Card reader and compatibility

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

Winston Churchill (Sir)

Winston Churchill (Sir)

Well-known member
Supporting Member
Marketplace
Member's gallery
well this is a bugger up

I bought a new Delkin CF express card reader - and it appears now it's not compatible with my XQD card - and it only has one slot - so doesn't read SD either (which I knew)
The dual CF express with SD reader is almost double the price and I have an SD card reader already)

So now I have to use 3 card readers for for the Z8 and Z9 (as I have some old cards)

seriously - couldn't DELKIN get with the program like VELOGK for instance - their reader is compatible with all 3!
(except my VELOGK is faulty and had to be replaced and not available in South Africa :rolleyes: )

just a little vent and to make others aware not to do what I did.
 
Winston Churchill (Sir) said:
well this is a bugger up

I bought a new Delkin CF express card reader - and it appears now it's not compatible with my XQD card - and it only has one slot - so doesn't read SD either (which I knew)
The dual CF express with SD reader is almost double the price and I have an SD card reader already)

So now I have to use 3 card readers for for the Z8 and Z9 (as I have some old cards)

seriously - couldn't DELKIN get with the program like VELOGK for instance - their reader is compatible with all 3!
(except my VELOGK is faulty and had to be replaced and not available in South Africa :rolleyes: )

just a little vent and to make others aware not to do what I did.
Click to expand...
Sorry to say but this is the new reality for so many manufacturers - unbundling components in order to sell more products. Just yesterday I went to Home Depot to buy an electric chainsaw, and found that the saw came with neither a battery nor a charger - both available separately. In my alleged and ancient mind, it’s kind of like buying a car without wheels or battery included (I’m sure that‘s coming). So, my $200 chainsaw ended up costing me $325 when all was said and done.
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
Abinoone said:
Sorry to say but this is the new reality for so many manufacturers - unbundling components in order to sell more products. Just yesterday I went to Home Depot to buy an electric chainsaw, and found that the saw came with neither a battery nor a charger - both available separately. In my alleged and ancient mind, it’s kind of like buying a car without wheels or battery included (I’m sure that‘s coming). So, my $200 chainsaw ended up costing me $325 when all was said and done.
Click to expand...
The logic behind this long running trend is to keep you in a "System". Once you get in a system (I'm a long term user of Makita 18V LXT), you'll have no need of buying a tool and a battery charger/battery each time you buy a new tool in the system. Not so good for the first product you buy in a system, of course. If you're not in a rush need for something, they'll often run specials that include a charger and batteries to hook you into their system. Much easier for the Mfr and Store to deal with fewer SKU's.

Overall, I think it's a reasonable approach, at least if you'll end up buying multiple power tools. In my case I have a 3/8" Drill, small 1/4" impact driver, large 1/2" impact driver, 6.5" circular saw, 7.5" worm drive saw, reciprocating saw, 4.5" angle grinder and a portable vacuum...all using the same batteries. Plans for a grease gun and perhaps a portable air compressor soon. I have a single battery charger and a couple batteries that came with the drill and small impact driver, along with a dual battery charger that came with 7.5" saw and two batteries. Other batteries purchased separately when I could find them on sale.
 
MotoPixel said:
The logic behind this long running trend is to keep you in a "System". Once you get in a system (I'm a long term user of Makita 18V LXT), you'll have no need of buying a tool and a battery charger/battery each time you buy a new tool in the system. Not so good for the first product you buy in a system, of course. If you're not in a rush need for something, they'll often run specials that include a charger and batteries to hook you into their system. Much easier for the Mfr and Store to deal with fewer SKU's.

