Reading Memory Cards?

[FotoPhreak]

A couple of quick questions ...

Is the speed downloading photos directly from the camera different to that of using a dedicated Card Reader?

What brand/model of Card Reader do you recommend?

I don't really have any other need (i.e. no other devices with different cards) other than Compact Flash. So if getting one solely for that is cheaper, then makes sense. But if getting one is no difference in cost with getting a multi-card reader, then may as well get the additional ones as you never know what the future holds.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Brand doesn't really matter,. I have a generic USB2 reader that will read 8 kinds of card,. cost like $18.00 and works a charm

Any reader is likely faster than your reading from the camera.

A USB2 or Firewire reader is recomended if you have such a port on your PC.
USB2 is a LOT cheaper than Forewire,...

If you don't have eiter,. than you can just use USB but it will be slower,. or you can put in this card and kill two birds with one stone;
http://www.compgeeks.com/details.asp?invtId=MULTIPORTCARD

This is the reader I have,. it can be used external OR internal :)

http://www.compgeeks.com/details.asp?invtid=GS-G2

[GenEOS]

Only knowledge I can lend here is the fact that before long you will have a pile of card readers of various types and styles laying around your office. All work about the same speed. The CF cards however, will determine, atleast a little, how fast data is transfered. I never have used the camera to transfer files.

[chris.bailey]

A couple of quick questions ...

Is the speed downloading photos directly from the camera different to that of using a dedicated Card Reader?

What brand/model of Card Reader do you recommend?

I don't really have any other need (i.e. no other devices with different cards) other than Compact Flash. So if getting one solely for that is cheaper, then makes sense. But if getting one is no difference in cost with getting a multi-card reader, then may as well get the additional ones as you never know what the future holds.

I have tried loads of different cards and different card readers. I'm lucky in that the ones I dont like come in to work (one of the perks of being IT buyer). There is not much to talk of in speed difference between any of them but there is a difference between USB 1.1 and 2.0. Sandisk do a very nice small moulded plastic one that is built like a tank and is very light. Its about £17 (so that will soon be about $17 or more he he) but I got mine bundled with a twin pack of 256mb cards a while back. Its no frills but does the job.

[Longwatcher]

A couple of quick questions ...

Is the speed downloading photos directly from the camera different to that of using a dedicated Card Reader?


Let me put it this way.
256MB CF card from camera to computer = 8+ minutes
256MB CF card from USB1.0 reader to computer = 5+ minutes
256MB CF card from USB2.0 reader to computer = 30 seconds

Just my experience.