Can camera connect to Android device?

[abenn]

Currently I download photos from my camera or my HTC smartphone to my Windows XP PC by connecting it to the PC with a USB cable. Windows detects the device, and launches its Camera & Scanner Wizard (or some name like that) to extract the photos.

I'm contemplating getting an Adroid tablet (probably Samsung Galaxy). If I get the optional USB converter, will Andoid operate in a similar way so that I can easily transfer photos via my phone's USB cable? Or will I have to take the SD card out of the phone and use Galaxy's SD card reader?

[Hook]

Yes, your PC will recognize your Android phone as a Flash drive (and probably offer the camera and scanner wizard) so no need to take out the microsd card. It will also work with any inbuilt user storage on the Galaxy. If you've got only a few photos, DropBox also works very well, no cable involved.

[Mi An]

Yes, your PC will recognize your Android phone as a Flash drive

I think that actually depends on which version of Android. Gingerbread and older, yes. ICS, I believe will use something called MTP rather than drive mode. The distinction is probably irrelevant since we're talking about photos, and MTP stands for media transfer protocol and I'm sure has this exact type of transfer in mind, however, there are other applications that play better with actual drive mode.

[Hook]

I think that actually depends on which version of Android. Gingerbread and older, yes. ICS, I believe will use something called MTP rather than drive mode. The distinction is probably irrelevant since we're talking about photos, and MTP stands for media transfer protocol and I'm sure has this exact type of transfer in mind, however, there are other applications that play better with actual drive mode.

Gingerbread on Samsung has MTP. I just haven't installed Kies and refuse to use it.

[Tom LaPrise]

If the question is "can I connect my camera or phone to the tablet and dump photos to the tablet via USB cable," the answer is "maybe." My Archos 80 G9 has a USB port on the back with host capability, and I can connect my digital cameras or phone and transfer photos from those devices to the tablet. I'd suspect that a Galaxy tablet would have that capability too.

[SGosnell]

Tablets I've seen (and I certainly haven't seen anything close to all of them) work as you would expect. Connect it to a PC it shows up as a drive, and the SDHC, if installed, shows up as a separate drive, even on ICS. I drag and drop everything. Samsung and Asus units should all work this way, but there may be some other brands that don't do it.

[weegie]

As Tom indicated as long as it has USB host capability which most of the new Tabs do according to the sites selling OTG connectors for cameras etc.
4 in 1 Camera Connection Kit Galaxy Tab OTG Connection USB Adaptor SD/MMC TF M2 MS/MS Duo Card Reader for SAMSUNG Tablet PC [3005] - US$ 0.00 : CasesWill.com

[abenn]

Thanks for the responses. I'd seen separate USB and card-reader adapters, by Samsung themselves I think, but that 4-in-1 in your link looks more practical, weegie.