how to download digital pics into a laptop

[gary4jenn]

Calling all you computer experts!

I just bought a digital camera (3.3 pixel) and so did my mom. We would like to download the pics into her laptop at night and then just delete the photos off the memory sticks.

1. How many pics can a laptop hold (she just bought it and it's probably above average in comparison to other laptops)?

2. Would it be better to download them into her laptop and the e-mail them to my home computer via the phone line at the hotel.

3. if we download them, how do I go about getting a local phone # for AOL or MSN? What does this cost? Any other options?

4. When you download the pictures from the memory card does that automatically clear the card or do you have to manually delete each picture?

5. About how many pics do you think my camera will hold with a 128mb card? a 256mb card?

6. Shich size menory card should I get? My camera requires a SD card.

DISers are the best!

 

[safetymom]

I just bought a digital camera (3.3 pixel) and so did my mom. We would like to download the pics into her laptop at night and then just delete the photos off the memory sticks.

1. How many pics can a laptop hold (she just bought it and it's probably above average in comparison to other laptops)?

It all depends on what size hard drive you have on your computer. But if it a large size one you should be able to hold hundreds if not thousands of pictures.

2. Would it be better to download them into her laptop and the e-mail them to my home computer via the phone line at the hotel.

Download them to your mothers computer and then when you get home burn them to a CD. Does the laptop have a CD burner? That would be better than trying to send them to yourself. Your mailbox would fill out and then emails would bounce. Also are you staying at a hotel with high speed internet? Does your laptop have an ethernet card or port to use high speed?

3. if we download them, how do I go about getting a local phone # for AOL or MSN? What does this cost? Any other options?

If you have AOL or MSN then you need to look on the ISP's website and they can give you a list of local numbers. Then check with the front desk of your hotel to see if it is a local number. All local calls cost 75 cents regardless of the time.

4. When you download the pictures from the memory card does that automatically clear the card or do you have to manually delete each picture?

It all depends on the program you use to download the images. You usually have a choice if you want them erased after you download them. I don't do that until I have checked that I can view them on the laptop, burn them to a cd, then I delete the images from the card in case there was a problem.

5. About how many pics do you think my camera will hold with a 128mb card? a 256mb card?

How many pictures it can hold depends on what quality setting you use when taking the picture. If you want to print at 8x10 then you want to take at high quality. If you want to print at 4x6 then save at a medium quality.

6. Shich size menory card should I get? My camera requires a SD card.

I would recommend using 128 mb, or 256. Don't buy a huge one just so that if it fails for some reason you haven't lost a lot of pictures. Buy several of what size you want and switch them out during the day.

 

[Duckfan]

I was hoping a more experienced person than I but here is what I know. The laptop will hold lots of pictures, for instance my dh did over 200 pictures and it didn't make a dent.

When we download to the laptop, we use a digital media reader. They are usually pretty inexpensive. You put your media in the reader and the reader plugs into your USB port. Be sure you log it out before you disconnect it. It is very easy to use and you can use your computer to delete the pictures from your card or your camera will let you do it. You will have to manually delete the pictures one way or the other.

I wouldn't email them either but save them to disk if you are concerned about losing them off the laptop.

There is also a spot in epcot where you can have the images put on a disk for you. I havent tried it but I have heard about it.


How big a card you should get depends on how many pictures you want to take, how often you will download, and how much you want to pay. I think I also would rather have several smaller cards incase something happens to the card.

Hope this helps a little.

 

[gary4jenn]

I am such a dope about this stuff- I probably have no business owning electronics of any kind!

Thanks for your responses. It gives me a place to start and we have lots of time to experiment with transferring photos before our trip.

 

[Duckfan]

You might want to post on the community board as well because there are more experts, ie Dan Murphy, over there. I am still trying to figure out a lot of it myself but I won't be fazed so you shouldn't either. My dh suggested just sitting one night and taking pictures to see how many would fit. I am still trying to figure out how many pictures before the card is full! Hope you have lots of fun, I am still a newbie but I really like being able to see the pictures right away and delete what I don't want! I am getting hooked and I think you will too.

 

[safetymom]

I suggest you take the time before you go to get familiar with the features of your camera and laptop. The worst time to figure it out is when you are on the trip.

The most important thing to remember is to make sure the images are safe and sound on your hard drive BEFORE you delete them from the media card.

 

[Memaw2Wm]

I download my photos to my 'puter using a Memorex compact flash card reader (they have them for memory sticks too), using ofoto.com free "upload" software (download for free from their website).

Ofoto.com's upload software allows me to download the photos and the option to delete the photos from my CF card, or leave them alone.

You can also use this software to correct red-eye and crop your photos ... very simple to use and I use it instead of the software that came with my camera.

