photos to your internet photo hosting site, when you go home your camera will upload those photos to your computer (but will not 're-upload' any of those photos to the internet). So, it does keep track of which photos you uploaded to your computer and internet photo hosting site and upload just those that have not been uploaded yet.


3. Integrated Features on Certain Cameras

My recently released camera (Canon SX210is) has Eye Fi integrated into the interface (under the 'tools' section), which lets you check if Eye Fi is connected to your wifi or a hotspot wireless network, and if it is uploading or not. On the LCD display it also has a wifi icon that shows if you are connected and when it is uploading (the wifi icon's waves animate to indicate active photo uploading). Also awesome is that the camera will not turn off until all photos are uploaded (but the camera lens will close and the LCD will turn off while uploading if it is battery save setting).

We tested the card on our older Canon SD870is and it does work just as well, but it does not have the wifi icon or network connection info so you don't know if it's connected and/or uploading photos, but it worked just fine uploading photos automatically to the internet.

I would say that the integrated menu/LCD features are very beneficial and to be honest would not really enjoy using the Eye Fi on a non-integrated camera.


4. Hotspots

This is a really cool feature, because your camera will automatically upload photos to your internet photo hosting site when you are in one of the Hotspots used by Eye Fi (Starbucks, McDonalds, Barnes and Noble, etc.), and there is no need to log in to these networks, it just automatically connects and starts uploading (based on your upload configuration settings). It's great! Note, the Eye Fi X2 Geo/Connect to do not have Hotspot access, but this one (Explore X2) and the Pro X2 do have it. There is one year of Hotspot access included with the Explore/Pro X2. Afterwards, it is something like thirty-five bucks a year (for Hotspot access). Non-Hotspot access to wifi networks is for lifetime I believe.


5. Geotagging

It's cool to geotag your photos automatically using this camera. The Pro X2 and the Geo X2 also can do this. The Connect X2 cannot.


6. Flexibility

The Eye Fi computer software configures each Eye Fi card, so that you can take out the card and use it in another compatible camera without having to do any sort of reconfiguration. This is very convenient and allows you to use one card with multiple cameras.

The card also has a feature (which I have not tried out yet) where it can automatically delete photos from your card that you have already uploaded to your computer and/or internet photo hosting site so that you never have to delete photos yourself from the card. Seems like a useful feature.


7. Organization/Convenience

You can configure the Eye Fi card to automatically create date-based folders on your computer and internet photo hosting site for uploaded photos, which is extremely convenient.


8. 8GB Storage Capacity

Nice 8GB of storage is a decent amount. The Connect X2 has 4GB and the Pro X2 also has 8GB.


9. Upload Speeds

I should mention that the uploading speed that I've tested at home (802.11G) and at Hotspots (McDonalds) has been speedy considering that it is wifi uploading. When I used it at home and at Hotspots, it took about 15-30 seconds for a 2-3MB photo to upload. Not tremendously fast, but fast enough given the wireless network constraints. With the Pro X2 you can upload directly and wirelessly (via ad hoc) to your computer.


The Could Be Better:
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There is almost nothing about this card that I can complain about. One thing that I have not checked yet is if this card can be used with public wifi networks that are not part of the 'Eye Fi-compatible Hotspots' without adding that network to your card (which requires configuring the card in the card reader connected to your computer), say at a library, school, etc.

For 'Eye Fi integrated cameras' it would be great if you could detect networks and actually use the camera's buttons (eg. type passwords) to log on to non-Hotspot public or private networks so that you can basically use it on the go on even more wifi networks.


Summary:
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This product (Eye Fi X2) is incredible, and unless you need RAW photo uploading or ad hoc transferring capabilities, the Explore X2 should suit your needs. I plan to buy a couple more for my family!

When I first heard about the Eye-Fi cards I was intrigued to say the least. I had heard about the possibility of having cameras with wireless capabilities long before these were introduced but as soon as I heard about that possibility becoming a reality I knew I had to have one. Originally the price was prohibitive for me but I got a great deal on mine and the standard prices have already come down a bit.

I'll start with the cons because at days end I do like the card so I want to leave you with a positive outlook.
CONS:
The subscription to have your photos uploaded to the internet only lasts for a year, then you have to start paying a subscription fee.

There are many holes in the Geotagging feature. I would rather it used satellites rather than WiFi to geotag but this technology will only continue to gain traction and improve their network and I can't wait for that to happen.

In order for it to work properly through your camera alone it absolutely rips through your camera battery especially when trying to transfer videos.

I haven't yet figured out how to use it as a regular memory card. It will still save the pictures but as soon as the card gets power it starts spooling your images to wherever you tell it to put them over your wireless network. So if you try to plug it into your computer to try to get the images off normally they might double up on your hard drive.

PROS:
when it works the geotagging feature is sweet and that will work for the lifetime of the card.

At the end of the day it is still a fully functioning 8GB SD card.

The feature set of the card is pretty spectacular. You can set up different networks for it to work with and you can also use the lock feature on your camera to pick only certain pictures that you want uploaded to your favorite photo sharing site.

Lastly, the customer service, from my limited experience, has been incredible. I called up and got a very friendly guy who was more than happy to help and didn't treat me like I had never seen a computer before. He listened to my problem before trying to prescribe a standard solution that might only apply to the biggest of novices. And on top of that I got an email instantly documenting my call so I didn't have to take down an issue number or something on a scrap of paper that would inevitably get lost.


So there you have it. Some of the pros are actually tied in with the cons like I'm sure the WiFi tagging network will improve rapidly. And that's what I think about the Eye-Fi Explore X2.

