There are a few advantages to a card reader, chief among them being that you can offload images while you continue shooting. For people that are doing untethered studio work or portraits and prints on location, I imagine that's pretty invaluable. Another advantage is that you generally don't need additional drivers and software, it's just yet another piece of removable media. And finally, if you come home with dead batteries, you'll need to recharge or connect using AC power to get your images downloaded without a reader.
Having said all that - if you tend to shoot away from home and offload when you return, and don't need the camera in between, it's not a big deal to download directly from the camera. Another small advantage is that the fewer times you actually remove and replace CF cards, the less likely you will break or bend a pin (however unlikely that may be in the first place).
In short - card readers generally solve a problem, they're not really a necessity.
One word of warning to you and others who use card readers.
Ask how many people who have always used them have had to replace CF slots because they bent a pin? There is a very simple reason why I use the cable on my cameras to download it. And that reason is because of the large number of people who have always done it with a card reader only to discover they bent a pin on the CF board putting it back in.
There's another thread from back in 2006 that hashes this out quite a bit. Most of it already mentioned here but there are some additional comments like rescuing images from a card - you'd need a reader for that.
One word of warning to you and others who use card readers.
Ask how many people who have always used them have had to replace CF slots because they bent a pin? There is a very simple reason why I use the cable on my cameras to download it. And that reason is because of the large number of people who have always done it with a card reader only to discover they bent a pin on the CF board putting it back in.
Matt
Never happened in over 7 years. I would recommend a good quality card reader and not one you pay 4.99 for.
Look at the 2 options, and the results of a failure:-
1. Using the USB cable. Pulling this in and out will eventually cause failure of the usb socket. What to do then? Use a card reader and carry on.
2. Using a card reader. Repeatedly removing and reinserting the CF card will eventually cause one of the CF pins to bend. What to do then? Well you are kind of screwed, the repair is probably not economical, so you can bin your camera.
I use option 1, and will move to option 2 when forced to. Having said that, most people will not experience failure of this type. Be as cautious as you like.
One word of warning to you and others who use card readers.
Ask how many people who have always used them have had to replace CF slots because they bent a pin? There is a very simple reason why I use the cable on my cameras to download it. And that reason is because of the large number of people who have always done it with a card reader only to discover they bent a pin on the CF board putting it back in.
Matt
Never happened in over 7 years. I would recommend a good quality card reader and not one you pay 4.99 for.
Using the search function of this forum and many others will show you that not everyone is that lucky. Bent CF pin
I thought I might be missing something by doing it the "old fashioned" way, but based on how I shoot and what I am hearing......I am staying with the direct cord to computer technique
Just a reminder that if you're shooting JPEG, then a cardreader might be a safer option (for DPC entries), since there is no transfer software involved that might alter the EXIF and make the file invalid. See this thread for the transfer software guidelines.
Of course, if you're shooting in RAW, it doesn't matter which method you use to get the images :)
One word of warning to you and others who use card readers.
Ask how many people who have always used them have had to replace CF slots because they bent a pin? There is a very simple reason why I use the cable on my cameras to download it. And that reason is because of the large number of people who have always done it with a card reader only to discover they bent a pin on the CF board putting it back in.
Matt
Never happened in over 7 years. I would recommend a good quality card reader and not one you pay 4.99 for.
Using the search function of this forum and many others will show you that not everyone is that lucky. Bent CF pin
Matt
Get a real camera that uses the superior SD technology and you won't have that problem ;D
I used to plug the camera to the computer but often it didn't recognise the camera (XP).
Moved to the Card Read because of frustration.
Will be getting a new computer with Windows 7 so hopefully this will connect better.
Bending a CF pin is always a concern.
For the most part, I take the card out, and do it that way, but thats because I'm oftten rotating several cards, so it doesn't make sense to worry about a bent pin, although I see it happen far too often.
One word of warning to you and others who use card readers.
Ask how many people who have always used them have had to replace CF slots because they bent a pin? There is a very simple reason why I use the cable on my cameras to download it. And that reason is because of the large number of people who have always done it with a card reader only to discover they bent a pin on the CF board putting it back in.
Matt
Never happened in over 7 years. I would recommend a good quality card reader and not one you pay 4.99 for.
Using the search function of this forum and many others will show you that not everyone is that lucky. Bent CF pin
Matt
Interesting. We have been roulating 15 cards between 3 5D's in stressful situations at weddings and never bent a pin. It might be down to an unlucky not perfect card because you have to do your utmost best to bent a pin in the camera.
Eh, go into any "intro to photography" class and you will see someone bend a pin. Hell, at my school, they rarely let you remove the card from the camera because its happened so often.
One word of warning to you and others who use card readers.
Ask how many people who have always used them have had to replace CF slots because they bent a pin? There is a very simple reason why I use the cable on my cameras to download it. And that reason is because of the large number of people who have always done it with a card reader only to discover they bent a pin on the CF board putting it back in.
Matt
Never happened in over 7 years. I would recommend a good quality card reader and not one you pay 4.99 for.
Using the search function of this forum and many others will show you that not everyone is that lucky. Bent CF pin
Matt
Interesting. We have been roulating 15 cards between 3 5D's in stressful situations at weddings and never bent a pin. It might be down to an unlucky not perfect card because you have to do your utmost best to bent a pin in the camera.
There are many very good photographers on this site that have bent pins. It's not something I have ever done, but since all of my cameras have dual slots, I don't have to worry about that. It also helps that I shoot almost strictly JPEG and have 16GB of storage in each camera. :D
Eh, go into any "intro to photography" class and you will see someone bend a pin. Hell, at my school, they rarely let you remove the card from the camera because its happened so often.
I'm pretty sure DrAchoojmsetzler who are both pretty accomplished photographers have bent pins in their cameras. John just recently had it happen on his 30D(a couple of weeks ago) so its not just newbies.
One word of warning to you and others who use card readers.
Ask how many people who have always used them have had to replace CF slots because they bent a pin? There is a very simple reason why I use the cable on my cameras to download it. And that reason is because of the large number of people who have always done it with a card reader only to discover they bent a pin on the CF board putting it back in.
Matt
Never happened in over 7 years. I would recommend a good quality card reader and not one you pay 4.99 for.
Using the search function of this forum and many others will show you that not everyone is that lucky. Bent CF pin
Matt
Get a real camera that uses the superior SD technology and you won't have that problem ;D
Real camera? Hey at least when my camera falls the flash and lens don't break into pieces.......all of them still work after getting run over by that running back. How is yours doing after their fall? :D
