CamRanger CamRanger 2 User manual
iOS User’s Manual for the CamRanger 2!
© CamRanger, 2019
US Patent 9712688
10/04/19
1
Hardware 4........................................................................................................
Device"4!...........................................................................................................
Battery"5!..........................................................................................................
WiFi"6!...............................................................................................................
SD Card"6!........................................................................................................
Antennas"6!.......................................................................................................
Configuration 6..................................................................................................
Web GUI"6!.......................................................................................................
Network"7!........................................................................................................
WiFi"7!...............................................................................................................
System"8!..........................................................................................................
Sharing (Direct)"9!.............................................................................................
Setup 10.............................................................................................................
CamRanger 2 App 11........................................................................................
Connection Screen"12!.....................................................................................
Main Screen"13!................................................................................................
Status Bar"13!...................................................................................................
Recent Thumbnails"14!.....................................................................................
Main Image View"14!........................................................................................
Captured Image"14!..............................................................................................
Live View Stream"15!.............................................................................................
Camera Properties"16!..........................................................................................
Camera Actions"17!...............................................................................................
HDR/Advanced Bracketing Tab"18!..................................................................
Timer Tab"19!....................................................................................................
Focus Tab"21!...................................................................................................
Focus Adjustments"21!.........................................................................................
Focus Stacking"21!...............................................................................................
Advanced Focus Stacking"22!..............................................................................
Card Contents"23!............................................................................................
Settings"24!.......................................................................................................
Image and Live View Overlays"24!........................................................................
© CamRanger, 2019
US Patent 9712688
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Image Editing"30!..............................................................................................
Image Sharing and Transfer"31!........................................................................
SD Card Access 32...........................................................................................
Web Viewer"32!.................................................................................................
SMBFS / Samba Share"32!..............................................................................
PT Hub & MP-360 Tripod Head 33...................................................................
PT Hub Hardware"33!.......................................................................................
MP-360 Motorized Tripod Head Hardware"33!................................................
Specifications"34!..................................................................................................
Setup"35!..........................................................................................................
App Additions with the PT Hub and Tripod Head"36!......................................
Camera Setup 36...............................................................................................
Canon"36!.........................................................................................................
Nikon"37!..........................................................................................................
Sony"37!............................................................................................................
Fujifilm"38!........................................................................................................
Tips & Troubleshooting 38................................................................................
Connection"39!.................................................................................................
Performance"39!...............................................................................................
Images"39!........................................................................................................
Important Information 41.................................................................................
© CamRanger, 2019
US Patent 9712688
10/04/19
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Hardware
Device
1. Ethernet Port!
2. Reset Button - Press and hold to reset device to factory settings.!
3. Battery Compartment - Refer to the battery section for more information.!
4. LEDs!
5. Charging Port - Charge with a USB micro cable.!
6. Power Switch - Press to turn on, press and hold 1-2 seconds to turn off. Press and hold
15 seconds to force power off.!
7. SD Card Port - SD/SDHC/SDHX compatible - required for Sony and Fuji!
8. USB Port - Connect camera with appropriate USB cable!
9. 1/4” 20 Socket (not pictured) - located on bottom on device for attachment to hot shoe
adapter, L-bracket, quick release plate, etc.!
The CamRanger 2 is not water resistant and should not get wet. !
© CamRanger, 2019
US Patent 9712688
10/04/19
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Battery
The CamRanger 2 battery is a rechargeable, replaceable 3400 mAh lithium ion battery. The
battery is accessed by removing the battery compartment on the bottom of the CamRanger.
The battery is marked with a positive (+) and negative (-) end and the battery must be inserted
in the proper orientation, matching the diagram in the battery compartment.!
One method to ease in removal of the battery is to push the battery down against the spring
with a spring or finger and then use the corner of the battery compartment cover at the top of
the battery to pop out the battery.!
The battery lasts about 5-6 hours in normal usage. The number and range of wireless
connections as well as how much data is being transmitted are the largest factors in battery
life.!
The battery can be charged in the CamRanger 2 using a micro USB cable. 5V 2A input is
ideal. Lower current input can be used, but charging may take longer. While charging the
charging light will turn orange. If there
is a failure during charging, the
orange LED will blink. The battery can
also be charged outside of the
CamRanger 2 using the charger
available from CamRanger.com.!
The CamRanger 2 battery is designed
with a number of safety features.
