Trail camera card reader suggestions

[10mmMarc]

I recently put out a few trail cameras, and now am considering a card reader, rather than replacing cards. I am looking for recommendations as well as "stay away" warnings, I have seen a few bad reviews of products I thought might be a decent reader, and when pricing ranges from $50-$150 , I would kind of like to know what everyone else uses and how well they work, I am looking for one that will have a secondary card so I can transfer pics and video directly to the card reader and then leave the original card in the camera.
Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[oldpink]

Are you talking about just using an ordinary full sized USB plug (as opposed to a mini USB or micro USB plug) reader that accepts an SD card?
If so, I'm a bit surprised that you would be expecting to pay as much as $50-$150 for something of that sort.
If you're looking for what I'm thinking, you shouldn't be paying more than about $10 for the reader itself.

I use the one in this link here several times a week, and it's solid, quick, and reliable...not to mention it's currently going for $2.24 with free shipping - Amazon.com: eForCity SDHC / SD / MMC Memory Card Reader to USB 2.0 Adapter, Smoke: Computers & Accessories

A reasonable 32GB SDHC card should go for ~$25-$35 at most.
If you want something much bigger along the lines of the SDXC cards that go clear up into the triple digits for capacity, you'll pay much more, but you'd need to establish compatibility with your cameras before you go that route.

 

[rotortech]

10mmMarc - sounds like you are looking for something you can view and save your pics on. I am not endorsing this one, but I think you mean something like the Moultrie Picture Viewer for Trail Cameras. It has two card slots so you can read one and copy to another. I don't have one but I am also interested in what people are using.

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

I just take a fist full of SD cards and swap them out, read them with my laptop when I get back to the truck. I like cheap and easy. I figure if you're going to visit the camera anyway, it's not that hard to swap SD's.

 

[Cam]

I use an SD card adaptor for my iPad. They cost around $30 and work great.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Cheap tablet that has an SD or micro SD slot? Carry tablet with you and transfer pics from card to tablet memory while in the field...

You can probably find something in the same price range you're looking at (either super cheapo new, or reputable brand used) and you get additional benefits and uses with the tablet.

 

[cschwanz]

I've thought about a reader or something along those lines, but for me, its way easier and cheaper to just have extra cards. Walk to the camera, swap cards (and maybe batteries) and walk out. I'm out of the area in 60 seconds or less and then I come home and plug the cards into my laptop to browse them. Just seems too easy than to spend more money on a reader device when im probably going to come home and file good pictures on my laptop anyway.

 

[hysteria]

Cheap tablet that has an SD or micro SD slot? Carry tablet with you and transfer pics from card to tablet memory while in the field...

You can probably find something in the same price range you're looking at (either super cheapo new, or reputable brand used) and you get additional benefits and uses with the tablet.

This is exactly what I do. Tablet, even a cheap one, gives more options and way better controls than the dedicated trail cam photo viewers I've seen and used.

 

[mike trible]

I don't like to spend much time around my cameras. The more time you spend around them, the more you disturb the area. I carry extra s/d cards with me and just swap the cards and get out of the area. Check pictures back at the truck or back home. Some of my cameras I just drive my tractor right up to them to make the change. Deer are used to farm machinery being around in the fall.

 

[tjh88]

I swap cards also. Plug them into the laptop, save the ones I want and delete the rest. Ready to go the next time around.