File download to computer

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silvertip

Senior Member
I have read in a few different publications that the best way to download files from the camera to a computer is not to use the camera as a card reader. I am wondering if this true? I use my D200 as a card reader and have not had any problems downloading to LR3. I always make sure that the battery has enough power to complete the transfer.

silvertip
 
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Ruidoso Bill

Senior Member
Here is a link to a discussion we here had recently: http://nikonites.com/computers-software/1272-card-reader-vs-usb-cable-3.html#post7695

I like using a card reader. If I am shooting away from home the first thing I do at the end of the day is download to my portable vosonic. I use 4GB cards (RAW 200 +/- shots), works for me and there is no way I'm going to reinsert to download from the camera. I think a good card reader is the way to go.
 
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Browncoat

Browncoat

Senior Member
Yibel said:
Here is a link to a discussion we here had recently: http://nikonites.com/computers-software/1272-card-reader-vs-usb-cable-3.html#post7695

I like using a card reader. If I am shooting away from home the first thing I do at the end of the day is download to my portable vosonic. I use 4GB cards (RAW 200 +/- shots), works for me and there is no way I'm going to reinsert to download from the camera. I think a good card reader is the way to go.
Click to expand...

Good call, Yibel...I was going to point him in the same direction.

I'm a firm believer in handling memory cards as little as possible. All it takes is some static electricity, and your card can be wiped clean or possibly even permanently damaged. That's why factory workers who build PCs or other devices that are sensitive to static shock must wear ESD straps. There's really no need to remove it from the camera, is there?
 
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Ruidoso Bill

Senior Member
Well, I take mine out all the time, not a problem. What do you do if on an extended 3 week, or month long trip? I carry multiple cards all 4 gb size.

Even a long weekend shoot I can fill up multiple cards. I don't like large capacity cards for the very reason cited static etc and there is too much liability in losing too much work with a large card. I currently have 6 - 4 GB cards and several 2 GB cards for a total of 30 GB. I do back up my cards on a vosonic at the end of the day but I download at home from my cards with a reader. Thats well over 3000 pics.
 
ohkphoto

ohkphoto

Snow White
Good read, Bill. Thanks for the link; however, I still think it's a matter of personal preference. I can't imagine keeping up with a bunch of 4 gb cards at home or on a trip . . . I have trouble enough keeping up with lens caps. I know myself too well.

IF I were going on a three-week trek (and with a house full of dogs and a barn full of horses, it's not going to happen soon), I would take a couple of extra cards (16 and 8) as spares, and I would take a small stripped down laptop with photo-processing software and a small backup drive and still follow the same procedure. . . handle the cards as little as possible.

Actually, my most favorite way to shoot is tethered . . . bypass the card altogether, download into lightroom and backup to an external drive at the moment of capture. Of course it's a little impractical if you're on a wilderness trek or have to do a lot of walking (unless you can find a serf to carry all your stuff and set everything up for you, kind of like medieval knights had to have a bunch of squires to help them get "dressed" and in the saddle . . . sigh . . . no wonder the pro"s like Joe McNally travel with an entourage of assistants)
 
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johnwartjr

Senior Member
I've always used a reader versus the cable to the camera.

I'm familiar with ESD precautions, actually do a lot of electronics work. I've never considered using a strap while changing cards or loading them in a reader, though :)

I picked up a small 320 GB USB hard drive last week so I can do a 2nd copy of my data 'in the field' - then when I get home, I can use it to copy the data to my big external drives.

I hadn't considered the pros and cons of small and large cards. I bought 2x 32GB cards with my D700, thinking I could fit a lot of files on them, not considering that you could lose everything by not having to change cards out.

I don't format my cards until I am ready to use them again - gives me an additional 'buffer' against catastrophe :)

Always interesting to read how others do things... makes you think!
 
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Ruidoso Bill

Senior Member
"I picked up a small 320 GB USB hard drive last week so I can do a 2nd copy of my data 'in the field' - then when I get home, I can use it to copy the data to my big external drives."

I do use a vosonic that I plug my cards into and download while traveling, I just don't have room to carry a laptop and camera equipment. I would never put my camera gear or a laptop in checked baggage, where I travel I would never see it again so it is make the best of the carry-on space. If possible I keep my cf cards intact but there have been times I needed to format and reuse them and then the only copy left is on the vosonic hard drive. I think I put a 180GB laptop drive in it. Since bits are bits it doesn't make any difference if I use the cards or the hard drive to import to lightroom, if anything is ever wrong with the file (never had that happen) it would be a corrupt file. Now that I have a netbook, maybe that will become my new traveling companion, I do have lightroom on it.
 
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fotojack

Senior Member
I use my computers built in card reader for downloading pics. I never use the camera itself as a card reader. Never had a problem with removing the CF card from or loading into the camera. All my CF cards are 4 GB. I even have a couple of 256MB cards for "emergencies". :)
I also carry a card reader with me in my camera bag............just in case. :)
 
Browncoat

Browncoat

Senior Member
Yibel said:
Well, I take mine out all the time, not a problem. What do you do if on an extended 3 week, or month long trip? I carry multiple cards all 4 gb size.

Even a long weekend shoot I can fill up multiple cards. I don't like large capacity cards for the very reason cited static etc and there is too much liability in losing too much work with a large card.
Click to expand...

Kind of a Catch-22 there, don't ya think? You don't like large capacity cards because of fear of memory loss, but you'll swap out smaller cards all day long?
:confused:
 
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Ruidoso Bill

Senior Member
Not a catch 22 for me at all, I don't believe in all my eggs in one basket! I really don't care what the heck the rest of you do, plug in your usb cables until your blue in the face, don't care. I will never comment on this stupid subject again. Go to the studios and ask the photographers if they are running over with the cameras and usb cables to download, I doubt it. Tells me if multiple cards sounds like a serious problem, you've never shot film and had to keep track of film canisters.
 
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Browncoat

Browncoat

Senior Member
This is more of an "I've always done it this way" kind of thing. People are going to do it how they want, regardless of what makes sense to the other guy. Name me 10 sources who do it one way, and I'll name 10 who do it the other. This is a very good topic of discussion. The most common size of memory card sold is 8GB, with 16GB not far behind. Static shock memory loss is a real thing, it's not some myth that we hear about always happening to someone else's cousin.
 
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ohkphoto

ohkphoto

Snow White
Tells me if multiple cards sounds like a serious problem, you've never shot film and had to keep track of film canisters
Click to expand...

Just for the record, I never lost a film canister and have shot film most of my life.
 
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Ruidoso Bill

Senior Member
The cheaper ones are sloppy mechanically, for example if your camera uses CF cards, the alignment to the pins is critical. I believe in keeping with a reader that is made by a memory card manufacturer, usb 2.0 or firewire for speed. Sandisk or lexar both offer decent readers. You get what you pay for but I wouldn't insert a $50 or more card (not counting precious photos) into a $5 reader. Personally I have both sandisk and lexar since I keep one in the office.
 
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