Card Readers? (Page 2): Seems to me that it is less work and steps to pull the card and stick it in a reader. I find plugging cords into my camera is sort of a pain, particularly when...

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

RLSeipleSr wrote:

I'm really 50-50 on it - I like to plug the camera... (show quote)

Seems to me that it is less work and steps to pull the card and stick it in a reader. I find plugging cords into my camera is sort of a pain, particularly when I have my L-brackett on. I have never heard of formatting the card from the computer when it is still in the camera. Do you use the camera reformatting controls while it just happens to be plugged into the computer, or are you telling the computer to reformat through the camera. All seems a bit dicey. Reformat in camera, from camera.
...Cam

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

The ONLY difference is in the speed of download. Best of luck.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

speters wrote:

To me it does! I have multiple card readers built into the computer, but on another one, I have a ext. Sandisk card reader that I use. That way I'm always safe, I do never,or never would connect my camera direct to the computer for downloading images (or for any other reason in a matter of fact), simply because I do not want to take a change of damaging my camera beyond repair!

I guess you never shoot tethered then. I have been shooting with my camera connected to a computer for many years, as do many others, and I never worried about it damaging my camera, and I have never heard of anyone damaging a camera doing so. When I have to download memory cards I just use the same cable I have in place to shoot tethered.

montephoto

speters wrote:

To me it does! I have multiple card readers built into the computer, but on another one, I have a ext. Sandisk card reader that I use. That way I'm always safe, I do never,or never would connect my camera direct to the computer for downloading images (or for any other reason in a matter of fact), simply because I do not want to take a change of damaging my camera beyond repair!

How do you update the firmware in your camera if you never connect the camera to your computer?

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

montephoto wrote:

How do you update the firmware in your camera if you never connect the camera to your computer?

My Fuji S3 Pro updated firmware by connecting to my computer. None of my Nikons update that way...download and run a file which creates an update file, copy it to an SD card, load the card in the camera, and the camera does the rest.

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

As to quality, see above! I use card readers because they are a lot faster than directly downloading from the camera.

John Maher Loc: Northern Virginia

I have two types of card, SDHC and Memory Stick and two card readers that are supposed to read both. One card reader brand never worked with the Memory Stick and was "touchy" for SDHC.

The second brand, UGREEN works great for both. It is also USB 3.0 which is faster. I got it on Amazon and selected it by looking for one with a lot (quantity) of 4 and 5 star reviews.

Most, if not all, USB 3.0 readers should be back-compatible to USB 2.0 devices.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

flashbang wrote:

I am curious if down loading via card reader or di... (show quote)

The connection speed is all that matters. Run a speed test of each method and use the fastest.

Data is data. It does not change from one connection to the next. It is either going to work or not. Files will be identical via all transfer methods.

I use a USB 3.0 reader and USB 3.0 connection port on my iMac.

sajones

I put my sd card into my Transcend card reader and all of my class reunion photos went away I could not bring any of them back.
Now my name is mud.
Samuel Jones

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

RLSeipleSr wrote:

Thinking about it, I think I like keeping the card in the camera, only because I don't like taking the card out every day. Bob S

There have been stories of people, cameras, location, situation- and the card's at home.
I like the habit of making sure the card is in there before I put it down and walk away,

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Harry0 wrote:

There have been stories of people, cameras, location, situation- and the card's at home.
I like the habit of making sure the card is in there before I put it down and walk away,

Memory cards are extremely inexpensive, compared with film. Buy several extras and a memory card case or wallet, and stash them in your camera case. Only owning one memory card is like having just one key to your house or car.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

I have a reader on my PC. But it is on the floor and not convenient so I always simply upload with a USB cable from the camera. The difference is speed. The type of USB can make a difference. Mine is USB 2 and is fast enough for me, though I rarely transfer more than 50 shots at a time.

I never take the memory card out of the camera so I never get bent pins.

As previously pointed out, an image file is unaffected by the type of transfer.

wjwoodbury

sajones wrote:

I put my sd card into my Transcend card reader and all of my class reunion photos went away I could not bring any of them back.
Now my name is mud.
Samuel Jones

If you still have the card, you could probably still recover the files (unless you have reused it). When you delete files on the card, the OS typically just erases the directory entry and the files are still there. There are software packages you can download that will allow you to recover them.

Another thing you might want to consider is that the files may have been transferred to your hard drive before being deleted (some import options will delete the files off the SD card after they have been imported). I would look around and see if you can find them.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

montephoto wrote:

How do you update the firmware in your camera if you never connect the camera to your computer?

simple, with the memory card!

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

JohnSwanda wrote:

I guess you never shoot tethered then. I have been shooting with my camera connected to a computer for many years, as do many others, and I never worried about it damaging my camera, and I have never heard of anyone damaging a camera doing so. When I have to download memory cards I just use the same cable I have in place to shoot tethered.

No, I have never tethered my camera, but I've heard on quite a few occasions, were someone ruined his/her camera while downloading images to the computer. In those cases, the computer had some sort of glitch during the procedure and that in return totally screwed the computer inside the cameras!