Sloooooow import from CF Card

[crazyfoo]

I just switched from a Rebel XSi to a 7D, and thus from a SD card to Compact Flash.

When importing photos to my computer, I have tried using USB from the camera, and a USB CF Card reader. This is PAINFULLY slow. It took 12 minutes to import 20 RAW files at about 25 MB each. I had already ordered a new PC, but I am doubtful it will get any faster. Does anyone else have bad import times using CF? I bought a UDMA 6 - 90 MBS - 600x card, so it is not that the card is slow (at least I would hope not!). Any ideas on what the problem could be??

[rexster]

You need a udma reader. I got mine on Ebay for around 20$. Lightning fast transfers from my CF cards

[Patti Edens]

No, something is wrong. I just tested my card readers. My firewire (using older 400 Mbs Firewire hardware) card reader only takes 18 seconds to download 25 files that are about 18 MB each. My old USB card reader only took 26 seconds to download the same files. All of my stuff (cards and readers) are SanDisk. The card is only a 30MB/s card (SanDisk Extreme III CF)

[venchka]

SanDisk Extreme III & Firewire 400 reader and ports works fine for me as well. Lightroom is slow. I use the card reader to dump the files on the hard drive. Then import into Lightroom and go do something else.

[crazyfoo]

I will have to do some testing later. I will try to import without using LR, and I will try both ways on another computer and see what the results are. Thanks everyone so far for the replies.

[Abel]

Originally Posted by venchka

SanDisk Extreme III & Firewire 400 reader and ports works fine for me as well. Lightroom is slow. I use the card reader to dump the files on the hard drive. Then import into Lightroom and go do something else.

my process exactly... although I just use a Hoodman UDMA USB Reader..

[crazyfoo]

alright I tried a few extra methods of import. I used windows explorer to import from the USB reader and it was slow, then I used USB connected to the camera and windows explorer, this speed seemed to be reasonable. I might try to purchase a newer, faster, USB reader.

Another question now, though. If it is, in fact, Lightroom that is part of the reason for the slow down, and I choose to copy using windows explorer, how do you go about getting the files into Lightroom? I use DNG as my file format, so I guess I could copy to to a temp folder, then import and Copy as DNG. What does everyone else do if you use DNG?

[venchka]

I don't use DNG from the card to Lightroom. I go from card to a new folder on my hardrive named for the shoot. Lightroom imports any supported file format from any place you point to. Lightroom will also convert & import as DNG from another format. I don't see any need to make a bunch of copies just to get from the card to a hardrive to Lightroom.