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Photography Question 

karen moore
 

Downloading Photos from Camera


I have a Canon 7d and I am using an 8gb extreme Sandisk card. When I download my pictures to my computer, not all of them download. An error message asks if I want to try again, skip, or skip all errors. If I tell it to try again, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Then sometimes it gives me a blank or an error saying you can't view the image. Any ideas? I am losing some good pics. BTW, you can see them on the camera.


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December 15, 2010

 
chrisbudny.com - Chris Budny

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  Are you shooting just Raw, just JPEG, or both on the same chip? Are you using a PC or a Mac? Are you using Canon's EOS software to transfer the files, or some other method?


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December 15, 2010

 

karen moore
  On this particular chip, I am shooting only JPEG. I am using a PC and downloading, I believ,e with Windows. After I sent this yesterday, I took the card out of my camera and used a card reader. All of my pictures transferred then so I definitely don't understand. Any suggestions?


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December 16, 2010

 
chrisbudny.com - Chris Budny

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  I would try using Canon's included software ("EOS Utility") - you can set it to launch whenever the camera is connected to the PC - it will open a window of all the images (thumbnails) on the chip. You can select them all, tell it to transfer to a specific directly, and it will move them all onto the PC. I'd try that, rather than just trying Windows functionality... But it seems if your chip reader is working to move them all, then Windows functionality should work to move them. Weird!


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December 16, 2010

 

Lynn R. Powers
  Always use a card reader. They download faster and it is safer. If your camera's battery runs out of juice, you may lose all of the photos that were downloaded. After the card reader has finished its job, insure that the files are on your computer. When that is done, reformat the card in your camera and not by using the computer.
As Christopher said, "use the Canon software." If I am using three different camera models, I will have all three camera utilities in my computer. That is for insurance.


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December 16, 2010

 

Dan W. Dooley
  Karen, you have already received some good ideas so mine probably won't add anything new, but perhaps will just confirm those thoughts.

I presume that initially you were downloading by direct cable (USB) connection between the camera and the computer. That certainly should work fine as I've done it that way too a few times. Like the others though, I almost always use a card reader for the job.

I shoot only RAW so my files are large (Canon 40D) but unlike the others, I don't use special software to do the download. When the card is in a card reader, Windows (XP or Windows 7, depending on the comptuter I'm using at the time) sees it as simply another drive and I use Windows Explorer to copy the files from the card to a desired folder on the computer. That has always worked perfectly for me and because the connection is USB 2x the time to transfer files is not excessive.

The error is not related to whether you are using RAW or JPG but since the problem did not occur when you transfered directly from the card, either there is a problem with the transfer protocol within the camera itself, or the cable is bad. Since you were transfering with just Windows (Windows Explorer or My Computer) we can't blame the computer. Assuming you're not having other related problems with it. By trying Windows itself for the transfer, you're eliminating the possiblity that some software such as camera transfer software is at fault.

Dan,


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January 04, 2011

 
- Carlton Ward

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  Hi Karen,
I use a MAC and Photoshop CS5 (any CS will work). Bridge has a photo downloader (Files>Get Photos from Camera) and the downloader allows you to select the folder, rename & number the images and attach your own © info into the metadata. I also use a Sandisk firewire CF card reader and can download an 8gb card in about 6 minutes.
I have been using this method for about 4-5 years now and I dont have any problems with missing images, etc...
my .02,
Carlton


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January 04, 2011

 

Bruce A. Dart
  One very important consideration that some folks have not learned yet (preferably not the hard way). After you download images it is very important to re-format your card in camera for trhe next use. Other methods do NOT completely erase the data and it can build up to where either images get corrupted or the card is no longer usable -- kind of like erasing chalk board. You can most often still see what was written there before.


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January 04, 2011

 

Don Stouder
  Karen,

As you have received some excellent advice from earler posters. I can't add much.

However, I do have one somewhat related thought. You are using a sophisticated camera (I also use the 7D), which implies you are very serious about your photography.

You may want to consider using more sophisticated software to manage and work with the images you take.

As someone mentioned above, using Photoshop CS5 and its built-in Bridge is one approach. Adding Light Room 3 to that really enhances the capabilities and cost to the effort.

Although I have CS5, I have relied on Photoshop Elements for both editing and organizing my photo collection for many years now. Its about one-tenth the cost of the CS5/Light Room approach. Moreover, like those two there is a temendous amount of resources available online and elsewhere to help get the most out of the program.

My two cents.

Don S.


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January 04, 2011

 
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