August 30, 2011
I e been very happy with my 5D MkII so far and the release of the original WFT-E4 grip was simply out of reach for my purposes. The revised model (Mark IIA), is now $ 300 less and more agreeable while still very expensive. Nevertheless, it mine now and it proves to be very convenient and useful … for the right applications that is.
WHO NEEDS IT?
To take this upfront, nobody really needs the wireless grip, but it makes studio shooting convenient by tethering directly to the computer and allowing for instant file transfer or even remote shooting . Geotagging, on the other hand, basically requires the WFT4E (mark I or mark II) to provide the needed connectivity. Otherwise Canon users don have a way to embed location data directly into the picture. (Of course there are options to get around it and geologging is a popular workaround.)
Sports photographers would be unlikely to use an EOS 5D for it relatively slow burst rate and focus, but should you do so anyway, the transfer speed of the WFT-E4 IIa would be completely overwhelmed by any kind of burst or even “fast” shooting for RAW or large JPEG … unless you limit the transfer to small (ish) JPEGs.
DETAILS
Compatibility: [**---] A look at blogs relative to Canon WFT confirms a number of problems which are mostly Bluetooth and EOSUtility related. For compatibility regarding Bluetooth devices please see the respective section below. I also ran into an issue where all three of my computers (Win 7 and Vista) lost connection after 5:30 min when in EOS Utility mode and the WFT menu disappeared from the camera menu despite the WFT display showing no irregularities. Only resetting the camera (off / on) restored the WFT menu, just to repeat the issue another 5:30 min later. The power management on both camera and computer were turned off and connection was stable , even tried Ethernet adhoc.
I posted this issue in a photo forum and a user posted a work-around: (1) open Services.msc (ie via Search) and (2) stop the ” Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service “. Doing so will eliminate the problem, and Canon acknowledged that the Picture Transfer Protocol of that service might interfere with Canon version deployed by the EOSUtility. Another hint of the interferences is the doubled transfer speed with mentioned task disabled . Investigation of the problem has been promised by Canon, but eventually a brief “cannot recreate issue” seems to have closed the case without any actions.
Setup: [****-] Setting up Bluetooth can be a nightmare should you choose to pick a non-Canon Bluetooth adapter. However, once you found a compatible adapter, it takes 2 seconds and is fairly hands-off. Connecting your WFT to a WiFi Router that supports PBC (push button connection) is a snap. It connects very easily and initial setup is complete in a few minutes, while reconnecting takes a few seconds (after shut down etc.). Ethernet is generally very easy and all you have to choose is the mode the WFT operates in, provided your network is set up properly. Either way, the WFT menu in the EOS 5D MkII allows to store connection settings, but it cryptic to recall them as they e stored as Set 1, Set 2 etc. and cannot be renamed to something more meaningful like “EOSUtility WiFi Home”. Further, the connection details have to be specified every single time you define a mode as there is no central Wireless Connection to configure once and reuse for different modes.
Ergonomics: [***--] Aside from adding considerable heft to the 5D MkII, the overall size and shape of the vertical grip (provided by the WFT) is for large hands only and even those won find the comfort shape as in the 5D itself. That partially understandable due to the need to have a mounting surface for tripods etc., but the end result is still a fairly thick grip with button placements that slightly more difficult to use. The shutter button has a less defined feel (ie for half-press) than the camera too. So in general, the WFT may be installed only when connectivity is required and removed for all other cases. Then again , I found myself liking vertical shooting after getting used to it and connectivity needs are sporadic enough to actually keep the grip installed “permanently”.
Battery: [***--] Even if the WFT-E4 IIA requires a dedicated LP-6E battery (same as EOS 5D MkII), Canon did not include one with it. At a price point of $ 700 one should be able to expect not having to buy a $ 90 battery to even use your new equipment. (It would be different if it were standard AA batteries or any kind that available at the store around the corner.) Once you get beyond this oddity, the battery lasts quite a long time and even fully reports through the EOS D menu system regarding recharging performance and overall health. Depending on your mode, the WFT will outlast the camera battery by far, which of course is the one that harder to access for changing. For studio setup making heavy use of live view, an A / C adapter is strongly recommended (even if that adds a whopping $ 175 to the bill). Canon pricing may be closest thing to highway robbery, but alternatives are available for as low as $ 30.

Ethernet Connection: [****-] Connecting via Ethernet cable both adhoc and via router is fairly easy and of course bypasses the security and authentication of the wireless connection. Hence, the connection is instant, but the WFT still needs to be configured to consider the wired connection. This is done via the same wizzard that used to establish any mode and connection where the option Wireless or Wired pretty much determines which connection to use. Easy enough to use, but gets a bit lost in the way the Camera stores the connection settings (as Set number) and a descriptive name would help (ie “WFT Server Wired”).
Wireless Connection: [*** *-] The supported wireless standards B and G dictate the maximum transfer speed (54 Mbps) and the popular N spec (128 Mbps) is not supported by this model. Unless you e shooting heavy bursts, this may not be a limiting factor and real transfer speed is much lower than the network speed suggests. Maybe due to a bottleneck in the internal interface between the camera and the grip. In a test it turned out that the wireless standard is not the limiting factor as it appears to be computer interface and camera / WFT interface bottleneck. Case in point, the transfer of a picture from the camera takes the same 30 seconds whether it wired or wireless (I have a 1G Ethernet connection) with a software problem, and 12 seconds in the same configurations but with a software interference removed (see compatibility).
