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PhotoTraveler View Drop Down
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Posts: 6356 		Post Options Post Options   Quote PhotoTraveler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2009 at 02:32
I did the direct thing for a long time with my 7D and previous cameras. Was faster than most other methods. I now have a FW sandisk card reader, never compared, but it's probably faster than connecting the A700 direct. Still, if you are just using 1 card, just doing a direct connect is more convenient. If you come home with a pile of cards, the reader can be a better option.

The USB transfer on cameras has gotten much faster recently. If you have a USB card reader, I doubt you are gaining anything over a direct connection with an A700 or A900.
 



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HaH. View Drop Down
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Posts: 111 		Post Options Post Options   Quote HaH. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2009 at 02:56
Originally posted by revdocjim revdocjim wrote:

Picture this: A separate Wi-Fi controller, about the size of a PSP, with a killer 5 or 6 inch LCD, and a full set of controls. The camera can be fully operated remotely, pictures can be stored in the 1TB or larger flash memory in the controller and viewed on the LCD. They can also be uploaded to the web via Wi-Fi, and you can surf the web too. I'm guessing that Sony already has almost all the technology needed for such an implementation.


Are you talking about the VAIO P or something else?

It has all the necessary hardware to do just that. With it, one doesn't even need to start the Windows to surf the web, use the GPS, or watch multimedia of all sorts. To do the Alpha tethering, or remote controlling, all it needs is a piece of software to accomplish that. No biggie for SONY.



Edited by HaH. - 24 January 2009 at 02:57
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Swede101 View Drop Down
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Posts: 1355 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Swede101 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2009 at 03:23
Originally posted by analytical analytical wrote:

...
Reading a fast card with a good card reader connected directly to the computer is several times faster than cable from camera.                 
...

Not possible if the camera you are talking about is a Sony A700. It is capable of transfering the images via USB cable with a speed that is higher than 60% of the CF cards theoretical maximum read speed, if Mass storage device is chosen (and using a very fast CF card, of course, like SanDisk Extreme IV UDMA). This is actually faster than most card readers are able to. It is possible there is a card reader out there which might possibly be slightly faster than the A700 (don't know if there is) - but in that case only 25% or so faster.

As I already have written - at present A700 is capable of higher USB transfer rate than any other camera out there - regardless of price.



Edited by Swede101 - 24 January 2009 at 03:26
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Posts: 836 		Post Options Post Options   Quote BackToSlr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2009 at 03:31
Originally posted by analytical analytical wrote:

Originally posted by cezarL cezarL wrote:


I wonder how many of us do remove the card from the camera to have the pics transferred to the PC. My card-reader is slower than the A700 anyway :)

I would have thought almost everyone, because for me the card reader is faster and easier.

Reading a fast card with a good card reader connected directly to the computer is several times faster than cable from camera.                 

I use a card reader mounted in one of the drive slots on desktop PC. Reader is connected directly to pin connector on motherboard. No usb plugs or hubs in the connection path to slow things down.   

Plugging the card into a slot the front of the computer is much easier for me than getting out the unique USB cable then connecting the cable to the computer and camera. Especially so if camera has long lens mounted and/or is on tripod or monopod, so that placing it within cable range of the computer requires some disassembly. Whereas pulling the card can be done in a couple seconds in place from any configuration.           

For me the major advantage of a fast card is not continuous shutter duration, but rather the transfer speed to computer via card reader.   


I am surprised to hear that many people use card reader. I believed that card reader industry is dead :)

My experience is much different. A700 direct download is faster than UDMA card reader that i tried, not even considering pain of carrying additional reader, etc. Besides, the card slots are not designed for removal and reinsertion as much as the cable slot is, it makes it susceptible to pin damage.

Oh and the cable is not unique. It is a standard micro USB cable. Other companies use older mini USB. Pretty soon all will be using the micro USB.

USB standard connectors

Cheers,

N

Edited by BackToSlr - 24 January 2009 at 03:32
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Posts: 6356 		Post Options Post Options   Quote PhotoTraveler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2009 at 03:35
If I was on travel and had a laptop and such, I would never carry a card reader, but at home it's fine.   I want to see SxS/expresscard media format take off. Then you could just plug it right into your laptop and be insanely fast.
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Posts: 940 		Post Options Post Options   Quote matthiaspaul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2009 at 06:30
Originally posted by BackToSlr BackToSlr wrote:


Oh and the cable is not unique. It is a standard micro USB cable. Other companies use older mini USB. Pretty soon all will be using the micro USB.

