C200: Warning: The Lexar USB3 Cfast reader may have just corrupted my first RAW shoot.

Fahnon said:
I was using that exact reader: Lexar CR1 USB 3.0. Was using a Lexar 256GB 3500x card with it.

Glad fhammond hasn't run into trouble (yet), but I wouldn't trust it. The Sandisk reader is only $46, which is nothing to pay for peace of mind IMO...
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I have five more days to decide to return the Lexar CR2 Thunderbolt reader. Really on the fence but I am not hearing a lot of success stories out there using the Lexar CFast readers, might be safer to use the Sandisk reader with the adapter that Gary shows above?
 
puredrifting said:
This is intriguing, I never knew such a convertor existed. This could make life a lot simpler, thanks Gary! i just have to figure out if my Thunderbolt drive, which has two ports, will loop this through to the laptop since the laptop only has a single Thunderbolt connection. Worth a try though.
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I only used the Kanex directly connected to the Thunderbolt port but hopefully it will work daisy chained. Keep us posted. In case you have an issue with I've linked two other adapters below and the good news is they are all cheap!

Something else I am considering is replacing the Superdrive in my Macbook Pro with an internal 2TB or 4TB SSD using a kit like the one I have linked below from OWC. It will be a much small package with the internal drive and we can still do additional backups using USB 3 SSDs.

Additional Thunderbolt Adapters
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1123520-REG/startech_tb2usb3es_thunderbolt_to_esata_and.html
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1083520-REG/kanex_ktu20_kanex_thunderbolt_to_gigabit.html

Superdrive replacement kit
https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DDAMBS0GB/
 
Fahnon said:
Glad fhammond hasn't run into trouble (yet), but I wouldn't trust it. The Sandisk reader is only $46, which is nothing to pay for peace of mind IMO...
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I've ordered a USB 3.0 SanDisk reader. Given people's experience and EgoDisk's recommendation, it seems like the safe choice.
 
I have a couple of the Lexar Cfast 2.0 USB readers. I haven't had any problems. Yet. It seems odd that a reader could kill a card. Maybe an issue with the 5V power pin getting crossed. Strange.
 
cpreston said:
I have a couple of the Lexar Cfast 2.0 USB readers. I haven't had any problems. Yet. It seems odd that a reader could kill a card. Maybe an issue with the 5V power pin getting crossed. Strange.
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It didn't kill the card; it apparently corrupted the data on the card.
 
I've been using a Lexar CR1 for years and have experienced exactly zero issues with it in that timeframe.

This is using nearly every brand of card in it... Atomos (CFast 1), SuperTalent (CFast 1), SanDisk, Lexar and now Transcend.
 
FWIW, I just received the Kanex USB 3.0 to Thunderbolt adapter and ran some tests with my MBP.

Test 1
Lexar CR2 Thunderbolt reader to 2011 Macbook Pro internal SSD - 10:54 for 256GB of Cinema RAW Light footage
Sandisk Extreme Pro USB 2.0 through Kanex adapter to 2011 Macbook Pro Internal - 12:56 for 256GB of Cinema RAW Light footage

Test 2
Sandisk Extreme Pro USB to Other World Computing Drive Dock with Thunderbolt 2 using an empty Western Digital 500GB SATA drive for 256GB of Cinema RAW Light footage - 33 minutes, basically real time as far as footage time you shot.

Test 2 is how I would probably use this in the real world with my MBP for clients. I would like to try the same test with a nice 1TB SSD, it will cut this 33 minute time way down but I doubt if most of my clients would purchase bare SSDs. If I buy each of them an OWC Drive dock with USB 3.1 (they only cost $69.95), I could get them to buy or I could buy bare spinning SATA drives and charge them. But for me, if we shot over 90 minutes, we can usually break down the setup and load out within 90 minutes so anything past that would be client waiting around or me taking it to the office and then having to drive the bare drive down them in Hollwyood, about two to three hours round trip for me.

Take aways
1. The Kanex USB 3 to Thunderbolt adapter works and works well.
2. The OWC Drive Dock with Thunderbolt will accept and pass through the input from the Kanex adapter.

