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View Full Version : What is the fastest USB compact flash card reader available?

Diego Garcia
10-12-2006, 12:01
I bought the new sandisk firewire card reader last week but it has failed to work with both my Laptop and desktop.

Therefore, it is going back. As such, can anyone recommend a fast USB card reader.

For reference I use San Disk Extreme III 2gb cards.

Thanks. :thumbs:
Steep
10-12-2006, 12:23
Anything that's usb 2 will be much the same speed, really there will be so little difference it would be a waste of time trying them, just buy another sandisk.
Warspite
10-12-2006, 12:29
Probably a Sandisk USB reader would be your best bet, always carry a Sandisk ImageMate USB 2.0 Reader myself.

Available at WarehouseExpress for £14.99 (probably available at Jessops for a little more).

:thumbs:
Hoodi
10-12-2006, 13:02
this may be of help (http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=6007-8462).
PaulBoy
10-12-2006, 14:19
Probably a Sandisk USB reader would be your best bet, always carry a Sandisk ImageMate USB 2.0 Reader myself.

Available at WarehouseExpress for £14.99 (probably available at Jessops for a little more).

:thumbs:

I got one of these from Amazon recently (@ £8 & postage IIRC) and it really flies! 100mb in about 5secs!
Paul ;)
Warspite
10-12-2006, 14:23
Just checked and Pauls right, heres a link to Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-ImageMate-Compact-Flash-Button/dp/B0007QU7X2/sr=8-3/qid=1165764102/ref=sr_1_3/203-4262869-9360742?ie=UTF8&s=electronics) (cost a little more now) but @ £12.73 they are cheaper than WarehousExpress :thumbs:
Warspite
10-12-2006, 17:18
Browsing through www.play.com (http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/880513/SanDisk_ImageMate_CompactFlash_Reader_Writer/Product.html) I found it for £9.99 including delivery.
Diego Garcia
10-12-2006, 19:28
Oddly the Firewire card is now working and is well fast. Super job. Now here is the rub, my damned laptop does not have firewire, but so now I need to source a PCMI card that I can use with the new version of firewire.

Where to start eh ?!?!?!?!?
Steep
10-12-2006, 19:50
Just buy a USB card reader! much cheaper I reckon and less bother :)
neonpollen
10-12-2006, 19:58
Why not get one of these CLICKY (http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/100364/art/sandisk/pcmcia-compactflash-adapt.html) not sure what the xfer rate is though
Warspite
10-12-2006, 20:01
Try here (http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/880468/SanDisk_Ultra_PC_Card_Adapter_CompactFlash/Product.html) @ £6.99 delivered for the SanDisk Ultra PC Card Adapter CompactFlash.

However I would also recommend USB 2.0 unless your laptop doesnt have the ports as I've heard the speed of PCMCIA (PC Cards) isnt as fast as USB 2.0 card readers (not used one myself though so cant verifiy that).

:thumbs:
Diego Garcia
10-12-2006, 20:43
Try here (http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/880468/SanDisk_Ultra_PC_Card_Adapter_CompactFlash/Product.html) @ £6.99 delivered for the SanDisk Ultra PC Card Adapter CompactFlash.

However I would also recommend USB 2.0 unless your laptop doesnt have the ports as I've heard the speed of PCMCIA (PC Cards) isnt as fast as USB 2.0 card readers (not used one myself though so cant verifiy that).

:thumbs:

Not one of them fellas. Actually an adaptor that allows a firewire connection via the PCMI slot via a card to allow for much faster transfers and firewire is hardware and does not require software unlike USB.

Thanks anyway :)
Warspite
10-12-2006, 20:59
Yeah, dont take offence - but I know why Firewire is truly faster than USB2 despite the figures ;)

These would be the best bet - not the cheapest but a decent reliable brand.

