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Advantages To SD Card Reader?

g00dbye

g00dbye

macrumors member
Original poster
So, I will be purchasing a new iMac fairly soon but was curious to know the advantages to having/using the newly included SD Card Reader? Is it just a way to easily store music/photos? Is it just kind of like using a flash drive? Somehow, I just don't understand its advantages. Someone please enlighten me. Thanks! -Bri
 
Just the convenience and the sleek look of not having to connect a separate SD card reader from say a digital camera. Just easy to pop it right into the side of the computer.
 
g00dbye said:
So, I will be purchasing a new iMac fairly soon but was curious to know the advantages to having/using the newly included SD Card Reader? Is it just a way to easily store music/photos? Is it just kind of like using a flash drive?
Click to expand...

The reader doesn't store anything. It reads the data on the SD card. The SD card stores the data. So the SD card itself is similar to a flash drive, just smaller, with no USB connector.
 
I just connect my camera via USB. And uses the camera software? Iphoto recognizes my camera when I plug it in.

The card reader would be handy if you forget the cable or are too lazy to get up and go grab it from your dresser where you last left it. 😉

But my Canon digital camera doesn't exactly instill confidence that switching the sd card in and out over the course of a year will be no problem for the camera. The little latches are tiny and not that strong looking/feeling. NOt sure it would hold up.
 
trip1ex said:
The card reader would be handy if you forget the cable or are too lazy to get up and go grab it from your dresser where you last left it. 😉
Click to expand...

Or, you need to continue shooting while your assistant downloads to clean the card for more shots or starts printing for instant delivery...
 
I want to import photos from an SD card, but I can't tell which ones I've already imported (I don't usually delete them from the card after I import them).

When I attach a camera via USB cable, iPhoto syncs with the camera, and allows me to only import photos that haven't already been imported (it allows you to hide already imported photos as well).

Is there a setting in iPhoto that would cause iPhoto to recognize an SD card inserted into the SD card slot on my MBP in the same way that a camera is recognized?
 
SD card

Surely said:
I want to import photos from an SD card, but I can't tell which ones I've already imported (I don't usually delete them from the card after I import them).

When I attach a camera via USB cable, iPhoto syncs with the camera, and allows me to only import photos that haven't already been imported (it allows you to hide already imported photos as well).

Is there a setting in iPhoto that would cause iPhoto to recognize an SD card inserted into the SD card slot on my MBP in the same way that a camera is recognized?
Click to expand...

For me, Iphoto recognizes my SD card and when I import the pictures from the card to Iphoto it also recognizes which will be duplicates.
 
Bulldog3777 said:
For me, Iphoto recognizes my SD card and when I import the pictures from the card to Iphoto it also recognizes which will be duplicates.
Click to expand...

So when you insert the SD card into the SD card slot, it shows up in the sidebar iPhoto menu the same way a camera does?
 
rjphoto said:
Or, you need to continue shooting while your assistant downloads to clean the card for more shots or starts printing for instant delivery...
Click to expand...

Most people who are shooting professionally and who have an assistant are shooting with CF cards in their high-level professional cameras, not SD cards.
 
Clix Pix said:
Most people who are shooting professionally and who have an assistant are shooting with CF cards in their high-level professional cameras, not SD cards.
Click to expand...

I guess that means I'm going to have to quit calling myself a professional then since I don't have a high end camera that uses Compact Flash.

I sure did make a lot of money this week with an SD card camera.
 
trip1ex said:
I just connect my camera via USB. And uses the camera software? Iphoto recognizes my camera when I plug it in.

The card reader would be handy if you forget the cable or are too lazy to get up and go grab it from your dresser where you last left it. 😉

But my Canon digital camera doesn't exactly instill confidence that switching the sd card in and out over the course of a year will be no problem for the camera. The little latches are tiny and not that strong looking/feeling. NOt sure it would hold up.
Click to expand...

That works but some don't like running down their batteries with that method.

I have a high end Canon digital SLR and those still use Compact Flash cards. I sure wish my new imac had one of those, so, I stilll have to use an external multi-card reader.
 
it's pretty much a way not to take up another USB port.
For example, lets say you have some pictures on your camera or maybe even a video, just take the SD Card out and put it in there. It'll read it faster and I think that some cards work faster than USB too.

So, it would make sense for Apple to include that, since they're very big on no clutter, no wires. And this is definitely a way to make your life easier by just putting the SD Card in there, rather than connecting a USB to your camera then to your computer and all that.

Also, maybe you have a phone or a camera that supports that, then you can take it out and quickly add music, pictures, videos, or whatever your want to it without having to go through the whole USB thing again.

And people would bitch and moan if they didn't put that feature in, which I'm sure that more than half of the people don't even use.
 
lol i remember when apple fans made fun of pcs having a sd reader port as it could simply be accomplished by a usb adapter

how the mentality changes once apple implements it
 
jayhawk11 said:
Is that a serious question? Nearly every DSLR in the world uses CompactFlash. Anything from entry level $700 DSLR's all the way up to pro level stuff uses that card, not SD.
Click to expand...

Well, then you pros can afford a FW/USB CF card reader. Not enough consumers use CF to justify a bulky-ass reader in an iMac. My T1i doesn't use CF, so I don't really care either way.
 
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