Card reader vs camera direct-connect for downloading image files?

I use camera direct, the small risk of bent pins is enough to put me off readers.

I use a USB-2 UDMA enabled card reader.. It's a lot faster than using my 7D USB port.

Dpreview did some tests in their 7D review. They measured the camera USB port and then a USB-2 card reader for download speed (using the same card).. The camera transferred at 14.3 MB/s and the reader did 21.5 MB/s

http://www.dpreview.co​m/reviews/canoneos7d/p​age13.asp

Ill shoot up to 100GB an event..12+ cards.

I dump using 2 readers..Id like to get at least another one.

I just recently switched to a reader. Got tired of waiting forever on the EOS utility.

I have a Lexar Firewire 800 CF card reader. Makes downloading 7D RAW files a lot faster. Never had any problems with bent pins.

Unless you like to waste time waiting (or make coffee) each and everytime uploading pictures. i think it's stupid not to use a cardreader. It's almost twice as fast. And a fast reader is not expensive at all. Try it: I promise that you will say the same thing that i did - why didn't i buy one earlier? Best money i spent in many years.

And what kind of idiot bends pins??

Most all of the current computers being released with the latest generation Intel Cpu 2500 & 2600 [SandyBridge] will have motherboards with integrated USB 3.0 ports that will be backward compatible with USB 2.0 devices. Speeds are claimed to increase almost 10x from the current 480mbps rate to nearly 5Gbps.

In the interim for folks that have no plans to purchase the latest & greatest new desktop you can do some research on the below or stop in to a Frys Electronics and ask one of the so-called PC geeks about the below and see if your present PC is compatible with this plug-in card. If so you should be able to just plug your camera direct into one of the cards USB 3.0 ports.

These USB 3.0 Host controller cards are around $30.00 last time i noticed.

I personally dont do any video so dont normally have any files on my card larger then a few gigs.

http://www.vantecusa.c​om/en/product/view_det​ail/431

You can purchase this card at Fry`s electronics, Microcenter, or any of the stores listed here below:

http://www.vantecusa.c​om/front/where/store/n​a/r

Regards,

I use a card reader rather than hook up the camera to the puter it seems easier to pull the card and put in the card reader and about 45 seconds later pull card and put it back in the camera.

No card reader for me.

Card reader for me. Its just too simple and easy, never any worry about complications.

snyderman wrote in post #11687314
If a card would happen to fail, I have others in the bag. Otherwise, why else WOULD I take it out?

dave

Why take a card out? Because it gets filled up, and you need to put another card in so that you can keep shooting.

Even with my big 32GB cards, they are constantly getting filled up while in the field.

What do you do when you fill a card up? I fill up my 16GB and 8GB cards all of the time. Why would you put them all back into the camera to read them? Wouldn't that be more of a risk for bending pins?

I guess if you don't shoot enough to fill up a card there's no reason to ever take it out, but I'd imagine most of us who shoot often enough will fill multiple cards up rather quickly.

mosconiac wrote in post #11687504
I had to give up the EOS utility when I switched to Windows 7...I loved the simple process of renaming & off-loading files in one-easy step. I now use a card reader & filerenamer (software) to store photos...clunky process now.

I thought I would have to give up EOS utility download support for my 5D classic when I upgraded to Win7 64-bit, but was pleasantly surprised when I found that it still worked. The only trick was using an older version of EOS utility that still supported the 5D classic.

I have a card reader but 99% of the time I just plug the cable in the camera, it's downloading while I sort out other things.

Card reader, always. After goodness knows how many times, no problem with pins getting bent on the 350D, and even less worry with the SD cards on the 450d. Even if the download from the camera was as fast, it's still quicker to pop out the card than plug the cable in to camera, PC and switch on, unless you leave it permanently hanging out the machine.