Card Reader versus Direct Camera Connection

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

11/16/2009 12:56:50 PM · #1

I do not have a card reader, but have been connecting the camera directly to the USB port of my computer to download images.

Do I need a card reader? Why? What is the advantage or the card reader over my current technique?

one2one

Olympus E-5

Olympus 7-14mm f/4.0 Zuiko Digital Zoom

11/16/2009 01:08:58 PM · #2

Yes. Faster. No wires.

rich

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

11/16/2009 01:12:01 PM · #3

There are a few advantages to a card reader, chief among them being that you can offload images while you continue shooting. For people that are doing untethered studio work or portraits and prints on location, I imagine that's pretty invaluable. Another advantage is that you generally don't need additional drivers and software, it's just yet another piece of removable media. And finally, if you come home with dead batteries, you'll need to recharge or connect using AC power to get your images downloaded without a reader.

Having said all that - if you tend to shoot away from home and offload when you return, and don't need the camera in between, it's not a big deal to download directly from the camera. Another small advantage is that the fewer times you actually remove and replace CF cards, the less likely you will break or bend a pin (however unlikely that may be in the first place).

In short - card readers generally solve a problem, they're not really a necessity.

d56ranger

Canon EOS-20D

11/16/2009 01:19:28 PM · #4

they're also cheap.

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

11/16/2009 01:27:07 PM · #5

One word of warning to you and others who use card readers.

Ask how many people who have always used them have had to replace CF slots because they bent a pin? There is a very simple reason why I use the cable on my cameras to download it. And that reason is because of the large number of people who have always done it with a card reader only to discover they bent a pin on the CF board putting it back in.

Matt

Ja-9

Nikon D750

11/16/2009 01:32:14 PM · #6

Originally posted by Jac:

Yes. Faster. No wires.

but aren't you splitting hairs as far as "how long"...it doesn't take me long with the cable...a few minutes at most

rich

Olympus 7-14mm f/4.0 Zuiko Digital Zoom

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

11/16/2009 01:32:52 PM · #7

There's another thread from back in 2006 that hashes this out quite a bit. Most of it already mentioned here but there are some additional comments like rescuing images from a card - you'd need a reader for that.

one2one

Olympus E-5

11/16/2009 01:33:02 PM · #8

Originally posted by MattO:

Never happened in over 7 years. I would recommend a good quality card reader and not one you pay 4.99 for.

daryn

Sony DSLR-A100

Sony SAL16-80Z DT 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5 ZA

11/16/2009 01:37:18 PM · #9

Look at the 2 options, and the results of a failure:-

1. Using the USB cable. Pulling this in and out will eventually cause failure of the usb socket. What to do then? Use a card reader and carry on.

2. Using a card reader. Repeatedly removing and reinserting the CF card will eventually cause one of the CF pins to bend. What to do then? Well you are kind of screwed, the repair is probably not economical, so you can bin your camera.

I use option 1, and will move to option 2 when forced to. Having said that, most people will not experience failure of this type. Be as cautious as you like.

11/16/2009 01:38:58 PM · #10

Originally posted by Jac:

Originally posted by MattO:
One word of warning to you and others who use card readers.

Ask how many people who have always used them have had to replace CF slots because they bent a pin? There is a very simple reason why I use the cable on my cameras to download it. And that reason is because of the large number of people who have always done it with a card reader only to discover they bent a pin on the CF board putting it back in.

Matt

Never happened in over 7 years. I would recommend a good quality card reader and not one you pay 4.99 for.

Using the search function of this forum and many others will show you that not everyone is that lucky. Bent CF pin

Matt

rlewis

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

11/16/2009 02:23:48 PM · #11

I thought I might be missing something by doing it the "old fashioned" way, but based on how I shoot and what I am hearing......I am staying with the direct cord to computer technique

Manic

DJI Mini 3 Pro

Kamlan 28mm F1.4 MF for APS-C

11/16/2009 03:34:00 PM · #12

Just a reminder that if you're shooting JPEG, then a cardreader might be a safer option (for DPC entries), since there is no transfer software involved that might alter the EXIF and make the file invalid. See this thread for the transfer software guidelines.

Of course, if you're shooting in RAW, it doesn't matter which method you use to get the images :)

K3Master

Pentax K-3

Pentax D-FA* 70-200mm f/2.8 ED DC AW

11/16/2009 03:35:13 PM · #13

Originally posted by MattO:

Originally posted by Jac:

Originally posted by MattO:
One word of warning to you and others who use card readers.

Ask how many people who have always used them have had to replace CF slots because they bent a pin? There is a very simple reason why I use the cable on my cameras to download it. And that reason is because of the large number of people who have always done it with a card reader only to discover they bent a pin on the CF board putting it back in.

Matt

Never happened in over 7 years. I would recommend a good quality card reader and not one you pay 4.99 for.

Using the search function of this forum and many others will show you that not everyone is that lucky. Bent CF pin

Matt

Get a real camera that uses the superior SD technology and you won't have that problem ;D

RamblinR

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro

11/16/2009 04:24:39 PM · #14

I used to plug the camera to the computer but often it didn't recognise the camera (XP).
Moved to the Card Read because of frustration.
Will be getting a new computer with Windows 7 so hopefully this will connect better.
Bending a CF pin is always a concern.

AJSullivan

11/16/2009 04:35:15 PM · #15

For the most part, I take the card out, and do it that way, but thats because I'm oftten rotating several cards, so it doesn't make sense to worry about a bent pin, although I see it happen far too often.

Azrifel

Fujifilm X100VI

11/16/2009 04:38:20 PM · #16

Originally posted by MattO:

Interesting. We have been roulating 15 cards between 3 5D's in stressful situations at weddings and never bent a pin. It might be down to an unlucky not perfect card because you have to do your utmost best to bent a pin in the camera.

AJSullivan

11/16/2009 04:40:19 PM · #17

Eh, go into any "intro to photography" class and you will see someone bend a pin. Hell, at my school, they rarely let you remove the card from the camera because its happened so often.

11/16/2009 04:42:16 PM · #18

Originally posted by Azrifel:

Originally posted by MattO:

Originally posted by Jac:

Originally posted by MattO:
One word of warning to you and others who use card readers.

Ask how many people who have always used them have had to replace CF slots because they bent a pin? There is a very simple reason why I use the cable on my cameras to download it. And that reason is because of the large number of people who have always done it with a card reader only to discover they bent a pin on the CF board putting it back in.

Matt

Never happened in over 7 years. I would recommend a good quality card reader and not one you pay 4.99 for.

Using the search function of this forum and many others will show you that not everyone is that lucky. Bent CF pin

Matt

Interesting. We have been roulating 15 cards between 3 5D's in stressful situations at weddings and never bent a pin. It might be down to an unlucky not perfect card because you have to do your utmost best to bent a pin in the camera.

There are many very good photographers on this site that have bent pins. It's not something I have ever done, but since all of my cameras have dual slots, I don't have to worry about that. It also helps that I shoot almost strictly JPEG and have 16GB of storage in each camera. :D

Matt

11/16/2009 04:43:41 PM · #19

Originally posted by AJSullivan:

Eh, go into any "intro to photography" class and you will see someone bend a pin. Hell, at my school, they rarely let you remove the card from the camera because its happened so often.

I'm pretty sure

DrAchoo

jmsetzler who are both pretty accomplished photographers have bent pins in their cameras. John just recently had it happen on his 30D(a couple of weeks ago) so its not just newbies.

Matt