Nikon D3100 - USB Cable

I got a Nikon D3100 which didn't come with a USB cable. It says to use the UC-E4 USB Cable. Now I have the same/similar cable which came with other Canon and Sony digital cameras. Can't I just use that? Is there anything special about the "UC-E4 USB Cable" which Nikon user manual recommends?

What are the ferrite cores that come with the camera? Manual says that when you use "third party" cables, use the ferrite cores.

It's supposed to suppress HF-signals form cellphones/magnetron and alike.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrite_bead

Won't harm to test/use the ones you already have, but as transferspeed goes up, the more likely it is that there will be read-errors. Will you notice any? Very probably not...

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Just trying to get better.....

I wouldn't even worry about it. If the plugs on the ends of the cable are correct that's probably all that matters - if it does not work then go and get the specified thing but I doubt it would be necessary - never has been for me.

David

debruyne said:

It's supposed to suppress HF-signals form cellphones/magnetron and alike.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrite_bead

Won't harm to test/use the ones you already have, but as transferspeed goes up, the more likely it is that there will be read-errors. Will you notice any? Very probably not...

Click to expand...

....my main bodies were tied up on other things so I did a small jewellery shoot in the studio using my wife's D3100 tethered to a workstation with a 5 meters long very cheap and low quality USB cable that I had in the drawer. It worked faultlessly for the duration and there is a lot of 'electromagnetic noise' going on here!

Thanks guys, the Canon cable worked just fine. Appreciate the responses.