Which CF mem card reader to buy?

[JZaun]

I sold my Nikon 885 to get the D10. (Good Choice) but I included my San Disk CF card reader. I purchased a Delkin 512 mem and reader from the camera shop. The mem went bad in 2 days and had to be replaced, the card reader worked for 6 days. I just don't want another Delkin anything. I can use my reader on the HP printer but I feel it is slower than the San disk was. Now to the question? What is the fastest and bestest reader out there? ha What are you folks useing?? Suggestions needed.

Thanks A Bunch
JZaun

So much to learn so little time!

[gsmx2]

I've got four readers hooked up on my desktop right now and another sitting on my desk. The fastest one is fastest because it is a USB 2.0 device hooked to a USB 2.0 port. If you have that set up or a firewire, make sure you get a card that matches your port.

I've heard bad things about the Dazzle products. I've got PNY, Imation, and an old Datafab reader hooked to a parellel port. All have worked flawlessly for a long time.

Saw SanDisk 2.0 readers in Best Buy for $19.95 yesterday. That seemed like a good deal to me on a fast reader with a Brand You Recognize Name.

I did pick up a "$10.00 out the door and free after rebate 1.0 reader" at Office Max, but that won't be fast for you....it just worked for me as something to use at my work computer on a rare basis.

Hope you have better luck with your next one.

gsm x2

[theoldmoose]

I really like my Lexar readers. I have a couple of older 1.1 readers, that work fine on both Windows and Linux (no drivers required). I carry a USB 1.1 RW016 http://www.lexarmedia.com/readers/cf.html and 128MB Lexar CF card around with me, and use it like the newer little 'pens' (the USB 1.1 is slow, but it works everywhere), and I have a little, flat USB 1.1 RW012 (no longer available) that goes nicely in my laptop case (which only has USB 1.1 ports) that reads all different kinds of media.

My current 'speed demon' though, is the RW018 http://www.lexarmedia.com/readers/multi.html, which is a high-speed USB 2.0 multi-card reader. I can transfer 512MB from my SimpleTech cards (Canon was selling them on their web site in their accessories store, so I figured they must be compatible -- although I got them for a much better deal at Amazon) in a couple of minutes.

One caution: if you are running Win2K SP2 or later, don't load the Lexar supplied drivers. You don't need them, and they will interfere with the default ones in the Win2K service pack(s). The readers are completely plug 'n play on Win2K SP2 or later, and Windows XP.

The following is for those still running some version of Windows 98/98SE: Earlier versions of Windows (98/98SE) require drivers, and support for USB 2.0 on Windows 98 or 98SE is pretty spotty. Microsoft has stated their intention to never support USB 2.0 for Windows 98/98SE, leaving it to Intel and various third parties to attempt to cover the gap. I had to replace a bad motherboard last year, and found that the Windows 98 I ended up running on the newer motherboard USB 2.0 chipset would not run the USB 2.0 ports in high speed mode properly. They would work with USB 1.1 adapters, but if you plugged in a high-speed USB 2.0 device, there was usually no way to force the motherboard chipset to negotiate USB 1.1 connectivity. The motherboard manufacturer's USB 2.0 drivers for Windows 98/98SE (a vendor-modified version of the Intel OEM chipset drivers) was buggy, and Microsoft refused to supply the existing USB 2.0 drivers they have for Windows 98/98SE except to a bona fide ISV. Result: a time-consuming OS upgrade to Win2K Pro (XP Pro at the time was still pre-SP1, and there were too many programs yet to run properly on it -- and besides, who wants to deal with all that activation crap?).

Nothing like industry standards (yeah, nothing like them). :P

[zerolight]

it wont matter too much on brand. i got an unbranded 9-in-1 card reader off eBay for £14.99 which is USB 2.0... it rattles through 100s of MBs in seconds. Excellent little thing. Just make sure you buy USB2.0 assuming your PC can support that. If it can't, buy one anyway, plus a USB2.0 PCI card. :)

[theoldmoose]

I guess I was stuck on Linux compatibility. I've had a couple of readers (a Delkin re-branded one in particular) that just wouldn't work without a bunch of proprietary drivers (supplied only for Windows, of course).

I like Lexar readers, because they seem to adhere to whatever USB mass storage standards there are, that make using them with non-Windows systems a cinch.

[Jesper]

Never had problems with my Delkin 512 MB CF card...

It doesn't really matter what brand CF card reader you use, but make sure you get one with a USB 2.0 or Firewire interface. As long as it has that, there's no difference in speed between the readers, because the speed will be limited by your CF card. Even the fastest CF card is much slower than what the USB 2.0 and Firewire interfaces can handle.

There are a few other things you should be aware of: if you get a USB 2.0 reader, make sure the USB port on your computer also supports USB 2.0 (not the older USB 1.1), otherwise it will be very slow.

If you were happy with your Sandisk reader that you sold, why don't you just get another Sandisk reader? I also have a Sandisk USB 2.0 reader, it works great (also with the Delkin CF card!).

[theoldmoose]

Never had problems with my Delkin 512 MB CF card...

Not the card, the reader. I haven't had much trouble with cards, but readers of various ilk have been troublesome on Linux, if they don't adhere to standards, since most (all?) of them don't supply Linux drivers, but Linux has built-in drivers for standard USB device mass storage devices.

[JZaun]

Update on the CF reader. The Delkin mem would work in the camera, record, review and format but wouldn't transfer data to the PC. Delkin Pro has a lietime warranty so I had no problem getting it replaced but had to drive 25 mi to do it. Then the reader worked for 6 days and quit being recognized by the PC. I took it 25 miles to the dealer and it worked on his PC. Went home 25 miles and de-installed it and reinstalled it. Still would not work. Took it back 25 miles to the dealer to get it replaced. Took the new one back home 25 miles. Thats 125 miles over Delkin memory and reader. You can see why I wanted info on other brands! Mainly something closer! Well everything is working for now but be sure the next memory or reader will not be Delkin!

Thanks for all your input.

[GimpyPoop]

Yo,
I got the Sandisk 6-in-1 2.0 reader for Xmas, but I made sure my friend got it for a very good price (after rebates). It works wonderfully!
Once upon a time, Circuit City had the Sandisk 8-in-1 free after rebate - but who knows, if you check techbargains or edealinfo, maybe it is sometime soon!
I also have the cheap one that was free after rebate from OfficeMax that I carry with my camera. Like someone said, it's sufficient for those rare occasions.
Me, the Flea

[jfretless]

I picked up a LEXAR firewire reader and it flies. About a second per RAW image on a 1GB microdrive. I know that USB2.0 claims to be just as fast, but it isn't. Maybe the maximum throughput is close, but due to overhead with USB2.0, the sustained rates are slower than firewire.

Ok, I can hear the arguments already, ...firewire is more expensive, or you have to buy a separate PCI card... Is the increase in speed worth extra money... I think so, with three kids under three, I can use extra spare second I can get. :shock:

[LiquidMantis]

[...] with three kids under three, I can use extra spare second I can get. :shock:

Sounds like you had TOO much spare time! :shock:



--
obOn-Topic:
I also love my Sandisk 6-n-1 USB2.0 reader, nary a problem.