However, care must still be used
when using or storing batteries. It is
important to follow these precautions:!
© CamRanger, 2019
US Patent 9712688
10/04/19
5
WiFi
The CamRanger 2 creates two WiFi networks: 2.4 GHz (802.11n) and 5 GHz (802.11ac).
Typically the 5GHz network will be much faster and is usually the best choice. However,
depending on various external factors, the 2.4 GHz network can have better range.!
The CamRanger 2 has two external, adjustable antennas. At close distances, the antenna
positioning typically has very little impact on performance. However, at longer distances, the
orientation can make a difference. In general, performance may be better if the antennas are
perpendicular to the user’s wireless device.!
SD Card
The CamRanger 2 has a slot for SD/SDHC/SDXC cards. An SD card is required when using a
Sony or Fuji camera, when performing direct image sharing, or workflows that save images to
the CamRanger 2’s SD card.!
Antennas
Generally the position of the antennas it not very important. However, when trying to
maximize range, antenna placement could make a difference. Please use care not to bend or
break the antennas and to always store the CamRanger 2 with the antennas folded down.!
Configuration
Web GUI
The CamRanger 2 can be configured using the web GUI. To access, first connect to the
CamRanger 2 network, and then use a web browser to navigate to http://192.168.82.1. Enter
the default password of admin and click “Login”.!
!
For normal operations it is not necessary to change any settings. However, advanced users
are able to make significant changes and customization. Please also note that many of these
changes require the network or WiFi connection to be reset. So the connection to the Web
GUI may be temporarily lost when making updates.!
© CamRanger, 2019
US Patent 9712688
10/04/19
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Network
The network tab displays general network
and Ethernet settings. The user can change
the IP address, enable or disable the DHCP
server, and change the Ethernet port mode
to LAN or WAN. The MAC address is also
displayed.!
For nearly all circumstances, LAN is the
correct Ethernet port mode. WAN can be
used when the CamRanger 2 is connected
to an existing router with an Ethernet cable.
The CamRanger 2 will then be able to be assigned an IP address from the existing router.!
WiFi
The WiFi tab allows the user to configure the wireless networks.!
© CamRanger, 2019
US Patent 9712688
10/04/19
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The country dropdown should be set to the user’s location. This will ensure that the proper
WiFi channels are available.!
The available settings are the same for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz and are listed side by side.
Generally “auto” should be selected for the channel. However, this may be overridden to use
a specific channel. Additionally, this value will be locked to a particular channel if the network
is bridged into an existing network.!
The CamRanger 2 can join into an existing WiFi network by configuring a client network. This
can be useful for scenarios where the user wants to use the CamRanger 2 and also access an
existing network, particularly when the existing network has Internet access. The CamRanger
2 can then be used from the normal CamRanger 2 network as well as the existing network.
The CamRanger 2 will continue to attempt to rejoin this network upon start up.!
To join an existing WiFi network, press the “Configure” button for the appropriate network
frequency and follow the prompts. If the CamRanger 2 has properly joined the WiFi network,
the network name, status, and assigned IP address will be listed. To disconnect from the
existing network, press the “Disable” button.!
!
System
The system tab displays various battery and
system level information and settings.!
The firmware version is listed as well as
options to upgrade the firmware or reset
back to factory defaults. It is important to
only upgrade the firmware with CamRanger
provided firmware files.!
The current device configuration can be
saved and then later re-applied, by using the
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“Upload” and “Archive” buttons. The Archive button will download a zipped file of the device
settings. The Upload file can then be used to select one of these zipped files and apply the
saved settings.!
Basic battery statistics are also listed. These values are approximate, though the more charge
and discharge cycles the battery does without being removed, the more accurate it will be.
Diagnostic battery statistics can also be displayed.!
Sharing (Direct)
The CamRanger 2 is typically used with the CamRanger 2 application. However, there are a
couple options for transferring images without using the CamRanger software: printing with a
DNP wireless print server, or uploading to an FTP server.!
Both methods and transferring images require an SD card and for the CamRanger to able to
communicate with DNP or FTP server. Typically this requires bridging into an existing network
as detailed in the WiFi configuration section.!
© CamRanger, 2019
US Patent 9712688
10/04/19
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Setup
•Set up the camera
Depending on the camera and workflow, it may be necessary to adjust camera settings.
Please refer to the appendix at the end of this document for more details.!
