Transcend TS-RDF8K USB 3.0 Multi Card Reader

I rarely recommend or review any other products other than Canon EOS camera bodies / EF lenses / Canon accessories, but after acquiring this inexpensive Transcend USB 3 card reader (from Takealot) for my Home Office (compared to the more expensive Lexar Professional reader I use in the Studio) I'm more than impressed with it's price vs performance.

After attaching it to my Windows 8.1 workstation I downloaded +- 750 images from a UDMA7 Lexar CF card (EOS 7D Mark II) and +- 250 images from a Sandisk SD card (Canon EOS 70D) at the same speeds as the Lexar Pro card reader (to my Lightroom 6 catalog).

Update: I've upgrade to a Windows 10 Professional (Intel-based) workstation and the Transcent USB 3.0 readers works without any issues.

New: Thoughts on Memory Cards / Card Readers. Go>>

I have downloaded a further 1000 images from a Lexar CF card (EOS 7D Mark II) a few days after purchase via the Transcend card reader (with no problems whatsoever).

Price +- R250 with USB 3 Cable. Cable could be a tad short, but it happily sleeps plugged-in on top of my workstation. Its more / less the size of a Lions match box. Not quite as sturdy as the Lexar, but just as fast (and smaller). And a heck of a lot more convenient than attaching the USB 2 or 3 cable from camera to computer.

Transcend TS-RDF8K USB 3.0 Multi Card Reader Features:

• Super-Speed USB 3.0 interface also compatible with USB 2.0
• Supports next-generation memory cards including SDHC UHS-I, SDXC UHS-I, micro SDHC UHS-I, micro SDXC UHS-I, UDMA7 CF and MSXC cards
• Convenient LED Indicator shows data transfer activity
• Supports SD & CF built-in security functions
• Offers a free download of RecoveRx photo recovery software

Takealot>>

Yellow Roses with Canon EOS 700D / EF-S 18-135mm IS STM Lens

All Photos © Vernon Chalmers

Canon EF-S 18-55mm IS STM Lens

Objective: Demonstrating application of the Canon EOS 700D / Rebel T5i DSLR camera with EF-S 18-135mm IS STM lens / Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash.

Note: All photos on monopod in Av mode (Aperture Priority). Images captured in RAW. Last photo with additional Canon EF25 II Extension Tube.

Shooting Location
Milnerton, Cape Town

Canon Camera Equipment

• Canon EOS 700D SLR camera body
• Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM
• Canon EF25 II Extension Tube
• Canon Speedlite 430EX II
• Manfrotto Compact monopod

Av Mode - Aperture Priority Settings

• f/11 - f/16
• ISO 200
• Auto Shutter
• Auto-focus
• RAW to JPG conversion / lens profile correction

(Click to Enlarge) 

Canon EOS 700D / EF-S 18-135mm IS STM Lens - Milnerton, Cape Town

Canon EOS 700D / EF-S 18-135mm IS STM Lens - Milnerton, Cape Town

Canon EOS 700D / EF-S 18-135mm IS STM Lens, Milnerton. Cape Town

Top 10 Most Visited Vernon Chalmers Photography Posts 2018

Little Egret - Diep River / Woodbridge Island

Annual Analytics Summary Full Year 2018

Top 10 most visited Vernon Chalmers Photography articles / posts during 2018 (for the Period 01/01/2018 - 31/12/2018)

1. Canon EOS 7D Mark III Wish List for Birds in Flight Photography
    Canon EOS 7D Mark III Wish List for Birds in Flight Photography

2. Photography Competitions / Contests South Africa
    Photography Competition/ Contests South Africa

3. Canon EOS 7D Mark II Birds In Flight Photography Gallery
    Canon EOS 7D Mark II Birds In Flight Photography Gallery

4. Canon Long Exposure / Night Photography Setup & Tips
    Canon Long Exposure / Night Photography Setup & Tips

5. Canon EOS 80D - First Impressions / Test Shoot
    Canon EOS 80D - First Impressions / Test Shoot

6. Canon Online Shooting Practice: Free Exposure Learning Software Application
    Canon Online Shooting Practice: Free Exposure Learning Software Application

