With new cameras being released every month and new developments in memory card technology, many readers have struggled to find a memory card reader that works well for them. My friend Michael Tapes, designer of LensAlign, was having an issue finding a card reader that could grow with him and evolve as his cameras evolve. The Nikon D5 shoots either dual XQD or dual CF cards, Nikon D810 shoots SD and CF, Nikon D500 shoots XQD and SD, Canon 1DX Mark II shoots CF and CFast cards, and both the Canon 5D Mark III and 5Ds R shoot CF and SD cards. As part of his constant testing of new cameras and lenses, Michael finds himself shooting a collection of cameras and it’s not uncommon for him to come back to the studio with 4 different card types.

Littered across his desk are single-purpose card readers…One for SD and CF cards, one for CFast cards, then the XQD card reader. There has to be a better way than importing one card at a time, then changing the cable and reader and importing the next card. He mentioned to me that he was looking for a new solution.

Enter the Lexar Professional Workflow Hub. Lexar’s Hub has 4 empty interchangeable bays that you can use to load in a card reader for any card you’d like. Connected to your computer via USB 3 or Thunderbolt 2, you can transfer from all 4 card slots simultaneously.

Michael is shooting 4 different types of cards, so he configured his card reader to have

  • 1 CF card slot
  • 1 CFast card slot
  • 1 SD card slot
  • 1 XQD card slot

 

But you can build out the reader to your liking…The possibilities are almost endless. Lexar has bays for CF, SD, CFast, XQD, MicroSD, and even a USB 3.0 two-port hub. Each “module” can also be used independently, which is perfect if you travel around and don’t want the bulk of the hub. 

Lexar has two versions or the Professional Workflow Hub. HR1 is USB 3.0 or HR2 is USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt 2. I’ll be honest…the HR2 is expensive, but it’s worth-while if it saves you time. Michael has been using it for a few weeks now and loves the flexibility it provides. It cleans up his desk and makes it easier to import images after a day of shooting.

You can find more information about the Lexar Professional Workflow hub on their website by clicking here.