Tested: Lexar 128GB 1066X Compact Flash Digital Camera Storage Card
It’s not as fast as the Lexar 2000X Lexar Professional 64GB SDXC card, but this kind of speed is more than adequate for all digital cameras, even the Nikon D810 and the Leica S. This card will be put into field use soon for diglloyd photography.
MPG tested the Lexar Professional 1066X Compact Flash 128GB in the Lexar USB3 card reader on the 2013 Mac Pro, with results as shown.
As shown below, the Lexar Professional 1066X Compact Flash 128GB can write at 134 MB/sec and read (download to computer) at 154 MB/sec over the entire capacity.
UPDATE 11 May: I used the Lexar 128GB in the field in the Nikon D810, and it performed flawlessly. It will see a lot more use as my primary card in the field (for my cameras that use CompactFlash).
The Lexar Professional 128GB 1066X Compact Flash is a card for cameras of course, and it requires a separate card reader. So if you’re looking for a fast USB3 thumb drive, check out the OWC Thumb Drive.
Daryl O writes:
I tested this in my Leica S2, the specs say 64gb max, the card is ok mostly with episodic slow writes and lock ups, it did not work well in my mac pro 2013. When uploading files to my LR catalog it would not copy many files, not sure the card is the issue, perhaps the Delkin card reader.
I see you have two readers listed: Hoodman USB 3 card reader and Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader (UDMA 7). Will either limit write speed, which would you recommend for use with the Mac Pro 2013?
DIGLLOYD: older cameras could have issues (the Leica S2 is relatively old now)—128GB might be a crossover point into a later standard or protocol not supported by the firmware of some older cameras.
Ditto for card readers—the latest ultra high capacity cards might not play well in an older card reader. The about $20 Lexar dual slot card reader has worked flawlessly for me, including both the test above and downloading images from the field. The Lexar card reader can hit over 300MB/sec with a fast SDXC card, so I do not think the reader is limiting the CF card.