7. Canon EOS Setup and Tips For Birds in Flight Photography
    Canon EOS Setup and Tips For Birds in Flight Photography

8. Two Cost-Effective Canon Lenses for Birds in Flight Photography
    Two Cost-Effective Canon Lenses for Birds in Flight Photography

9. Show Focus Points - Adobe Lightroom Plugin
    Show Focus Points - Adobe Lightroom Plugin

10. Photography Private Training / Workshops Cape Town
      Photography Private Training / Workshops Cape Town

Top 10 Most Visited Vernon Chalmers Photography Articles / Posts 2017


Top 20 Search Queries Full Year 2018

photo competitions south africa 2018

photography competitions 2018 south africa

photography competitions south africa

canon 7d mark iii

canon 80d birds in flight

vernon chalmers

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photo competitions south africa

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7d mark iii

camera competitions south africa 2018

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canon 7d mark 3

eos 7d mark iii

Top 10 Countries Visiting Vernon Chalmers Photography 2018

1. South Africa
2. Unites States
3. United Kingdom
4. India
5. France
6. Australia
7. Canada
8. Germany
9. Bangladesh
10. Netherlands

Top 25 South Africa Cities Visiting Vernon Chalmers Photography- Full Year 2018

1. Cape Town
2. Pretoria
3. Sandton
4. Johannesburg
5. Durban
6. Centurion
7. Randburg
8. Port Elizabeth
9. Roodepoort
10. Bloemfontein
11. Berea
12. Stellenbosch
13. Vanderbijlpark
14. Pietermaritzberg
15. Boksburg
16. Polokwane
17. Benoni
18. Midrand
19. East London
20. Germiston
21. Kemptonpark
22. Durban North
23. Paarl
24. Alberon
25. Kimberley

Visitor Acquisition Channels

• Organic Search (36.5%)
• Social (30.2%)
• Direct (22.5%)
• Referral (10.7%)

Analytics / Data Source
Google Analytics (Vernon Chalmers Photography: 1/1/2018 - 31/12/2018)

Night and Long Exposure Photography Milnerton - With Canon EOS 6D / 16-35mm lens

Canon EOS 6D for Action Photography

The humble Canon EOS 6D (Full Frame) for motorcycle panning at Killarney, Cape Town and Birds in Flight, Woodbridge Island.

The Canon EOS 6D body is not really renown for its Autofocus System capabilities when compared to i.e. the Canon EOS 5D Mark III (Full Frame) / Canon EOS 7D Mark II (APS-C) - and globally Canon photographers are not too keen for its 4.5 fps continuous rate compared to 6 - 14 fps in most sport-orientated bodies.

I took the Canon EOS 6D on various tests (deliberately) paired with the Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6L IS USM lens for demonstrating the camera's 11-Point AF system capabilities at 4.5 frames per second.

If this was my only Canon EOS body, I would have no concern shooting motor sport and / or Birds in Flight - only change I would make is to replace the 70-300mm lens with my 400mm prime lens for Birds in Flight (for faster AF and the 100mm additional reach).

Two images with Canon EOS 6D at Center-Point AF (AI Servo Mode):

1st Image: Motorcycle Panning at Killarney Cape Town

2nd Image: Birds in Flight Photography - Woodbridge Island, Cape Town

(Click to Enlarge)

Image 1: Canon EOS 6D - Motor Cycle  Racing Killarney  Source

Image 2: Canon EOS 6D - Birds in Flight Photography Cape Town  More


Canon EOS 7D Mark II Resources / Birds in Flight Photography Galleries
Canon EOS 7D Mark II Resources / Birds in Flight Photography Galleries

Two Cost-Effective Canon Lenses for Birds in Flight Photography
Two Cost-Effective Canon Lenses for Birds in Flight Photography

Wild Flowers - Woodbridge Island, Cape Town

A few wild flowers captured around the Table Nay Nature Reserve area of Woodbridge Island Milnerton, Cape Town.

 All photos by Vernon Chalmers with Canon EOS 6D / Canon EOS 70D, both with the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens (Av Mode / Handheld @ 300mm).

