Most digital cameras now do have flash drives, in the form of memory stick, SD card, Compact flash, etc. and connections are USB... You now have to change your methods. I suppose there is a copmuter in or near the classroom ? A student uses the camera, tansfer the photos to the HD or floppy, ( direct or via a card reader), pass on the camera to the next student... Or you can get each student a low capacity storage card for the camera (that would be costly) so you can work as in the "old days".
I am a middle school computer teacher and I am looking for a digital camera that would be easy to use in my classroom. Obviously cost is an issue being I have a limited budget. But more importantly I need a camera that is easy to use with students. I used the Sony Mavica with the floppy disks for years and it was perfect for a classroom situation. Students could use the camera, pop out the floppy disk to take back to their computer, and then give the camera to the next student to use. Now I have a newer Mavica that uses an 8cm cd-rw and it takes at least 5 minutes to get a picture off of it, it is a pain in the $#@%$#&. With a classroom of 30 students there just isn't enough time in the day to bother with it.
Why hasn't someone created a camera that you can use with a usb jump/flash drive, since that is the newest most versitile mobile storage? I get tired of buying a different type of storage disk for every camera I buy, they are rarely compatible and end up in a desk drawer. I would think that schools and even individuals would jump at the chance to have a camera with the ability to save pics on a flash drive . . . I know I would.
Does anyone know if this idea is possible or is there a reason no one has done it yet? Maybe I should get a patent?
Thanks,
Charlotte
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