# Importing images method...???



## canon23 (Jul 29, 2013)

Hi All,

What methods do you use in importing your images from your camera to your computer hard drive?
Directly w/USB cord from camera to computer, card reader, etc.?

Any methods that would cause 'file/image corruption' more likely over the other?

Please state the reason for one over the other.

Thx!!


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## mrsfotografie (Jul 29, 2013)

Directly w/USB cord from camera to computer; this saves wear & tear on the memory card slot and I find it generally more convenient. Even when importing holiday photo's from multiple CF cards, I use this method due to automatic renaming convenience

Canon EOS: Import with EOS utility with automatic file renaming and saving to a folder with the shooting date.

Sony NEX and Canon S90: Drag & drop to a folder on the computer.


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## rpt (Jul 29, 2013)

Directly via USB for the CF card using Canon's EOS utility. A bent pin on my 300D has put the fear of the devil of bent pins into me. However, when I just use the SD card, I pop it out and plug it int the laptop's inbuilt card reader.


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 29, 2013)

Card reader, either ExpressCard/34 or FireWire 800.


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## Random Orbits (Jul 29, 2013)

I've used both. When only using one camera/card, I used to use the cable to connect the camera to the computer. I also tend to leave a USB cable with an iPad adapter in the camera bag for travel so that I can transfer files from the camera to the iPad because few devices are equipped with slots for compact flash.

I bought a card reader to update the camera firmware, and since then, I've tended to use the card reader more. For multiple cameras/cards, the card reader is more convenient.


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## fugu82 (Jul 29, 2013)

Lexar USB3 reader. I've heard horror stories about both import methods, but I like the speed of the USB3.


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## viggen61 (Jul 29, 2013)

Right now, I have a Hoodman "Raw Steel" USB 3.0 CF/SD card reader. The Hoodman will work with UDMA7 cards at high speed.

Why?

My desk is way to cluttered to find a spot for the camera
I don't need to make sure the camera (EOS 7D) has enough battery charge
USB3!

Even when I used USB2 or FW800, it was faster than the direct camera interface.

I use several CF cards, so if I'm gonna get a bent pin, I'm gonna get a bent pin. That said, I can't really see how just putting the card in & out will bend anything, as it is guided very well in the slot. I know it happens, but that's just my opinion...


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## ecka (Jul 29, 2013)

Transcend USB 3.0 Super Speed Multi-Card Reader (SD/SDHC/SDXC/MS/CF)
TS-RDF8K

Importing images directly from camera using the USB cable has a higher chance to corrupt your images, specially if it is connected through a hub along with other USB devices. USB 3.0 is much faster.


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## JPAZ (Jul 29, 2013)

My USB 2 is faster than a direct connection of the camera to the computer. One of these years, I am going to get a USB 3 going which will be even faster.


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## Drizzt321 (Jul 29, 2013)

fugu82 said:


> Lexar USB3 reader. I've heard horror stories about both import methods, but I like the speed of the USB3.



Yup, when I've got a full 32GB card, my Lexar USB3 is far, far faster. Even going beyond the USB2 vs USB3 speed boost, connecting to the camera means it needs to use PTP protocol which adds additional overhead to request and receive each individual photo. Plus the camera needs to have enough battery left to power the camera for the whole time it's downloading.

What I usually do is download via the card reader to the drive that I'll be storing it on while editing in Lightroom, then import from there using Move rather than Copy on the import dialog, and have it move into my preferred folder structure. Faster than LR pulling in the files one at a time from the memory card.


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## RLPhoto (Jul 29, 2013)

Card reader. I usually have more than 1 card to import.


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## cayenne (Jul 29, 2013)

canon23 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> What methods do you use in importing your images from your camera to your computer hard drive?
> Directly w/USB cord from camera to computer, card reader, etc.?
> ...



I got a no-name USB2 card reader off Amazon.com (my late 2011 MBP doesn't have USB3)....I just throw my cards (mostly CF) in there and put in my own directory structure. 

