Best device for checking camera cards in the field

[Sika]

I've done some research on my own but not coming up with any good solutions.

I have several game cams to check every week. I usually just pull the cards out, replace with blank ones and take all the full cards back to the house to load pics on a laptop.

I want to be able to import and view all the pictures in the field, load them on a hard drive, wipe the card and put it back in the camera but I don't like bringing my laptop with me because it's too big to carry around and I'm afraid it will get damaged. I can look at pics on my iphone with a card reader but that isn't really ideal either and I can't store all of them on it.

So, what device does the green screen think is best for taking in the field, importing and viewing hundreds pictures? Ipad? Chromebook? Or an ultra small laptop with Windows, like an ASUS transformer book?

[boh347]

What about on your iPhone then upload them to google photos so you can look at them on all your devices?

But if I had to choose from your options I’d go with an IPAD.

[Mr. Public]

I carry my laptop with me. It's a bit big but fits in my pack. If I don't carry it with me, I always have extra SD cards to exchange. Additionally, I carry a card reader to view photos on the fly when I'm hunting public or transitioning between sets or too and from different stand locations.

Next on the list is wireless cameras.



Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[Texantax]

The WGI readers are junk

[Sika]

What about on your iPhone then upload them to google photos so you can look at them on all your devices?

But if I had to choose from your options I’d go with an IPAD.

No high speed internet in the field and cell service is spotty.

[Randy]

I bought and adapter for my Iphone from Apple it works really well.

What doesn't work very good is a chromebook. When I have a card that has id say 200+ images it locks up and times out the machine.

[mooney_ag]

I trade out cards always for the convenience. In off season put them in a computer at home or camp. During season usually use ipad while in the blind or default ipad or computer at camp

[lovemylegacy]

I, like you, bring the cards back home and load them on my computer, in the comfort of my home, in the AC, where I can study them. I have pondered using an iPad to do exactly what you are describing, but things like dirt, grit, sweat, falling and breaking the iPad have all changed my mind. Did I say something about the comfort of my home? I have found also that on a smaller screen it is easy to miss some details that would be obvious on a bigger screen.

[Antlers86]

I carry my MAC. Download and delete pics all at once. 9 cams normally takes me 45 min. Roughly 5000 pics every week.

I think I am going to look into the Cuddelink System soon. Since I live on the property I hunt all pics from every camera location are sent to 1 Home Base cam. I can have it at my house and every camera scattered throughout the place send pics. This will eliminate my traffic through the areas other than to change batteries.

[TX_Hoghunter]

I do the same thing you do and swap the cards. I have never found anything else that I liked any better.

-john

[Antlers86]

The problem I have had with what you do swapping cards is remembering what cards work with what camera. Even if they are unlocked not all SD cards work for some reason. I go a week with "No Pics".

[Pedernal]

I now you said no laptops but the best I have found is Mac book pro... You can upload 13k plus pics in a couple of minutes and erasing the card takes a few seconds... Obviously 13k pics of one card are not going to be practical to view out in the field no matter what device is used... The newer laptops are not as fragile, plus if you get the newer SSD drives that don't have moving parts which were the weak links you can move around while the laptop runs with zero worries of crashing the drive...

[JGadbury]

I bought a reader made by stealth cam. It plugs into your phone via the charging port and the sd card fits inside. You can view the pictures from your phone and then save them directly to your phone.

[Pedernal]

The problem I have had with what you do swapping cards is remembering what cards work with what camera. Even if they are unlocked not all SD cards work for some reason. I go a week with "No Pics".

You might try an erase all with the camera on the card... Most cams reformat the card which helps to avoid the issue of multiple forms of software on one card which confuses most cams...

[Pullersboy]

I use a Bone View card reader. Hooks directly to my phone. I will swap the card with a blank card so I'm not standing around by the camera for any longer than I have to to swap the card. Then I can hook up my device and load the pics into an album in my phone. I can sit there and go through pics while sitting in the blind or stand. My has worked well for the last 4 years or so. It's simple, small and lightweight. I just keep it in my hunting pack so it's always with me in the filed.