MacBook Pro & Compact Flash

[benjamindbloom]

I'm considering buying a new computer in the coming months. We're in the

process of purchasing a number of high-end Macs at work and I'm considering one

for personal use now. (I've been a long time PC guy, but always appreciated the

elegance of a Mac.)

 

Anyway.. I'm looking at the MacBook Pros and got to looking at a 3D model. I

start to spin it around and realize there's nowhere for a Compact Flash reader.

On my current laptop, I've got a PCMCIA slot with a CF adapter in it which is

great!

 

How have other photographers worked around this limitation? I'd rather not

carry around an external reader, if it can be helped.

 

Thanks.

[mark_sirota1]

The space-efficient way to go is the <a href="http://www.delkin.com/products/adapters/expresscard34/">Delkin ExpressCard 34</a>. Rob Galbraith says it's on par speed-wise with the fastest USB2 readers, but can't keep up with the latest SanDisk Extreme FireWire reader when using a SanDisk Extreme IV card.

[steven_clark]

That wouldn't surprise me. I think USB 2 is one of the two interface options in the Expresscard spec, the other option being PCI-E. There's every possibility that under the surface it's literally just a USB2 CF reader. This is especially likely give the driverless "Plug and Play" mentioned on their website, very easily implemented via USB storage class.

[tobiasfeltus]

i might also suggest the simple option, which is also cheaper, of just carrying a USB or firewire cable. unless you have an old camera, the camera itself finctions as a recent reader, in my opinion.

 

t

[Uhooru]

Macs do not build in a card reader. It doesn't require a lot of space to have one. Keep in you laptop case or camera case. Or plug your camera in directly to the computer. Maybe there are possible wi fi airport options as well.

[stephen_bay]

I have a card read that plugs right into the usb port. It's all one piece with no cables and

about the size of a cf card. Works great.

[benjamindbloom]

Thanks for the options. Looks like either a very small USB/FireWire reader w/o cable would work, and the Delkin might also work (though I'd want to see one in person.)

 

I don't want to use my camera via cable for numerous reasons including battery life, the ability to continue shooting while copying, and the fact that I don't like to juggle too many things around at once (I'd rather have a stack of cards and leave the camera in the bag, just in case.)

 

Still not 100% on getting a Mac yet. It's frustrating that they didn't include a slot that would accept CF internally (PCCard, ExpressCard54, whatever - just something that I could use internally so I didn't have to carry around another little piece. I have enough to manage with camera, lenses, tripod, filters, cell phone & charger, laptop & charger. Such is life.

[kng]

The expresscard/34 slot on the MacBook Pro is linked via both a one-lane PCIe link and a

USB 2.0 interface, as seen in the <a href="http://developer.apple.com/documentation/

HardwareDrivers/Conceptual/MacBookPro_0601/Articles/MacBookPro_0601.html#//

apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40004361-TPXREF101">developer note</a>.