Compact Flash reader for Android?

[roc97007]

I've had a Droid X for a few weeks, (Verizon) just upgraded it to Android 2.2, and I'm just about convinced that I can leave the laptop at home. However, there are a few things in my workflow that I still can't do on the Droid.

When I travel, I take photos with a professional camera, uploading snapshots from the scene within hours of taking the pictures, and then following up with a more comprehensive, retouched gallery when I get home. In the past I've read the images into a laptop in the hotel room, touched them up, and then posted them.

In the field, I just need to do small adjustments to the images -- crop, exposure, and color correction. As lucky would have it, Photoshop for Android meets these needs.

So I've got the photos in the pro camera, and the Droid X will edit and upload photos. If I had a way to get images from the camera to the phone, I'd be golden.

One obvious solution is to take the memory card out of the camera and put it in the phone. But firstly, the camera takes compact flash not SD cards and the phone (of course) doesn't have a compact flash slot, and secondly, it's inelegant. The hot setup would be either to plug the camera directly into the phone's usb port (the camera appears to a host as a mass storage device) or plug a compact flash card reader into the phone's usb port.

Is there a way to make this happen? Thanks in advance

 

[sitlet]

The hot setup would be either to plug the camera directly into the phone's usb port (the camera appears to a host as a mass storage device) or plug a compact flash card reader into the phone's usb port.

Neither will work. They would require the phone to be a usb host and have drivers for all the hardware, which it doesnt and I dont think it ever will.

 

[Demache]

I like your optimism, but it simply can't be done, like sitlet said.

Now, if there were some way to do this via Bluetooth, that would be amazing.

 

[1tonyj]

Was reading your post and that got me thinking... that's where I came across this. I have a Nikon D50, but mine uses SD, which is perfect for the product I linked below. However, I haven't looked, but I was assuming there was probably a CF/SD adapter out there somewhere that might work for you?

I was thinking I could just fire up the WiFi tether on my Droid X and have the Eye-Fi card linked to X's network. Any chance something like that would work for you?


Eye-Fi memory cards: wireless photo & video uploads straight from your camera to your computer & the web.

 

[sitlet]

However, I haven't looked, but I was assuming there was probably a CF/SD adapter out there somewhere that might work for you?

The problem is the phone takes a micro sd card, not an sd card.

 

[1tonyj]

The problem is the phone takes a micro sd card, not an sd card.

Yea, I'm with you on that. I'm thinking if he had a CF/SD adapter, he could load up the Eye-Fi into his camera and he wouldn't have to take it out and get the phone involved.

The only part where I was thinking the phone would come into play, is to fire up a mobile hot spot that his Camera/Eye-Fi could upload through.

What I did forget, is that he needed them on the phone to edit them briefly. The only idea I had on that, is if he uploaded them to something like Photobucket where he could do online editing, which would be a bit of a pain on the small screen. Not a whole lot of good ideas out there I guess.

If someone didn't need to edit them, it would be a nice way to get photos onto Facebook for example, while on a trip, without dragging along the laptop.

On second thought... I wonder, since the Camera/Eye-fi would be connecting to the Android wifi tethering (assuming root), would there be a way to do some sort of file sharing possibly? Something along the lines of setting up an FTP server on the phone side? I'm just thinking out loud here.

 

[google123]

Use a MicroSD. Insert the MicroSD card into a MicroSD>SD adapter then insert that into an SD>CF adapter. This way the only actual memory card in play is the MicroSD which can then be used by itself with the phone and with the use of the adapters, in the camera.

 

[Demache]

Use a MicroSD. Insert the MicroSD card into a MicroSD>SD adapter then insert that into an SD>CF adapter. This way the only actual memory card in play is the MicroSD which can then be used by itself with the phone and with the use of the adapters, in the camera.

They sell those (SD->CF)?? *googles it* Oh wow they do!

 

[roc97007]

I believe Photoshop Express for Android will download and edit photos on photoshop.com, and eye-fi will upload to photoshop.com, so that is a possible solution.

One risk is that whether the eye-fi wireless SD cards will work in a Compact Flash adapter so I could use it with the D700. One CF adapter maker says they work with eye-fi, but I've read elsewhere that eye-fi doesn't certify any CF adapters and that there is a known issue with data corruption.

So, I started with about 1/4 of a solution and now I have about 3/4 of a solution (it might work but isn't supported).

Nikon makes a wireless adapter for their professional cameras but I've read that it's notoriously cranky, and is outrageously expensive ($750). I don't believe it has any better chance of working than the eye-fi/cf adapter solution.

Back to the drawing board.

 

[crispyparty]

Use a MicroSD. Insert the MicroSD card into a MicroSD>SD adapter then insert that into an SD>CF adapter. This way the only actual memory card in play is the MicroSD which can then be used by itself with the phone and with the use of the adapters, in the camera.

Yep, I believe this is the best way to do it too. I've personally used an SD to CF card adapter and don't see any reason why a microSD to SD card wont work. When it's time to edit and upload photos, you just need to swap out the microSD cards

 

[Hooloovoo]

Just came across this thread and I too am another photographer looking to use my DroidX for a similar purpose. I shoot sports so am mainly looking to be able to sit on the plane and review photos, mostly just deleting the 'back of the head' 'out of focus' junk so that I have less to work with once I'm home.

I see the Micro SD > SD and SD > CF adapter suggestion here - has anyone actually tried that yet? And more importantly, did it work?!

thanks
-Hoo

 

[roc97007]

I've given up for now. Will revisit next spring and see what might have changed. In the meantime, still carrying laptop with camera.