7D with WFT-E5... anybody else using this kit?

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Quintin Willison

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Quintin
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I've just had need to send the following to Canon support via their website. We'll see what response I get but I thought I might pop it on here in case anybody else is seeing the same issues. Basically Canon appear to have released the WFT-E5 hardware way before the software guys have finished writing / testing the firmware!

Support request to Canon follows:

====

I am using your 'Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E5B' product (DS585781).

After several wasted hours finding out that several key features simply do not work:

(1) EOS Utility connect - it just doesn't connect.
(2) Manual WiFi confuration - I have to use your 'Connection wizard' as manually changing settings in the 'WFT Settings > Set up' appears to apply set them but they do not apply properly leading to connection failures.

I finally settled upon using your 'Connection wizard' to set up WiFi (which finally, so it seems, has got WPA2-PSK/AES working - which is ESSENTIAL by the way!). Using FTP trans. mode.

But I'm still getting issues.

I've tried THREE of the leading PC FTP servers: FileZilla, CrushFTP and XLightFTPD.

What I get more often than not when the camera attempts to transfer its first image to the FTP server is that it logs in to the server okay, creates and deletes a folder (as it does) but then fails just after setting the FTP type to binary. Looking at my FTP server logs I get the following (formatted / edited for clarity):

- Server< 220 Ready
- Camera> USER username
- Server< 331 Password required
- Camera> PASS password
- Server< 230 Login OK
- Camera> TYPE I
- Server< 200 Type set to I

At this point and within less than 100ms the FTP server reports a socket error: 'An existing connection was forcibly closed by the remote host'.

The error (from 'WFT settings > Error description') is titled 'Error description Err46' with the message 'For the data session, error code received from FTP server'.

I am a computer programmer myself and can confirm absolutely and without doubt that the message that the camera is reporting is WRONG and that the FTP server (as I said I've tried many) is NOT at fault. For some reason the camera is randomly deciding to abort the connection just before it transfers the file.

I am very disappointed in how buggy the WFT-E5 firmware is and am amazed that such an unfinished product has been released by Canon. Please can you put me in touch with an engineer who can discuss in technical detail the viability of this device for use for event photography (my business develops software for this purpose).

Thanks.

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Deafening silence from the forum (though I admit I only posted a few hours ago! ;)).

Either way - I've now got the system working reliably (so far). Typically I changed a number of things at once so am not totally sure if any one particular tweak made it work properly!

First I'm now using a Cisco WAP4410N wireless access point. Secured, as before, with WPA2-PSK/AES.

Next when I ran through the connection wizard on the camera to my xlightftpd FTP server through the WAP I decided not to use passive mode (i.e. active connection = the FTP server opens a data connection to the camera).

Finally I've allowed the camera to use it's own folder structure on the FTP server (I had switched that option off before so images would just dump in to the 'root' folder). It still logs in and uses the root folder but images appear in sub-folders of the form '/A/DCIM/100EOS7D'.

Maybe this will be of help to someone!

So, in summary, things that might not have been working in my favour:

  • My original SMC Networks Barricade N WAP / router (SMCWBR14S-N2)
  • Connecting to the FTP server in 'passive' (PASV) mode.
  • Asking the WFT to create anything other than the camera's default folder structure.
 
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Welcome ..one hell of a post to start with...
 
Thanks Kevin. Good idea!
Only complication might be that the EyeFi is an SD card and the 7D is using CF cards... though a quick google seems to reveal that some people are using CF to SD adapters to get around this...
...Might just be worth a play at some point.
Though at least, for now, the (rather expensive) Canon 'native' alternative is working in its preferred configuration... for now... ;)
 
I have the WFT-E2 and it too was a pain to setup but once you get it going it's great. The range is good and when it drops out, it reconnects when back in range.