(Click To Enlarge)

Flowers Woodbridge Island Cape Town

EOS 70D / Flowers Woodbridge Island Cape Town

Flowers Woodbridge Island Cape Town

Flowers Woodbridge Island Cape Town

Flowers Woodbridge Island Cape Town

Canon Camera / Photography Workshops Cape Town

Action Photography Cape Town: Birds and Bee in Flight

Bee and Birds in flight with Canon EOS 7D Mark II

I accompanied a few local Birds in Flight photographers for a quick morning walkabout around Woodbridge Island, Cape Town. This morning was the first time out in a few weeks - mainly due to the local winter weather.

We took a walk down toward the Table Bay Nature Reserve and after everybody has left I went shooting on my own just of the old wooden bridge - getting in low for a few low flying birds.

On my way home I captured a few bees in flight - quite challenging with the 400mm telephoto lens, but nevertheless a few images to work with (using the same Birds in Flight settings I generally use around the island).

All images with Canon EOS 7D Mark II and the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L lens.

Bee and Birds in flight with same exposure settings / +- same time of day / light

The only (critical) variables between the different images are subject speed, distance to subject, distance between subject and background and the ISO selection (Auto-ISO).

Manual Exposure Settings: f/5.6 / IS0 500 - 1000 / 1/5000s shutter Speed

Note: Bee images are two consecutive frames

Location: Birds and Bee in Flight - Woodbridge Island, Cape Town

(Click to Enlarge)

Grey Heron with breeding plumage captured in the Table Bay Nature Reserve Cape Town

Very fast and quite far Common Starling towards the Milnerton Golf Course Cape Town

Low flying Egyptian Goose over the Milnerton Lagoon Cape Town

Low Flying Egyptian Goose over the Milnerton Lagoon Cape Town

Bee in Flight with classic Birds in Flight Photography Cape Town Settings 

Bee in Flight with classic Birds in Flight Photography Cape Town Settings

More Bees in Flight Photography Cape Town
More Bees in Flight Photography Cape Town

Birds in Flight Photography Cape Town
Birds in Flight Photography Cape Town

Milnerton Lagoon / Woodbridge Island Ducks

All Milnerton Lagoon / Woodbridge Island duck photos by Vernon Chalmers with Canon EOS 70D / Canon EOS 700D and Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens / Canon EF 70-300mm IS USM lens. Handheld.

More Woodbridge Island Duck Photos, with Canon EOS 7D Mark II Happy Duck>>

(Click to enlarge)

Cape Shoveller Duck Milnerton Lagoon / Woodbridge Island  Cape Town

Yellow-billed Duck Milnerton Lagoon / Woodbridge Island  Cape Town

Mallard Duck Milnerton Lagoon / Woodbridge Island Cape Town

Duck Milnerton Lagoon / Woodbridge Island Cape Town

Ducks in Love Milnerton Lagoon / Woodbridge Island Cape Town

Duck Milnerton Lagoon / Woodbridge Island Cape Town

Birds in Flight Photography Cape Town
Birds in Flight Photography Cape Town

Bird Species Woodbridge Island, Cape Town
Bird Species Woodbridge Island, Cape Town

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens: Birds in Flight Cape Town

Impromptu Birds in Flight Cape Town Photography Test: Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens

Objective: Quick Bird in Flight test with the Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens (deliberately without 1.4x teleconverter).

Shooting Conditions: Early morning just after sunrise / good light

Images
All images were captured in Manual Mode: Multi-shot / continuous mode at 4.5 fps AI Servo. Post-processing done with Adobe Lightroom 6 CC. RAW to JPG conversion with some sharpening and noise reduction applied.

Location
Milnerton Lagoon / Woodbridge Island Cape Town

Canon Gear / Memory Cards

• Canon EOS 6D camera body 
• Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens 
• Sandisk Extreme Plus SDHC™ UHS-I Card 95MB/s 32 GB 

Exposure / Other Settings: Canon 6D / EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens

• Manual Mode 
• Aperture: f/4 
• Auto-ISO 500 
• Focal Length: 300mm 
• Shutter speed: 1/4000 seconds 
• IA Servo / AF on - Centre Point 
• Lens Autofocus / IS on 
• Handheld

 (Click to Enlarge)

Canon EOS 6D / EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens

Canon EOS 6D / EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens

Canon EOS 6D / EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens

Birds in Flight Photography Cape Town

Birds in Flight Photography Cape Town