Photography: "Mirrorless Mark" - Why I Love Wi-Fi

Intro by Skip Cohen

"Mirrorless Mark" is back and talking about one of my most favorite LUMIX features - using Wi-Fi.

​Here's the application I use it for with EVERY article I write for Shutter Magazine.  Each month the content contributors to Shutter submit a short video highlighting some aspect of their article. In the online version of the magazine at the close of every story is a short video tying back to the theme of the editorial.

My videos have never been better for a couple of reasons. First, is the quality of the video itself. I'm not suggesting for a minute I'm a videographer, but LUMIX cameras have raised the bar on my monthly presentations. Second, is Wi-Fi. My wife Sheila was my videographer for a long time, but since my recordings are pretty much off the cuff and spontaneous, she had no idea what I wanted to do. How could she? I didn't know myself.

Using the Panasonic App on my phone, I now have complete control over each recording. Plus, I'm able to notice things she might not have picked up on, and I can record anywhere without her having to go out on a shoot with me and making it into a time-consuming production. 

For those of you who know me, you also know I'm the low-tech poster child of the industry. If they ever do an industry ad for LUMIX Wi-Fi, then the tagline should be, "If Skip can do it, anybody can!"

​Yeah, it really is that easy and fun to work with!

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​​by Mark Toal

​Somebody recently asked me what my favorite camera feature is, and I answered Wi-Fi. Sensor’s, lenses and all the technical features have reached a point where it’s not hard to get a great image in almost any light. Wi-Fi is what lets me share those photos online quickly and easily. All Panasonic and most other cameras have built-in wi-fi.
 
Wi-Fi does two things in cameras. It allows you to connect your camera via an App to a cell phone or tablet. Once you're connected, you can use the App to control the camera to focus, change exposure and shoot photos and then transfer the images to your phone or tablet and share them on social media. Wi-Fi is a great way to take that group photo. Instead of setting the timer and running to get in the photo, connect your cell phone and trigger the shutter from the phone.
 
My current workflow is to take photos as I travel and then stop in a restaurant, coffee shop or even a sit in my car to transfer an image or two to my phone, adjust it in the App Snapseed and upload it to Facebook and Instagram or send in an email. All this takes less than five minutes.
 
This video shows how simple it is to connect a LUMIX camera via Wi-Fi to your cell phone. Almost every one of my images on Facebook and Instagram were transferred via Wi-Fi and adjusted in Snapseed. This video shows how easy it is. 

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Connecting Wi-fi on a Lumix touch screen camera from Mark Toal on Vimeo.