PGYTech Createmate Review

Having a cable and card reader built-in has been really handy on a number of shoots. Most recently I was at the Barbican Conservatory taking photos. I stopped for a break halfway through and was able to immediately transfer the photos to my phone and check them out. It has also come in really handy during studio days. At one point I thought my SD card was corrupted, so I switched to another one and used the Createmate to check my photos were ok and start backing them up. The screen on my Sony A6000 isn't the best for checking my photos, so it is really handy being able to quickly view them in detail. It’s also really quick too, boasting speeds of 312MB/s. An issue I have had with other USB readers is my tablet failing to register when it's plugged in, but so far it has picked up the PGYTech Createmate everytime without fail.

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The Createmate has revolutionised my photography. Making it quick and easy to swap memory cards and check photos mid-shoot. I get asked about it every shoot and I can say it’s my favourite photography accessory. If you’d like to buy one for yourself, you can check out the link below to Amazon.

Createmate: Our Verdict

Pros

  • Built-in USB C transfer cable
  • Lots of storage
  • Rubberised case provides extra protection

Cons

  • May be expensive for beginner photographers

Technical Details

Main Materials

Aluminum-alloy, ABS, Silica gel


Dimensions

115 x 60 x 25mm


Weight

157g


Data Transfer Speeds

312MB/s


Available colours

Moss Green / Black

Createmate: The Review

I like to keep my memory cards organised and secure when travelling. You may know from my previous reviews I was using this SD card and battery case from K&F. However, because I’d bought that it meant I was getting adverts for similar products, and that’s how I came across the Createmate from PGYtech.

First Impressions

The Createmate is tiny and lightweight. It can hold more than enough SD cards for my trips, even if I went through an SD card a day. Everything is tucked in nicely and it looks like it’s going to be easy to use. It has a textured, rubberised coating which is great for grip and anti-shock in case it does fall. Having a small carabiner as well will come in handy for keeping it close by. 

Weight

I took it with me to a portfolio day to test along with my new lens and I used the carabiner to clip onto my belt loops and honestly forgot I was carrying it. At 157g it weighs next to nothing and it was handy not having to head back to my bag when I needed a new SD card. It is so light at times I even forgot it was there and nearly sat on it, but the tough exterior keeps everything safe.

Storage

PGYTech Createmate Travel Photography Gear Product Review SD Card Storage

There are two versions of the Createmate. One is designed for SD and Micro SD cards, whilst the other accommodates CFexpress Type B cards too. This is naturally a lot more expensive, I don’t use CFexpress cards so I just use the regular SD card version.

But both cases can hold more than enough cards for multiple days of storage. I recommend putting a Micro SD Card Adapter in one of the SD card slots. Meaning You can interchange between them depending on what camera card needs replacing. As standard though it can hold x4 SD Cards and x4 Micro SD, as well a couple of sim cards too.

Data Transfer

Having a cable and card reader built-in has been really handy on a number of photoshoots. Most recently I was at the Barbican Conservatory taking photos. I stopped for a break halfway through and was able to immediately transfer the photos to my phone and check them out.

It has also come in really handy during studio days. At one point I thought my SD card was corrupted, so I switched to another one and used the Createmate to check my photos were ok and start backing them up. The screen on my Sony A6000 isn’t the best for checking my photos, so it is really handy being able to quickly view them in detail. It’s also really quick too, boasting speeds of 312MB/s.

An issue I have had with other USB readers is my tablet failing to register when it’s plugged in, but so far it has picked up the PGYTech Createmate every time without fail.  

Createmate: Final Thoughts

The Createmate has become a go-to accessory for me when travelling now. Having a supply of spare SD cards ready to go makes sense as any photographer knows that things go wrong. Now if you are on a budget this may not be for you and you may prefer this one from KF Concept I reviewed earlier this year, and that one holds batteries too.

There are a lot of other SD card cases that are a lot cheaper, but none that I have seen have an integrated SD card reader. For myself, that alone is worth the extra cost. It’s one less cable to bring and also it helps keep me organised.

Brad Wheal

I'm Brad, and I started travelling in 2016 when I went on a charity hike in Peru. Since then I have discovered a passion for all things travel and photography, and now dedicate my time to finding hidden gems and the best travel gear.

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