Faster, more wireless range, and advanced new features: CamRanger 2 looks set to be the benchmark camera remote
(Image credit: CamRanger)
The original CamRanger camera remote was a compact box of tricks little larger than a credit card and 16mm thick. It connected via USB to Canon and Nikon DSLRs from, then its Wi-Fi signal let you wirelessly connect an Android or Apple smart device - or a Mac or PC - to use as a remote camera control or for wireless tethering.
CamRanger 2 picks up where the original left off and features the same wide device compatibility. But where the original could only connect to Canon and Nikon DSLRs, CamRanger 2 adds support for Fujifilm and Sony cameras.
(Image credit: CamRanger)
802.11n 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi enables up to 300Mbps image transfer speeds, but CamRanger 2 also packs dual-band Wi-Fi with the secondary 5GHz 802.11ac output capable of a maximum 433Mbps. Both can broadcast up to 500 feet, and with the improved speed means you can view captured raw files almost instantaneously on your remote device when wirelessly tethered. It also allows you to browse through the images on your camera's memory card smoothly with no perceptible lag.
What's more, CamRanger 2 contains its own SD slot, enabling it to automatically back up your camera's memory card - useful if your camera only has a single card slot.
With the CamRanger app you can remotely adjust camera settings, watch your camera's Live View feed, tap to focus (even if your camera itself doesn't have a touch screen), and of course, remotely fire the shutter. As with the original CamRanger, it's also possible to pre-program timelapse sequences with the option of bulb ramping, and there's the ability to perform automatic focus stacking. You can even wirelessly transfer to multiple devices, as well as social media, Dropbox and FTP.
Timelapse shooting necessitates decent battery life, so thankfully CamRanger 2 is powered by a user-replaceable 3300mAh Li-ion cell capable of around 5 hours usage, and there's a battery life indicator in the CamRanger app.
CamRanger 2 can be fitted to your camera's hotshoe mount, or alternatively there;s a standard 1/4-inch 20 socket so the unit can be mounted off-camera.
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CamRanger 2 is available to pre-order from Wex in the UK for £429. It will go on sale in the US priced at $349.
Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. Whether he's in the lab testing the sharpness of new lenses, the resolution of the latest image sensors, the zoom range of monster bridge cameras or even the latest camera phones, Ben is our go-to guy for technical insight. He's also the team's man-at-arms when it comes to camera bags, filters, memory cards, and all manner of camera accessories – his lab is a bit like the Batcave of photography! With years of experience trialling and testing kit, he's a human encyclopedia of benchmarks when it comes to recommending the best buys.
