Do you use a card reader?

[Photog38]

I have read somewhere that it is best to use a card reader rather than your camera to transfer pictures to your computer. Is this true? It seems like it would be extra wear-and-tear on the camera and the card to insert it and remove it over and over. So how many use a card reader and how many do not?

 

[gtkelly]

I use one. Not sure how much it protects the camera from extra wear but with I don't have to dig through the camera bag for the cable.

 

[Digital Matt]

It's more so a matter of convenience and speed.

#1 You don't use any camera batteries while transferring.

#2 A lot of cameras only transfer via USB 1.0, and if your computer has 2.0 ports, you can buy a 2.0 card reader and xfer much faster.

#3 You can keep shooting on a new memory card while one is uploading. If you are in the field, this could be on a laptop, or if at home or in a studio.

 

[avcabob]

Since my camera uses SD cards, I buy the bendy-in-half kind with usb ports built in. AFIK they only make them in SD cards. So in the sense that I don't use the camera cord to transfer pics, I guess you could say I use a card reader.

Anyway, I don't use the camera cord cause finding and untangling the cable from the other cords in my bag is annoying, camera plus laptop takes up more room then laptop with tiny card in the side, and it doesn't use the camera's battery which can be a problem when transferring large amounts of data.

 

[Mike_E]

Also and maybe most important, wear and tear on the camera's cord will cause eventual failure. When this happens you may or may not be able to replace it or the socket in the camera- whichever gives out first.

mike

 

[Meysha]

Socket failure is a good point. I've had 3 laptop hard drive cases fail on me in the past year and a half, simply because I'm plugging them in and out every day. The actual USB plug detached itself from the board. So then I have to buy a new case and move the hard drive over.

I'd hate for that to happen inside my camera.

The main reason I use a card reader is the battery reason everyone's mentioned.

 

[jstuedle]

I have a few D1X'x and always have used a card reader. I also use smaller cards than most so I change cards a lot. One of the D1's has over a million frames on it and I have had no card slot issues on it or any other camera. I always felt the camera made a very expensive card reader, and it being out of commission while transferring was an issue as is transferring on battery power as already mentioned. Just use care and common sense while changing cards and slot failure is the last thing I worry about.

 

[WDodd]

I always use a card reader for convenience and speed.

 

[RacePhoto]

Never thought of this as an issue. I still don't. :lmao:

Nope I don't use the cord from a camera to the computer. For me it's just that I have a few laptops, sometimes I want to drop pictures to this computer or that. I have a multi card reader on my main desktop. Carry a PCIMCIA SD reader with the SD camera bag, and have a bunch of CF card readers, one with each camera and a multi card reader with my main laptop that travels.

I don't use the software to move photos, because every camera wants to have it's own version, sometimes two will try to start at once. :er:

Seems like every camera has it's own style of USB cable also.

So I just use Powerdesk to move the pictures from the cards to the hard drive with a card reader. If I can, I don't clean up the cards, until I run out of space, so I can dump the photos from the cards, back at the office. However if I need to clean a card, I have the backup already done to the laptop. (or external drive)

I've never had a card slot go bad from plugging it in and unplugging it. I suppose it can happen, because I've seen enough cameras on eBay with bent or broken pins. But I carry six or more cards, so I'm going to have to remove them anyway, a cable doesn't change anything.

Last of all, dumping a 2 GB CF card can take a long time, my laptops have USB 1 ports. While the pictures are being backed up, I can be out shooting.

Cables go bad, and take up more space, but I don't see anything wrong with using one, if that's what you like.

Someone with one camera and one card, may find a card reader a useless added expense? Two cards and one camera, one computer, you are still going to have to pull the card, to put in the other one. Then plug it back in, to read it. So a card reader would make for less plugging and unplugging from the camera.

Point is. I don't see any difference. Whatever makes you happy. :thumbup:

Multi card reader works for me, with multiple cameras and types of cards. That's one unit, in the laptop bag. Then each camera has a USB card reader in it's own bag, just in case I don't have the laptop along, and I can dump to any computer I'm working on.

 

[Kimber57]

I have the cable permanently plugged into the USB port on my computer because I upload pictures so often. I do have a card reader, but it's on a computer that I don't use very often, so I don't use the card reader. Just the camera.

 

[Iron Flatline]

The most important reason is that you never connect your very expensive and technically-finicky camera with your very expensive and technically-finicky computer via an electric cable. It only takes a small charge and one (or both) are fried. This is mission-critical if you're out in the field shooting, less so when you're a hobbyist at home.

Do not plug a cable into your camera. It's a left-over Me-Too feature from a few years ago when USB was the hot feature to have. Do it with a P&S, do NOT plug powered cables into your high-end gear.

 

[photogincollege]

I have to agree with Iron on this one. The smallest spark can cause a computer to fry and anything connected to it. Thats one of the reason when working inside the computer you are supposed to wear a grounding braclet. Also if something were to go wrong with either end of the cable it could be a problem. Its a lot easier to buy a new memory stick then to replace the cable and or camera.

 

[frXnz kafka]

I didn't until I read this thread :shock:
I think I'll go buy a card reader this weekend.

Before I bought my dSLR, I was using a Canon P&S that uses SD. My laptop has an SD slot in the side, so I never had a problem. But then I bought a Rebel XT, which uses CF (which I don't get, CF is so last century). So I've just been using the USB cable. I guess that will have to change!

 

[loopy]

I agree card readers are the way to go... the only problem is forgetting your card in your computer/card reader. :s

 

[Garbz]

I know that all too well. The dancing in the street festival last month. Went to the car to get the camera. Got back realised no memory card. Went back to the car to get the spare I always take with me, and I realised I locked the keys in >_<