I remember reading about the Eye-Fi products a while back but for whatever reason I never ran across them in the technology stores that I browse until recently. I picked up the Explore 8Gb unit and have been totally delighted with it. The set-up was as easy as anything I've ever installed on my computer. I put the card in my camera and went out snapping pictures in my yard. They were all already on my computer by the time I could get back to it...and on my Flickr account as well. It works just that slick.

Like many people using digital cameras, I take lots of pictures that I intend to toss and don't really want anyone to see. I was pleased that Eye-Fi gives me the option to transfer all the pictures to my computer where I can sort them at my leisure and also allows me to have only the best ones make the transfer to Flickr. Eye-Fi uses a camera's "lock" or "protect" feature to do this. I have actually never used that feature on any camera I've owned, so it is nice that Eye-Fi found a more useful function for this feature.

Some users here have complained about geotagging problems. To me, geotagging has worked well. The Eye-Fi set up process and their website both clearly describe the limitations of geotagging.

My only problem with the Eye-Fi card is that I wish I had discovered it months ago.

Absolutely great.

My profession requires me to take a lot of pictures. It seems like I've already got a million chords hooked up to the computer. And, connecting my camera to transfer pictures was just one more thing to hassle with.

The Eye Fi makes everything much simpler. You take a picture. It's automatically uploaded to your computer. Done!

The price is very reasonable. And, I would definitely recommend this for everyone who owns a digital camera.

I have been using the EYE-Fi Explorer x2 for about 9 months. At first with a little Nikon point and shoot. It sucked the battery life down so bad on that Camera that it almost made it unusable. I then put it in my Eye-Fi aware Canon, and it has been a noticeable difference in battery life on that also. The difference in that is that I can shut it off at will. This has been the best add to a camera that I have found. The software that is loaded on the PC is quick and easy to configure. Although I would like to see 1 add on piece to it. I would love to see them add a piece that looks at the card when it is plugged into the machine, and grabs the pictures directly from the card instead of using the wireless at that point. It would help in several fashions. #1 you wouldn't burn through the battery life of the camera just to upload the pictures, and the software would be able to compare what was on the card to verify that it had everything. Then report back to their site what had been uploaded. Other than this little issue, which really is not a issue at all just a thought, it is GREAT. Pictures in multiple places, and the ability to auto Geotag the pictures. WONDERFUL product.

I recently recieved the 8 GB Eye-Fi SDHC card and had a chance to try it out this past weekend. The product works exactly as designed, and it is pretty nifty....but the reason I say it is a lazy persons product is....with a little effort of hooking up a cable, you can do the same thing. Actually, if you take a lot of pictures....it is faster to hook a cable up to upload the pictures to your PC or MAC because the card only transfers your photos when your camera is on. And since most cameras auto shut of in like 30 seconds of inactivity, it can take a long time of regular usage to get your pictures on your computer....unless you sit there and keep hitting a button to keep your camera "awake". I do give it 3 stars though because it does what it says it does. It will not work on just any Wi-Fi connection your camera comes in contact with though, you have to set the card up to remember those networks, and it only does that if you plug the card into your computer and set it up. There is a service you can sign up for to have your card access hotspots, but even then it only uploads them to Eye-Fi's website and Facebook (other web services also) if you have it set up for that. But you need to pay for that feature.

I bought my first Eye-Fi card (4GB) a couple of years ago now for my old Sanyo Xacti, and when I got a new HD one I got this new 8GB Explore Eye-Fi card to go with it, along with another for my son in Australia. I just love them although, as I live in New Zealand, the geo-tagging is spotty. I've registered my home wireless router though, so at least all the photos and movies I take at home are tagged. Many of the ones I take in Australia are too. It's great to take photos and then have them appear on my computer as if by magic.
The only issue I have with them is the rigmarole I have to go through in order to actually buy one. I have to get them sent to a friend in America, who then forwards them to me.

I owned the basic 4GB version of this product - worked great but the software was a bit less than stellar. When my laptop was stolen with my camera and card in the bag I purchased the Explore X2 8GB with geotagging. I was very pleased with the new software - set up was simple and actually intuitive. I live in a rural area and had to add my home network as a hotspot - also very simple and straight forward.

I've had a pair of Eye-Fi cards for my two cameras for about a year, and they're very clever devices. However, I have concluded that the amount of time one spends futzing with them exceeds the amount of time one would spend just connecting a regular card to a computer and pulling the pictures off the usual way.

It is a waste of time and battery power to attempt to download the contents of the card while it's in the camera, so you have to take the card out anyway. I have a Panasonic Lumix FZ-35 and a Canon SD1400, which don't have explicit support for the Eye-Fi, but the Eye-Fi is not designed to require a camera that supports it.

You have to put the card into the computer to configure it to recognize a new Wi-Fi network. There is always lingering uncertainty that all the pictures/videos downloaded properly. The geotagging feature is cool, but it doesn't work on all Eye-Fi cards, it doesn't work a lot of the time, and many cameras have this anyway. The firmware is updated periodically, so that's another thing to futz with. The last firmware update seems to have made my Eye-Fi cards unstable when mounted on the desktop, and it's taken me hours of troubleshooting and many emails of denial from Eye-Fi that anything's wrong for me to arrive at the conclusion that I don't really care any more.

I can see it being great for a pro photographer who shoots bizillions of pictures under fairly controlled circumstances--a studio, perhaps, where one is always in range of a preconfigured WiFi network, so the pictures download while other pictures are being taken. But that isn't me, most of my pictures are taken away from a preconfigured WiFi network, and I can't imagine buying another one.

The new feature which pushes pictures to an iPhone instead of a WiFi network is a solution in search of a problem. I don't want to use my 3G quota up on high-rez pictures and movies, and I don't want to add yet another step to the process of managing my photos from the point of being taken to the point of being permanently filed.