Dear Apple, We’ve been a big fan of yours for quite a few years now. All of us have owned or used Apple products at one time or another, but really, what’s the deal with these new MacBook Pros? Let’s cut to the chase with the most obvious issue - the SD card slot.

For the photography community, the SD card is still crucial. We know, we know, you dropped the 3. 5mm headphone jack for the iPhone 7 and people appear to have settled down about it, but there are alternatives to the headphone jack. Bluetooth headphones are becoming more and more commonplace, and the headphone dongle (annoying as it is) is a viable option.

Every single camera company still relies on the SD card as its primary storage solution. It’s ubiquitous.

The SD card slot is a different animal entirely. Every single camera company still relies on the SD card as its primary storage solution. It’s ubiquitous. And even though there are alternative methods of transferring your media off of your camera and onto your laptop, right now nothing comes close to replacing the utility of the SD card.

First, you could attempt to transfer files by Bluetooth or WiFi. Sure, that works if your camera is new enough to support those methods, but what if you’re transferring a batch of RAW files or 4K video? Let’s just hope you’re not working on a deadline.

Second, you can buy an external card reader. Ah, of course. Simple, right? I mean, card readers aren’t exactly bulky. It’s an extra thing to carry with you, but it’s no big deal. Until you forget it, or lose it, or it breaks. That’s not to mention that your card reader will need to be compatible with USB-C. That’s not a problem though. . . right?

Third, you can hook your camera directly up to your laptop, although again, you’ll need to make sure you have a USB-C connection. You should be able to read data directly from your camera then. Of course, with the variety of different cameras and various types of firmware, there’s no guarantee that both device are going to play nicely together. But even if they do, what happens when the battery dies on your camera after a day of shooting?

All of these methods are nice to have as backups, but most photographers use them as precisely that. The SD card and SD card reader are solid, dependable and universal. There’s a reason that the industry still operates on SD, and it isn’t for the sake of tradition.

How many headphone junkies do you know that don’t use traditional headphones anymore? Maybe a few, and perhaps that number will increase as the iPhone 7 gains ground, although that remains to be seen.

How many photographers and videographers do you know that don’t use SD cards? Our answer - none.

This isn’t a case of obsolete technology or a viable alternative making its way to the market. This is a case of a ‘Pro’ product not supporting the one standard that almost the entire professional industry relies heavily upon.

We still like you a lot, but we may need to look elsewhere for our next ‘Pro’ laptop.

2016-10-28 03:00