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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> CF card reader suggestion
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 02/13/2013 09:16:05 PM · #1
So as a proud new owner of a Canon 7D, I realized that my SD cards are now useless and need CF cards! Thankfully, the seller I got it from included a CF card with the camera. However, I don't have a CF-card reader.

Was wondering if anyone could recommend a good, fast card reader. I prefer external/USB based as opposed to an internal all-in-one reader.
 02/13/2013 09:29:34 PM · #2
I have one from SanDisk I've had for years, which has slots for the 4-6 of the most common card formats. It has a short cable for using on the road, and a dock for use with a desktop installation. It cost about $20 a few years ago -- something similar should be cheaper now. I also have a cheap Chinese reader I got a year or so ago for about $5 which also takes several formats -- it's not as good but it works. I don't think I'd bother with a single-format reader, even if you can find one.
 02/13/2013 09:38:29 PM · #3
Unlike Pauls recommendation I will tell you a dedicated and fast reader is worth the money. Especially if you shoot large events and RAW. I have a FW800 CF card reader and a USB 3.0 XQD reader to handle either of my cameras. The speed will also depend greatly on the speed of the card that you are using.

When it come to readers Cheap is NOT the way to go.

Matt
 02/13/2013 09:43:08 PM · #4
Thanks guys. I am a hobbyist, so I don't shoot 100s-1000s of images at a time, so I dont need the fastest or most expensive. Just a good, reliable reader that will read CF and my SD cards.
 02/13/2013 09:54:07 PM · #5
If speed doesn't matter and you already have an SD card reader, PM me your address and I will send you a USB vivitar reader that you stick a CF card in and plug into a port. I'll send it to you free of charge. Slow as mud and useless to me. But if you have the time you are welcome to it.

Matt
 02/13/2013 09:58:01 PM · #6
Lexar USB 3.0 Dual Slot Reader

Fantastic. Fast, reliable, portable, reads both your card types.
 02/13/2013 10:00:36 PM · #7
Here ya go. Cheap, fast, and even includes recovery software.
 02/13/2013 11:08:46 PM · #8
What Robert & Shannon said... I have a slightly older version (the LR300U) and it is blinding fast and reads both CF and SD.
 02/14/2013 09:44:35 AM · #9
Originally posted by scalvert:
Here ya go. Cheap, fast, and even includes recovery software.

I was eyeing this one on Amazon today. Thanks all for your suggestions!
 02/14/2013 09:48:08 AM · #10
Unless you regularly fill your memory card, why use a card reader at all, especially with CF cards where it's not uncommon to bend/break one of the pins inside the camera?

What's the advantage over simply connecting the camera to the computer?
 02/14/2013 10:11:45 AM · #11
I use a Photo Fast cr-7100 cf micro adapter. It is a cf card that uses the micro ad cards. I can carry more cards in less space and don't have to worry about the bent pins with cf cards. I just pop out micro card put it in the ad adapter and load in computer

Message edited by author 2013-02-14 10:13:44.
 02/14/2013 10:46:37 AM · #12
Originally posted by Spork99:
What's the advantage over simply connecting the camera to the computer?

Speed.
 02/14/2013 10:50:39 AM · #13
Originally posted by Spork99:
Unless you regularly fill your memory card, why use a card reader at all, especially with CF cards where it's not uncommon to bend/break one of the pins inside the camera?

What's the advantage over simply connecting the camera to the computer?

I have a very tight work space, so a small form factor solution that i can pack away when unused appeals to me more than trying to find a space for my rather large 7D gripped.

Don't know much about CF cards, so bent pins are a new thing to me.
 02/14/2013 11:00:55 AM · #14
Originally posted by gcoulson:
Don't know much about CF cards, so bent pins are a new thing to me.

I've heard that they happen, but I've been using CF cards for 11+ years now and never bent a pin yet...

Message edited by author 2013-02-14 11:21:06.
 02/14/2013 11:06:26 AM · #15
Originally posted by Spork99:
...What's the advantage over simply connecting the camera to the computer?


1.) Speed
2.) Speed
3.) Even if speed is not a big concern, many cameras don't act as true "removable storage." In which case, if you wish to import to Lr or Aperture directly from your card, you are hosed.
FWIW, I bent pins in a camera once, in 2001. I have a feeling there was something amiss from the beginning, since I have never had the experience again, even with that camera, which I still own and occasionally use. In the end, the CF connector is not a great design, but it's robust enough if we take care and use high-quality cards.
 02/14/2013 11:20:32 AM · #16
i've never had a bent pin in a camera, but i had a cheap kodak all-in-one reader where the pins bent on a regular basis. i hated having to nurse the cards into that reader, just for fear of bending a pin.

another benefit to a reader is that you don't drain battery power. some cameras have to be turned on to read from cable. this was an issue on some of the point-and-shoots we've owned over the years.
 02/14/2013 11:25:30 AM · #17
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Lexar USB 3.0 Dual Slot Reader

Fantastic. Fast, reliable, portable, reads both your card types.

