USB cords, card readers, and which to use?

I currently have 4 Canon cameras, an A560, A2000is, S 5 IS, and S95, therefore 4 usb cords to sort through depending on which camera I happen to be using. My question is, are these cords interchangable?

They look the same basically, but I tend to err on the side of safety, so have them marked and always use the proper cord. I was just untangling them while ago and decided I would ask the experts.

I have never used a card reader, nor do I own one, so is there any advantage to downloading to either method, or is just personal preference?

Yes, they're the same. You can use any USB A to 5-pin Mini-B cable, not just Canon's, which is handy if you need a longer, or shorter, cable than they come with. But a card reader's a better idea. They're faster, they don't need the camera to be turned on (thereby helping drain the battery), you aren't going to have to worry about snagging the USB cable and sending the camera crashing to the floor, and in the event that you get a corrupted card, recovery programs won't work with just the camera.

Jon wrote in post #13864396
Yes, they're the same. You can use any USB A to 5-pin Mini-B cable, not just Canon's, which is handy if you need a longer, or shorter, cable than they come with. But a card reader's a better idea. They're faster, they don't need the camera to be turned on (thereby helping drain the battery), you aren't going to have to worry about snagging the USB cable and sending the camera crashing to the floor, and in the event that you get a corrupted card, recovery programs won't work with just the camera.

This. A card reader is such a simple solution. Less components to fail or complicate things.

card reader

why?
faster
wont break usb connector
wont use camera battery
better compatibility with computers

I also vote for a card reader...

I seldom use my card reader. It's faster to use the cable at my desk and the EOS Utility. The card reader is handy when I want to delete a bazillion files or do some other batch operation.

I use a card reader. I leave all USB cables for my devices in the box.

I only ever use a card reader. I've had a few, and the Transcend one is head-and-shoulders above the rest.

CactusJuice wrote in post #13865569
I seldom use my card reader. It's faster to use the cable at my desk and the EOS Utility. The card reader is handy when I want to delete a bazillion files or do some other batch operation.

Cactus Juice, why do you delete files from a card? When I'm ready to clear the card I just put it back in the camera and Format it.

barn9 wrote in post #13863908
I currently have 4 Canon cameras, an A560, A2000is, S 5 IS, and S95, therefore 4 usb cords to sort through depending on which camera I happen to be using. My question is, are these cords interchangable?

Yes. You can just pick your favorite length and use one cable.

Reading this thread, you'd think a card reader is essential. It is certainly not. It is just a matter of what you prefer. Taking the card out is just as much hassle as plugging in a cable.

CactusJuice wrote in post #13865569
I seldom use my card reader. It's faster to use the cable at my desk and the EOS Utility. The card reader is handy when I want to delete a bazillion files or do some other batch operation.

This is what I do. I have never read a post on USB connector problems, but have read many about bent or broken memory card pins in the camera.

Barn9 - Sometimes folk who have higher-end cameras that use Compact-Flash cards are very wary about using card-readers, as these high-tech cards seem to be quite fragile if not handled very carefully - can bend or break the pins, so on.

I think all of the cameras you list use SD-type cards, which with reasonable care, survive handling quite well. I have 3 cameras which use SD/SDHC cards, and over several years, and quite a collection of 2GB, 4GB, and now 8GB, cards - have never had a bent or broken pins problem with one.

For years I used the USB-cable connected multi-card type reader, which eventually failed (without harming the card then in it) - and as a cheap 'temporary' replacement I bought a very small SD-type only card reader. This is a Chinese generic, about the size of a USB-drive, and works similarly.

The camera card plugs into the side of it, and the reader itself into a USB port. This opens instantly on Desktop - in Linux - in Windows I assume it would open as a Drive Letter in My Computer, or in Windows Explorer like a USB-drive. It does that in friends' XP PCs - what happens in Windows after XP, I'm not familiar with.

Back when I was connecting cameras to the computer, I soon found that using a card-reader was several times faster.

At present I'm still using this "temporary" little device I bought for $4.95 over a year ago - works very well indeed. Downloads include JPEGs, RAWs, and HD 264/MOV video - and it's quick with all.

Regards, Dave.

I used the USB on my cameras for years but recently bought a GOOD card reader (Lexar USB3) it's way faster and I can do both SD cards and CF cards at the same time! Old/cheap card readers may not be any faster than transferring from the camera so just make sure it's a good one.

Ianfp wrote in post #13897851
This is what I do. I have never read a post on USB connector problems, but have read many about bent or broken memory card pins in the camera.

You've missed a few then.