Hands-On Review: Canon Connect Station CS100

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Fittingly, I was given the Canon Connect Station CS100 along with the Canon EOS Rebel T6i DSLR Camera to test. The camera and Connect Station together make a great match. The CS100 is intended to be a do-everything file storage and transfer hub with the ability to connect printers, cameras, computers, memory cards, external hard drives, and your HDTV. The T6i is currently (and arguably, of course) Canon’s top entry-level DSLR, perfect for the enthusiast who appreciates its high-resolution imagery and multi-media chops. Like the T6i, the CS100 is ideal for the home system that needs to back up photos and videos easily and keep them readily accessible between camera, computer, printer, and HDTV. 

The first thing to know about the CS100 is that to fully utilize its convenient capabilities, which are many, you need to be working within a Canon infrastructure. While you can transfer all JPEG images from a memory card or wirelessly, the CS100 will only transfer Canon CR2 RAW files. It will also support MP4, MOV, and AVCHD video files but, for wireless printing, it is only fully compatible with PictBridge and wireless LAN-enabled PIXMA, SELPHY, or other Canon printers. While you can transfer files from non-Canon cameras wirelessly, you can only use the NFC link capability of Canon-brand cameras.


The CS100 shares your image collection between your devices.
 

Primarily, the CS100 is a storage device with 1TB of memory, and files can be conveniently transferred to and from the CS100 by several methods. It provides both SD and CompactFlash slots for direct input. It also has a USB 2.0 port for a cabled link to your camera or to other hard drives for backup, and can transfer photos to and from a smart phone, tablet, or computer via their web browser, but it cannot transfer videos using a web browser. Lastly, and most relevant to its being, it will link to your NFC-enabled Canon camera for simple tap-transfer from camera to storage unit. This is a welcome method of transfer if you have shot all day and just want to place your camera on the CS100 and let it do its thing while you shower. It is also a handy way to be sure that all your photos make it to storage, if you tend to forget to download immediately after shooting.


The CS100 allows easy connection with NFC-enabled Canon cameras.
 

While you can view photos on a smart device or computer through the browser, the CS100 is designed to interface with your HDTV, using an HDMI cable. With the cable in place, connection and menu navigation are easy, using the included remote control. The television interface is also an integral function of the device, and files are automatically organized into albums by month, year, and by camera model. Images can be re-organized into personalized or subject-based folders, but must be done manually. A nice feature is the ability to create a slideshow from your images for family viewing , but only  the provided audio tracks can be used as the background music. The CS100 will show basic EXIF image data, such as shutter speed, lens, rating, aperture, ISO, exposure, metering, and color space. The remote enables efficient navigation; however, the interface does not offer a way to search images based on file name.


User-friendly interface on your HDTV
 

A great feature of the device is its ability to utilize Canon's Image Gateway app to send photos to sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google Drive, and Flickr, or you can share images wirelessly with another Connect Station. As mentioned, the CS100 also enables wireless printing on a compatible Canon printer.  

Overall, the CS100 is a suitable centralized unit to help store and manage your images, especially if all of your gear is NFC–enabled Canon.

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