I am still on the fence about keeping the Lexar CR2 Thunderbolt 2 CFast Card reader. It is faster than the Sandisk and Kanex adapter combo, but not by that much but I keep hearing recommendations to NOT use any of the Lexar card readers because of file corruption in transfer from mutliple sources. I should probably send it back?
 
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puredrifting said:
FWIW, I just received the Kanex USB 3.0 to Thunderbolt adapter and ran some tests with my MBP.

Test 1
Lexar CR2 Thunderbolt reader to 2011 Macbook Pro internal SSD - 10:54 for 256GB of Cinema RAW Light footage
Sandisk Extreme Pro USB 2.0 through Kanex adapter to 2011 Macbook Pro Internal - 12:56 for 256GB of Cinema RAW Light footage

Test 2
Sandisk Extreme Pro USB to Other World Computing Drive Dock with Thunderbolt 2 using an empty Western Digital 500GB SATA drive for 256GB of Cinema RAW Light footage - 33 minutes, basically real time as far as footage time you shot.

Test 2 is how I would probably use this in the real world with my MBP for clients. I would like to try the same test with a nice 1TB SSD, it will cut this 33 minute time way down but I doubt if most of my clients would purchase bare SSDs. If I buy each of them an OWC Drive dock with USB 3.1 (they only cost $69.95), I could get them to buy or I could buy bare spinning SATA drives and charge them. But for me, if we shot over 90 minutes, we can usually break down the setup and load out within 90 minutes so anything past that would be client waiting around or me taking it to the office and then having to drive the bare drive down them in Hollwyood, about two to three hours round trip for me.

Take aways
1. The Kanex USB 3 to Thunderbolt adapter works and works well.
2. The OWC Drive Dock with Thunderbolt will accept and pass through the input from the Kanex adapter.

I am still on the fence about keeping the Lexar CR2 Thunderbolt 2 CFast Card reader. It is faster than the Sandisk and Kanex adapter combo, but not by that much but I keep hearing recommendations to NOT use any of the Lexar card readers because of file corruption in transfer from mutliple sources. I should probably send it back?
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If there's even a chance of corruption, I personally wouldn't risk it. If you do decide to keep the Lexar, I'd definitely shoot proxies as a backup.
 
For what it's worth I have found Lexar readers to be some of the only reliable readers. I have a couple of their HR hubs, with various card readers, and all have worked without issue for several years. Don't use CFast much as I don't have that workflow but a couple C300.2 users I know use the CR1 reader and I've never heard them complain.
 
I returned the Lexar CR2 Thunderbolt reader. The Sandisk Reader with the Kanex Thunderbolt to USB 3.0 adapter is almost as fast and then I won't be kicking myself like I would have if I kept the CR2 and it corrupted especially client files. So far, the Sandisk reader with the Kanex seems to function well.
 
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puredrifting said:
I have five more days to decide to return the Lexar CR2 Thunderbolt reader. Really on the fence but I am not hearing a lot of success stories out there using the Lexar CFast readers, might be safer to use the Sandisk reader with the adapter that Gary shows above?
Click to expand...

I've been using Lexar CR2 for almost two years now with my C300mk2 and never had any issues. I also have the Sandisk reader and no particular issues with that either, just that the Lexar is faster and Thunderbolt AND USB3, so it's the one doing most of the work. They are both plastic readers and do get hot when running cards at full speed.

I've also had the Kanex Thunderbolt to USB 3 & ESata for longer than that. I've never been able to get the Kanex adapter to power any CFast reader. Need Y-cable and external power for that. At the most it will power the CF reader for my C300mk1 camera.
 
Parrot said:
I've been using Lexar CR2 for almost two years now with my C300mk2 and never had any issues. I also have the Sandisk reader and no particular issues with that either, just that the Lexar is faster and Thunderbolt AND USB3, so it's the one doing most of the work. They are both plastic readers and do get hot when running cards at full speed.

I've also had the Kanex Thunderbolt to USB 3 & ESata for longer than that. I've never been able to get the Kanex adapter to power any CFast reader. Need Y-cable and external power for that. At the most it will power the CF reader for my C300mk1 camera.
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Interesting. The Kanex is powering my Sandisk reader, even when I plug it into a Thunderbolt drive I am using to loop through with drive and reader on my one laptop Thunderbolt input.

