This saves a lot of download time, because you only wind up downloading pictures you want to keep. This technique does not, however, allow you to evaluate fine details in shots, such as relative degrees of focus or shadow detail. You can make up for some of the limitations of small storage capabilities with the ability to selectively discard unwanted pictures. But your camera may only be able to erase globally, meaning you can t selectively erase individual images. Serial data transfers to a computer are very time-consuming, particularly considering the file sizes produced by digital cameras.
Most cameras offer a serial connection as the default transfer method.
However, you can minimize the transfer time by moving to a faster connectivity solution than serial connection offers. Using a separate card reader is recommended for several reasons. You can download from one storage device while taking pictures and storing them into another. There is no camera downtime during downloading, and no draining of your camera s batteries, just more time to shoot more great shots. Once you get your images into your computer, cataloguing and editing programs are quite useful.