USB card readers - what speed do you get?

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX100

04/11/2011 08:47:12 PM · #1

Here's my problem:

When I'm doing a wedding I have about 16 GB of raw files do download to my laptop (PC - an HP dual core with 4gb of ram).

I have a Delkin eFilm card reader and the file transfer speed that I get with it is just unbelivably slow! About 2 to 3 MB/sec. It takes forever to transfer the files!

This card reader is about 4 years old, but I remember when it was new and my other (older) laptop I got file transfer speeds about 10mb/sec with older slower cards.

is this reader slowing my transfer rates? because I now use ScanDisk Extreme IV cards with a "teorectical" speed of 60MB/sec.

even when I'm transfering files over 2 external drives with USB 2.0 the maximum speed that I get is about 2.7MB/sec This means more than 20 minutes for a 4GB tranfer.

Bottom line is my card reader outdated or is just that USB 2.0 sucks?

What card reader for fast UDMA CF cards do you advice?

HELP PLEASE!

spiritualspatula

Canon EF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 II

04/12/2011 02:42:32 AM · #2

I've heard great things about these- Lexar Card reader
Newer version, not quite out yet (but is USB 3.0)

I've got something old, crappy, and similar to this and it transfers a good deal faster than what you describe (mostly UDMA cards, but some aren't).
But those Lexar's are pretty well known for the highest speeds, from what I've heard. I was considering getting one but I generally wasn't shooting large enough batches to really care about the speed I had being insufficient. If I shot more photos in a session like you're saying, then I'd definitely consider.

ETA: the two links were really close and appeared to be one, not two.

Message edited by author 2011-04-12 09:36:32.

dtremain

Canon EOS 80D

04/12/2011 09:03:05 AM · #3

I'd guess something else is wrong besides your card reader. USB 2.0 is indeed capable of much higher speeds. My adapter is a Targus, and only about a year old.
With Windows, I've noticed that if you are transferring from a USB device to a USB device, it seems to have problems (and nto just with speed - with larger transfers hanging, too). My solution has been to transfer from the card reader to the PC's hard drive, and then to then to the external USB drive.
If you're using a program to transfer the pictures, that could be the cause of your slowness too - do you get the same type of speed if you drag and drop the files from the card to your hard drive?

04/12/2011 09:24:52 AM · #4

I've seen it in Amazon, but the 2.0 version of it.

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

04/12/2011 09:28:13 AM · #5

Originally posted by dtremain:

You're right. The question is more critical between two usb hard drives. That's why I use a program to do the backup.

But even from USB card reader to laptop hard drive it's more or less the same speed. Usually less than 3MB/sec. It starts a bit above like 3.5 and then after a few seconds slows to 2-2.6 mb/sec.

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

04/12/2011 10:57:26 AM · #6

doesn't the transfer rate have to do more with the card than the USB connection? USB 2.0 is capable of 480mmbps or 60MB/s. i think the read/write speed of your card is the bottle neck. Try a faster class card. My class 10 16gb SD card gets transfer speed of 15MB/s.

Message edited by author 2011-04-12 10:57:32.