OWC’s High

After shooting large numbers of images or video footage comes the bottleneck of transporting data to ... [+] a computer for processing. OWC's new card readers are designed to speed up the process.

OWC makes a range of hardware and software for computer users working in the creative industries. At April's NAB 2023, the company announced a new range of dual-slot memory card readers aimed at professionals in video, audio and photographic industries.

Transferring large amounts of data after a photo shoot or a video session can be a significant headache if you work in the creative industries. So much time is wasted waiting for slow card readers and memory cards to upload image or video files to a Mac or PC. OWC has developed two new high-speed card readers to address this restriction as part of the company's Atlas system.

The OWC Atlas system combines hardware and software to create an easier way to transfer audio and video content from capture to completion. To check the health of OWC's Atlas-branded memory cards, OWC has a software package called Innergize. This app monitors the health of Atlas memory cards and includes tools for sanitizing cards and upgrading firmware.

The new Atlas dual-slot card readers from OWC can speed up data ingestion and help to keep ... [+] Atlas-branded memory cards sanitized and updated.

This Innergize digital workout ensures that Atlas memory cards remain compatible and updated to deliver maximum speeds in the camera and when the images or video are being ingested into the host computer. Innergize is free to download and use with any Atlas-branded memory cards or card readers.

Professional memory card readers need to be able to meet the demands of professional broadcasters, cinematographers and photographic creators no matter where they are working. For example, news gathering in the field requires video footage to be transferred from a memory card to a laptop so the report can be edited for transmission back to base. Depending on the camera used, the card will be a CFexpress Type B or SDXC UHS-II memory card.

To handle these two types of cards, OWC produces the new Atlas Dual Slot CFexpress Type B and SDXC UHS-II reader and a new Atlas Dual Slot SDXC UHS-II reader. The dual slot readers have a bandwidth of 600MB/s and are ideal for ingesting large-scale photoshoots, such as weddings or major events. Speed is essential where turnaround time is tight.

OWC sells its own Atlas-branded SD and CFexpress memory cards in capacities up to 1TB for SD and 2TB ... [+] for CFexpress.

I’ve looked at the Atlas Dual Slot SDXC UHS-II reader. It's a well-made piece of kit with a short USB-C cable that stows away neatly in the base of the card reader for use in the field. For studio use, there's also a USB-C port that can be used to attach a longer cable to a desktop computer. That's a nice touch.

Also included on the card readers is a small write-protect switch. This switch is located on the back of the card reader and when turned on it stops any cards from being overwritten or formatted. That essential hardware failsafe will prevent someone from accidentally wiping valuable footage or images. I wish more card readers had such a switch. My only criticism is the button is difficult to reach if you have short fingernails, but maybe that's more of a feature than a bug.

At the front of the card readers are two slots, each with an LED to show when the card is being written to or read from. For those nervous types who worry about losing images during the transfer process, OWC has created a small hole in the back of the card reader above the USB-C port. This little hole can accommodate OWC's Cling-On cable stabilizers to ensure the cable stays in place and isn't accidentally pulled during a read or write, thereby corrupting the card. It would be rare, but it's good that OWC has anticipated it.

The new Atlas card readers from OWC include a short cable for use in the field. There's also a USB-C ... [+] port at the rear for use with longer cables.

To get the best from the OWC card readers, the company suggests using its Atlas-branded CFexpress Type B and SDXC UHS-II memory cards available in sizes up to 1TB for SD and 2TB for CFexpress. The Atlas cards can be managed using Innergize, which can update the Atlas card's controller and sanitize them so they don't introduce viruses or digital nasties to the host computer.

Verdict: The OWC card readers are well-made and thoughtfully designed for photo and video creators in the field and the studio. The dual slot readers make ingesting data easier thanks to a 600MB/s bandwidth, while OWC's Innergize software the cards sanitized and up to date. These new card readers are a good choice and rival the excellent Lexar and Kingston card readers. The OWC Atlas card readers are a sensible choice for professional photographers and videographers.

Pricing & Availability: The Atlas Dual CFexpress and SD card readers are shipping now at macsales.com with an introductory price of $79.99. Innergize for Windows is free and available for download from OWC.

More info: owc.com

Tech Specs:

Updated: June 2, 2023 to reflect availability of Innergize for macOS.