Transferring pictures to PC (I want it to be fast!)

[leightonjames]

Hey,

Does anyone know the best accessory that I can purchase for my PC that will speed up the transfer time for my pictures onto the computer itself. At the moment im using the in-built card slot but i am fairly sure you can purchase card readers etc that speed the process up. I have done some googling but i keep getting lots of nonsense. Can anyone recommend something?

I think im having a speed fetish since my RAM turned up yesterday :P

Cheers

Leighton

Edited by leightonjames on Thursday 7th August 11:25

[GetCarter]

Can you not just connect your camera to the PC? As long as you have USB2 it's pretty damn swift (well it is here) ... and I don't have to faff about taking cards out all the time.

[leightonjames]

Ah good suggestion, I haven't tried that yet!

Cheers

[DIW35]

A card reader will transfer the data a lot quicker than transferring from the camera direct. I used to download from my camera, but now use a Sandisk card reader. You really notice the difference when you have a lot of photos to download.

[leightonjames]

DIW35 said:

A card reader will transfer the data a lot quicker than transferring from the camera direct. I used to download from my camera, but now use a Sandisk card reader. You really notice the difference when you have a lot of photos to download.

Ah right, Well i have just noticed that my PC has two 6 pin firewire ports that i have never used! Doh!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-SDDRX4-CF-902-SAND...

Thats tempting

40MB/sec** (+/- buffer) sequential read and write.
40mb a sec sounds nice (don't know what the +/- buffer is)

my cards should be up to it - 2 sandisk extreme III and an extreme IV.

[rustyspit]

You don't say what sort of card it is, but something like this should be pretty quick:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/accessor...

[Dr MAD]

If you're transfering RAW files from a compact flash card I'd recommend the SanDisk Firewire CF reader (providing you have Firewire capability)

'tis about 5 times faster than standard card reader or USB direct from camera

You should be able to pick one up for between £40-£50. Quite expensive but well worth it.

[Road2Ruin]

It doesnt matter what system you use USB2 or firewire, the limiter will be the transfer rate of the card itself. Even the fastest cards cant keep up with USB2 or Firewire. Probably best not to waste your money.

[GetCarter]

> 'tis about 5 times faster than USB direct from camera

> Even the fastest cards cant keep up with USB2

You can't both be right, Shirley?

[Dr MAD]

I'm using the SanDisk Extreme III cards and noticed the 5 fold increase in transfer rates using the firewire reader over a direct connection via USB2 from camera (Canon 40D) or standard card reader into either PC or iMac

I guess that if you're using slower cards then the transfer rate won't be so good.

[CivicMan]

What's the rush? Does it make much difference whether it takes one minute or three minutes? Why does life always have to be so instantaneous?

(Maybe I'm getting old and grumpy!!)

[Simpo Two]

I use a built-in card reader (it fits into a drive bay) and it hoovers up files like lightning. About £10 on eBay.

As for laptops, I use a 64-bit Lexar PCMCIA-CF card adaptor although it's about half as fast as the above.

ETA: Yes, I guess card speed makes a difference - I use Lexar Pro 133x and 300x CF cards

Edited by Simpo Two on Thursday 7th August 14:18

[_dobbo_]

Plug the card in, start the transfer, go make a cuppa.

[AlfaFoxtrot]

I download from the camera, just because it saves taking the memory card in and out each time.

[flat-planedCrank]

leightonjames said:

DIW35 said:

A card reader will transfer the data a lot quicker than transferring from the camera direct. I used to download from my camera, but now use a Sandisk card reader. You really notice the difference when you have a lot of photos to download.

Ah right, Well i have just noticed that my PC has two 6 pin firewire ports that i have never used! Doh!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-SDDRX4-CF-902-SAND...

Thats tempting

40MB/sec** (+/- buffer) sequential read and write.
40mb a sec sounds nice (don't know what the +/- buffer is)

my cards should be up to it - 2 sandisk extreme III and an extreme IV.

I have the USB2 version of that card reader, works well, only paid about £10 from Amazon..
It clears a 2GB Extreme 3 card in a couple mins.

Cheers.

[leightonjames]

flat-planedCrank said:

leightonjames said:

DIW35 said:

A card reader will transfer the data a lot quicker than transferring from the camera direct. I used to download from my camera, but now use a Sandisk card reader. You really notice the difference when you have a lot of photos to download.

