Firewire CF card reader ?

[shutterbug]

Anyone one have a firewire CF card reader? Where can I get one? What brand? and How much?

[Nnnnsic]

I've never seen one in existence and I'm not entirely sure why you'd want one.

A USB 2.0 card reader would be less expensive and is likely to beat a firewire one, depending on the make of it.

Firewire has a better constant speed than USB 2, but USB does reach higher theoreticals than firewire.

Regardless, if you really think you need it then you probably don't mind spending a wee bit more than what a good USB 2 one will cost.

[Heath Bennett]

I have wanted one for some time as USB 2 readers often annoyingly resort to USB1.1 speeds. Please let me know what you find.

[jdear]

the canon IDS mark II is a good firewire card reader...
takes CF and SD

JD

[birddog114]

I have wanted one for some time as USB 2 readers often annoyingly resort to USB1.1 speeds.

I didn't see or have any problems with the USB 2.0 Card reader on all Windows PCs, they fast than firewire and it depends on what brand of card reader same as your PC.

[DaveB]

I have a Lexar Firewire CompactFlash reader which I was about to put on eBay as I don't need it any more. Anyone care to make me an offer?

One issue with Firewire and PC laptops is that most laptops only have the small 4-pin "iLink" socket, whereas desktops (and Mac laptops) have the normal 6-pin socket. The extra two pins supply power, which card readers need. There have been some dodgy setups that plug into a USB port to steal power and into the Firewire port to transfer data, but on the whole that's not a workable option.

[Onyx]

Lexar - Rob Galbraith's benchmark. They're distrubited thru retail outlets Harvey Norman, Domayne, those kinda places... $30-50 my guestimate. Along with online computer hardware retailers that may be a little more difficult to find, but cheaper. Let Staticice be your Google.

[jdear]

just got my BH cattledog in the mail...

they have a firewire one in there...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... ype=search

looks like you're already got responses...

JD

[DaveB]

I'd be happy to sell mine for AU$20 including postage (domestic, anyway). It's a Lexar RW011, in great condition having spent most of its life on a desk and not scrunched up in a bag in the field. PM me if you're interested.

As to where else to get them, Lexar, Microtech and Addonics are the brand names that spring to mind for Firewire card readers. As with most camera-related items, local retailers typically have horrible prices and selections, so eBay and places like B&H are where I'd look.

[birddog114]

At the end, will the Firewire card reader is much better than the USB 2.0?
I'm in doubt about it very much!

[DaveB]

At the end, will the Firewire card reader is much better than the USB 2.0?
I'm in doubt about it very much!

I first got a FW reader because I had machines with USB1 and Firewire, but no USB2.

Incidentally, FW400 (400 Mbps) is faster for many uses than USB2 (480 Mbps) as the protocol is more efficient (there are less wasted cycles) and the controller chips take on a lot of the work which results in very low latencies. This is very obvious with external hard drives: FW400 for performance, USB2 only if you have to (well, that's the way I treat them anyway).

Some of the USB2 card readers are very fast, and some are VERY slow. All the Firewire ones I've seen have good transfer rates.

[timbo]

I have a Lexar RW-019 FireWire CF reader and I'm very happy with it. Highly recommended: I chucked out my USB which was continually giving me grief and this one hasn't dropped the ball once!

[shutterbug]

Where can you purchase the Lexar Firewire readers?

[Nnnnsic]

Aside from that place in Sydney's CBD I linked in my earlier post?

[timbo]

I got mine from Borge Andersen (they gave it to me in exchange for a faulty SanDisk USB CF reader which was pretty good of them) but their prices aren't tremendously competitive.
http://www.borge.com.au/

[timbo]

Oh, nnnnsyc, that was a smart link!