Overall, I think it's a reasonable approach, at least if you'll end up buying multiple power tools. In my case I have a 3/8" Drill, small 1/4" impact driver, large 1/2" impact driver, 6.5" circular saw, 7.5" worm drive saw, reciprocating saw, 4.5" angle grinder and a portable vacuum...all using the same batteries. Plans for a grease gun and perhaps a portable air compressor soon. I have a single battery charger and a couple batteries that came with the drill and small impact driver, along with a dual battery charger that came with 7.5" saw and two batteries. Other batteries purchased separately when I could find them on sale.
Click to expand...
Understand the argument, but to me it’s more about fulfilling manufacturing rather than consumer desires. The fundamental assumption is that a given manufacturer makes all of the best products, which of course is not true. Some brands excel at, say, lawn mowers whereas other’s core competency is power hand tools, just as Nikon makes first class optics but isn’t very good at computers. If things were truly market driven, then batteries and chargers would be universal and plug and play, much as they are for flashlights, toys, etc. In any event, I think electric chain saws should come with a damned battery and charger so that you can use it right out of the box, but then I’m just a grumpy old geezer! 🥸
 
Member's gallery
Abinoone said:
Understand the argument, but to me it’s more about fulfilling manufacturing rather than consumer desires. The fundamental assumption is that a given manufacturer makes all of the best products, which of course is not true. If things were truly market driven, then batteries and chargers would be universal and plug and play, much as they are for flashlights, toys, etc. In any event, I think electric chain saws should come with a damned battery and charger so that you can use it right out of the box, but then I’m just a grumpy old geezer! 🥸
Click to expand...
You may have made your own case about being a grumpy old geezer...lol And I'm probably an older geezer, but not as grumpy...actually, I'm a very happy old geezer.

The argument could be made that it's actually better fulfilling customer desires than what you're complaining about...by not making a customer have to buy a tool, charger and battery with every purchase and driving up the cost to the customer. And reducing the inventory costs to the seller. You know, of course, the tool, charger and battery likely would still have cost you the same amount. Now if the store were out of the separate battery and charger to enable you to use your chainsaw, that's on the store.

So, are you also saying that we should only have one lens mount? All ILC cameras should have a common mount so that any lens will function properly on any Mfr's camera? I don't think we want that sort of thinking to go any further than it already has! And to get back to the topic off this thread, should cameras all have to use the same memory card? See where this leads...LCD...Lowest Common Denominator...not good...not good at all. Too many areas where convenience gets preference over performance.

Cheers!
 
Member's gallery
Abinoone said:
Understand the argument, but to me it’s more about fulfilling manufacturing rather than consumer desires. The fundamental assumption is that a given manufacturer makes all of the best products, which of course is not true. Some brands excel at, say, lawn mowers whereas other’s core competency is power hand tools, just as Nikon makes first class optics but isn’t very good at computers. If things were truly market driven, then batteries and chargers would be universal and plug and play, much as they are for flashlights, toys, etc. In any event, I think electric chain saws should come with a damned battery and charger so that you can use it right out of the box, but then I’m just a grumpy old geezer! 🥸
Click to expand...
Nah, that's not the assumption.

The assumption is that the company should build what products maximize their profit, taking into account consumer demand, manufacturing costs, synergies across product lines etc. Companies love it when they build a product consumers like, then try and "lock them in" with ideas like batteries that work across a variety of their devices. But clever (?) people in those companies have thought a lot about this. If everybody hated it ... they wouldn't do it this way.

If you actually like a companies product(s) then not having to buy a battery with every device makes perfect sense, as you may already have a relevant battery.
 
MotoPixel said:
You may have made your own case about being a grumpy old geezer...lol And I'm probably an older geezer, but not as grumpy...actually, I'm a very happy old geezer.

The argument could be made that it's actually better fulfilling customer desires than what you're complaining about...by not making a customer have to buy a tool, charger and battery with every purchase and driving up the cost to the customer. And reducing the inventory costs to the seller. You know, of course, the tool, charger and battery likely would still have cost you the same amount. Now if the store were out of the separate battery and charger to enable you to use your chainsaw, that's on the store.

So, are you also saying that we should only have one lens mount? All ILC cameras should have a common mount so that any lens will function properly on any Mfr's camera? I don't think we want that sort of thinking to go any further than it already has! And to get back to the topic off this thread, should cameras all have to use the same memory card? See where this leads...LCD...Lowest Common Denominator...not good...not good at all. Too many areas where convenience gets preference over performance.

