Unplugging the camera (Digital Rebel/300D)

[vespaindiana]

Hello,
I've recently bought a DR/EOS 300D, which I enjoy a lot.
Now, I have a simple question for you "who know". What is the correct procedure to unplug the camera from the computer once that you have finished dowloading the pictures in it? There is no USB icon in the computer tray and the camera says she's "busy", even after the pictures are on the PC.
Somebody told me to simply turn off the camera and also suggested buying a card reader.
What do you usually do/think?

Thanks a lot for your help

Vespaindiana

[robertwgross]

Yes, use a card reader.

---Bob Gross---

[BobL]

I also agree with using a card reader. It is probably a good idea to turn the camera off before removing the card.

[yellow_belly]

Dont bother with a card reader :) I nearly always connect the camera to USB and just unplug it when finished :) If you do a search on how many people have bent pins on a camera pushing a Compact Flash card in you will see why I do this only when I have to :) Connecting the camera (USB2) is just as fast as a card reader also :)

Terry

[yellow_belly]

Oops - Sorry just seen you have a 300D, that will be slower than a card reader but still worth the wait IMHO.

Terry

[kram]

The camera conntection to the PC is a very slow option for the 300D. I use a card reader - and I am not too worried about a bent pin in the camera. It seems to slide into place very smoothly every time.

The reader is a different story - everytime it gets stuck http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_mad.gif. But its survived the first month http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif.

I dont think there was any restriction on unplugging the camera - I just used to switch it off and unplug it.

[Rob612]

Agree, use a card reader and CFs with decent speed, USB 1.1 is awfully slow and if you use decent size CFs you have to wait forever.

[2goldens]

I can't seem to get a card reader to work on my computer. I just use the camera. It may take a bit more time but that is ok with me. I just go and get a cup of coffee.

[cfcRebel]

Once i tried a card reader, I never connect my 300D directly to my computer.
Normally I just stick my CF into my card reader. After finish downloading, I double-click on the USB icon at the task bar to "Safely remove USB device" before i pull my CF out of the card reader.
I'm using Window XP Pro.

[glangston]

Unplugging the camera. I just wait until the images are downloaded and the images show they are erased. You're right, there is no desktop image to drag to the trash. I then just unplug and no, I don't turn power off first.

If you shoot in RAW w/JPEG then the card reader saves you a little time. For me, with a Mac, the jpegs download by default into iPhoto then are erased, The RAW images are then selected and downloaded to a desktop file via drag and drop. The card then gets formatted in camera to erase the remaining RAW images.

[vespaindiana]

Thank you all!

Vespaindiana

[GeForceFX]

Dont bother with a card reader :) I nearly always connect the camera to USB and just unplug it when finished :) If you do a search on how many people have bent pins on a camera pushing a Compact Flash card in you will see why I do this only when I have to :) Connecting the camera (USB2) is just as fast as a card reader also :)

Terry

you only use 1 CF card?

shoot more!!! :lol:

[willg]

card readers are sooooo much faster

[yellow_belly]

"you only use 1 CF card?" - LOL - yes but its 4GB :)

Terry

[Jon]

"you only use 1 CF card?" - LOL - yes but its 4GB :)

Terry

. . . and when it fails on you, you'll need a card reader to be able to run the image recovery software against it. BTDT. Besides, I can fill up a big card during a session quite well, thank you.

Seriously, I've been sliding CF cards, and before them PC Cards, into and out of computers, cameras, PDAs, and other devices for years with never a pin problem. It's not that easy to bend a pin if you exercise a modicum of care. You're more likely to mis-load film into your 35 mm camera than to bend a pin inserting a CF card into a digital camera.

[queenbee288]

Just another note regarding cf card vs usb. I read a post on this forum one from someone who's computer crashed while downloading from his camera and the camera crashed also!

Char

[EOSAddict]

After finish downloading, I double-click on the USB icon at the task bar to "Safely remove USB device" before i pull my CF out of the card reader.
I'm using Window XP Pro.

Surely that removes the USB Device (ie the Reader) from the computer - not the card.... as long as the activity light on your reader is not flashing, you can safely remove the CF card anytime.

[Andy_T]

If you are using a laptop, take a look at PCMCIA card readers ... work like a charm, no cables cluttering your desk and you always know where the reader and your card are.

Best regards,
Andy

[mkh]

Dont bother with a card reader :) I nearly always connect the camera to USB and just unplug it when finished :) If you do a search on how many people have bent pins on a camera pushing a Compact Flash card in you will see why I do this only when I have to :) Connecting the camera (USB2) is just as fast as a card reader also :)

Terry

The 300D is not USB2 it is the older USB1.1. If you are uploading 4 gigs then borrow a USB2 card reader on a USB2 port and try it once. You will be amazed at the speed difference.

As for bending/breaking pins. If you use caution then this shouldn't be a problem. If the card doesn't want to go in easily then don't force it.

[Jon]

If you do a search on how many people have bent pins on a camera pushing a Compact Flash card in you will see why I do this only when I have to :)

That may be a slightly skewed sample. I don't think too many people will post that Hey, I just plugged my CF card into a card reader and didn't bend any pins. Nor did I when I put the card back into the camera If they did, it'd easily be the longest and most active thread on the board.

[yellow_belly]

The 300D is not USB2 it is the older USB1.1. If you are uploading 4 gigs then borrow a USB2 card reader on a USB2 port and try it once. You will be amazed at the speed difference.

As for bending/breaking pins. If you use caution then this shouldn't be a problem. If the card doesn't want to go in easily then don't force it.Hi mkh, if you look at the post below the one you quoted you would have seen that I realised it was a 300D and therefore not USB2. I personally have a 20D, that is USB2 and just as quick as any USB card reader that I have seen :)

Terry

PS I have worked in the developement of electronic kit for an awfully long time and I can assure you that pins will bend every now and then, thats not saying it will happen to everyone but *WHY* take the risk when there is a very good alternative (at least for the 20D) There will be times when removing the card cant be avoided and I do do this when necessary, but I was always taught to minimise the risk.

[JulianL]

Definitely, buy a card reader. Your images will download much much faster (like 10 times faster). Then your only problem will be remembering to put the CF card back in your camera before you go out to take more pictures.