why is my 5d so slow to transfer images?

lexie

lexie

Messages
952
Name
keith
Edit My Images
Yes
i'm downloading my images from my first wedding with the 5d and when i connect it to the laptop via usb it takes an eternity to transfer the files. i thought it was down to the larger file size from the 5d compared to my 30d, but when i put the cf cards in the 30d they transferred in about a quarter of the time.

what gives? is the 5d known for being slower or is there likely to be a firmware update due on it?

it is a later model 5d with a serial number starting with a 3 if it makes any difference and the menu is showing
'Firmware Ver. 1.1.1'
 
I had the same problem with my 1d mk2 so I bought a card reader and all is good now
 
Yip my 5D is mega slow also, so I recently bought a Lexar USB 3.0 card reader, wOw what a far quicker/faster improvement.

Paid something like £25 for the Lexar a month or two ago, worth every penny!!!
 
Def recommend buying a card reader

I've a Sandisk one and it is very quick at transferring images :thumbs:
 
Same problem here - I either use my 40d if I remember.

It's old tech I assume is the issue.
 
Don't think I've ever connected a DSLR via usb for downloading files (apart from playing with tethered shooting). Get a Lexar card reader. Significantly faster than my Sandisk reader.
 
FWIW - little difference on a Nikon D300 vs USB card reader, but I have managed to bend pins on 2 CF readers (1 was salvageable, 1 not)!
As already pointed out, connecting the camera to transfer images does really drain the battery though.
One word of advice from experience - if using a reader make sure to keep a spare card in your camera bag for the time when you WILL forget to remove it and put it back in the camera!!!!!!
 
Sergei said:
FWIW - little difference on a Nikon D300 vs USB card reader, but I have managed to bend pins on 2 CF readers (1 was salvageable, 1 not)!
As already pointed out, connecting the camera to transfer images does really drain the battery though.
One word of advice from experience - if using a reader make sure to keep a spare card in your camera bag for the time when you WILL forget to remove it and put it back in the camera!!!!!!
Click to expand...

thanks for the tip, alan i'm looking to pick up a car reader this weekend now when i get time. i was only using the camera-to-computer method because i was used to using sd cards which just slot into the laptop lol

what kind of card reader do people recommend?

edit: just saw robert mentioned the lexar card reader
 
Last edited:
The original 5D (+ the 1DsMkII and the 1DMkII) are both USB1(.1) if I remember correctly, versus the faster speeds of the 30D and later which have USB2.

Things speed up even further when you introduce UDMA into the mix.

I tend to use the camera as a USB reader by preference, because until USB3 gets implemented properly you are going to see very little speed difference between a relatively modern camera and a card reader. The only time that the camera really will be slower is when the battery is low.
 
Nothing to be gained by downloading via the camera. In my experience it's always slower than using a good card reader.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top