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Laptop with Compact Flash Reader?

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Peter Hayward

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Hi,

I'm thinking of using a small laptop for photo storage and viewer while on field trips. However I really would like one with a Compact Flash reader. Many laptops come with a SD card reader but not a CF reader. Does anyone know of a suitable laptop, current or not with an inbuilt CF reader? I'm not really interested in carrying around CF adapters/cords etc.

Thanks.
--
Pete
http://www.boxflat.net
 
I have yet to see any laptop with a built-in CF card reader. I'm not saying they don't exist, but it seems they typically support D/MMC/MS/MS PRO.

However, there are CF card readers for cheap $ that slide into the PCMCIA/PC-Card slot. Once inserted, they usually sit flush with the side of the laptop as if the CF card reader was built in.

--
CodedoC
 
Oh ok, I did not realise that the PCMCIA CF card readers actually sat flush. I falsely assumed that they would protrude. This would achieve the same result I suppose.

Thanks.

Now for the hunt with a suitable small laptop..... :)

--
Pete
http://www.boxflat.net
 
If you find a laptop with the older PCMCIA slot try to find a reader with 32 bit capabilities. This will cut your download time by a factor of about 3:1.

check the Delkin readers out. I have used mine for 6+ months and it works really well.

http://www.delkin.com and look for the 32 bit card readers.

If your new laptop has the different format card slot you will not be able to use the PCMCIA format cards. The new slots have not been out that long so your selection of card readers will be limited.
--
Alan, in Montana
 
Had one. It was so slow it was pain to use it.
CodedoC said:
However, there are CF card readers for cheap $ that slide into the
PCMCIA/PC-Card slot. Once inserted, they usually sit flush with
the side of the laptop as if the CF card reader was built in.

--
CodedoC
Click to expand...
--
Rumpis :o)
 
Jon H said:
Before I got my MacBook Pro, I used to leave a SanDisk PCMCI CF
card reader in the computer.

http://sandisk.com/Products/Item (1143)-SDDR-64-SanDisk_Ultra_PC_Card_Adapter.aspx

Worked like a charm!
Click to expand...
I have this very PCMCIA card adaptor and Sandisk Extreme III CF cards. All either 1 or 2 gig capacity. The only down side is on my 6 month old Toshiba laptop is it runs slower than a wet week. I ended up spending $20 and bought an external USB2 CF card reader. The difference is amazing. It now only takes about 10% of the time previously taken.
The Sandisk PCMCIA never missed a beat, but the speed was killing me.

Sandisk have released a firewire Cf card reader, can't wait to have a play with it.
Cheers, Tim
Jon H215113 said:
--
Jon H.
Southern California, USA
---
Favorite hummingbird photos:
http://www.bandhhorsecenter.com/hummingbirds
Growing pbase gallery at: http://pbase.com/onekcrane
Click to expand...
--
D100, 70-200 vr, 28-70 f2.8, 85 afd f1.4, 30 f1.4, SB-80DX
 
Hard to find a laptop with built in CF Card Reader, love to see it but both my laptops (Toshiba & HP) only has SD and other card readers but not CF.
Let us know if you find any.

see you

--
D.Mukherjee
 
I bought a Toshiba laptop a couple months ago. For Christmas, I received an external multi-card reader, just for the CF option. As you mentioned, the download speeds with the card reader are very fast with Extreme IIIs...I haven't yet tried the PC card option....but, I'm glad I didn't (from the sounds of it). But, not having to deal with an external reader and USB cable would be nice....if the PC cards were faster. Any ideas on the speed comparisons between the two?

M.
--
http://www.pbase.com/onespeed
http://www.mtbkanata.ca/pp/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=100
 
Both PC Card (16-bit and 32-bit) and ExpressCard are recognized by the PCMCIA organization. They are not compatible. ExpressCard is the newer faster format which connects to either the PCI Express bus (2.5 Gb/s each way) OR the high-speed USB 2.0 interface (480 Mb/s). My IBM T60p comes with a dual slot; one is a PC-Card slot, and the other is an Express Card slot which connects directly to the PCI Express bus. There are also different thicknesses of PC cards; hence the Type I, II, and III. ExpressCards are all the same thickness: 5mm (same as Type II).

FAQs:

http://www.pcmcia.org/faq.htm

--
CodedoC
 
My Dell X1 has a built-in CF reader, as well as a built-in SD reader.

Many newer Dell laptops have CF readers, but I have to admit, they are somewhat slow.

I usually use a SanDisk reader (12-in-1) which is pretty quick with Photo Mechanic (Nikon View is terribly slow...) but in a pinch if I have to use the X1 I just pop the CF card into the side of the laptop.
CardBus PCMCIA adapters are the fastest, but there are only 2 I know about...
--
Micky - K1XH
Hartland, VT
 
These new cards are much more expensive than good and fast multi card reader. At least here in Latvia.
CodedoC said:
Both PC Card (16-bit and 32-bit) and ExpressCard are recognized by
the PCMCIA organization. They are not compatible. ExpressCard is
the newer faster format which connects to either the PCI Express
bus (2.5 Gb/s each way) OR the high-speed USB 2.0 interface (480
Mb/s). My IBM T60p comes with a dual slot; one is a PC-Card slot,
and the other is an Express Card slot which connects directly to
the PCI Express bus. There are also different thicknesses of PC
cards; hence the Type I, II, and III. ExpressCards are all the
same thickness: 5mm (same as Type II).

FAQs:

http://www.pcmcia.org/faq.htm

--
CodedoC
Click to expand...
--
Rumpis :o)
 
RussAllan47 said:
Every laptop that I am aware of with a card reader takes multiple
cards - including CF cards.
Click to expand...
At lest mine don't. And it's only 5 days old, just built. It has a card reader, but not CF.

Mark
RussAllan47 said:
--
Russ

http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q77/russallan47/?start=all
Click to expand...
--



Church Event Photographer

Full time auto tech, part time photographer. Just wished it were the other way around. Mark Thompson/MTT
Louisville, KY. USA

http://mtt.smugmug.com/
 
CF Card built into a DELL notebook?!... Well that's a first one I've seen.
--
CodedoC
 
i think the problem lies in that you would have to have two slots to get both CF and the other cards and that takes to much space in the chassis.

So, they go for the all in one hole that contains all the contacts for the rest of the cards and don´t even try to think about the CF slot.

Also, if they put it in the laptop, then the external ones would not be sold. hehehe
--

Rickard Hansson
 
My X23 has one, previous T series did as well. Thinking about getting another thinkpad just for this reason, not to mention they are rock solid little beasts that have lasted my 4 plus years which is really good for a laptop that has over 500,000 miles on it.

-vanbo
 
Yes I've had Thinkpads (really Lenovo laptops). I've found that the X32 has a CF slot. These are just the size I'm looking for with field trips. i.e small screen size, light weight etc. My only trouble now is finding one in Oz as they are no longer produced.

I've also found the the Fujitsu Lifebook range has had many tablet/laptops with a CF slot. e.g the P1510D has just a 8" screen with both a CF and a SD slot. Just ideal. I rather like the idea of the tablet style. Again ... gotta find one :)

Perhaps the D200 should have had a SD slot instead of the CF ....

Thanks for everyone's responses and ideas.
--
Pete
http://www.boxflat.net
 
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