# how do you transfer your images?



## dlleno (Dec 30, 2013)

especially for those who don't regularly download multiple cards -- do you prefer an external reader or directly from the camera and why? either solution has pins that can fatigue from regular use. the camera's USB port appears much more prone to this, imho, and the CF cards especially are pretty robust, mechanically. So for the external reader guy, you must either enjoy faster ingestion rates than the camera can support, or you believe removing the card from the camera is less prone to failure than plugging in the USB cord directly into the camera.


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## neuroanatomist (Dec 30, 2013)

For CF cards, I use a FW800 or ExpressCard/34 reader, for SD an ExpressCard/34 reader. Faster transfer rates, and the cards are more portable than the camera (the cards can go in my work satchel, the 1D X won't fit  ). 

But, the main reason I use an external reader is because the card needs to come out of the camera - it serves as a backup until the images on it are copied to multiple external drives in two separate physical locations.


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## Slyham (Dec 30, 2013)

I connect directly to the camera and use EOS Utility. I really haven't given much thought to it. Since I do not have tons of images I am transferring, it seems to work fine.


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## Click (Dec 30, 2013)

Slyham said:


> I connect directly to the camera and use EOS Utility. I really haven't given much thought to it. Since I do not have tons of images I am transferring, it seems to work fine.



+1


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## rs (Dec 30, 2013)

dlleno said:


> ...or you believe removing the card from the camera is less prone to failure than plugging in the USB cord directly into the camera.


Both the USB socket and the CF card slot in the camera have the potential to break. Regardless of which of the two is most likely to fail with continued use, if the USB socket were to fail you still have a working CF card slot - which means photos can be taken and transferred to a PC. Breaking the CF card slot makes a working USB socket rather irrelevant.

Having said that, I take the CF card out and put it in a card reader. A combination of spare cards, faster read times and a more compact footprint on my desk are the main reasons. Plus it avoids using up battery power in the camera, and the potential for the camera to convert cr2 files into jpegs while copying.


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## JPAZ (Dec 30, 2013)

While the pins can be damaged, so can a USB plug on the camera. An external reader is faster and I, also, keep my images on the card until I have them in my PC and backed up. Plus, I often use multiple cards in the field os putting them back into the camera just to transfer at a slower speed makes no sense for me.


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## Jemlnlx (Dec 30, 2013)

CF card via this little USB 3.0 guy. Been using it since I got my USB 3.0 laptop in the fall of 2012 and no issues since. 

http://www.amazon.com/PixelFlash-No-Bend-Compact-SuperSpeed-Adapter/dp/B005IMFX2K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388420307&sr=8-1&keywords=compact+flash+usb+3.0


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## alexanderferdinand (Dec 30, 2013)

USB 3.0 cardreader.
Like Neuro said: the cards are the backup. Once, 03 or 04 I formatted the card in my 300D, and some of the files on the PC were damaged.
Was a valuable lesson.
And EOS- Utity, because I like the naming like 2013_12_30 for today.
Structure and discipline.


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## Dylan777 (Dec 30, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> For CF cards, I use a FW800 or ExpressCard/34 reader, for SD an ExpressCard/34 reader. Faster transfer rates, and the cards are more portable than the camera (the cards can go in my work satchel, the 1D X won't fit  ).
> 
> But, the main reason I use an external reader is because the card needs to come out of the camera - it serves as a backup until the images on it are copied to multiple external drives in two separate physical locations.



+1...Same method as Neuro. I have 3 external HDs. I'm happy with this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/867611-REG/Lexar_lrw025urbna_Multi_Card_25_in_1_USB_3_0.html


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## cayenne (Dec 30, 2013)

dlleno said:


> especially for those who don't regularly download multiple cards -- do you prefer an external reader or directly from the camera and why? either solution has pins that can fatigue from regular use. the camera's USB port appears much more prone to this, imho, and the CF cards especially are pretty robust, mechanically. So for the external reader guy, you must either enjoy faster ingestion rates than the camera can support, or you believe removing the card from the camera is less prone to failure than plugging in the USB cord directly into the camera.



My computer is a bit older, a mac late 2011, so I still have USB 2.0. However, it works just fine for me.

I have an USB card reader....I hook that in, and bring everything in with Lightroom. I set up rules to bring in and sort/name my stills and I have a preset I set up for bringing in my video files.

