PixelFlash No-Bend Pins OTG USB 3.0 + Micro USB CF Card Reader CompactFlash

Rather impressed actually. A bit pricy, but very well built. It can be easily disassembled using a 1.25mm or .050 Allen wrench. Even if you deliberately bent the pins, as some prankster "friends" might feel compelled to do, it can be opened up and the pins straightened or even cleaned. No need for a dental type tool to reach in. This also makes it useful in a machine shop atmosphere, where constant card swapping and not so clean conditions prevail.Valentine

It's a no flash, no gimmick card reader. Insert the card, and insert the reader to your computer. A blue light appears to let you know it's connected, and the transfer speed from the card to the computer is blisteringly fast. I shoot RAW, and typically have well over a hundred photos that I transfer each time I connect, but it never takes longer than a minute to transfer all of that data.

When you invent something like the compact flash card with one million tiny holes requiring one million tiny pins on a CF card reader to go into the tiny holes in order to make a connection, you can expect some of the tiny pins to bend over time rendering the card reader useless.The solution to this annoying and expensive problem is to invent a better mousetrap or, in this case, a better CF reader. PixelFlash did it in a simple but elegant way. They designed a CF reader with a sleeve that 1) requires a card to be put into the reader in the proper orientation and most importantly, 2) forces the card to accept the correct pins in the proper holes by not allowing the card to move up, down, left, or right once in the sleeve. Could a solution be easier?I own several PixelFlash No-Bend CF card readers, having over time upgraded them to the USB 3.0 standard. I have one near each computer. In brief, I would not consider owning another brand of CF card reader. Professionally, I rely on PixelFlash No-Bend CF readers and they have not failed me.P.S. The USB-cabled version of the card reader is another way this reader stands out. It's another plus in the design of the reader.

I decided to try these after having a poor experience with the more expensive Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader (LRW300URBNA). These do not feature the SD card slot, but as a pro photographer shooting exclusively on dSLR bodies, I almost never have data on SD cards, anyway.I have found these to be vastly superior to the Lexar product. There are no moving parts, no silly "collapsing" design, and no long cables to wrap and pack.The lack of a flexible cable could be an issue for you if you need to run more than one at a time. On many computers the width of the device is likely to block your adjacent USB ports. I solved the problem by getting a 6" USB3 extension cable for a buck or so over at MonoPrice. (Amazon didn't offer anything even remotely close in price at the time, but perhaps this has changed?)These are very light weight, so if you're looking for something that feels hefty in your hands, maybe this isn't the product for you. They seem to be strong and well constructed, but not substantial.[Edit]I recently ordered another of these to have more in my collection. The construction on them has improved even more. It feels slightly heavier and more solid than my first-gen units. The first-gen units also feel a teensy bit sloppy while pushing the card onto the pins, but this most recent unit inspires confidence.

I have been looking for a product like this for some time. As a professional photographer, I download a lot of photos to my MacBook. I have tried a couple of other card readers and they all work ok, but the issue was the cable. There are times when there isnt a lot of room to spread out and have card readers, external hard drives etc all over the work area. This device plugs directly into the USB port on my Mac. No cable, much less space. Being USB 3.0 the download is fast, especially with a 1066x Lexar CF card. The device seems to be strongly built. Heavy duty rubberish feeling material with textured bezel makes it easy to grip and less likely to be dropped. The CF card is easy to slide in and out. It utilizes their No Bend Pin technology which will be a benefit in the long run. I have had to discard readers before when the pins would get bent and they would no longer work. So far, I am very impressed with this device and would definitely recommend it to other photographers.

Product failed within 3 weeks, only used this two times before failed. The 1" USB cord pulled out of the card reader (See photo) Contacted seller and they did nothing to help. Product is extremely poor quality, they say "no bend pins", but what good are straight pins if they connecting USB cord fails.

I really like this product. I recommend this card reader to everyone I know for the hassle-free way of transferring your pictures.The reason for my three star review is because of two reasons. It's cheaply made. The pins definitely don't bend, but the silver plastic separated quickly, leaving me with two two pieces in my hand.According to the seller, this is their promise:"Our warranty is a real promise, a Full 3 Year Replacement Guarantee. Just take a second and make sure to Register your Warranty upon receipt of the reader. After it’s registered, in the unlikely event that it ever stops working, we’ll replace it. It’s that simple."Unfortunately, this is not so, and I'm not the only reviewer who was disappointed. I was told to send in my broken card reader for repair. I sent it in immediately. After tracking it and seeing the package was received, I discarded the tracking number. I sent several emails for a month, never getting a response. Finally after 4 weeks, I received an email saying that they never received it. Please provide the tracking number. I could no longer provide one, and asked them to check again. My emails went ignored again. I feel cheated, especially because my second card reader costed $20 more than my original one. It's a convenient card reader, and I obviously purchased it again, but don't rely on tough construction and their warranty promise.