compact flash reader speed question

Hi there,

Sorry for a dumb question. I have always download pics from my camera via USB cable to the computer to make use of the EOS utility download program.

I also have a very old fashioned compact flash reader, like 10 years already or something like that. It works. but slow.

All my CF cards are UDMA.

Is the latest card reader using new technology causing reading or card faster ? is it faster or same speed?
I have Lexar professional UDMA and also Sandish UDMA CF cards. I also have class 6 SD cards from transcend.

What are good card readers ? Any suggestions on brands ?

Thanks much

I would recommend using a firewire reader to best unitize your UDMA compact flash cards. Sandisk and Lexar all make good FW800 readers. You can then get a SD to CF card adapter to use for your SD cards.

keitaro wrote in post #10450026
I would recommend using a firewire reader to best unitize your UDMA compact flash cards. Sandisk and Lexar all make good FW800 readers. You can then get a SD to CF card adapter to use for your SD cards.

Thanks for your suggestions. I don;t think my computer got a firewire connection. (

no problem,

There are plenty of firewire pci cards on the market that you can install into your computer.

You will also see improvements using an USB 2.0 card reader over your Camera's USB port.

UDMA is pointless unless the surrounding equipment is UDMA complient as well.

The 5D2 is, so loading the card is fine. But just about any card reader older than about 12 months is not UDMA. So you will get "normal" usb speeds. If the card reader is USB 1.0 it is probable its as fast as the camera (read SLOW). USB 2 readers can be gotten for $10. Well worth the investment.

I also like the thought of adding fire wire to the computer, and getting a UDMA/firewire reader. Untill USB3 is out, that is the top performer. Pricey....but fast!

There are a couple of USB readers that are actually not bad (though I have a Sandisk Extreme FW). The definitive source of information regarding cards and readers is Rob Galbraith's exhaustive site:

http://www.robgalbrait​h.com …ti_page.asp?cid​=6007-9392

The relative performances and compatibility are at times surprising.

keitaro wrote in post #10450041
no problem,

There are plenty of firewire pci cards on the market that you can install into your computer.

You will also see improvements using an USB 2.0 card reader over your Camera's USB port.

Keep in mind, if you go with the firewire 800 route, then you will need a compatible firewire 800 (9 pin) PCI card. Firewire 400 (6 pin) PCI card may not be compatible with the firewire 800 reader.

I'm using a Transcend TS-RDP8K USB 2.0 All-in-One Multi Card Reader and with a Transcend 400X card I just moved 2.97G of files off the card in 105 Seconds to my laptop, and 3.13G in 107 seconds on my desktop. It may not be as fast as a Firewire reader or ExpressCard reader, but for only costing $12.99 it's not doing a bad job with UDMA enabled CF cards over USB2. I can't say how well it works for SD cards as I don't have any around at the moment to test.

--Evan

Evan Idler wrote in post #10452180
I'm using a Transcend TS-RDP8K USB 2.0 All-in-One Multi Card Reader and with a Transcend 400X card I just moved 2.97G of files off the card in 105 Seconds to my laptop, and 3.13G in 107 seconds on my desktop. It may not be as fast as a Firewire reader or ExpressCard reader, but for only costing $12.99 it's not doing a bad job with UDMA enabled CF cards over USB2.

Just under 30 MB/s is about the same as my non-UDMA USB2 reader bought from the local supermarket. My Lexar UDMA USB2 reader gives around 40 MB/s.

ecub wrote in post #10451784
Keep in mind, if you go with the firewire 800 route, then you will need a compatible firewire 800 (9 pin) PCI card. Firewire 400 (6 pin) PCI card may not be compatible with the firewire 800 reader.

An appropriate cable fixes that.