I used it a few weeks back doing staff pics for a mate. I was taking the pic and the others waiting were able to look at the shots on a PC in the next room. It was a bit of a giggle (all girls I might add) for them but the good thing was if they were unhappy with their shot they just came back through and I took another few.

It made it great fun and we ended up with more relaxed shots.

I tried a Eyefi card last year and it was sucessful to a degree. The range is pants and when it drops out the whole setup has to start again. We couldn't get it to connect to a server. Not sure if I would like to use one when under pressure.
 
I know a lot of people who have tried Eye-Fi and had problems getting a stable connection, plus you can't see what's going on on the camera display, so I you do have an error it's difficult to fault find.

Having said that the canon WFTs don't seem to be any easier to set up, but they do at least have a reputation for staying working once they are.
 
In the context that my WFT-E5 is working in my current configuration (see above) I have just received a response from Canon technical support... The first gig I need to use the new rig on is tonight so I've not got time to respond to them right now... You folks might, however, be interested to know what they're asking me in response to my original query (with which I started this post):

From Canon:

Dear Mr Wilson [sic],

Thank you for your query regarding the use of your EOS 7D and WFT-E5.

To help us resolve the problems you are experiencing, could you please answer the following questions.

1. Is the Windows Firewall disabled?

2. Are you using Ad Hoc or Infrastructure mode?

3. Are you using Static IP Addresses?

4. Could you please send us the logs of the FTP Servers you have used?
Click to expand...

No firewall.
Infrastructure Mode.
Static IPs.

And I need to send them some logs... hopefully I'll find the time to gather this together for them early next week!
 
Have you noticed any difference connecting to a laptop versus a desktop PC?
 
What was the canon outcome for this based on 2nd reply?

I'm thinking about ordering this for the weekend as I need sommat a bit faster other than the usb2 option +7 secs per image to load up on Lightroom
 
Unfortunately I left it too long to respond to their e-mail. I seem to recall they closed 'the case' down. At that point I probably gave up. Having got it working within strict operational conditions by myself then my momentum behind communicating with Canon for their benefit kind of got lost! It's a nice enough product if used how they intend you to use it (/ tested themselves!). It's just a shame they don't document the way to use it. And also disappointing that they evidently didn't test all the features they offer. I'm not going to do testing for them - life's too short.
Thanks for your interest anyway! ;)
 
Hopefully it can't be that bad lol, but not much info on people using it to be fair. Only gives me friday/saturday to play about with it before I set it to tether in Lightroom for my major studio shoot on sunday.
 
right, just picked this wireless part up :)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but can you connect the camera wirelessly direct to your PC/laptop, or does it have to go through a wireless router? As that might of defeat the object of what I was hoping/wanting to do on location, as no way I can power a router out in the field somewhat :|
 
I am, as you can tell, no expert on this kit... but, from what I can tell the routes available to you are:

WIRED - use a cross-over ethernet cable between the WFT-E5 and your laptop. I doubt your laptop's running a DHCP server so you'll need to give each a static IP address (e.g. 192.168.0.1 for your laptop and 192.168.0.2 for the WFT).

WIRELESS - use a USB dongle on the laptop (or built-in chipset if you have one). I, briefly, played with this with a 'non-brand' WiFi dongle and had no luck. Partly bad driver software. Partly the fact that there were so many options at both ends (laptop and WFT!). If you don't believe you are worried about your traffic being snooped by anybody then I would suggest trying unsecured or basic WEP before advancing to WPA or WPA2 as they tend to be more fraught with issues relating to bad drivers / lack of compliance with standards.

