Trail camera card reader/viewer?

[Logan80]

I currently use my iPad mini or my iPhone to view pictures from my cameras with an adapter. It works but it's a bit cumbersome to do. Everything you try to save the phone constantly tries to upload to iCloud and it's a pain to view and delete them all.

I've seen several card viewer tablets for sale online (Amazon, eBay, etc) but most seem to have fairly mediocre reviews. Do any of you have one of these trail cam card viewers? A dual SDcard one would be best, view from one and save to the other. Clear the first card and put it back. But the only one I've found has really mixed reviews (Wildgame Innovations VU70).

I can keep using my phone, but it sure would be nice to have a dedicated device that's designed specifically for what I need.

 

[RaggedHunter]

Tagging, I'm interested also.

 

[flyinsquirel]

In my experience all of those dedicated card readers with the tiny little screens are junk.

Pretty much any tablet with an SD card slot and a micro USB charge port will get the job done for you. Buy a $10 card reader that has a micro USB male end on it, plug it in, and view your pics through your photo gallery app. You can then transfer them to the micro SD inside the tablet if you want. A cheap little 8" tablet is a whole let nicer to view your photos on than your phone, though admittedly heavier.

Here's a card reader with both regular and micro USB ends. Something like this will get the job done.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W02VHM6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_bia_widget_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Fozzy26]

I have had really good luck just running this so far. It shows them straight on my phone (or iPad or whatever Apple product). Super easy to upload them straight to my photos on my iPhone. Only thing I’ve found is if I try to delete a large amount of photos off the SD card on the phone, it will stall out. If that happens I just delete them through the trail camera. But overall it’s super streamlined and love it. I have had no problems with it at all and makes it easy to view and import photos. Also, super small and light, so can pack it with me or leave it in the truck to check close or backcountry cameras.

Apple Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0198HIF7K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rqZKEbVFMHQWQ

 

[JoeDirt]

I take my kids Chromebook its lightweight, large screen, built in card reader and good battery life.

 

[Huntnnw]

I have been using a samsung tablet for the last 4 years it already had a micro SD slot in tablet, so I buy the SD cards with the micro conversion. Worked great for viewing, deleting or saving what I want

 

[Pgohil]

I've been trying to use my Galaxy S10 Android to view my pictures for the last few years. But for some reason the vast majority of the time it actually deletes them right off the card before I even get a chance to view them. Any ideas?

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[cody21peterson]

I currently have the stealth cam card reader. I use an iPhone and I use the app i-EasyDrive. Pictures work great but I have some issues when I try to view video content. I was told to try the Apple Card reader instead. Hopefully that works better.


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[Fozzy26]

I currently have the stealth cam card reader. I use an iPhone and I use the app i-EasyDrive. Pictures work great but I have some issues when I try to view video content. I was told to try the Apple Card reader instead. Hopefully that works better.


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That’s what I use and it works pretty flawlessly. I don’t suggest it, but I ran mine through the washing machine and it still works great

 

[Nate Akers]

I currently use my iPad mini or my iPhone to view pictures from my cameras with an adapter. It works but it's a bit cumbersome to do. Everything you try to save the phone constantly tries to upload to iCloud and it's a pain to view and delete them all.

I've seen several card viewer tablets for sale online (Amazon, eBay, etc) but most seem to have fairly mediocre reviews. Do any of you have one of these trail cam card viewers? A dual SDcard one would be best, view from one and save to the other. Clear the first card and put it back. But the only one I've found has really mixed reviews (Wildgame Innovations VU70).

I can keep using my phone, but it sure would be nice to have a dedicated device that's designed specifically for what I need.

Also in for reviews, I run an Ipad thats not connected to the cloud. allows deleting easier. Interested to see what everyones using.

 

[corncob]

I meant to post this the other day after recommending it to a friend, but forgot. For any of you that have an iPhone/iPad and don't mind deleting pics from your phone so they don't all load to iCloud, this is a copycat lightning adapter I've been using for the last two years. It's 1/2 the price of the Apple branded one, but works the same way without making you use a different app.

Amazon.com: FA-STAR SD Card Reader, Digital Camera Reader Adapter Compatible with iPhone/iPad (Support iOS 13 and Before), Trail Game Camera Viewer Compatible with iPhone/iPad, Plug and Play - White: Computers & Accessories

Buy FA-STAR SD Card Reader, Digital Camera Reader Adapter Compatible with iPhone/iPad (Support iOS 13 and Before), Trail Game Camera Viewer Compatible with iPhone/iPad, Plug and Play - White: Memory Card Readers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

smile.amazon.com

 

[365buckin]

I've been trying to use my Galaxy S10 Android to view my pictures for the last few years. But for some reason the vast majority of the time it actually deletes them right off the card before I even get a chance to view them. Any ideas?

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I ran into the same problem after about a 3 month soak. It broke my heart! I was disciplined and stayed out of the area. I had 2 big boys I really wanted intel on. Hard lesson.

What I had to do was check all my cards in my computer first without deleting the pics. Then I would put them into my phone with the adapter. If the pictures are still on the card when you plug it into your phone, you know that trail cam will work with your phone. Then you just mark which trail cams auto delete and never put the cards that came out of those cams into your phone. Those "auto deleting" cams I use as close to the road or home as possible because I know I will have to pack in my laptop to view in the field. But most of the time I don't bother. I just swap out the card and view those pics when I get home.

What I figured out was that certain camera models are not compatible with the software on phones. (usually your best trail cams, aka the ones that have been working for years and are older) Whatever coding the trail camera uses to store the images on the card the phone somehow reads that as a command to format the card. So as soon as you plug it into your phone all your pics are lost because they are automatically deleted.

 

[365buckin]

I ran into the same problem after about a 3 month soak. It broke my heart! I was disciplined and stayed out of the area. I had 2 big boys I really wanted intel on. Hard lesson.

What I had to do was check all my cards in my computer first without deleting the pics. Then I would put them into my phone with the adapter. If the pictures are still on the card when you plug it into your phone, you know that trail cam will work with your phone. Then you just mark which trail cams auto delete and never put the cards that came out of those cams into your phone. Those "auto deleting" cams I use as close to the road or home as possible because I know I will have to pack in my laptop to view in the field. But most of the time I don't bother. I just swap out the card and view those pics when I get home.

What I figured out was that certain camera models are not compatible with the software on phones. (usually your best trail cams, aka the ones that have been working for years and are older) Whatever coding the trail camera uses to store the images on the card the phone somehow reads that as a command to format the card. So as soon as you plug it into your phone all your pics are lost because they are automatically deleted.

I for got to mention...Make sure you keep track of which cards cam out of what cameras.

 

[Pgohil]

Well thank you for the explanation. I appreciate that for sure. looks like I'm just going to have to invest in a dedicated reader or some micro sized laptop.

Thanks

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