Card Reader or Camera

[drisley]

Just bought my Digital Rebel, and I have a couple of CF Cards (128MB and 256MB) from my G3.

I notice that transferring to my computer from the camera takes a long time (probably because the files are 50% bigger than with my G3).
I read that this process really drains the power on the Rebel battery, which isnt a big problem since I do this after taking all my pics.

I was wondering, are USB CF card readers faster than reading from the camera? Are USB2.0 readers faster than USB1.1 when you are using standard speed cards (I think mine are 4x)?

Any help/experience would be appreciated.

[Nolz]

providing your computer has usb2 ports i would say a CF card reader every single time it gets asked....(and i think i have) if you dont have usb2 ports you can buy a pci card which gives you usb2 ports. mind you from experience they dont seem to be as fast as a motherboard that came with the ports from the beginning.

i had the reader before i bought my 300D so i had always transferred pics from the reader, i then chose to see how the cam transferred pics....and it was soooo painfully slow that i cant see why i would ever do it again!

[drisley]

Thanks Nolz :)

Yes, my mobo supports USB2.0 and has alot of ports.

So, you are using a USB2.0 reader? Or a USB1.1 reader?
Also, what speed are your CF cards?

Oh, since I only use RAW format, will a reader still work?

Thanks again!

[Ikinaa]

Oh, since I only use RAW format, will a reader still work?

Thanks again!

A USB-Cardreader makes a drive out of a card. So no matter what data you have on the card, you can transfer it to your PC.
a RAW is simply a file like a JPEG or anything other.

[Nolz]

yes get a USB2 card reader.

you wont beleive the difference in transfer rate til you do it....

and i have a sandisk ultra II 512 card....transfers at 42x or so...not too sure about it....

now go on then! :D

[zerolight]

i got my USB2 card reader on ebay couple of weeks ago, just after I got my 10D. huge difference. USB2 is something like 40 times faster, or thereabouts. its seriously worth getiing. £20 well spent.

[defordphoto]

Card reader always. I have only connected my camera(s) to my PC once, and that was only to change the owner name. Never to transfer files.

[scottbergerphoto]

Forget about transfer speed. Trip over the cord between your camera and the computer, or have the camera fall off the desk while your transferring files and your in for a bad day!
Scott

[Vegas Poboy]

Card reader, anything is better than the camera itself.

[drisley]

Thanks guys.

I just ordered a ByteCC 8-in-1 USB2.0 card reader.
It was about the same price as a Sandisk Compact Flash only reader.

Now I have to find some good deals on 256mb or larger flash cards, preferably 12x or so.

[johnmate]

I have an USB2.0 internal card reader (for Compact Flash and other cards), and I love it! :D Always a good investment.

[GenEOS]

Card Reader.

[sds4kst8]

My reasoning has always been...would I want to transfer photos to my PC using my $1,500 10d or a $5 card reader? :?:

I think that's what some call a 'no brainer' :D

[CyberDyneSystems]

I've owned 4 digital cameras now,. and so far I have yet to plug one into a computer! :)

I allways use a reader.

[TeraGram93013]

Yes, of course, card reader, for all the reasons that everyone else has mentioned.

Word of caution: don't format your card on your pc. Only do that in the camera.

Also, I don't know if it is such an issue with CF cards and Canon cameras, but be careful using your system to view the card directly as opposed to using the software that came with the camera.

I also have a Fuji2800z (or more appropriately, my husband has it now since I have the 10D). I made the mistake of viewing thumbs via Windows2000.

The images then downloaded properly. All seemed well. I put the card back into the camera, erased, and shot more pictures. When I attempted to download those images, they were unreadable! (I didn't know about the file utilities available on the net at the time.) A card format via the camera made things alright, but all those pictures I shot were lost forever.

[rsnadel]

One other thing to consider for slightly older PCs (the ones that didn't come with USB 2.0): if they came with a Firewire port (IE1394, I believe, is the proper name), you can also buy a Firewire-based card reader for about the same as the current USB 2.0 readers. They may not be as readily available, but they're no less fast. I own a Lexar brand reader.

[hawg]

I agreed with most, use a card reader. And yes USB 2.0 is faster than USB 1.1. I also agree with the Fire wire solution for older machines. One thing you also have to consider is what operating system you are using. If you have an older PC running Win98, USB 2.0 might not work since Win98 doesn't support USB 2.0. Win98 supports Firewire (IEEE 1394).

[David Wild]

I agreed with most, use a card reader. And yes USB 2.0 is faster than USB 1.1. I also agree with the Fire wire solution for older machines. One thing you also have to consider is what operating system you are using. If you have an older PC running Win98, USB 2.0 might not work since Win98 doesn't support USB 2.0. Win98 supports Firewire (IEEE 1394).

Fortunately, every USB 2.0 Card Reader that I have seen claims to be compatible with USB 1.1. You'll only bet 1.1 speed, of course, but it will work.

[defordphoto]

Word of caution: don't format your card on your pc. Only do that in the camera.

Actually you can format your card on your PC with no problems/issues, but it is best to format in the camera.

[hawg]

Fortunately, every USB 2.0 Card Reader that I have seen claims to be compatible with USB 1.1. You'll only bet 1.1 speed, of course, but it will work.

True most 2.0 card readers are backwards compatible and they certainly work.

[Mikesht]

Thanks guys.

I just ordered a ByteCC 8-in-1 USB2.0 card reader.
It was about the same price as a Sandisk Compact Flash only reader.

Now I have to find some good deals on 256mb or larger flash cards, preferably 12x or so.

Download and install free "Downloader" program from here:

http://www.breezesys.com/html/older_products.htm

and you are in business! Makes you downloads much easier, organizes files in folders and so on.

[JZaun]

Lets see, I have a reader on the HP 1115 photosmart printer,acts like a disk drive but very slow, I have a Sandisk CF reader and it acts like a disk drive, (Fast), I just purchased a HP 1350 all in one printer with a built in reader for multi type cards and it is fast also.. I also never hooked my old Nikon 885 to a PC direct and I doubt I will connect the new Canon 10D to the PC direct either..

JZaun

[drisley]

My USB2.0 7in1 Reader just arrived!
Blazingly FAST compared to the camera.

2 RAW files only took about 5-10 seconds to transfer to the PC.

Straight from the camera it would take almost 2 minutes!

I love getting new equipment!

My new Canon EF 50mm f1.8 MKII will be here Friday!
"My Precious"

[Andy_T]

Hi,

if you have a laptop, also consider a PCMCIA card reader.

I haven't done any measurebating so far, but it's a lot faster (I'd assume 2x to 5x) to get a full 1 GB microdrive transferred via the PCMCIA reader than via my G2.

Also, no cable to trip over and no extra place needed to store it in.

Regards,
Andy

[neil_r]

Word of caution: don't format your card on your pc. Only do that in the camera.

Actually you can format your card on your PC with no problems/issues, but it is best to format in the camera.

A word of caution, don't format your microdrives NTFS cos the camera dont like it.

Neil

[drisley]

One thing about my card reader.
The usb cable is SHORT!
I think it's only 4ft long max.

[Phil Hall]

I used to use a PCMCIA adapter card that came with the IBM microdrives. I switched to a USB 2.0 card reader and it is much faster. I feel I have more control over copying to folders when the card is treated as a drive.