It seems that I often buy hardware only to become unhappy with the included software. As C# programmer I frequently write my own programs to do exactly what I want. For example I have bought many cameras through the years and I can tell you from experience if you install all the software for each camera for downloading the chips you will never be able to find anything as the download images to c:\users\<username>\Documents\Pictures\Cannon....... etc for example with each camera using a different obscure location. I have even seen camera software that saves downloads to hidden folders - real handy!?. With the advent of SSD drives I now have all my machines boot from small 60gb SSD drives and I do not want to save files to C: Many programs want to do this sometimes doing it automatically allowing you no alternative. It is this problem which I experienced with my numerous cameras that motivated me to write the program MPdownloader.exe which I install on each camera chip. I name the chip with a camera specific name like "PentaxK5 01". This program searches the chip for all images and video and downloads to my G: drive to a folder named "All Chip Downloads" in a sub folder "PentaxK5 01". After a shooting session I download the chip and all the new images are copied to their respective folders. Any file previously downloaded is skipped. This allows me to have a single folder with all my media from many cameras and quickly update the master G:\All Chip Downloads\ with new work. This little program is an example.

I have created a folder MPdownloader containing the executable and the various supportive .dll files which allows all the media types to be displayed by the program (providing codecs and DirectX9.0 is installed). I first format the chip in the camera it is to be used and rename the chip to something that identifies the camera and chip. "PentaxK5 03" for example. I then copy the folder MPdownloader to the root of the chip and I am ready to go. After creating some new images or video I execute MPdownloader to download the chip.

Software Download:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-FdGMkfhc8FdTk4SjBjQ3RiWUk/view?usp=sharing

If a file name is clicked with LB that file is selected and a thumbnail image is displayed in the main client. For video files the file is selected and a preview image is displayed. LB selecting a selected file causes the file to be deselected. Selecting a file name with the RB does not select and launches a full screen media display of the video or image for preview prior to selection.

It is usually best to format camera chips with the device in which they are going to be used. Camera chips are usually formatted Fat32 and have 2gb limitation on file size. This is no problem for images but important to remember for video.

Upon execution MPdownloader searches the chip and makes a list of all media files on the chip. You can then select the files to be downloaded or just "SELECT ALL". The default destination is "G:\All Chip Downloads" but this can be changed to whatever you desire. Upon selecting the "Download" button all selected files are copied to the destination unless they already exists from a previous download. This gives me a single folder where I have all media stored from my numerous cameras each file having the creation DT and exposure number embedded in the file name so the files sort chronologically.

Example: My Pentax K5 above has a 32gb chip which I have been using for about 2 years now and in that time I have shot less than 1000 images this leaves room for an additional 4000 images so I will not need to format this chip for many years. I must however backup up the images as SD chips DO eventually FAIL. My backup to drive G: is a drive for which I do weekly backups to 2 additional drives so I always have 4 copies of my camera work.

The SD chip

My "PuPr" drive "G:\All Chip Downloads" - This is my master working drive

My "PuPR_bak" - Dataport backup sits on the shelf

My "PuPr_bak2 - second dataport backup sits on the shelf

You must have 3 hard drives to guard against the event wherein while copying the master to the copy_1 there is drive failure of the master drive where the master is unreadable and copy_1 incomplete therefor copy_2 on the shelf is your only remaining copy. I have had this HAPPEN! For my weekly backup I alternate between the two backup drives so at any time I have only 1 weeks work at most at risk. Yes I do cloud storage also but having lost everything in the cloud on so many occasions I do not rely on the cloud for backup and use it primarily for distribution.