I got one of these recently and can also highly recommend it. Very well made and fast. You can use both slots simultaneously too. You will need USB3 on your computer to get the full speed out of it.
 02/14/2013 11:38:12 AM · #18
Here's mine, love it, no cables

CF reader
 02/14/2013 12:16:32 PM · #19
When I bought the D800 and clearly needed a *fast* reader, I got this. It didn't disappoint.
 02/14/2013 12:18:56 PM · #20
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Originally posted by Spork99:
What's the advantage over simply connecting the camera to the computer?

Speed.


* Battery life
* The ability to continue shooting while the last card is downloading.
 02/14/2013 12:30:17 PM · #21
The other option is skipping the PS chord and using the PCMCIA slot. Since it skips the ps2 bottleneck, the high throughput dumps cards much faster than non PCMCIA readers.

I have kept hearing about the risk of bent pins but I have never had one, and I don't know anyone who had one. is this the bigfoot of camera problems?

Message edited by author 2013-02-14 12:32:01.
 02/14/2013 12:34:13 PM · #22
I guess that explains my "meh" reaction to card readers. My usual mode of operation is to simply plug the camera into the computer, start the transfer and do something else for a few minutes...I'm not usually in enough of a rush that I just have to get the photos NOW! Perhaps I've grown more patient in my old age.

I've never had any troubles with any versions of iPhoto, Lightroom, Bridge/PS, PSE, Capture 1, IrfanView or any other program in directly transferring images from camera to computer. Almost all of my digital cameras have been Canon. Well, I did flirt with an Olympus 8080 back in the day, but I got that out of my system.

Originally posted by kirbic:
Originally posted by Spork99:
...What's the advantage over simply connecting the camera to the computer?


1.) Speed
2.) Speed
3.) Even if speed is not a big concern, many cameras don't act as true "removable storage." In which case, if you wish to import to Lr or Aperture directly from your card, you are hosed.
FWIW, I bent pins in a camera once, in 2001. I have a feeling there was something amiss from the beginning, since I have never had the experience again, even with that camera, which I still own and occasionally use. In the end, the CF connector is not a great design, but it's robust enough if we take care and use high-quality cards.
02/14/2013 01:04:46 PM · #23
I've had a bent pin (Canon A80) some time ago, but I lent the camera to Brad and he was able to fix it (I was not).
 02/14/2013 01:44:51 PM · #24
When I shot Canon I always used the cable and the canon software and even shooting JPEG I had no issues with transfer speed or validations here. That isn't the case with Nikon's software. However the reason I got readers was because of changed deadline and some assignments that put time at a premium to get photos in. And the Firewire800 CF reader and the USB 3.0 XQD reader make a big difference when dumping multiple assignments or longer assignments down to edit and send off.

Matt

Originally posted by Spork99:
I guess that explains my "meh" reaction to card readers. My usual mode of operation is to simply plug the camera into the computer, start the transfer and do something else for a few minutes...I'm not usually in enough of a rush that I just have to get the photos NOW! Perhaps I've grown more patient in my old age.

I've never had any troubles with any versions of iPhoto, Lightroom, Bridge/PS, PSE, Capture 1, IrfanView or any other program in directly transferring images from camera to computer. Almost all of my digital cameras have been Canon. Well, I did flirt with an Olympus 8080 back in the day, but I got that out of my system.

Originally posted by kirbic:
Originally posted by Spork99:
...What's the advantage over simply connecting the camera to the computer?


1.) Speed
2.) Speed
3.) Even if speed is not a big concern, many cameras don't act as true "removable storage." In which case, if you wish to import to Lr or Aperture directly from your card, you are hosed.
FWIW, I bent pins in a camera once, in 2001. I have a feeling there was something amiss from the beginning, since I have never had the experience again, even with that camera, which I still own and occasionally use. In the end, the CF connector is not a great design, but it's robust enough if we take care and use high-quality cards.
02/14/2013 02:24:12 PM · #25

Here's my bend pin (My first 7D, luckily covered by warranty). Just a good USB cable and the Canon software works fine for me, easy, enough speed (for me) and no manual actions needed.
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