Anyone have/use an SD card reader?

[MrAl]

Hi there,

I was considering getting an SD card reader for the computer soon. I understand that you can put a card from a camera into the reader and read all of your pic's right off the card itself using the computer rather than the upload cable. The reader plugs into the USB port.

Now i noticed there are several versions of cards: SD, SDHC, SDXHC (or something like that)

Does it seem hard to keep taking the card out of the camera and putting into the computer reader or is it easier than using the upload cable?

[ltx71cm]

I have and use one and I wouldn't have it any other way. It's fast, supports almost any portable media, SD, MMC, Memory Stick, MicroSD, MiniSD, Compact Flash, SM and was cheap from NewEgg.com. For my camera (a Canon SD600) it's easier to open the SD card slot than remove the rubber door covering the cable connector. I originally bought the reader so I could use the CHDK firmware with my camera and I can count on one hand the number of times I've connected my camera directly to my computer since.

The reader I purchased is looks identical to this one Multi-Card Reader but with Victor II branding. It needs a USB cable too but it comes with it and I wanted it that way. I don't like having devices that need to be handled being plugged directly into a port, I don't want to exert pressure and risk breaking something in my laptop.

[reloadron]

Hi Ya MrAl

I have one of those 10 in 1 card readers that I shoved into the computer when I built it. I like and prefer using it over connecting the camera to the computer as when the camera is really loaded with images I get a much faster transfer rate from the card to the computer. Removing the card from either of my cameras is easy so no issues there. I also use a USB card reader when I travel with the laptop, pretty much the same reason. Matter of fact the 10 in 1 is also USB but connected internally and sits in an open bay I had.

On another note, the cards are no more than a form of mass media storage much like a USB pen or zip drive so yes, I can open images on the card, work the images on the card and save them back to the card if I so desire. Card readers are relatively inexpensive too making them a nice handy device to move your images.

Ron

[MrAl]

Hi again,


Oh yes sounds very nice. I guess i'll have to invest in one.

Now the question is what kind to get. My current card is SDHC but the newer ones are SDXC which can go up to 64GB presently. I wonder if i should bother though because the SDHC card holds something like 2000 pictures and i doubt i will ever need that many. I take about 50 at a time, but am planning on doing some documents that may take as many as 300 at a time, maybe up to 500 in one shooting but i doubt i will have to go over that. The SDXC would hold something like 20000 pictures which i seriously doubt i will ever need, but wonder if maybe in the future it might come in handy.

[reloadron]

Hi Ya MrAl

SDXC cards and host devices
- SDXC memory cards can ONLY be used with SDXC host devices.
- SDXC memory cards will NOT work with SD / SDHC host devices.

Additional info on SDXC cards and host devices
- SDXC host devices can use and support SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards.
- SDHC host devices can use and support both SD and SDHC memory cards.
- SDHC memory cards can be used with SDHC and SDXC host devices.

You may find this link useful in the decision making process. They have a pretty good FAQ section.

Ron

[MrAl]

Hi Ron,

Oh yes, very helpful, thanks much. I see we have another file system to think about too now geeze, called "exFAT" used by the SDXC cards. Isnt that nice.

[reloadron]

Hi MrAl

Actually exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table) is likely a good thing. It is supported with Windows XP SP2 & SP3 as well as Vista SP1 and naively in Windows 7. Therefore any current version of Windows XP or later should have no problem reading the file system.

Right now my two higher end cameras, both Canon use the CF (Compact Flash) cards. I have a few 16 GB cards. Shooting RAW image files at really high resolution I can get 475 images on a card and those are large files. My main reason for going to an even larger card is I occasionally like shooting the air show here in Cleveland. Doing this I shoot rapid sequences so a whole lot of images are shot pretty quick. Beyond that I seldom shoot 475 images in any given day of picture taking. Spend a day shooting pictures and two days sorting through them all or more.

Ron

[MrAl]

Hi Ron,


Well i was just thinking in terms of complexity, where if we keep adding file systems we will keep having more and more file systems
I guess i dont mind that much, just something else to think about. XP SP3 does not include the support, it has to be downloaded separately. Not too big of a deal i guess, just more to think about.

[reloadron]

Hi Ya MrAl

Yeah, I think it is a catch 22. As mass storage grows so goes file systems to address it.

Ron

[MrAl]

Hi Ron,

I guess i should read up on this eFAT32 system. I know the FAT32 system pretty well and even developed my own disk defragment utility a long while back (dont use it anymore however) but i'd have to read up on the new system to do the same now.

[haklesup]

I got a little reader that looks like a USB stick, you slide the SD card in the side, it has no cable and is very compact. It only cost me $12.

Make sure you get SDHC if you just get SD you can only read up to 2G cards, SDHC will read those plus any card up to 32G (I think) My largest card is 8G which I load with movies. A 10 in one reader is unnecessary because they read a lot of obsolete formats unless you have those cards, its not needed and the connectors are more prone to breakage. Many of the 10 in one readers don't support SDHC. Read the package carefully.

The best thing about removing the card from the camera is that you can rotate several cards in the camera like swapping rolls of film. On a long Vacation last year, I filled five 2G cards and two 4G cards, thats a lot of pictures but also a number of HD AVI movies. Now those can take a lot of space.

I've noticed Wireless SD card readers but I don't know what is wireless about it because the card still has contacts and the reader still has a USB plug. Search on "Eye-Fi" Does anyone have one of these, what's the advantage? How does it work?

[MrAl]

Hi Hackle,


Well they do have 'wireless' memory cards now, that are different than regular cards in that they must contain a transmitter as well as the memory. That means you plug the 'reader' into your computer, plug the 'card' into your camera, snap some photos, then move the camera near enough to the 'reader', then upload photos to the computer (wireless). The advantage is no cables and you dont have to take the memory card out of the camera because the memory card transmits by RF to the 'reader' even though it is still inside the camera.
The wireless memory cards, at least for now, seem to be much more expensive however. Ive seen 8GB for $150 USD.

[Janitor Tzap]

Hi Hackle,


Well they do have 'wireless' memory cards now, that are different than regular cards in that they must contain a transmitter as well as the memory. That means you plug the 'reader' into your computer, plug the 'card' into your camera, snap some photos, then move the camera near enough to the 'reader', then upload photos to the computer (wireless). The advantage is no cables and you dont have to take the memory card out of the camera because the memory card transmits by RF to the 'reader' even though it is still inside the camera.
The wireless memory cards, at least for now, seem to be much more expensive however. Ive seen 8GB for $150 USD.

$150 is kinda expensive.

But if you had a studio setup, with two or three cameras with the "Wireless" Memory Cards in them,
and a Laptop or a Desktop computer with the "Wireless" Receiver on it.
That would make prefect sense.

Actually, for location shoots.
A Laptop with multiple cameras would be a good way to go.
Though, in this scenario.
You'd had better have the biggest capacity hard drive you can get in the Laptop.


Signed: Janitor Tzap