It sets up the file structure (date, etc)..and I put in custom file names so it is easy for me to see what was what...and I have it put these files onto one large work thunderbolt disk, and also to backup on a NAS unit on my network.

Easy peasy.

HTH,

cayenne


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## eli452 (Dec 30, 2013)

rs said:


> Both the USB socket and the CF card slot in the camera have the potential to break.
> ...
> Having said that, I take the CF card out and put it in a card reader. ...


And I add the extraction pin for the CF card broke on my 400D. For a small amount of images I use the camera, for more I use a reader.


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## Orangutan (Dec 30, 2013)

I consider the USB connector risky: an errant tug on the cable (e.g. dog or toddler) could damage the connector, or even yank the camera off a table and onto the floor. I try to avoid connecting any cables to the camera unless it's firmly attached to a tripod.

I think the card slots are less apt to fail because the movement of the card is straight. It takes pretty rough handling to make the card slot fail (though I'm sure there are a few that have manufacturing defects).



neuroanatomist said:


> But, the main reason I use an external reader is because the card needs to come out of the camera - it serves as a backup until the images on it are copied



I agree with this, too: it's a data safety issue.


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## viggen61 (Dec 30, 2013)

External reader 99% of the time. Direct from camera only if necessary. It's not so much the wear on the USB cable, but it drains the camera batteries, as well.

I use a Hoodman Raw Steel USB3 CF/SD reader with my 7D cards. This reader is optimized for UDMA7. I've been using UDMA7 CF cards (Lexar 32GB 1000x) for more than a year now, and the speed difference on transfer is very noticeable. I can empty a 32GB UDMA7 card much faster than a 16GB non-UDMA7 card.


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## gbchriste (Dec 30, 2013)

Always and only with external USB card reader. Transfer speeds off camera are too slow and I also set the card aside as an additional backup until images are downloaded to my computer and also backed up via my regular computer backup routine.


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## eli452 (Dec 30, 2013)

Orangutan said:


> I consider the USB connector risky: an errant tug on the cable (e.g. dog or toddler) could damage the connector, or even yank the camera off a table and onto the floor. I try to avoid connecting any cables to the camera unless it's firmly attached to a tripod.
> ...


To avoid such danger use the following: 
RRS CA-1 Cable Anchor (use with L-Plates) 
http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductDesc.aspx?code=CA-1&type=0&eq=
or Tether Tools JerkStopper:
http://www.shop.tethertools.com/JerkStoppers-Cable-Management_c23.htm


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## dlleno (Dec 30, 2013)

Sounds good everyone. FYI Ive transitioned to the card reader method Recently. connector fatigue isn't really an issue IMHO.. It's the multiple card backup advantage.... When you're traveling especially the cards are a whole lot easier to manage than a portable hard drive which I've also done...


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## RC (Dec 30, 2013)

Ok, this has me rethinking my work flow once again:



neuroanatomist said:


> But, the main reason I use an external reader is because the card needs to come out of the camera - it serves as a backup until the images on it are copied to multiple external drives in two separate physical locations.


Yesterday I commented on a two year old post stating I've given up on the card reader method and just sticking to USB cable transfer primarily to minimize CF card inserts/removals. http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=2210.msg352014#msg352014



Orangutan said:


> I consider the USB connector risky: an errant tug on the cable (e.g. dog or toddler) could damage the connector, or even yank the camera off a table and onto the floor. I try to avoid connecting any cables to the camera unless it's firmly attached to a tripod..


Yip, I've done this a few times.

So I'm rethinking this :-\ :-\ :-\


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## dlleno (Dec 30, 2013)

Yea i switched to the card reader method... After relying on the camera USB for years I got tired of the slow download speed and using a portable rotating hard drive for backup on the go. U can blame me for resurrecting the two year old thread too . It's an interesting topic!


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## hovland (Dec 30, 2013)

I use a internal reader connected to an internal usb 3 slot. (manual moving of files)
http://www.raidsonic.de/en/products/mm-cardreader.php?we_objectID=8018
use a 128gb lexar 1000x card + sd card

and i also copy/backup my photos to 4 different hard drives, in 3 different psychical locations. So if my house burns i still have my photos


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## dlleno (Dec 30, 2013)

hovland said:


> and i also copy/backup my photos to 4 different hard drives, in 3 different psychical locations. So if my house burns i still have my photos



yea I gotta think about that part. my NAS is quite effective, but I don't have data center redundancy...sounds like another thread "Do you use an online backup solution?"