•Charge CamRanger 2
Charge the CamRanger 2 battery as described in the battery section.!
•Download the CamRanger 2 app
The CamRanger 2 is downloaded from the Apple App Store on your iPad/
iPhone. The easiest way to find it is to search “CamRanger 2” within the App
Store app.!
The CamRanger 2 app requires iOS 9+.!
•Connect the camera to the CamRanger 2
Connect the camera to the CamRanger 2 using the appropriate type of USB cable. An angled
USB mini cable is provided, which works for many cameras. However, some cameras use
different cable types. The camera came with the correct cable, or another cable can be
purchased.!
The CamRanger 2 should not be allowed to hang from the camera by the USB cable. The
USB cable connections should not be stressed. The CamRanger 2 can be attached using the
provided hot shoe adapter and 1/4” 20 mount. The mount can also be used to connect to a
quick release clamp allowing attachment to a plate or L-bracket. Quick release clamps are
available at CamRanger.com.!
The camera may need to be configured to allow the CamRanger 2 to communicate with it via
USB. Often in-camera WiFi must be disabled. Additionally, some cameras have a USB mode/
connection that must be set to PTP/PC Remote.!
© CamRanger, 2019
US Patent 9712688
10/04/19
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If possible, any USB battery charging feature on the camera should be disabled. If it cannot or
is not disabled, the CamRanger battery life will be much less.!
•Connect to the CamRanger 2 WiFi network
Turn on the CamRanger Mini and wait about 30-45 seconds for the device to initialize. When it
is ready both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi lights will turn on.!
Go to the Settings on the iPad/iPhone and go to the WiFi settings. Select and join the WiFi
network “CamRanger-___” where the last three characters in the CamRanger serial code are
listed followed by “2.4” or “5” designating the 2.4 or 5 GHz network. In general, the 5 GHz
network should be used, though the 2.4 GHz network may
have better range. The WiFi password is the CamRanger 2
serial code in all CAPS. To the right is an example of what
your password will look like.!
•Launch app
Ensure the camera is turned on and awake and launch the CamRanger 2 app.!
CamRanger 2 App
Note: the CamRanger 2 app supports the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch running iOS version
9+. The layout of the app will vary slightly based on the device and orientation. However, only
a single device and orientation will be displayed here.!
© CamRanger, 2019
US Patent 9712688
10/04/19
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Connection Screen!
The connection screen appears after launching the application. The current WiFi network is
displayed below the Connect button. The iOS device must be connected to the CamRanger 2
WiFi network, so the network must be listed as the CamRanger-*. The only exception is for
advanced users who have bridged the CamRanger 2 into an another WiFi network.!
At the bottom of the screen are three buttons: Cached Images, View Ratings, and Settings.!
The Cached Images button will show the user thumbnails for all images that are currently
saved in the temporary cache. The thumbnails can be double tapped to view the full
resolution image. Viewing cached images should not be relied upon for viewing old images.
However, it can be useful for quickly viewing recent images without being connected to the
CamRanger and camera. It should be noted that if an image was not viewed previously then it
will not be available in the cache.!
The View Ratings button will show a listing of images that have been rated on this particular
device. A listing of the ratings can also be exported via email. Please see the Ratings section
for more information on the ratings system.!
The Settings button will bring up the Settings
screen (see the Settings section for more details).
Note that a connection has not been made with the
CamRanger at this point so some settings may not
be available.!
After ensuring the camera is on, awake, and
connected to the CamRanger 2 with a USB cable,
press "Connect" to connect to the CamRanger 2
and begin a session. Please see the
troubleshooting appendix if there are difficulties
connecting.!
© CamRanger, 2019
US Patent 9712688
10/04/19
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Main Screen
After successfully connecting in the app, the main camera control screen will be displayed.!
Status Bar!
The topmost line of the status bar shows the camera’s battery life, camera name, and number
of shots available on the camera’s removable media using the current settings. Note that not
all cameras will provide the number of shots remaining.!
The bottom line shows the CamRanger 2 battery life, the CamRanger 2 SD card status, and if
present, the available space on the SD card.!
The gear button the right will open the app settings. The settings are covered in depth in
Settings section.!
