What Compact Flash reader to get?

[LaRoche02]

I want to get a compact-flash reader for my powerbook and I don't want to waste my time with one that doesn't have a driver for X yet. Do any of the PC-card adapters (like the Viking) work, or will I have to get a USB reader? Any reccomendations?

Thanks, LaRoche.

[chardinej]

I have been using a SanDisk reader for a few months (ca. $45 Can). It does not need drivers for X and works fine most of the time. Occasionally, when I insert a compact flash card into the reader the card will not come up in the Finder and I have to unplug and plug in the reader to "jump-start" the USB connection. (Anyone know what might me happening here?).

A friend of mine had a Microtek reader, which needs drivers. Drivers were available for 10.1.1 then broke when 10.1.2 came out.

[at_sym]

If you do have to go USB, I've had good luck with SIIG's USB reader. No drivers needed, the only problem being that it sometimes doesn't want to let go of the card and keeps remounting it. Still, it works pretty good for something that cost ~$12. ;)

[bluehz]

I waited for months for Microtech to develop drivers for my CF reader - they kept stalling and stalling and stalling. Six months after OS X had been released - they were still unable to even provide a beta driver for the reader. The straw that broke the camel's back - on the day that Windows XP was released - they announced they had drivers ready to go. I immediately tossed my Microtech reader in the trash, wrote Microtech indicating my disgust with them and searched Apple forums for info on a good reader. I ended up getting a San Disk CF Reader and I couldn't be happier. Worked straight out of the box in both OS X and OS 9 - no additional drivers needed. Approx $29 at BestBuy. Can't tell you the model right off the bat - but if you have troubles let me know and I will find it for you.

Also - I just noticed you mentioned a CF PCMCIA card adapter. I have never used one of those in OS X as I have an iBookx without a slot. But I do have one I use occassionaly on an old PB1400 running OS 9.2.1. It works great! Turns out the interface of a CF card is exactly the same as the PCMCIA cards - so those adapters are really nothing more than plastic sleeves that hold the card as if it were a PCMCIA card for insertion into the slot. I don't belive there is even any electronics in them at all. I bought mine for about $15 last year. If that is indeed what youa re talking about.

[sao]

I have been using a SanDisk reader and works very well.

Cheers...

[manosmaster]

I have a Sandisk Imagemate and it doesn't work in OSX. Only the one with the expelling button is recognised (SDDR 05 a). Check at Sandisk site before buying
http://www.sandisk.com/tech/09.asp#Mac

Roberto Mannucci
Verona Italy

[carolnafan]

I recently got the SanDisk Imagemate and have no problems. I use it with iPhoto in OS X and it has worked wonderfully. I'm using it with SmartMedia, but I would think that the Compact Flash version would be fine.

[Technicolor]

I'm using a USB SmartDisk compact flash reader with no problems in OSX.

[barryjaylevine]

Microtech's CameraMate (which reads both CF and SM cards) worked for one day (with their just-released OSX driver) before 10.1.2 came out and I updated my Mac. Then Microtech released the "fixed" driver on the SAME day that 10.1.3 came out and, sure enough, it broke immediately upon updating to 10.1.3.

However, the original driver (for 10.1) NOW works with 10.1.3 and works very well with Image Capture responding to the insertion of the SM card. It also doesn't "sh-tcan" the SM card (as it tended to do under OS9).

BTW - Should you have a SM card that your camera doesn't "see" or can't re-format, mount it in OSX and attempt to reinitialize it with Disk Utility. This will clean off some files that the Mac wrote to the card and, when reinserted into the camera, it can be re-formatted.

Barry

[jeffo]

i have two sandisk imagemates sddr-05 and i have not been able to get them to work on X, i have looked on sandisks website and could not find drivers for it. i just use these on my one and only 9 machine and i have absolutely zero troubles with three kodak card readers. they do have a white one that will not work on X, three i am referring to are black. the white one looks like a star trek comm badge. the three black ones do not require any drivers ether. one is a CF reader and one is a MMC/SD reader and the third is the awesome one. it is a CF and MMC/SD and SmartMedia reader all in one. the real nice part is that in this multi card reader is will read all three at once and copy stuff from one card to another and mount them as three separate drives on the computer.i think that it runs about 40 us bucks. it is the size of a large mouse with a permanent wire on it. the other two readers are great for a situation that i use them in because i have an ibook 500 that does not have a pcmcia adapter on it and the CF reader and MMC reader from kodak have a removeable cord so you can plug the device directly into the side of the laptop and not carry a cord for it. the cord that does come with it though is a standard usb extension cord. and if it sounds like i might be a bit biased it is because i might be. i work at kodak, or at least for a bit longer! honestly though i have had no troubles and i have all four of the kodak readers.