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## dcm (Dec 31, 2013)

Need another option for an internal reader. 

I use the built-in SD card reader on a Mac Mini for downloading photos from my 6D. No cables involved on the camera or computer and faster transfer rates than I saw with either of the other methods (although I did not try a USB 3.0 card reader yet).


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## dgatwood (Dec 31, 2013)

dcm said:


> Need another option for an internal reader.
> 
> I use the built-in SD card reader on a Mac Mini for downloading photos from my 6D. No cables involved on the camera or computer and faster transfer rates than I saw with either of the other methods (although I did not try a USB 3.0 card reader yet).



Likewise, but on a MacBook Pro.


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## rpt (Jan 1, 2014)

I don't use a card reader now since I bent a pin in my 300D two years back and I don't want to go through that on my 5D3. I don't shoot too many pictures in one go anyway. Mostly between ten and fifty.


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## dgatwood (Jan 1, 2014)

rpt said:


> I don't use a card reader now since I bent a pin in my 300D two years back and I don't want to go through that on my 5D3. I don't shoot too many pictures in one go anyway. Mostly between ten and fifty.



If speed isn't critical, use SD. The connector is more robust because it has fewer, larger pins. If speed is critical, then never mind.

It's too bad Canon *massively* cut corners on the SD card hardware in the 5Dmk3 and didn't support UHS-I or UHS-II (even though UHS-I was standardized way back in 2009, and UHS-II in 2011—almost than a year before the 5Dmk3 shipped). Otherwise, the SD card slot would theoretically be faster than the CF slot at this point (assuming you use the fastest, most overpriced hardware in each  ).


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## dlleno (Jan 1, 2014)

rpt said:


> I don't use a card reader now since I bent a pin in my 300D two years back and I don't want to go through that on my 5D3. I don't shoot too many pictures in one go anyway. Mostly between ten and fifty.



This the first I've heard of such problems. Professionals filling multiple cards on a daily basis swap out cards all the time without damaging their cards or their camera bodies. You must have had an unfortunate accident. I still say the likelihood of failure for the USB method is no less than, and probably greater than, the card swapping method. 

But I concede that for shoots of ten to 50 photos the advantages of a card reader are significantly diminished


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## dcm (Jan 1, 2014)

Good point. Forgot to note that I use the wifi on my 6D to transfer small numbers of photos or larger batches when I'm traveling. My iPad can pick them up (RAW/jpg) and drop them in my photostream for further processing on my Macs later. It also serves as a backup copy (or two) before I get home. Or I can go direct to email/facebook/instagram/... from the iPad to share immediately. 

The M would be more convenient with wifi. Maybe the next version.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jan 1, 2014)

I'd use wireless for casual shooting where wi-fi is available, but for 500 or 1000 raws, its my card reader. I have a good wifi system in my home, a strong signal through out. I also have a commercial grade outdoor wifi that I haven't hooked up merely because I don't use wireless outdoors that much. A 5D MK IV with Wi-Fi that was easy to setup and use might change that. The reviews of the Wi-Fi for the 6D leave me wondering why Canon botched it up so badly. Phones and tablets seem to have done it right.


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## Harry Muff (Jan 1, 2014)

Fire up Lightroom, connect camera, go and take a dump or something while they transfer.


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## Northstar (Jan 1, 2014)

I recently switched to a Lexar USB 3.0 card reader ($30) connected to my mb retina pro. Then I transfer to my iMac by thunderbolt cable, and eventually it gets backed up by western digital.

I don't format the cards until I have the images saved on my mb and iMac.

I had previously used a USB 2.0 cable straight out of the camera, but I like the speed and convenience of the new USB 3.0 card reader better. When I'm done shooting I can pop out the cf cards and immediately put my camera gear back in the bag (protected and out of sight )


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## Maxaperture (Jan 1, 2014)

Lexar USB3 for me.
6-16Gb at a time, I feel the need for speed.....


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## RGF (Jan 1, 2014)

use USB 3.0 card reader. Cards are removed from the camera. Backup only I verify copy and backups of copy are good. For short trips, I will not down load until I get home.

Only longer trips may take 2 card readers just in case. If something go awry (broken cable, lap dies) I don't want to be dead in the water. If I only backup via computer / cable I may not be able to backup on someone else's pc/mac if software to link to the computer does not work.

This brings up an interesting question, when traveling, how do you format external drive? fat 32 so they are compatible on both PC and Mac or NTFS (PC format only) or MAC specific format ?