The exposure icon to the left of the settings button
accesses the camera presets list. The user can save the
camera’s current settings and then change back to those
settings at a later time. Note that particular presets may
no longer be valid in all situations. For example, if a
Canon camera was in Manual auto exposure mode when
the presets were saved, the saved shutter speed will not
be able to be set if the camera has been changed to
Aperture Priority mode.!
© CamRanger, 2019
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Recent Thumbnails!
As images are captured, the thumbnails are automatically displayed along the top of the
screen. RAW images will have a small red R icon at the top right. Video files will have a small
blue video icon. JPG images will have no icon. If an image is captured in both RAW and JPG
format, only the JPG thumbnail will be displayed.!
Selecting a thumbnail will download the image to be displayed at full resolution. Selecting a
RAW file will the download and display the JPG version embedded in the RAW. The resolution
is the same, but it is compressed compared to the RAW.!
Video files can either be streamed or directly downloaded to the device’s photo library. This is
configured within the app settings. Depending on compression and resolution settings and
the WiFi speed, downloads can be very time consuming. However, it can be a convenient
feature to check a short clip or a view a small portion.!
!
Main Image View!
The main image view displays both
captured images and the live view stream.!
Captured Image!
The picture to the right shows a captured
image with a number of overlays. These
and other overlays can be toggled on or off
from within the the settings. Images first
display at a "fit to window" size. The
image's scale percentage is shown at the
top right. Images may be zoomed in and
out with a two finger pinch or double
tapping. The maximum zoom is 200%.!
Images are oriented as the camera orients them. Typically the camera will have the option to
configure the orientation of portrait images.!
!
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US Patent 9712688
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The “…” button at the bottom right displays options based on the context. When viewing a
captured image, the options will be: Toggle Full Screen, Share, Edit, Rate, and Delete.
Toggling full screen will expand and shrink the image view to take up the full screen or resume
its normal position. Selecting Delete will prompt the user to confirm the deletion of the image
from the camera’s memory card. Selecting Share will bring up the file sharing dialog allowing
a number of options, including saving the image to the device’s photo library. Please see the
image sharing section for more details. The Edit button will open the image editing window to
crop, rotate, and adjust the image. Please see the image editing section for more information.!
Live View Stream!
When live view is on, the image in the main image view is automatically updated as new live
view frames are received. The frame rate can vary greatly based on a number of parameters
such as the signal strength and camera model. However, assuming a good connection, about
15 fps would be typical.!
During live view the image
may be single tapped to
focus on that point, also
known as “touch focus”.
For cameras that support
it, the focus box that is
displayed will temporarily
turn green if focus is
acquired and turn red if
focusing failed. Note that
the CamRanger does not
actually do any focusing,
but simply tells the
camera to try to focus at the selected area.!
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Double tapping on the image during live view will zoom in at that point, and then alternatively
zoom back out. When zoomed in, arrow buttons will appear at the edges enabling small
adjustments to the zoom positioning.!
Please note that the focus and zoom capabilities will vary by camera, and not all models will
support all of these controls.!
A variety of overlays are available in live view and are turned on or offfrom within the settings.
Note that overlays such as histogram or focus peaking can reduce the live view frame rate.!
Camera Properties!
The camera properties will look slightly different depending on the device, orientation, and
camera model.!
Auto exposure mode, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, focus mode, image format, drive/
capture mode, and metering are displayed as shown. The exposure meter can have different
meanings. It shows exposure bracketing and then either exposure compensation or exposure
metering depending on the context. If the property can be changed, then it will be white.
Disabled properties are grey. The values displayed are the values that are currently set on the
camera.!
Pressing a property button will bring up a list of
possible values that can be selected.!
Some Sony cameras change exposure parameters
differently than other cameras. The camera cannot
simply be set to a particular exposure value.
Rather, the exposure value can only be
incremented or decremented. For shutter speed
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and ISO, this process is automated for the user when a particular value is selected, though it
will take longer for the value to be set on the camera as it must be adjusted one step at a
time. For aperture, the user is presented with an up/down control to manually increment or
decrement the value.!
Camera Actions!
The red capture button initiates the camera trigger. The exact camera behavior is dependent
on the camera and camera properties, most importantly the capture mode. The continuous
capture mode operates differently for camera manufacturers. For most, it operates like
camera’s trigger, shots are taken as long as the capture
button is pressed. However, Nikon is different in that if a
continuous shooting mode is selected, a burst number must
also be set. With each single capture press the specified
number of shots will then be taken.!
