Why use a card reader?
Nov 23, 2011 09:21:16 #
I notice there is a lot of talk in the photography community about pulling memory cards out of camera and using card readers to transfer files onto the computer.
One downside to this is every time you stick a card back into the camera, you risk damaging the pins.
But more importantly, why do it at all if you can simply connect your camera to a PC?
That's what I do. I have a spare memory card, but I don't remember the last time I took my primary card out of the camera. I just hook it up to the computer and transfer the files.
Am I missing something or is it just a personal preference?
One downside to this is every time you stick a card back into the camera, you risk damaging the pins.
But more importantly, why do it at all if you can simply connect your camera to a PC?
That's what I do. I have a spare memory card, but I don't remember the last time I took my primary card out of the camera. I just hook it up to the computer and transfer the files.
Am I missing something or is it just a personal preference?
Nov 23, 2011 09:52:38 #
KG wrote:
Not missing something. But many people with perhaps used or hand-me-down cameras are. The USB cable. In that case, they perform cardus-interruptus and pull the card out of their camera.Am I missing something or is it just a personal preference?
Nov 23, 2011 10:05:13 #
Nov 23, 2011 10:25:35 #
chuckbiddinger
Loc: Birmingham, AL
I agree with KG about socket damage. I have never pulled the card out of my camera. I have been in the electronic repair business for 39 years and I understand bad connections on circuit boards and sockets.
Nov 23, 2011 10:53:57 #
Something to think about . . . . there is power coming out of your USB connection on your PC. And, you're plugging your camera into that power. Nah, never mind. Nothing can happen.
Memory cards are cheap, cheap compared to cameras.
Memory cards are cheap, cheap compared to cameras.
Nov 23, 2011 10:59:22 #
brucewells wrote:
Actually, I think what people may be concerned about are the MALE pins at the bottom of the card socket getting bent by shoving a card in with a little bit of crookedness. I have a feeling straightening out one of those pins might be a bit of an eyebrow-furrower...Something to think about . . . . there is power coming out of your USB connection on your PC. And, you're plugging your camera into that power. Nah, never mind. Nothing can happen.
Memory cards are cheap, cheap compared to cameras.
Memory cards are cheap, cheap compared to cameras.
On the other hand, I'm sure Canon and Nikon and whoever have testing procedures that remove and reinsert their memory cards thousands and thousands of times when they're R&D'ing their camera bodies.
I suspect you could use either method of moving pics from card to PC for the life of the camera and not worry too much about damage one way or another.
Nov 23, 2011 11:03:33 #
I've always used a card reader. With the new cards, it is almost instantaneous, and I'm not plugging my cameras into anything. I've never had damage done to a card and I'm not overly cautious. I don't use SanDisk cards but I do use their card reader.
Nov 23, 2011 11:16:01 #
cardus-interruptus??? Good Grief! It's hard enough trying understand camera instruction in plain old English... What's with this Latin flavor you're injecting? You are sorely taxing my 5th grade education, JimH, not to mention my modus operandi.
JimH wrote:
KG wrote:
Not missing something. But many people with perhaps used or hand-me-down cameras are. The USB cable. In that case, they perform cardus-interruptus and pull the card out of their camera.Am I missing something or is it just a personal preference?
Nov 23, 2011 11:44:04 #
I have read that there is a chance the images could be corrupted if the battery runs down before the file transfer is complete.
Nov 23, 2011 11:56:28 #
gizzy.whicker wrote:
(mutters to himself..'too bad his parents didn't practice it...') Sorry if the verbiage is mystifying. I could think of no more apt description. lol :)cardus-interruptus??? Good Grief! It's hard enough trying understand camera instruction in plain old English... What's with this Latin flavor you're injecting? You are sorely taxing my 5th grade education, JimH, not to mention my modus operandi.
Nov 23, 2011 12:20:38 #
brucewells wrote:
there is power coming out of your USB connection on your PC. And, you're plugging your camera into that power. Nah, never mind. Nothing can happen.
Hmm, I've read about people messing up pins by pushing in the card the wrong way (when in a hurry, etc.).
But I've never heard/read about anyone's camera getting damaged because of the electrical charge of the usb connection.
Nov 23, 2011 12:34:15 #
richardp1958
Loc: Los Angeles
JimH wrote:
gizzy.whicker wrote:
(mutters to himself..'too bad his parents didn't practice it...') Sorry if the verbiage is mystifying. I could think of no more apt description. lol :)cardus-interruptus??? Good Grief! It's hard enough trying understand camera instruction in plain old English... What's with this Latin flavor you're injecting? You are sorely taxing my 5th grade education, JimH, not to mention my modus operandi.
Thanks for the laughs on both posts!
:lol:
Nov 23, 2011 12:38:55 #
I haven't used a camera's USB connection to download for years... maybe even centuries... been so long ago I can't remember. Anyways, I've never had the problem of damaging a card by using a card reader rather leaving it in the camera/and USBing it to the pooter
KG wrote:
Hmm, I've read about people messing up pins by pushing in the card the wrong way (when in a hurry, etc.).
But I've never heard/read about anyone's camera getting damaged because of the electrical charge of the usb connection.
brucewells wrote:
there is power coming out of your USB connection on your PC. And, you're plugging your camera into that power. Nah, never mind. Nothing can happen.
Hmm, I've read about people messing up pins by pushing in the card the wrong way (when in a hurry, etc.).
But I've never heard/read about anyone's camera getting damaged because of the electrical charge of the usb connection.
Nov 23, 2011 12:42:04 #
On the other hand, I always use the USB cord. Too many times of walking out with the camera, going to take a shot and reading "NO CARD IN CAMERA" for me...I kept leaving the damn thing in the reader on the PC...
Nov 23, 2011 12:48:28 #
LOL LOL Only you, JimH, would do such a thing as that. You're supposed to keep extra cards, as well as extra batteries in your camera case... you goof-ball!
JimH wrote:
On the other hand, I always use the USB cord. Too many times of walking out with the camera, going to take a shot and reading "NO CARD IN CAMERA" for me...I kept leaving the damn thing in the reader on the PC...
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