Skip to main content

Ricoh acquires wireless memory card manufacturer Eyefi

ricoh eyefi acquisition pentax dslr k1
Kurt Bauschardt
Ricoh Innovations Corporation, often shortened to Ricoh, has announced its acquisition of wireless memory card company Eyefi.

According to an email sent out by Eyefi, the team behind the wireless memory cards will immediately start work at Ricoh, where it says it plans to continue “maintaining and increasing the quality, support, and service that you have come to know from [the Eyefi] team.”

Eyefi got its start as a hardware company, creating memory cards with built-in wireless networks. Able to create on-location connections between the card and a mobile device, Eyefi cards made it easier than ever to get images straight off a camera and onto a computer for quicker sharing and effortless transfers.

Eyefi
Image used with permission by copyright holder

More recently, as noted by PDN Pulse, Eyefi put its effort into creating a cloud platform, where the uploaded images could be safely stored and duplicated until later processed or archived. Furthermore, Eyefi partnered with both GoPro and Olympus to help kickstart its online cloud integration.

There are few details about whether or not Ricoh will keep Eyefi’s hardware in development or merely utilize its cloud platform, but Eyefi has confirmed that all owners, both new and old, of Eyefi Mobi and Mobi Pro cards will continue to receive the exact same support going forward.

Considering Ricoh is behind Pentax DSLRs, as well as the recently updated Theta 360, it’ll be interesting to see what it plans to do with Eyefi’s technology. Wireless transfers from camera to computer have become more popular in recent years, and with the experience of Eyefi, it’s not hard to imagine that future DSLRs or compact cameras from Ricoh will offer these capabilities.

Editors' Recommendations

Gannon Burgett
How to hide photos on an Android phone or tablet
Google Photos

While today's best Android phones are quite secure as long as they remain locked with a passcode or biometrics like a fingerprint, by default those features only protect the front door. If someone picks up your phone while it's unlocked, there aren't typically any barriers that will keep them out of exploring everything from your contacts and emails to your photos.

This can be particularly challenging when it comes to photos, since those are the things we like to show off the most from our phones. We've likely all had those moments when we want to show a friend or co-worker a funny cat meme, so we hand over our phone and trust that they won't swipe right and see the photo of the hairy mole that we sent to our doctor that morning.

Read more
Best Sony A7 III deals: Save $300 on the full frame mirrorless camera
Sony A7 III

Sony A7 III Daven Mathies/Digital Trends / .

Even if you have one of the best camera phones at the moment, if you're a photography fanatic, you're probably feeling the burn for something new and exciting. For example, the Sony A7 III line is like none other in the world of handheld cameras and you can find several cameras in that line on sale right now at Best Buy. Here, we round up the best deals in the sale, then analyze how buying a Sony Alpha A7 III looks at the moment.
Today's best Sony A7 III deals

Read more
How to use (almost) any camera as a webcam for Zoom and more
how to use any camera as a web cam v2 00 58 01 still007

Cameras, even those in phones, brag about megapixels and lens specifications -- but laptops? Not so much. There’s a reason computer companies don’t say much about the webcams that come built into the bezels of their screens. Most of these cameras are low-quality, with tiny sensors and cheap lenses. Sure, they work for basic videoconferencing, but they aren’t very impressive and certainly leave us wanting something more.

While you could just buy a stand-alone webcam that connects over USB, to really take production value up a notch, you can opt for a DSLR or mirrorless camera. You’ll need a few workarounds to get this type of camera to be recognized as a webcam by your computer, but the trouble is worth it for the higher resolution, much better low-light performance, and cinematic background blur.

Read more