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## dlleno (Jan 1, 2014)

RGF said:


> use USB 3.0 card reader. Cards are removed from the camera. Backup only I verify copy and backups of copy are good. For short trips, I will not down load until I get home.
> 
> Only longer trips may take 2 card readers just in case. If something go awry (broken cable, lap dies) I don't want to be dead in the water. If I only backup via computer / cable I may not be able to backup on someone else's pc/mac if software to link to the computer does not work.
> 
> This brings up an interesting question, when traveling, how do you format external drive? fat 32 so they are compatible on both PC and Mac or NTFS (PC format only) or MAC specific format ?



Fat32 for me. At least then if my PC dies the drive will be OS agnostic. But photos stay on the card too


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## RGF (Jan 1, 2014)

dlleno said:


> RGF said:
> 
> 
> > use USB 3.0 card reader. Cards are removed from the camera. Backup only I verify copy and backups of copy are good. For short trips, I will not down load until I get home.
> ...



I like to travel with enough cards so that I can keep them as final backup until I get home.

A 32GB card can hold roughly 1000 images for a ~20MP camera. That is equivalent to 30 rolls of film. A medium to high grade 32GB CF Card (Sandisk extreme, Lexar 800x) will cost around $80. That is less than $3 per 36 exposure - remember film. A roll would cost more than than.


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## dlleno (May 13, 2014)

I know this is old but I thought I would share something that is likely obvious; just not to me until recently. BTW I'm definitely in the card reader camp now -- have two 1000x Lexar cards that get rotated; I just don't see the wear/mechanical risk in the card R&R, and the Lexar reader itself works really well over USB3. 

what I discovered, however, is that I don't like LR as the file transfer mechanism. I'm using the Canon software instead now, because it has the right definition of what a "new" image is .


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## AcutancePhotography (May 14, 2014)

I used to take the card out but recently started using the USB. While CF card pin problems are rare, with my luck I would be one of the (un) lucky ones. It is slower than yanking the card out, but I am not always in that much of a hurry. 

I guess it really is up to the photographer. Each schema has its advantages and disadvantages.


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## DominoDude (May 14, 2014)

I think I've only used the reader in the PC once. All other times I just hook my camera up to the USB cable when I get home and have EOS Utility pop up for me to do a quick selection of all new images and then I have them transferred over while I go and pour me some coffee.
This method works quite well for me: I always get the images properly numbered and put in the folders I want them in.
The only downside would be that, lately, I've only been able to transfer images from the camera once per boot time. If I try to do more attempts, I'll see all the thumbnails in EOS Utility, I then select and start the downloading but nothing gets transferred and the program crashes, stating that connection to the device is lost. I would imagine that some update (MS or Canon) has f*cked up the proper handling of the USB port. No problems at all after a fresh reboot, so all I need to do is reboot, or turn off my PC more often... 

Could also be due to a much needed firmware update for my HP computer, but I'm reluctant to do any such FW updates on my private PC - if it were servers at work I wouldn't mind.


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## dlleno (May 14, 2014)

EOS utility is the best, imho. LR fails because it's definition of "new" is "whatever is not in the catalog", which means it won't respect that you have already rejected a photo that might still be on the card. I know the LR experts all defend LR download capabilities but it just doesn't work for me.

If you are careful enough to keep the USB connection safe, while working around the USB cord, the camera, and the computer, then you can certainly be to be trusted with R&R'ing a CF card. The CF card mechanics are so robust I'd suggest the risk of damaging a USB pin on the camera is 100x that of damaging a CF card slot on the camera. 

But, to be sure you are right about preferences and whatever works. I used the USB cord method for 7 ish years and 75,000 ish photos on my 40D, and I didn't damage a single cord or connector on the camera. either one works. 

Another reason I switched to the card reader method is that the 5D3 doubled my data xfer needs, and the "in camera USB" method is pretty s...l...o...w especially for large cards that can hold over 1000 photos.


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## StephenC (May 18, 2014)

WiFi of JPEG's from the EyeFi SD card to ShutterSnitch on the iPad. I can then delete the (vast majority) poor quality ones whilst on the go. I was then transferring the remaining JPEGs to Aperture via Transmit FTP - but found it unreliable, so now use ShutterSnitch Backup. Further culling of crap images on the computer then plug in the CF card and transfer just the 'Matching RAW' images. As I am an amateur I then wipe both cards, edit my photos THEN back them up.


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