CF card readers

TangoTango Registered Users Posts: 4,592 Major grins
edited January 30, 2008 in Accessories
first let me ask...
CF card readers/
are they faster in downloading to the computer than just connecting the usb cable from the camera body to computer to download pics?

i had a udma card until recently and the downloads were very fast from the body to computer

but now all i have are extreme III cards and they are about four times slower than the udma...(it seems)(no real data to support that)
so will a card reader help with speeding up downloads?

so if im advised by any of you grinners in getting a card reader what would be a good choice?
Aaron Nelson

Comments

  • hgernhardtjrhgernhardtjr Registered Users Posts: 417 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    Depends on transfer rates of all the cards/devices involved.

    From the 30D directly it is a bit slow for me (USB2), but using the same SanDisk Extreme 4 and their FireWire reader the card downloads seemingly like lightening (a bit of an exaggeration). Somewhat expensive for a reader (about $70 separately, or less if bundled with a card and on sale), but it sure is faster than my computer's built in multi-card reader!

    Personally, I like the actual (not theoretical) speed of FireWire (compared to USB2) devices on my Windows machine and for that reason also use external FireWire hard drives (FreeAgentPro).
    — Henry —
    Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est.
  • TangoTango Registered Users Posts: 4,592 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    i have firwire on my desktop...but not my laptop (which has all my photog softwares)

    im wondering if a $20 card reader will help over downloading from my camera body...?
    Aaron Nelson
  • SloYerRollSloYerRoll Registered Users Posts: 2,788 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    It's best practice to use a card reader regardless.

    Hooking up your camera to a computer is the only time that your making a physical connection from your camera to 110v. It would really suck if you hooked up your brand new camera to a machine and the machine caught a power surge. Electronics fail all the time. Why risk it IMO.

    Usually the write speeds are much faster (depending on card reader model) as well.

    I can also pretty much guarantee all the posts following me will say the same. Not because I know I'm right. Just because I exhaustively researched this about a year ago.

    Cheers,
    -Jon
  • colourboxcolourbox Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    AaronNelson wrote:
    im wondering if a $20 card reader will help over downloading from my camera body...?

    It will always help.

    In addition to the good points SloYerRoll made:

    If you connect the camera directly, you take power from both the camera and laptop batteries. With a card reader, you don't use up any camera battery power.

    If you need to keep shooting, just switch cards in the camera and keep going while the card is downloading in the reader. If you connect the camera by cable, it is out of service while pictures are being transferred (while also draining the battery), so you cannot shoot with it.

    If a camera's USB connection is USB 1.1, a USB 2.0 card reader will blow it away. (My laptop and desktop have FireWire so I use a blazing fast Lexar Firewire card reader.)

    If your laptop has a PC card slot, a Compact Flash PC card adapter is easier to travel with than a cable, leaves your USB ports free, and they are so cheap if you paid more than $10 for the adapter, you paid too much. Not as fast as the good USB and FireWire readers, though.
  • gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    Mine USB 2.0 CF card reader was $3 from ebay & works perfectly. Its all i ever use & is very fast.
  • TangoTango Registered Users Posts: 4,592 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    thanks All, i guess i better order me one:D
    Aaron Nelson
  • TangoTango Registered Users Posts: 4,592 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    the cameras usb is 1.1?....well that explains the slow motion......
    Aaron Nelson
  • TangoTango Registered Users Posts: 4,592 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    SloYerRoll wrote:
    It's best practice to use a card reader regardless.

    Hooking up your camera to a computer is the only time that your making a physical connection from your camera to 110v. It would really suck if you hooked up your brand new camera to a machine and the machine caught a power surge. Electronics fail all the time. Why risk it IMO.

    Usually the write speeds are much faster (depending on card reader model) as well.

    I can also pretty much guarantee all the posts following me will say the same. Not because I know I'm right. Just because I exhaustively researched this about a year ago.

    Cheers,
    -Jon

    good thing i have double surge protection...:D
    Aaron Nelson
  • SloYerRollSloYerRoll Registered Users Posts: 2,788 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    AaronNelson wrote:
    good thing i have double surge protection...:D
    I have a dedicated UPS on my machine.
    That wouldn't stop a internal power supply from blowing your components.
    Look at the PC forums. You see all kinds of disasters due to power supplies failing and destroying hard drives.
    I'm just saying why should you risk it when all you have to do is buy a 15.00 card reader and it's done w/. Not to mention you can leave your card reader in your bag and transfer images anywhere for any reason.

    JMO.

    Cheers
    -Jon
  • TangoTango Registered Users Posts: 4,592 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    im not disagree'n, im just say'n

    btw, i just ordered a reg $20 sandisk reader...
    i would have gone for the $60 firewire but i dont have a firewire input on my laptop....
    Aaron Nelson
  • TangoTango Registered Users Posts: 4,592 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    Oh, And In The Meantime I Will Unplug The Laptop Power While Downloading :D
    Aaron Nelson
  • SloYerRollSloYerRoll Registered Users Posts: 2,788 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    rolleyes1.gifthumb
  • photocatphotocat Registered Users Posts: 1,334 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    Have a look at the fire wire card readers they now have. Fast as lightning to download. It is dangerous to go from camera to computer, as many before me have stated. I tried to find the fire wire card reader while in Phoenix, none of the stores had it. I see they are generally available on ebay...
    I will get me one like those!
    De D300 has 12 mp files, so every bit of extra speed is welcome...
    I have always found the card readers much faster then the camera-computer connection...
    http://photocatseyes.net
    http://www.zazzle.com/photocatseyes
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