Canon EOS Utility downloading issues with 7D mk2

[Dweeb]

Hi All, I got a 7D mk2 2 weeks ago and I am having issues with downloading images to my PC Win 7 SP1 64bit, latest updates fresh reinstall when using the EOS Utility, (latest version) when it starts downloading pictures it stops at 175 or similar number and sits there either forever, or for a long time and then it continues and then stops the transfer again. Sometime it finishes and completes the download, sometime it just closes down (utility). (as it did now, just stopped and closed, downloaded 1178 out of 2889 pictures. 7D is on latest firmware. CF 64GB Lexar Professional 1066x UDMA7 I have disabled AntiVirus (its not my PC hardware issue performance wise) also all other software and hardware (scanners, printers...etc.) work fine. Any ideas why this is occurring ? or how to fix it ? thanks

[amfoto1]

Sorry, I really can't help you...

For one thing, I never use EOS Utilities to download images. I just use Windows Explorer and drag/drop/copy images from memory card to hard drive. Easy and pretty much fool proof.

I'd also never use a 64GB memory card. I would never "put all my eggs in one basket". If something goes wrong with a card (which has happened to me twice in 10+ years shooting mostly digital), I don't want to lose all my work. The largest cards I use are 16GB. I filled six of those last Sunday. It takes about 5 seconds to swap out a full card (a little over 500 RAW files) for a fresh card, including formating it. I use both Lexar and Sandisk cards... some 800X and some UDMA 7.

Are you using a card reader or are you connecting the camera to download from it?

If the latter, maybe the camera is going into sleep mode or the battery is low or there is some sort of overheating protection that causes it to pause. I use a card reader for faster and more reliable file transfers.

All this is just observations and guesses, of course. But, I hope it helps.

***********

Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7D(x2), 50D(x3), some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & EXPOSUREMANAGER 

[Dweeb]

Thanks for the reply.
I actually have 2 different 64GB cards. One CF and SD. So if one craps out raw is on SD.
Yes directly from camera to PC. Battery is full. No overheating as far as I can tell.
Going to try few more things....

[Peter]

If I were you I would use Windows own transfer thingy until next version of Eos Utility.

[Dweeb]

Seems like that's what I need to do.... kind of sad if you pay $$$$ for a camera and the software designed for it does not work properly.
I tried on 3 different PC's. Same thing. Randomly stops. Never completely downloading all 2800 pics.

[TCampbell]

2800 sounds like a lot of pics.  I can imagine all sorts of software issues that might not have been tested at such a high number.

Normally I import by putting the card in my computer (or in an external card reader) and let Lightroom do the import for me.  I never use the Canon utility (not for anything more than a couple of images anyway.)

I'm a recent convert to Lightroom ... having used Aperture for years.  But when Apple announced they would no longer be developing Aperture, I realized it's just a matter of time before some OS upgrade renders the software obsolete.  But one feature I took for granted with Aperture is that virtually everything is handled as a background process (including image imports.)  This means that as one thread is importing images into the library, you can actually be working on the images that are coming in without waiting for the import process to complete.  So far as I can tell... Lightroom wont let me touch the images until the entire import process is finished.

[Dweeb]

Ya, 2800+ pictures is a lot, I know.  I was at a car racing event, and well at 10fps shooting, it adds up very fast.

The funny thing is that my other camera has no issues using the utility.  Mind you I never have more that a couple hundered pics on it at any give time.

I just like the way it organizes the pictures in folders...etc. for me. I plugin the camera, and walkaway, when I comeback all is dowloaded and seperated in different folders based on days.

oh well, guess manual work is in my forseeable future. 

[amfoto1]

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@Dweeb wrote:
...Yes directly from camera to PC....

---

Get a card reader and use that instead. It will probably solve your problem.

Some people worry about removing cards from their cameras frequently (you won't, with such massive memory cards)... They are concerned about damaging the memory card socket.

Actually, the USB socket is probably equally easily damaged from heavy and frequent use. I don't know for certain about the 7DII, but on many DSLRs the USB socket is part of the main circuit board, so would be far more involved and expensive to repair, than a damaged memory card socket.

I've done hundreds of memory card swaps and never damaged or worn out a socket. So, I think with reasonably care and handling, it's better to pull the card out of the camera and use a card reader to download images.

***********

Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7D(x2), 50D(x3), some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & EXPOSUREMANAGER 

[Dweeb]

Just ordered the Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader (UDMA 7) LRW400CRBNA.  

Hoping that will do the trick  🙂

Thank you all for the assistance.

[amfoto1]

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TCampbell wrote: 

... So far as I can tell... Lightroom wont let me touch the images until the entire import process is finished...

---

Sure it will. Just try it!

You also can set up Lightroom to "watch" a particular folder for new images and even to automatically Import them, creating folders as need, saving copies, changing file names, adding copyright info and such.

I don't do this because I don't use LR for downloads. I just drag and drop, then Import into LR from the folder I created for the images.

I shot nearly 3000 images at an event last Sunday (it was a short day... only about 6 hours... some days I shoot upwards of 5000).

Anyway, six 16GB CompactFlash cards full. Each takes about 15 minutes to copy files off it, so ended up a couple hours work downloading, Importing, sorting and then renaming them. (I prefer to do these things "hands-on"). I was already editing some fo the first images while the downloads and Importing were being done in the background.

Then the "real work" started, going through all 3000 making selections, doing minor adjustments, crops/straightening, and then making watermarked proof copies. I've been at it for 3 full days and will probably need most of today to wrap it up.

My original 7Ds "only" shoot at 8 fps... but one of the problem with high frame rates is all the post-processing work it makes for, after the fact!

***********

Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7D(x2), 50D(x3), some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & EXPOSUREMANAGER