DSLR Camera Remote v1.1 Update
July 20, 2009 by Mike Wong • 10 Comments
Good morning. I've been out traveling for work for the past week and haven't had much chance to write here. There have been a lot of questions coming in to me via the comments, the contact form and via Twitter so I figured I should post a quick status update.
The 1.1 update to our DSLR Camera Remote app for the iPhone is not yet completed. We haven't slowed down working on it and we won't until it's completed. We're estimating 2 more days of testing and bug fixing before we submit it to the iTunes App Store which means it should be submitted this week if we don't find any other show-stopping bugs. For those of you who have read Rob Galbraith's review of a pre-release beta version of the upcoming 1.1 update, please note that it is just that. A pre-release beta. As such, if you're looking for it on our website or in the iTunes App Store, you're not going to find it because we haven't finalized it yet.
I suspect many of you are asking "What's been slowing you guys down from your previous mid-July release statement?" The answer is that we're working with two completely different software development kits (SDKs) that each have their own nuances. Whenever we implement a new feature for one camera platform (Canon for example), we have to start over on the second camera platform (Nikon for example). Some of the code can be copied & pasted, but not all. Add in that for each different camera body, each SDK treats each camera a little bit differently so a feature we implement might work on several of the cameras, but not on another and we have to stop and figure that out. I'm not making any excuses, just providing some context.
I'm pretty sure that you would agree with us that it is better to wait a few extra days to get it right than to release it, have you get it and find that it's not working and then make you wait to get another update. That doesn't benefit anybody. It's inefficient for us and extremely frustrating for you.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. I'll be posting a complete list of the new features that have made it into version 1.1 later today.
You know all of this is great for the brand camera you choose to support. How about before your start off on small camera brand specific projects like this you actually get your regular products done. For example we are still waiting for 64-bit plug-ins. Come on when small companies like Topaz Labs, PTGui, etc. can do 64-bit but the larger companies dilly-dally but waste time and resources on pet projects that are only applicable to a certain brand one has to wonder about the dedication and the smarts of the people running the company. 32-bit OSes are dead when it comes to applications like Photoshop. Windows 7 will put a rather large number of nails in its coffin. Get with the program already and get 64-bit support.
I dont agree at all with the comment above. If it was not for DSLR Remote, I would never have heard of your company. So while it might not be as profitable as other software venues (which I think is untrue), it is great to increase brand awareness.
That being said, I am glad to see that some of the suggestions I made in my initial review have been taken into account (I am sure others had the same ideas) and cant wait to play with this. I just wish we could plug the iPhone directly into the camera…
I too don’t agree with the first comment,
I think that working on ‘pet’ projects like this one are good for visibility too… Also, it’s pretty useful, and interesting to have solutions when you take pictures, and not when you work on them after. I can’t wait to use my 500D instead of my 350D with this app !
@ Mice On Roller Skates : First, Windows 7 is not officialy out yet, and it will have 32bit support for tons of legacy software, and I’m sure that the staff at onOne can manage their developper time.
Kudos to onOne for making great software like GenuineFractals and DSLR Remote !
I wish you had removed one little constraint: limiting the number of frames in the intervalometer to 999. If you come from video (as we do) 999 frames is actually just 80 or 60 seconds of video (in 25p or 30p). For producing timelapse shots that is usually not enough. Otherwise its a great little program.
Long day????
Posted 072009:
“Thank you for your patience and understanding. I’ll be posting a complete list of the new features that have made it into version 1.1 later today”
I posted an earlier comment (on Jul 22) that for some reason is still awaiting moderation.
Four days after the original post and that complete list of new features still hasn’t appeared.
Looking pretty unlikely that the update will be available in July as promised.
I purchased the Pro version of the remote app in June to go with my 500D (aware that it wasn’t supported at the time, but hoping not to have to wait too long), and I’m really looking forward to using it. I really want to be in onOne’s corner, but not achieving their planned date is ok if it’s a one off AND it’s followed up by plenty of communication and keeping of new promises. So far DSLR Remote v1.1 has been expected: “July”, then 16 July, then 20 July, then 22 July.
I’m sure this is as frustrating for onOne as it is for us, but I think this post by Mike is just a little bit less than the minimum required to keep the customers informed.
I have to agree with Sam. I am a sports/general news PJ from Portugal using Nikon, and bought the application 2 days ago, after reading this post and hoping for the “promise” to be kept, but unfortunately I still see no update to be done on the App Store. I hope you make it happen as soon as possible, thanks.
I would love for this to work on my Fuji S3. Since it’s a nikon body I sure hope it would work, but I’m not sure if Fuji changed the entire innerds or just the CCD. When yall come out with the nikon patch maybe I’ll try it out
here’s hoping
@Groovyrock: I believe that the Fuji S3 is based on the Nikon D200, but as far as I know, the firmware is not the same as the Nikon and the shooting software is not the same as Nikon, so I would not expect it to work. We’re going to see if we can test with one, but I wouldn’t count on it.
Thanks for the inihgst. It brings light into the dark!