Range: [****-] WiFi is generally rated to reach up to 150 m in unobstructed view. That certainly greatly reduced inside a building or with other obstructions like trees. Inside my building (normal American stick build) it goes pretty much through 1 – 2 walls without a problem reaching roughly 20 – 40 ft. The range is largely limited by the chosen G standard. N would would help both speed and range, but that for a future model anyway.
Bluetooth: [**---] One can argue that an expensive device like the WFT-E4 II should have Bluetooth support built in, and that sure isn too far off. Regardless, the Canon website says: “It has Bluetooth built in and a USB port for connections to external drives and GPS systems. “Obviously the first part is a typo, but it also doesn mention that the Bluetooth functionality requires a Bluetooth adapter in the USB port. Further, only Canon own BU-30 is officially compatible, which is a stick format and not the popular micro. I tried IOGear GBU421, and the WFT claims that the USB device is not compatible. That confirms Canon statement (via technical support) of limited compatibility, but there is anecdotal evidence that some adapters actually work like the Kensington KS33902US. .. unfortunately not repeatable between users and sure didn work for me (“Cannot connect to USB device”). There is no Bluetooth spec for the WFT and one obviously has to try out whatever may work. Not exactly kosher as it smell a lot like incompatibility is only there for anti-competitive reasons!
Nevertheless, Cirago BTA3210 was finally fully compatible to my WFT-E4 IIa and successfully connects in under 2 seconds.

Geotagging: [***--] The grip itself doesn have a GPS receiver included (even if some feel that it really should). Yet, Canon didn completely leave geo-tagging out of sight and provides support for wireless GPS units (via optional USB-Bluetooth module, see above) or plugin USB units. The latter is obviously relatively bulky and inconvenient. Wireless via Bluetooth works well, assuming you pick Canon adapter which in return stick out way too far and is not practical for normal use. (See above for compatibility of micro adapters). In fact, one actually jeopardizes the investment of the WFT-E4 by potentially breaking the USB port.
I using my old TomTom Wireless GPS MkII unit which connects through Bluetooth and appears fully compatible with Canon requirements on a GPS device (data format). Connection is established in about 10 seconds (without asking for a connection password), and of course it interrupted and will re-establish itself when the camera is turned off and on again. Most GPS models will go in power saving mode when not connected and that obviously may render GPS availability a bit slow for the first few shots as the GPS will take a while to establish itself.
EOSUtility: [**---] This mode requires the Canon software (minimum WFTUtility) to be installed on the computer. It currently riddled by compatibility issues under Windows (See Compatibility), the main functionality is a bit difficult to maintain. Once that bridge is crossed, the tool allows to transfer pictures and even remotely control the camera from the computer. The latter simulates many of the camera controls and provides them on the desktop (of course zoom isn one of them). This is a great way to free yourself from awkward macro shots. Transfer is under 20 seconds for the full RAW picture. Once can also review which pictures to transfer from the camera or simply down them all. Great tool, but somewhat slow and crippled by mentioned compatibility issue.
WFTServer: [****-] Generally speaking it provides nearly the same functionality as EOSUtility, and does not require any Canon Software to be installed on the computer. It also passive and all communication is exclusively done via webbrowser (Firefox worked fine for me). The interface resembles the EOSUtility and besides reduced speed, there isn a HD live preview and a few other comfort features. Nevertheless, it completely independent from the viewing device and even worked on my iPhone as a remote. (The Server is set at a local address and using the IP address in a browser pull up the web interface of the camera.)
FTP Transfer: [*****] While both EOSUtility and WFTServer are geared towards remote access, the FTP Transfer mode allows to specify a FTP server as your target and one can send either the full RAW or any size JPEG to the server as soon as the camera recorded the image. This tool allows teams to work together while the “shooter” is out at the event, the “post processor” can start working virtually immediately on the captured images. Provided the needed connectivity exists, one could even upload pictures of an event to the internet and provide nearly live coverage. An application comes to mind for wedding photographers where small JPEG pictures could be sent to a server and for guests to pic their copies right on the spot. Of course that requires an ordering system etc. which is not included in the Canon software.
Tethered Shooting: [n / a] Unfortunately, I don have multiple cameras to test this mode which allows a Master camera to control several Slave cameras and fire simultaneously.
Value : [***--] At $ 700 MSRP (and street price), this is certainly an expensive accessory just like a quality lens. It surprisingly expensive to be honest, and likely useful for a niche market only. In fact, it costs more than an entry level dSLR camera and that alone sorts out casual shooters. However, if you e more serious about your equipment and need connectivity and / or GPS support, the WFT-E4 IIA is the only path to bring this functionality to the EOS 5D MkII. If you e doing geotagging, the true cost for the add-ons is $ 700 for the grip, $ 80 for the battery and $ 50 for the Bluetooth adapter. Yes, I do believe that a lot (considering that now low-end P