Cheers!
Click to expand...
I think that I’ve finally seen the light! It makes perfect sense now! This must be why airlines now charge separately for seats, positions in line, baggage, headsets, snacks and beverages! To lower flight costs to the consumer! Of course! 🥴
 
Member's gallery
Abinoone said:
Sorry to say but this is the new reality for so many manufacturers - unbundling components in order to sell more products. Just yesterday I went to Home Depot to buy an electric chainsaw, and found that the saw came with neither a battery nor a charger - both available separately. In my alleged and ancient mind, it’s kind of like buying a car without wheels or battery included (I’m sure that‘s coming). So, my $200 chainsaw ended up costing me $325 when all was said and done.
Click to expand...
I just went on the HD website and searched on "cordless chainsaw". The first three items listed are by different manufacturers, all with battery/charger included and all in stock at my local store. They also have some w/out batteries. Presumably for those with the same brands and plenty of batteries from previous purchases. It's great to have options.
 
Member's gallery
The other issue going on is many of these card manufacturers produce readers but have never produced XQD memory cards or licensed XQD. Even Sony who made XQD cards - had a number of problems with reader compatibility with Sony CFExpress cards. Delkin never produced XQD cards and never had a license for XQD.

My solution was a bit simpler - I sold all my XQD cards and readers when I started with CFExpress except one card and reader required for my D850. That card and reader were sold with my D850. My thought process was I wanted to avoid dealing with multiple readers and card formats - and the related concerns over compatibility. Of course, at the time a combination reader for XQD and CFExpress cost more than the two separate readers individually.
 
Member's gallery
I was afraid of this sort of thing happening when I started using an XQD card. I followed the advice of forum members who recommended purchasing the Sony MRW-G1 for maximum compatibility. It was a bit pricey, but works well with my 64GB Sony XQD card and ProGrade 128GB CFExpress B card.
 
Member's gallery
Abinoone said:
Sorry to say but this is the new reality for so many manufacturers - unbundling components in order to sell more products. Just yesterday I went to Home Depot to buy an electric chainsaw, and found that the saw came with neither a battery nor a charger - both available separately. In my alleged and ancient mind, it’s kind of like buying a car without wheels or battery included (I’m sure that‘s coming). So, my $200 chainsaw ended up costing me $325 when all was said and done.
Click to expand...
Reminds me of when my daughter was young, I would buy a Costco video game bundle, then wrap every item separately so she would feel she got a lot more presents ;). Eventually she caught up.
 
Member's gallery
When you consider a card reader you also need to consider other things such as how many images you may be uploading in the same session. For me, as a sports photographer, it may well be above 10,000 per game depending on many factors. I am looking for the FASTEST process possible and the speed is constrained by the slowest part in your system. I hve TB4 ports on my Mac and I only use a TB3 or TB4 device. A Cfe TB3 reader costs about $100. The cable needs to be solid as well, not one of those 2 dollor knock offs. If you're lucky you might find a super fast reader that supports two devices, but this is not likely. I have an Atech TB3 reader (B&H @ $800) which is what I use for Cfe. YMMV. Best of luck.
 
Member's gallery
I am the tech assitant for my wife and she has Z50 and Z7II ... happily no XQD cards to read but SD and CF Express so have to keep some SD readers around for that support.

When the firmware update was available to update my D850 and D6 to CF Express it was time for my annual card replacement so I went that route and was ready with readers and cards whe I went to the Z9. I still have a Sony XQD reader around not sure why. I do have as some old XQD cards around that I use for saving my camera settings to a couple of cards one at home and one in my camera bag for each camera.

I have switched to ProGrade after years with Delkin Blacks. Again it was time for my annual card replacement and PowerGrade brought out ProGrade CFexpress™ Type B 4.0 Memory Card (Gold) 512GB .... no camera can use the full speed write capability but the price was cheaper then ProGrade Cobal or Delkin Black GB to GB and as fast. They are blazing fast download via a thurnderbolt card reader and cable to my MacStudio. It required a single slot card reader that was the only one that could read the cards but was backward compatible if needed.

I got lucky and bought cards with a great 2 pack promo opportunity and hit a one day flash sale on the card reader on Amazon $50.99 instead of $99.99. Old fashioned drag and drop from the card reader to my desktop is amazing.

So luck was on my side for a change :cool:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top