Here (http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=4542&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=firewire+card&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0) £53.63

Heres a cheaper one avaialble from Jessops (http://www.jessops.com/Store/s3761/0/Computer-Connection-Cables/Belkin/Firewire-PCMCIA-Cardbus-Adapter-(PC)/details.aspx?&IsSearch=y&pageindex=1&comp=n) @ £49.99

:)
mho
10-12-2006, 21:17
Pete

this is the one I use with my Sandisk Firewire Extreme card reader, it gives 2 firewire 800 ports and 1 400 port

CLICKY (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=37818&C=Froogle&U=37818&T=31936) £39.99 Maplin
Diego Garcia
10-12-2006, 21:18
Yeah, dont take offence - but I know why Firewire is truly faster than USB2 despite the figures ;)

These would be the best bet - not the cheapest but a decent reliable brand.

Here (http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=4542&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=firewire+card&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0) £53.63

Heres a cheaper one avaialble from Jessops (http://www.jessops.com/Store/s3761/0/Computer-Connection-Cables/Belkin/Firewire-PCMCIA-Cardbus-Adapter-(PC)/details.aspx?&IsSearch=y&pageindex=1&comp=n) @ £49.99

:)

Lovely job, thanks. :thumbs:
Diego Garcia
10-12-2006, 21:19
Pete

this is the one I use with my Sandisk Firewire Extreme card reader, it gives 2 firewire 800 ports and 1 400 port

CLICKY (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=37818&C=Froogle&U=37818&T=31936) £39.99 Maplin


Nice one :)
The Big Kahuna
10-12-2006, 21:23
Buy a printer that's pictbridge compatible, plug your camera directly into it and print off all the pictures. Buy a scanner and scan all the pictures. Save them to your computer.

Hey presto ! Problem solved, without all the hassle of having to choose a USB transfer device !

Tomorrow - Kahunas' handy-hint #2:

Sensor cleaning, save time and money with the wire brush and Dettol method.
Diego Garcia
11-12-2006, 06:55
Buy a printer that's pictbridge compatible, plug your camera directly into it and print off all the pictures. Buy a scanner and scan all the pictures. Save them to your computer.

Hey presto ! Problem solved, without all the hassle of having to choose a USB transfer device !

Tomorrow - Kahunas' handy-hint #2:

Sensor cleaning, save time and money with the wire brush and Dettol method.


not much good working wireless pitch side though mate.....:nuts:
The Big Kahuna
11-12-2006, 07:08
Buy a wireless pictbridge camera and printer, take the mem card out of yours, put it in the wireless one and print the pictures out to the wireless printer.

You are just SO negative :razz:
neonpollen
11-12-2006, 08:22
How is a firewire PCMCI card gonna be faster that a PCMCI Compact Flash adapter as they are both interfacing to the laptop via the same PCMCIA port ?

What you really need is one of these :) Wireless Transmitter (http://www.warehouseexpress.com/photo/digicamextras/canonwireless.html)
Mark Grant
11-12-2006, 09:19
Hello Pete,

I would suggest a 32 bit cardbus CF adapter for laptop such as http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lexar-RW021-266-32-bit-CardBus-Reader/dp/B0008EIA0U/ref=acc_glance__main_0_title/202-5778311-4989433

( amazon advertise cheapest price but have no stock at the date of this post)


review here:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0310/03102103delkincardbustest.asp

Delkin and Lexar are the same (rebadged) cardbus reader as far as I know.

http://www.morrisphoto.co.uk/ProductDetails~productID~4420~categoryid~190.html

also SD and other 32 bit cardbus here
http://www.spaphoto.co.uk/store/acatalog/Adaptors.html

Lightning fast compared to a PCMIA adapter thingy, and no wires as you would have with a firewire or USB reader and laptop, and maybe faster than firewire with a fast cards and laptop.


And whatever is the fastest USB 2 reader for the desktop PC.

Hope that helps,


Mark.
mho
11-12-2006, 10:19
How is a firewire PCMCI card gonna be faster that a PCMCI Compact Flash adapter as they are both interfacing to the laptop via the same PCMCIA port ?

What you really need is one of these :) Wireless Transmitter (http://www.warehouseexpress.com/photo/digicamextras/canonwireless.html)

I have both for my laptop and the firewire card is mega fast compared to the CF pcmcia, thats why i bought it after i had tried it out in maplins.