Connectivity
For press photographers, it is vital to be able to send the latest images back to a picture desk almost as soon as the events have taken place. This usually means uploading the files to a newspaper or agency’s image server via a laptop computer. However, the Nikon D4 has an ethernet socket, and the software to connect to an FTP server, built in. This allows the photographer to simply plug in a network cable and upload all their images to a server straight from the camera.
There is also a new Nikon WT-5 Wi-Fi adapter. This is far smaller than previous Wi-Fi adapters, partly because it is powered by the camera’s battery. The adapter allows the D4 to be connected to a Wi-Fi network, again making it easy to send images to another computer anywhere in the world. It also allows wireless camera control.
Provided the camera has a Wi-Fi connection, a photographer can use any internet-connected computer, or a device such as a smart phone or Apple iPad, to log into the camera and see the live view display, as well as browse the images and take full control over the camera’s exposure and shooting settings, including autofocus.
The interface for controlling the camera can be accessed via a web browser using built-in software. This means additional software is not required, either for a smart phone or a computer.
It is also possible to create an ad-hoc wireless connection directly between a computer, smart phone, iPad (or similar) and the camera. This is extremely useful, as it doesn’t require a separate Wi-Fi connection. In particular, it is a boon for wildlife photographers, as being able to see the live feed from the camera and control its settings from the safe vantage point of a hide means that the animal is much less likely to be frightened away.