For Canon and some Fuji and Sony cameras, a yellow button will appear at the top left of the
Capture button. This button is the equivalent of performing a “half-press” of the camera’s
shutter button. This is useful for getting auto focus and determining the camera’s exposure
metering. If the camera’s exposure mode is set to manual, the exposure meter will briefly
show the exposure level. If set to an automated exposure mode, the exposure parameters
calculated by the camera will be shown for a few seconds. For example, if in aperture priority,
the shutter speed calculated by the camera will be shown briefly.!
For some cameras, a green dot may also appear to the upper right of the Capture button. This
is a focus indicator and a signal from the camera that the camera lens has acquired focus.!
The auto / manual focus toggle button shows if the camera will attempt to focus as part of
capture. Depending on the camera and configuration the user may or may not be able to
change this.!
The live view button toggles live view on and off. Live view must be controlled from the
CamRanger and not from the camera.!
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The movie button toggles movie mode on and off. When movie mode is on, the Capture
button changes to “Record” and pressing this button will start and stop movie recording.!
!
HDR/Advanced Bracketing Tab!
The HDR tab is accessed by pressing the HDR
button shown highlighted in blue. The HDR
bracketing works by actually adjusting the
camera’s exposure parameters between shots. The
only limitations to the bracketing is the camera’s
possible exposure parameters.!
The property field specifies the camera property to
be changed. The three options are Shutter Speed,
Aperture, and ISO. The Mid-Point indicates the
middle exposure of the sequence. The step size
sets the number of steps to adjust the exposure
between each shot. The number of shots specifies the number of shots in the sequence. The
maximum number of shots is dynamically calculated based on the mid-point and the possible
camera values.!
The minimum and maximum exposure values for the sequence will be displayed above the
Start button. Press the Start button to begin the sequence.!
Because the CamRanger is actually changing the camera’s exposure parameters, the camera
must be set to Manual exposure mode to perform HDR bracketing.!
HDR sequences can also be performed when the camera is set to bulb mode. The settings
are similar, except that the property is shutter speed/bulb duration and the mid-point is set in
seconds. The minimum bulb duration is 100 ms. The Advanced Bracketing tab will
automatically change to bulb settings when the camera is set to bulb mode.!
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HDR bracketing is not available for Sony cameras. However, Sony provides a large number of
built-in capture modes to perform bracketed captures.!
!
HDR sequences can also be saved and then restored later. Press the database icon
in the bottom left of the HDR dialog. A dialog will appear allowing the current
sequence to be saved or previous sequences to be applied.!
Timer Tab!
The Timer tab is accessed by pressing the
stopwatch button and is used to configure the
CamRanger as an intervalometer as well as specify
exposure times when the camera is bulb mode.!
The initial delay is the amount of time to delay
before the sequence is started. This can be useful
for making a custom timer mode with a set delay.
The number of shots to take must be entered as well as the time between shots. Note that
depending on the camera, the time between shots may be longer than entered if the time is
less than a few seconds.!
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The estimated duration for the time lapse to complete is automatically calculated and
displayed, as well as the length of a 24 fps video if one was created from the resulting
captures.!
If the camera is in manual mode, the HDR switch may be toggled on. Each capture will then
be an HDR sequence of captures. The HDR parameters are those that are set in the HDR tab.!
Press “Start” to begin the sequence. After started, the iOS device does not need to remain
connected to the CamRanger. So there is no need to remain close by during a long time lapse
sequence.!
When the camera is in bulb mode, the timer tab can also be used to perform bulb shots with a
specified duration. The Start button in the Bulb section will only take a single shot. However,
time-lapse can be combined with bulb mode to perform a time-lapse with each bulb duration
set by the shot duration.!
Bulb ramping can also be configured by pressing
the ramp button and can be used to slowly adjust
exposure over time by varying the duration of
shutter. !
The exposure change over the entire sequence is
set by the EV Change field. This value can be
positive to increase the exposure or negative to
decrease the exposure. The Initial Duration field sets the initial bulb time.!
The CamRanger 2 will automatically adjust the ISO as necessary to avoid exceeding the Max
Duration (or Min Duration) if the EV Change is negative. For example, if the initial duration 0.5
seconds and the EV Change is +10, then without any other changes, the bulb duration would
have to be about 8.5 minutes. Likely, a bulb shot of 8.5 minutes is not desirable. Assume, a
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