XSories Weye Feye review

XSories is best known for its action camera equipment and accessories, but the Weye Feye wireless adaptor for Canon and Nikon digital SLR cameras is aimed at anyone with an interest in photography – not just those looking for an adrenalin rush. It’s a wireless hotspot that can turn your smartphone or tablet into a remote live viewfinder.

Essentially an external battery with a wireless transmitter inside, the Weye Feye has a rugged, rubberised enclosure that fits in with the rest of the XSories range. The bright orange colour won’t be to everyone’s taste, but it means you’re unlikely to forget it when out with your camera. Velcro straps help secure the device to a tripod, although the provided USB cable is more than long enough to let you position it several feet away from the camera itself.

Once connected and activated using the single button on the front of the unit. Weye Feye creates an open access point for your smartphone or tablet to connect to. Using the free app, which is available on iOS and Android, you can use Live View to remotely control your camera. You get complete access to manual controls and tap-to-focus, giving you plenty of creative control without having to hold the camera. Being able to set up a time lapse remotely, without having to manually fire the shutter, should be a real boon for landscape and night photography, as only the newest DSLRs include in-body time lapse functions.

Although it depends on the number of Wi-Fi signals in an area and the proximity of your device to the Weye Feye module, display lag is impressively low. At best you could get two tenths of a second between camera and remote viewfinder, although half a second was more common throughout our testing.

The Weye Feye has an internal rechargeable battery, so it won’t drain your DSLR. We got around seven hours of use in Live View mode from a single charge, but you can expect almost double that if you’re just using the Gallery mode to view your captured images.

Not all cameras are supported: XSories maintains a list on its website showing which cameras work fully, which only include partial support and which won’t work at all. We tested it with a Canon 700D, which wasn’t mentioned on the support page at all, but no problems using the Weye Feye’s complete set of features.

At £200, the Weye Feye is a rather expensive luxury compared to a basic remote trigger, but having remote live view opens up a world of possibilities for wildlife photography, action shots and camera placement. For creative photographers with a compatible camera, it could be a great addition to your camera bag.