Chefneil wrote:
I’m seeing a lot of you guys suggesting that I keep the 5D as a backup. I have been thinking about doing just that. I do have 2 other bodies though, the 6D and 70D. One reason for me to sell the 5D is is about downloading. It takes forever. I have thought about getting a card reader and that could mitigate the issue. Another reason to stop using the 5D is Canon’s Raw Downloader does not work in the older model cameras, at least on my Apple. When I use Image Capture to DL the latest session I cannot see the pictures I have taken, thus making me DL ALL the images and then culling. I do not know if Windows will do the same.
So, I need to make a decision. Maybe I’ll set a stupid high price and wait for some one to pay it!
I’m seeing a lot of you guys suggesting that I kee... (
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Definitely get a card reader! It's much better/faster/safer to use one than to connect the camera and download from it via a USB cable.
In most cameras, the mini-USB socket is part of the main circuit board. So if that socket ever gets damaged or wears out from use, a repair will be expensive... Both because of the parts that will need to be replaced (if they are even avail... probably aren't for a 15 year old model like 5D) and because the camera will need to be nearly completely disassembled to replace the main board. The memory card socket, on the other hand, in most cameras is a modular sub-assembly that's a lot more easily accessed to replace, if ever needed. Also, the camera has to have battery power during the entire download (unless you have an AC power kit to use with it). If there's insufficient charge and the camera shuts down in the middle of a download, there's good possibility that images on the card will be corrupted.
You do need to use some reasonable care inserting Compact Flash cards, such as the original 5D (and many other cameras) use... Always be sure the card is properly aligned and never never force the card. It's not difficult, just something to be aware of and a bit careful about. I've made literally hundreds... possibly thousands of CF card swaps without ever damaging a card or a socket... but I've also seen them damaged in cameras.
If your computer has a USB 3 connection, that type of card reader would be the fastest. Card readers that can handle multiple types... the CF cards the 5D uses, as well as the SD cards used in your other cameras, and other types... are available that give very fast data transfer. Otherwise, Firewire connected are faster than USB 2, but the latter is reasonably fast, too. There are also card readers that can be internally installed in desktop computers. Those might use faster connectivity to help with transfer speed, too. Avoid using a "hub", as that can cause slower downloads and/or corrupt data. Laptops, if that's what you have, may use an ExpressCard or USB or some other type of connectivity.
There really is no need to use the Canon (or any other) download utility. It's easiest just to learn to use the computer's operating system. When a card is in the reader, the computer will treat it as if it's another hard drive. Simply open up a system browser panel, if you haven't already done so prepare a destination folder to receive the images, then open the folders on the memory card, highlight all the images in it ("ctrl a" in a Windows computer), then drag and drop to the destination folder. Be sure to "copy" instead of "move"... that way the originals are left on the memory card until you can check that everything has been safely downloaded (on a Windows computer, drag and drop using the left hand mouse button automatically uses "copy", but using the right hand mouse button gives you a menu with a choice of "move" or "copy" or some other actions).
Once everything is copied over to your computer you will need to "point" whatever image cataloging software you use to a new folder or update and existing one to show the new images. This is a good time to do whatever backup you use, too. (Hopefully you do some form of backup... I know folks who lost years worth of images when computers were stolen or hard drives failed.)
Next time you use the memory card, format it in the camera (so long as you are certain all the old images on it have been copied over safely to your computer). That will mark all the images on it to be overwritten (same as erasing them). Formatting in-camera also prepares the card to receive new images. (Formatting in-computer can "wipe" the card, but may not properly prepare it for use in the camera.... so if you do that, be sure to re-format it in the camera before saving any new images to it.)
SharpShooter wrote:
My guess is that in a few years it will be worth 1/2 what you paid for it.
Get rid of it YESTERDAY !!! LoL
SS
I think SS is joking.... you probably got the 5D "Classic" cheap, so if it loses any more value, it actually won't be much in terms of "real" money.
Use and enjoy the 5D... It's going to be a long, long time before it has any collectable status or sees any significant increase in value.... if at all. There has been some slight increase in value of the pre-2000 era DCS (Canon/Kodak) models, which are much rarer due to their very high initial prices. But they are still quite cheap. 5DII saw a significant increase in resolution and introduced HD video in DSLRs, saw a lot of use in Hollywood and elsewhere and are still in wide use by film makers... 5DIII continued to offer that
plus got a hugely improved AF system. But those were also made in the many tens or hundreds of thousands and similarly won't be gaining value any time soon.