Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Canon Connect Station media hub now supports mobile backups, non-Canon cameras

canon connect station is a 1tb media hub for offloading content from cameras stationc cs100 lifestyle shot
If there’s one thing casual photographers are guilty of, it’s leaving their images on a memory card. Sure, memory card capacities are so large that you may never have to offload them, but they end up becoming digital graveyards for your photos and videos. Canon has created a new device, called the Connect Station, that’s designed to put all that content on the big screen, and share it. The company debuted the new product at the 2015 International CES Show.

First previewed at Photokina in 2014 (codenamed Cross Media Station), the Connect Station CS100 ($300) is essentially a network-attached storage (NAS) device, a 1TB portable hard drive connected to a home network that lets you archive, display, and share images and videos taken with a digital camera and camcorder.

Related Videos

Updated on February 14, 2017: Canon issued a firmware update that adds support for non-Canon cameras, improves smartphone compatibility, and allows for playback of videos that have been edited on a computer, making the device a bit more flexible.

Updated on July 14, 2016: Canon released a new mobile app for the CS100 that allows users to view and back-up images from their phones or tablets. This article, originally published on January 5, 2015, has been updated to reflect the changes.

Canon Connect Station 2

The idea for such a product isn’t new, as there are other similar media storage and sharing drives available (in fact, Canon had a prototype of it five years ago, although that early version used different technologies). But the CS100, with near-field communication (NFC) and Wi-Fi built in, was designed to help Canon camera and camcorder owners get content off their media cards and give them a viewing experience they can enjoy.

Canon Connect Station 3

The CS100 is a standalone product that doesn’t require a computer to function, although it does need to be connected to a TV to view content and menus; it supports Full HD displays via HDMI. To add content, you can transfer photos and videos wirelessly from Wi-Fi-enabled Canon cameras and camcorders (NFC helps to facilitate the pairing and download processes quickly); directly off an SD or Compact Flash card through the built-in card reader; or from a compatible camera or flash drive through the USB port. Although it uses the 802.11n Wi-Fi protocol, it’s much faster to insert a memory card. The CS100 also has a mobile app (iOS and Android) that supports viewing and transferring of photos on smartphones and tablets.

The CS100’s onscreen display has an Apple TV-like menu system that you navigate through with the included remote control. As it is storing content, the CS100 automatically organizes photos and videos, and weeds out duplicates. What’s unique about the CS100 is it supports unprocessed RAW images from Canon’s advanced compacts and DSLRs, in addition to JPEG, MP4, MOV, and AVCHD file formats.

If the CS100 is connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi only), you can upload and download content to and from the device from smartphones, tablets, or computers (via a Web browser). You can also share content with other authorized CS100s via Canon’s Image Gateway online service. Image Gateway also lets you share content from a CS100 to social networking sites Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and Dropbox, as well as through email. Wi-Fi can also be used to connect to certain Canon Pixma and Selphy printers to print images.

Canon Connect Station 1

With the Connect Station app, you can browse on TV the images stored on the phone, as well as upload and download images to/from the Connect Station with the drag-and-drop method (the phone or tablet must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the Connect Station). Canon says the Connect Station can save more than 1,000 images at one time, and it will remember what you’ve already downloaded. However, the Connect Station does not support video file transfers, nor Canon RAW (CR2) files.

A terabyte might seem like a lot, but content like images and videos – especially RAW ones – can take up space in no time. The hard drive isn’t expandable, however, nor will there be higher capacity versions at launch. But you can back up the content to another hard drive via USB, to make room.

The CS100 aims to please those looking for an easy solution to save and share content from their Canon cameras, like grandparents. But at $300, it’s priced a bit high. And unlike media-centric devices like Apple TV, features are limited and there are no additional functionalities like Netflix streaming.

Buy on Amazon  Buy on Walmart

Editors' Recommendations

Apple fixes Bluetooth issue to avoid Mac battery drain
The MacBook Pro with the default wallpaper, which hides the notch.

A bug in the latest big MacOS Monterey update (12.2) was causing some battery life issues. But don't worry, Apple has been swift to remedy the problem with the 12.2.1 update.

The update, which was pushed earlier this week, cited certain Bluetooth connections to be the source of the issue. When it comes to problems with battery life on Apple devices, there are often a handful of variables that could be impacting a user's experience, such as battery health or age. With how many new issues had sprung up following the introduction of the MacOS Monterey 12.2 software update, however, it quickly became clear that it was the new software causing the problems.

Read more
Apple iOS 15: News, features, and everything you need to know
Apple's Craig Federighi standing in front of the iOS 15 logo.

Apple's newest iPhone operating system, iOS 15, launched on September 20. The update brings new features and controversial design changes to the vast majority of iPhones, including many older devices. Whether you're planning to buy a new iPhone 13 or holding onto your older iPhone model, here's everything you need to know about iOS 15 and its subsequent updates.
What devices can get iOS 15?
The new Apple iPhone 13 models will ship with iOS 15, but there are hundreds of millions of iPhone users with older devices who will benefit from the update as well. Apple released iOS 15 to all iPhone models going back to the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6 Plus, and original iPhone SE, making these the longest-supported iPhone models yet. The corresponding iPadOS 15 rolled out to a slew of devices, including the iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 4, iPad (5th-generation), and iPad Pro 9.7, as well as the new iPad Mini 6 and 10.2-inch iPad, of course.
What are the new features of iOS 15?
There are many new features and improvements in iOS 15. Here are a few of the most exciting ones to watch out for once you update:
Notifications
If you're the type to ignore notifications or let them pile up, this update should make your life a bit easier. A new Notification Summary on the lock screen compiles your notifications for a cleaner look. You don't have to worry about missing anything, though. The summary uses on-device intelligence about what you interact with the most to separate and prioritize notifications, so urgent notifications like messages won't be lost among app reminders.

The new Focus feature enhances the Notification Summary even further. You can choose from among the preset Focus modes -- Work, Personal, Sleep, and Do Not Disturb -- or create up to 10 Focuses so iOS 15 can prioritize notifications based on your circumstance. Focus modes can even be set to a location, and once you set your status, it automatically applies across all connected Apple devices. There are new notification settings and new widgets for the home screen that let you see the notifications in your Focus mode. Throughout the notification system in iOS 15, icons for apps are larger and text is clearer, making it easy to catch up with everything at a glance.
Sharing
Apple knows how important video calls and messaging are today, and it has announced a variety of new features for both FaceTime and Messages that are all built around SharePlay.

Read more
Elgato’s Stream Deck Pedal helps your feet be productive
elgato stream deck pdeal g7wbbc8ckvzgle6mcmcmfc 1024 80 jpg

Productivity usually involves using your hands, but accessory maker Elgato has a new way to help you use your feet to get more work done.

Just launched is the Stream Deck Pedal, a tactile foot controller with three hit zones that can be customized for various functions in apps and games.

Read more