Ah right, Well i have just noticed that my PC has two 6 pin firewire ports that i have never used! Doh!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-SDDRX4-CF-902-SAND...

Thats tempting

40MB/sec** (+/- buffer) sequential read and write.
40mb a sec sounds nice (don't know what the +/- buffer is)

my cards should be up to it - 2 sandisk extreme III and an extreme IV.

I have the USB2 version of that card reader, works well, only paid about £10 from Amazon..
It clears a 2GB Extreme 3 card in a couple mins.

Cheers.

Thanks for the suggestions everybody. 2GB in 2 minutes!That sounds tasty, i don't mind waiting but just not too long. Waiting for files to transfer is soooooo tedious and waiting 45 minutes just aint doing it for me.

ETA - Do you have a link to the particular product?

Edited by leightonjames on Thursday 7th August 18:59

[GetCarter]

leightonjames said:

flat-planedCrank said:

leightonjames said:

DIW35 said:

A card reader will transfer the data a lot quicker than transferring from the camera direct. I used to download from my camera, but now use a Sandisk card reader. You really notice the difference when you have a lot of photos to download.

Ah right, Well i have just noticed that my PC has two 6 pin firewire ports that i have never used! Doh!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-SDDRX4-CF-902-SAND...

Thats tempting

40MB/sec** (+/- buffer) sequential read and write.
40mb a sec sounds nice (don't know what the +/- buffer is)

my cards should be up to it - 2 sandisk extreme III and an extreme IV.

I have the USB2 version of that card reader, works well, only paid about £10 from Amazon..
It clears a 2GB Extreme 3 card in a couple mins.

Cheers.

Thanks for the suggestions everybody. 2GB in 2 minutes!That sounds tasty, i don't mind waiting but just not too long. Waiting for files to transfer is soooooo tedious and waiting 45 minutes just aint doing it for me.

ETA - Do you have a link to the particular product?

Edited by leightonjames on Thursday 7th August 18:59

45 minutes?????????????????????????????????????????

Just checked this and I am transferring about 1 gb per minute via USB2

Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 7th August 19:13

[flat-planedCrank]

leightonjames said:

flat-planedCrank said:

leightonjames said:

DIW35 said:

A card reader will transfer the data a lot quicker than transferring from the camera direct. I used to download from my camera, but now use a Sandisk card reader. You really notice the difference when you have a lot of photos to download.

Ah right, Well i have just noticed that my PC has two 6 pin firewire ports that i have never used! Doh!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-SDDRX4-CF-902-SAND...

Thats tempting

40MB/sec** (+/- buffer) sequential read and write.
40mb a sec sounds nice (don't know what the +/- buffer is)

my cards should be up to it - 2 sandisk extreme III and an extreme IV.

I have the USB2 version of that card reader, works well, only paid about £10 from Amazon..
It clears a 2GB Extreme 3 card in a couple mins.

Cheers.

Thanks for the suggestions everybody. 2GB in 2 minutes!That sounds tasty, i don't mind waiting but just not too long. Waiting for files to transfer is soooooo tedious and waiting 45 minutes just aint doing it for me.

ETA - Do you have a link to the particular product?

45mins ? I have an old reader that takes about the same time, guessing your reader is USB1 as well

Amazon don't seem to have my card reader in stock...
Here is the Sandisk product page - http://www.sandisk.com/Products/Item(2012)-SDDRX3-...

Amazon do have another USB2 card reader though, its a little more expensive (about £17), i'd imagine it'll be as fast as my cheaper CF-only reader (its still usb2).
Just search for 'SanDisk ImageMate 12in1 USB 2.0' on amazon.co.uk


Cheers.

[leightonjames]

haha, you seem surprised by the 45 minutes. I transfer the phots to my photobank sometimes and then onto the pc but that also is tedious.

ok so this?

http://www.pricestorm.com/moreInfo.asp?code=SAN12I...

[flat-planedCrank]

leightonjames said:

haha, you seem surprised by the 45 minutes. I transfer the phots to my photobank sometimes and then onto the pc but that also is tedious.

ok so this?

http://www.pricestorm.com/moreInfo.asp?code=SAN12I...

Yeah, any USB2 reader should be faster


Cheers.