Enjoy! ;)
 
I found the easiest way to test the FTP part was to run an FTP client on another PC/laptop
I initially had a problem with the firewall
opened port 21 and all worked a lot better

the other common problem is "wandering IP addresses"
I found it easiest to give the FTP server a fixed IP address
then just used the in-camera wizard to connect

I'm using FileZilla FTP server
I set up a user "canon" with a password
created a default folder for it
all works fine now

finally I made sure the wireless router was using a channel away from all the neighbours
inSSIDer is a neat piece of software
you can see which router is brodcasting on which channel (and even what encryption is in use)
I finised up with a channel in the 5GHz band - very quiet up there

HTH
 
haha funny thing here is... I'm an IT desktop technician, so its funny that I forgot that you need a wifi router of some sort to work... but according to the manual, the transmitter can be set as a server for your wifi enabled pc/laptop to connect and grab images.

I'm using a MacBook Pro, as it be used out on the field... gonna do a few tests whilst watching tv, I'll come back and confirm what I used based on camera to laptop straight wireless connection (dont have a x over network cable)
 
ARGH!! Still can't get this thing to work other than remote EOS viewer... defeats the object as I need the files to download as I shoot, grrr... 7am start, still need to test lighting set up, but need to get this file transfer to work, grrr!!
 
Not what sure what I can suggest. Too busy today myself anyway. The WFT does tend to feel a little bit 'all or nothing' (i.e. binary) in whether it works or not. The error descriptions are not that helpful. All I can suggest is to try to work at it in a modular fashion - WiFi then IP then FTP (TCP). I found the logs on my FTP server were essential. I would also suggest you do some reading around passive versus active FTP just in case that's your issue. Sorry I can't be of more help!
 
I have been looking to get one of these and would like to get some more feedback about all the capabilities it offers and also how you all have been getting along with it.
I was even planning to get a wireless remote but then read on the dpreview that someone used his iPhone to hook to the 7D through this grip and used it as a remote, so the saving can go towards this grip :).

Any more posts or comments on this would be really great. And by the way any recommendations on where you bought it from or the cheapest place I could get it from?
Many thanks
 
Hi Amin,
To be honest I've had a very quiet summer in respect of work relating to cameras so neither the 7D or the WFT have been used again since the original gig which prompted me to post to this forum!
Though I do find the iPhone thing very interesting - having just recently started out writing Android apps myself... maybe this is an idea I could work on for that platform... ;)

It is a nice bit of a kit (moreso in respect of hardware construction than software!) though a little pricey. Battery life was amazing and only grumble is that you have to remove the grip each time you want to change the battery on the camera body.

Good luck.
 
Quintin, that is really helpful
At the moment I hook my laptop through USB cable and its a pain dragging around while doing macro etc, and I was planning to buy a wireless remote which would cost around £60 so that would go towards the cost of the new Wireless grip.
I just think there is a huge possibility that opens up with this grip, specially for portraits etc.

Let's stay in touch and I would love to follow your progress around anything related to this grip.
I am about to order one and it should be here within the next couple of days.

Many thanks
 
I'll report back once I figured out how to set the wireless up properly via ftp rather than going through manual download through EOS utility :)
 
I've tried the WFT-E5 on a 7D, and found that all those things the OP mentioned having problems with works without any issues.

As far as I know, there has never been any firmware updates to the WFT-E5, so that's probably not the cause.

I've tried everything you can do with the WFT-E5, except DLNA server mode (don't have any such TV) and linked shooting (have only one set).
All other options I've tried, against computers with XP Home and XP Pro, with two different FTP servers. They all worked. But there are many settings you can do. Takes a while to figure everything out properly.

Considering the unit cost effective is hardly possible, no matter how much you try. I bought a used one at half the cost, which made it more reasonable.
 
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Anyone interested in selling their WFT-E5? I am in the market for one used please.
 
As said above, there are many things you can set on a WFT-E5. Fortunately, you can store five sets of settings in the camera, and then also export settings to files on the memory card in the camera, for later retreival.

I configured an FTP transfer to my computer in the network in my house a while ago. The other day I took some photos around the house, and wanted them in my computer. Just enabled the pre-stored setting for my infrastructure access point, shot away and when I went up to my computer, the pictures were waiting for me there.

Very convenient. Just expensive.
 
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