USB standard connectors

It happens, we've just discussed this in another thread:

The Sony and Konica Minolta DSLRs actually use a proprietary 8-pin combo USB + Video connector, which is neither compatible with standard mini USB nor micro USB plugs:

http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/forum_posts.asp?TID=41181&PID=444433#444433

Protocol-wise, however, it is USB 2.0 Hi-Speed compatible.

Greetings,

Matthias
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pnaciona View Drop Down
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Posts: 1054 		Post Options Post Options   Quote pnaciona Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2009 at 08:09
The Alpha/Maxxum/Dynax USB connector isn't quite unique to Sony or KM. Nikon used (uses?) it on some of their cameras and so do Pentax, Panasonic, Fuji, Kodak, and many other camera makers. I know my Sony USB cable works with Pentax 33WR P&S camera--I just tried it. I wonder if they started working on a standard connector but didn't quite finalize it...

So, I guess, it's not exactly proprietary. I just searched for "mini USB 8-pin flat connector" and found them readily available online. There's also a "round" version of this connector.

Edited by pnaciona - 24 January 2009 at 08:19
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Posts: 98 		Post Options Post Options   Quote vX-2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2009 at 08:12
Originally posted by PhotoTraveler PhotoTraveler wrote:

If I was on travel and had a laptop and such, I would never carry a card reader, but at home it's fine.   I want to see SxS/expresscard media format take off. Then you could just plug it right into your laptop and be insanely fast.


Depending on your laptop though... cuz if you have a VAIO laptop (which I have), the MS pro duo memory card is just plug and play with the given CF memory card adapter from Sony... E.g. Put MS pro duo in the CF memory card adapter >plug into camera >takes picture >and repeat the step backwards > Vaio laptop > transfer photo

Edited by vX-2 - 24 January 2009 at 08:17
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Posts: 8607 		Post Options Post Options   Quote revdocjim Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2009 at 08:15
What I don't understand is why my Vaio doesn't have a CF card slot built in! It has the Memory Stick slot, which is to be expected, but then it has a SD slot too. Considering that Sony DSLRs all use CF and not SD I think it was a poor choice.
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Posts: 6356 		Post Options Post Options   Quote PhotoTraveler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2009 at 08:17
Yeah, that sounds fun

Many laptops have media readers, but no CF support. Still, a lot of them have no such slots, like Mac's, but they almost all have express card slots.
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vX-2 View Drop Down
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Posts: 98 		Post Options Post Options   Quote vX-2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2009 at 08:26
Originally posted by revdocjim revdocjim wrote:

What I don't understand is why my Vaio doesn't have a CF card slot built in! It has the Memory Stick slot, which is to be expected, but then it has a SD slot too. Considering that Sony DSLRs all use CF and not SD I think it was a poor choice.


Becuz Sony has this -->



So instead of buying CF, just buy the MS pro duo, and stick it into the VAIO, that's how they tried to market their product, although they never really emphasize it, but i think it's very convenient with that adapter....

Edited by vX-2 - 24 January 2009 at 08:32
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Posts: 1 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Sick_Sad_World Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2009 at 08:30
The reason your Vaio doesn't have a cf slot is that CF cards are 1) much bigger than other memory cards and therefore require a much larger (/uglier) connector in the vaio 2) the pins in the reader would be more succeptable to damage.
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HaH. View Drop Down
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Posts: 111 		Post Options Post Options   Quote HaH. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2009 at 08:46
Are there any laptops, from any maker, that have a CF-slot?

I don't recall seeing any, ever. I would like one, though.
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PhotoTraveler View Drop Down
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Posts: 6356 		Post Options Post Options   Quote PhotoTraveler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 January 2009 at 08:50
There were for a time, but probably no current ones. I think my work HP takes everything but CF.

But pre-expresscard slot, a CF card reader was easy to have in the old card slot, so people used that. But CF cards don't fit in expresscard slots, at least not the 34 that most laptops have. CF card readers for the slot stick out, so not a great solution.

Vx-2, the thing is people don't want to use those formats. They want to use CF, and using any adapter is a less than thrilling solution anyways. Also only high end alphas have MS, but all have CF.
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