EOS Rebel T2i Can I Write Photos Directly to an External Hard Drive?

[bmendel]

Recently we have set up an automatic trigger for a Canon Rebel T2i in order to take time lapse frames, and it has been working beautifully but unfortunately we do not have an SD card large enough to capture a full sequence. If we were able to hook up the camera to write directly to a 1TB USB drive, this wouldn't be a problem, but I am having trouble finding info online on how to do this. Is this possible with the Rebel T2i? If not, are there any other suggestions on how to save images elsewhere?

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

It's not possible. They do make 1 TB SDXC SD cards. The T2i manual states that it can use SDXC SD cards. You may want to call Canon customer support to verify if it will use a 1 TB SD card, as when that camera was manufactured, an SDXC SD card wasn't that large in capacity.

[ebiggs1]

"They do make 1 TB SDXC SD cards."

I doubt a T2i can make use of that large SD card. It might be possible to do it with Lightroom. You can tether the T2i to Lightroom and save the photos to your computer. You will have to make sure your computer or laptop doesn't go to sleep while you are doing the intervals. If you get an active USB cable you can have very long runs like the camera in one room and the computer in a different room, etc.

This is how I shoot Senior Posters for the school district. It lets the kids see their picture and approve it or take  another one!

[Anonymous]

It can handle at least a 512 Gb card according to Sandisk. And that was in 2016. I don't know if the 1 Tb SD cards were available when this table was made.

https://pct1.sandisk.com/ProductList.aspx?DeviceID=3413 

[Waddizzle]

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@Anonymous wrote:

It can handle at least a 512 Gb card according to Sandisk. And that was in 2016. I don't know if the 1 Tb SD cards were available when this table was made.

https://pct1.sandisk.com/ProductList.aspx?DeviceID=3413 

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According to the Canon specs, cameras like the T5, T6, and T7 can handle SDXC cards, but they don’t.  We get posts from members all the time complaining about various issues with their cameras.  We tell them to use a smaller card and all the problems go away.

[Anonymous]

The Sandisk site says that 512 Gb (.5 Tb) is compatible with a T2i. That was in 2016. The T2i manual states that it can use SDXC cards. I had a T2i, but never used a SDXC card in it.