I agree with the previous poster that you should be pretty familiar with both your camera and the computer before you go to Disney.

Also, my camera tells me how many photos I can take based on the size of my CF card and photo resolution. I have a 4 meg camera and can take approx. 490 photos at medium large resolution on my 512 meg card.

HTH!

 

[gary4jenn]

We've got about 10 months before we go so we have lots of time to experiment and I appreciate all of your help.

I will practice before we go. My new computer has a cd burner so we should be able to at least get them from my Mom's laptop to my comp and then burn them.

I will post any other questions on the community board- I've never been on that board before, so I'll have to check it out!

Thanks again- Jennifer

 

[MandaMom]

Also a reminder if you need additional help don't be afraid to stop by a local BestBuy or something in the Orlando Vicinity when you get there. Sometimes its easier to talk to a person face to face and I have found BestBuy people to be very good.

Using a Card Reader is not difficult and maybe your digital camera already came with something to load your pics directly. My Nikon came with a USB connection and also software/driver so I do it straight from my camera to my laptop. Last May I accidently left this behind so I ended up buying a new one at Walmart off 192. It was a Lexar Compact Flash Card Reader and it was just as efficient as my USB connection. It came with a CD that had you download the software/interface that could view the pictures from.

I am sure you will be fine. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

Most new laptop's have CD burner's now a days so the easiest thing to do is burn it to the CD. Although I am pretty sure your mother's laptop should be able to store the pictures. I currently have thousands of pictures on my laptop that I need to sort through. I have backed them up by burning them on a CD and suggest everyone does the same.

Good Luck

MandaMom

 

[MichaelH]

1. How many pics can a laptop hold (she just bought it and it's probably above average in comparison to other laptops)?

As someone mentioned, it depends on the size of the HD in the laptop and the resolution of your pictures (i.e., 800 x 600, 1024 x 768, etc). If your HD is 40GB or larger don't worry about it, you should be fine.

2. Would it be better to download them into her laptop and the e-mail them to my home computer via the phone line at the hotel.

I would download them to the laptop and leave it at that unless you have a CD burner on the laptop to back them up. You will spend alot of time sending the pictures via dialup. Especially if they are high res images.

3. if we download them, how do I go about getting a local phone # for AOL or MSN? What does this cost? Any other options?

See #2. Just download them to the laptop and burn them to CD for backup in case the HD crashes.

4. When you download the pictures from the memory card does that automatically clear the card or do you have to manually delete each picture?

On my father-in-law's camera I have to manually delete them. They probably have software that will do it automaticlly for you.

5. About how many pics do you think my camera will hold with a 128mb card? a 256mb card?

Your image resolution will be the limiting factor for your memory stick. The higher the resolution the larger the image file size and the less you will be able to fit on the stick. I looked at some of my pictures taken at 1024 x 768 and they were roughly 350Kb each.

6. Shich size menory card should I get? My camera requires a SD card.

I would get the 256MB card, but that is me. You should be able to get a pretty good deal on one. I see rebates all the time for memory sticks in the Sunday advertisements.

I download my pictures to my laptop when we go to Disney. We download the pictures form that day to the laptop and burn them to a CD in case something happens to the laptop.

I hope that helps some.

 

[stephwynn]

Is there any safe place to store a laptop while in the parks? Are the safes large enough to accommodate one? Just getting a brand new one...and don't want to lose it, but want it along for downloading pics

 

[safetymom]

I would buy a Kensington lock. You can find these locks at computer stores. It looks like a bike lock with a cable and a lock at one end. There is a slot on the computer that the lock fits into. You thread it around a piece of furniture then connect to the laptop. I use them all the time when I am out doing presentations on the road. Just be sure to loop the cable through something that you can't slip it off.

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=50034839&pfp=srch1

I have enclosed a link to show what it looks like.

 

[stephwynn]

...for the tip safetymom, we are headed to CBR in just a few short days (I say short, as I haven't even started to pack yet, and getting all worked up just thinking of all the stuff yet to do!). One more thing for my must buy before we go list! a lock for the laptop.

Thanks again

 

[gary4jenn]

me figure this stuff out.

My mom and I each bought the same digital camera and we each got a 128 mb sd card. Our cameras indicate that it give us about 156 pics. I will experiment with her laptop this weekend- I did buy some writable CD's at Target.

I may be posting more questions if that doesn't go well.

Thanks again for you advice and suggestions!


Jennifer

 

[safetymom]

I would try changing the resolution on the pictures while you are practicing. That is a lot of pictures for a 128 mb card. Print one out at that resolution and see if you like it. I would take the pictures at the highest resolution that you can in case you want to print the picture large otherwise it won't turn out nice.