Glad the CR2 delivers for you but Egodisk strongly recommends against using it (I'm using Egodisk cards and I spoke with their technician on the phone) and Google search and anecdotal evidence here at DVXUser reveals you seem to be in the minority as far as reliability with the Lexar readers and NOT corrupting files. I just couldn't take the chance. If I had a modern laptop, I wouldn't even need to deal with the Kanex converter but I can't see dropping $2k or $3k for a new MBP when mine is running great, it's just doesn't have USB 3.0 inputs unfortunately.
 
puredrifting said:
Interesting. The Kanex is powering my Sandisk reader, even when I plug it into a Thunderbolt drive I am using to loop through with drive and reader on my one laptop Thunderbolt input.

Glad the CR2 delivers for you but Egodisk strongly recommends against using it (I'm using Egodisk cards and I spoke with their technician on the phone) and Google search and anecdotal evidence here at DVXUser reveals you seem to be in the minority as far as reliability with the Lexar readers and NOT corrupting files. I just couldn't take the chance. If I had a modern laptop, I wouldn't even need to deal with the Kanex converter but I can't see dropping $2k or $3k for a new MBP when mine is running great, it's just doesn't have USB 3.0 inputs unfortunately.
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Hey, Puredrifting. Sorry for going OT. I have a shoot tomorrow. Shooting 4KHD MP4 @50p. I'd like to playback for client IN slowmo (play @ "correct" 25p timebase) and WITH 709 LUT applied.
Do you happen to know if it's possible?
Thanks
 
puredrifting said:
Interesting. The Kanex is powering my Sandisk reader, even when I plug it into a Thunderbolt drive I am using to loop through with drive and reader on my one laptop Thunderbolt input.

Glad the CR2 delivers for you but Egodisk strongly recommends against using it (I'm using Egodisk cards and I spoke with their technician on the phone) and Google search and anecdotal evidence here at DVXUser reveals you seem to be in the minority as far as reliability with the Lexar readers and NOT corrupting files. I just couldn't take the chance. If I had a modern laptop, I wouldn't even need to deal with the Kanex converter but I can't see dropping $2k or $3k for a new MBP when mine is running great, it's just doesn't have USB 3.0 inputs unfortunately.
Click to expand...

Crap, I spoke too soon. Bought the Kanex adapter, tried plugging it into my OWC dual Thunderbolt drive dock, worked flawlessly at home, powered the Sandisk USB 3.0 card reader via the Thunderbolt loop through, downloaded a few cards, worked great. I fly all of the way across the country, today was prelight day so I just shot a few tests. I get back to the hotel, set up the OWC drive dock with two bare 4TB drives, write a preset for Shotput Pro to offload the Cfast 2.0 to the dual 4TB drives. Lo and behold, the Kanex adapter appears to have died. First I tried plugging it into the OWC drive, as I did in a test at home where it worked. No power light, no nothing. Then for kicks, I bypass the OWC Thunderbolt drive dock and plug the Kanex straight into my MBP's Thunderbolt power. Nothing. Dead as a doornail. So to eliminate the variable of the Sandisk CFast reader itself, I plug it into the MBPs USB 2.0 port and it reads the card fine. So I know it's not the Sandisk reader or it's USB 3.0 cable, it's the Kanex is dead. Damn. That means it's going to take me almost three hours per card to transfer 256GB CFast 2.0 cards at USB 2.0 speeds tomorrow and Tuesday (My MBP is older and doesn't have USB 3.0 ports.)

I bought the Kanex. I tested it. Repeatedly, at home. It worked fine multiple times. I fly across the country (it was in my carry on, babied, in a soft pouch in my Sachtler Dr. bag) and the damn thing doesn't work. Sometimes you do your due diligence and you still get screwed. So this one will have to go back to B&H. I thought the Lexar CR2 Thunderbolt reader would screw me over, but it turned out to be a stupid Kanex Thunderbolt to USB 3.0 adapter that did. Grr...
 
