Lexar Media Flash Memory Accelerates Photography End-to-End Workflow System

Lexar Media demonstrated how photographers can spend more time taking the perfect shot and less time waiting in the studio by using Lexar and Crucial memory solutions. The results showed that with a full suite of Lexar memory cards, readers, and backup drives, as well as Crucial DRAM and solid-state drives (SSDs), a photographer can shave approximately 80 minutes off a typical one-day photo shoot by replicating Lexar Media’s testing scenario. (The demonstration was based on the assumption of manipulating 100 RAW images within a full photo shoot of 800 images per day.)

The Demonstration
The sequence used in the demonstration included high-speed image capture, card-to-computer file transfer, batch processing of large files with a post-processing action set, and recovery and back-up of images with file versioning:

• High-speed image capture: In test ‘shoot-outs,’ the Lexar Professional 600x CompactFlash (CF) card maximised the number of shots taken before the camera’s buffer filled up and cleared the buffer faster, helping photographers get back to shooting.
• File transfer: The time required to transfer images and video files is a common source of frustration. However, the demonstration showed that transferring images and video from a Lexar Professional 600x CF card using the Lexar Professional ExpressCard(TM) reader was more than twice as fast as using a USB-enabled card reader.
• System memory: The computer is an essential tool for post-production but is often overlooked when it comes to memory. The demo test machine, an Apple MacBook Pro computer with Intel Core i5 processor, enhanced with 8GB of Crucial DRAM and a 256GB Crucial SSD, performed 165% faster than the same machine with its original factory settings specification of 4GB of DRAM and a 500GB hard disk drive.
• Recovery and backup: During the final stage of the process, protecting work and making it easily accessible, even on the go, is of vital importance. Lexar Image Rescue 4 software is designed to help photographers recover lost or damaged files, while the Lexar Echo ZE and SE backup drives provide a way to automatically back-up and protect essential photo and video files in real time, with file versioning.

"Before conducting the test, we knew there would be a marked improvement in workflow time if our Professional 600x CF card and ExpressCard reader were used together; but we were even more impressed with the amount of time saved when you upgrade system memory and primary storage device with Lexar Media products from start to finish," said Wes Brewer, vice president of products and technology, Lexar Media. "At Lexar Media, we have been committed to delivering high-performance products to professional photographers and videographers for more than 10 years and this demonstration shows how the full portfolio of Lexar and Crucial products can be used together for maximum end-to-end performance – at a level which is unmatched by any single supplier in the industry today."

The Lexar Media End-to-End Workflow System is a technology solution that addresses four major concerns for professional photographers, including device functionality and management, data management, product quality and support, and photography education programs. Lexar Media serves as a single source of quality-tested and professionally-supported memory products for photo and video professionals and enthusiasts. For more than a decade, the company has worked closely with the global photography market to produce high-performance product innovations that cater to committed photographers, and ensure service innovation by working with key retail and distribution partners all over the world.

Additional background on the batch
processing efficiency demonstration/test:

• The control and test machines were Apple MacBook Pro systems, each with an Intel Core i5 processor running Adobe Photoshop CS5 software on Apple Snow Leopard operating system software. The control machine had 4GB of DRAM and a 500GB hard disk. The test machine had 8GB of Crucial DRAM and a 256GB Crucial RealSSD C300 drive.
• A comprehensive list of 12 distinct action steps in Photoshop CS5 was applied to nine 28MB images, processing them consecutively as a batch.
• Using the control machine, the nine images completed transfer and post-processing in 11 minutes 33 seconds, or 77 seconds per file.
• Using the test machine, the same nine images were transferred and processed in just 4 minutes 22 seconds, or 29 seconds per file, which equaled a performance enhancement of 165%.
• The estimated 80 minute time saving is calculated by multiplying the time saved per file by a factor of 100 in the Lexar Media testing scenario.