From there, I have been using Aperture 3 to import them in and adjust them, but I just got CS6 Production Suite, and LR5..so, will start to use those going forward....but I prefer a card reader to trying to locate the camera USB cord, then clear a spot for my camera on the desk...etc...

Card reader just seems so much easier for me...after all, it is nothing more than simple computer file transfer...

C


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## mrzero (Jul 29, 2013)

I plug in to the camera's USB port for import. I have grown addicted to the "import new pictures only" function, which allows me to leave the older files on the SD cards until I have performed a full backup of the computer's versions to the external HD. 

This is a crutch, of course, until I get a proper storage set-up.


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## hgraf (Jul 29, 2013)

canon23 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> What methods do you use in importing your images from your camera to your computer hard drive?
> Directly w/USB cord from camera to computer, card reader, etc.?
> ...



EyeFi, as I shoot most of the time (I always shoot RAW+JPG).

If I'm travelling then I disable EyeFi in the field and enable it back in the hotel room. Have a card for each of my cameras. Card barely ever leaves the camera as a result (only time is for movie files larger then 2GB, the EyeFi card won't upload those, so I have to copy them over manually). Never have to delete images either since the EyeFi card takes care of that as I shoot.

Wear and tear on both the camera and the card is my concern. Had an SD card that had a case that started cracking.

TTYL


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## Halfrack (Jul 29, 2013)

Copy images, never move. Make sure your copy is good, and then make sure you have a backup of that location. Only then, format the card to make it squeaky clean.


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## jointdoc (Jul 29, 2013)

USB 3 card reader is faster for me. I don't have firewire on my PC


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## JPAZ (Jul 30, 2013)

Halfrack said:


> Copy images, never move. Make sure your copy is good, and then make sure you have a backup of that location. Only then, format the card to make it squeaky clean.



+1 
I load many cards as copy and paste after a trip and keep the originals until I am done with all the PP and copy / backup the final images. Only then will I delete or reformat the card.


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## drmikeinpdx (Jul 30, 2013)

I've used a card reader ever since I first went digital many years ago. I've gone through a lot of them. I hate waiting so I always get the fastest card reader I can find and try to use fast cards as well. Never had any problems with bent pins, but I do try to be careful when inserting CF cards.

The SATA card readers were my favorite until USB 3.0 came out. That was around the same time that I upgraded my computer case and could no longer use the SATA reader that fit into a floppy drive slot. Most new cases don't make any provision for floppy drives and all the drives that fit in 5.25 inch optical drive slots were still USB 2.0 the last time I checked.

I am now using this Kingston USB 3.0 reader. I haven't done any speed tests, but it seems pretty fast and I haven't had any problems.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820139641

I tried a couple of USB 3.0 readers from SYBA that ran really slow. Some sort of defect I guess. Sent the first one back and the replacement was no better.


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## jdramirez (Jul 30, 2013)

I know I add an extra step... but what I do when I am pulling over photos from the CF card is I drag and drop to a external hard drive via the usb cable, and then I import into Lightroom 4 from the drive.

But if I am moving photos from a SD card, I take it out and I put it in the SD slot in my computer and drag and drop into the external and then again... import to lr afterwords.


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## ecka (Jul 30, 2013)

JPAZ said:


> Halfrack said:
> 
> 
> > Copy images, never move. Make sure your copy is good, and then make sure you have a backup of that location. Only then, format the card to make it squeaky clean.
> ...



+1
+NEVER touch the contacts on SD cards, because static electricity may corrupt the data.


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## kaihp (Jul 30, 2013)

Drizzt321 said:


> fugu82 said:
> 
> 
> > Lexar USB3 reader. I've heard horror stories about both import methods, but I like the speed of the USB3.
> ...



Lexar USB3 CF/SD reader. Copies to local HDD and NAS.

My only gripe is that it seems that both the ExpressCard/34 USB3 adapters I have have screwy device drivers. The first will often BSOD on USB attachment, the other will not talk to the Lexar reader


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