puredrifting said:
Crap, I spoke too soon. Bought the Kanex adapter, tried plugging it into my OWC dual Thunderbolt drive dock, worked flawlessly at home, powered the Sandisk USB 3.0 card reader via the Thunderbolt loop through, downloaded a few cards, worked great. I fly all of the way across the country, today was prelight day so I just shot a few tests. I get back to the hotel, set up the OWC drive dock with two bare 4TB drives, write a preset for Shotput Pro to offload the Cfast 2.0 to the dual 4TB drives. Lo and behold, the Kanex adapter appears to have died. First I tried plugging it into the OWC drive, as I did in a test at home where it worked. No power light, no nothing. Then for kicks, I bypass the OWC Thunderbolt drive dock and plug the Kanex straight into my MBP's Thunderbolt power. Nothing. Dead as a doornail. So to eliminate the variable of the Sandisk CFast reader itself, I plug it into the MBPs USB 2.0 port and it reads the card fine. So I know it's not the Sandisk reader or it's USB 3.0 cable, it's the Kanex is dead. Damn. That means it's going to take me almost three hours per card to transfer 256GB CFast 2.0 cards at USB 2.0 speeds tomorrow and Tuesday (My MBP is older and doesn't have USB 3.0 ports.)

I bought the Kanex. I tested it. Repeatedly, at home. It worked fine multiple times. I fly across the country (it was in my carry on, babied, in a soft pouch in my Sachtler Dr. bag) and the damn thing doesn't work. Sometimes you do your due diligence and you still get screwed. So this one will have to go back to B&H. I thought the Lexar CR2 Thunderbolt reader would screw me over, but it turned out to be a stupid Kanex Thunderbolt to USB 3.0 adapter that did. Grr...
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Before you throw your Kanex adapter in the thrash, try with a USB3 Y-cable with some extra power to it. iPhone charger + Y-cable + Kanex works well for me.
 
Parrot said:
Before you throw your Kanex adapter in the thrash, try with a USB3 Y-cable with some extra power to it. iPhone charger + Y-cable + Kanex works well for me.
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I was going to return it to B&H but I just ordered a cable from Amazon on your advice, it was only $6.99. I'll let you know if it works. Seems like it might just be dead though, unless the Kanex passes no power at all from Thunderbolt to USB? I tried plugging just into my laptop's Thunderbolt, which also worked before when I tested it at home.
 
Parrot said:
Before you throw your Kanex adapter in the thrash, try with a USB3 Y-cable with some extra power to it. iPhone charger + Y-cable + Kanex works well for me.
Click to expand...

I received the cable and... IT WORKS! Thanks for the heads up and suggestion. I still cannot figure out why my Kanex adapter initially passed power but now does not but your idea made it usable again. Many thanks.
 
Maybe the power draw was to much for the adapter to deliver for longer period of time and just burned out?
 
All I know is that I didn't yet have the cable for my shoot last week and it took me 3.5 hours to download each 256GB CFast 2.0 card at USB 2.0 speeds, it was ridiculous. Now I can get back to 30 minute per card downloads.
 
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Sorry to necro an old thread, but just wanted to share my experience with the Lexar CR1 USB 3.0 CFast 2.0 Reader: STEER CLEAR OF THIS READER! I've had two cards in the past 6 months get corrupted with it (Lexar 256GB 3500x). Had Lexar swap each card under warranty no problem, but same issue. Read a review posted in early 2017 to B&H and it appears to be the same issue I ran into: "The reader works great when transferring from your first Cfast card. I use the BM Ursa camera. However, on a multi-card shoot, it has corrupted the second card on more than one occasion losing valuable media. It appears that when I eject a card from the reader it does not necessarily eject, it will mount it again within seconds. Unless, you are very careful, you can corrupt your second Cfast card when you insert it into the reader because the reader thinks that it is still the first Cfast card. This has the effect of replacing the file allocation table on the card and rendering all of your media corrupt. This has happened to me twice with this reader and on different computers."

I was using the CFast 2.0 memory cards with my 1DXMKII and lo' and behold even though I properly ejected the first card I shot on as soon as I inserted my second card it immediately became corrupt. Couldn't read it on Windows or Mac and the 1DXMKII couldn't read it either. I lost an hour worth of 4K interviews in front of a client several weeks back. Very embarrassing! I'm switching to the SanDisk reader.
 
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