In this review article, I want to share my experience with the professional memory card and storage company Angelbird Technologies. Have you never heard of them before? No worries this company might be the best-hidden secret on the market.
In December 2019/January 2020, I flew five times to Saudi Arabia to cover the biggest music festivals in the country. I was still shooting with my beloved Nikon D700, but I had the feeling that it’s time for an upgrade, especially when shooting such prestigious events for LiveNation.
I went to my trusted camera store in Vienna and bought the camera. Also, I needed a fast and correctly working memory card. I was using SanDisk for the last ten years, but the fact that two cards stopped working left some questions open if I should rebuy them.
The guy in the camera store suggested getting a memory card from a company called “Angelbird Technologies.” I have never heard of them, and chances are good you haven’t heard of them either.
I bought an SD 32GB card and was wondering if I made the right decision.
Once at home, I started a poll on Facebook asking members of our concert photography community which memory card they are using. See the results below.
It turned out that almost everyone uses SanDisk memory cards, followed by Lexar and Sony. This made me curious, and I started to do a little research about Angelbird Technologies.
Angelbird Technologies
Angelbird Technologies is a small company located in Dornbirn, Vorarlberg, Austria, and they are specialized in storage products for creative professionals. Even though their in-house production is local, their primary market is big video productions from Hollywood to Bollywood.
I liked their brand story and called them to get more information. I learned that they are a small team, but working hard on their mission "to deliver a highly customized experience that meets the rigorous demands of creative people everywhere."
I was fortunate enough to get some of their products to test for my concert photography work. Let me introduce you to the main tools that might be a good fit for you as a music photographer.
Memory Cards
Angelbird Memory cards are built for recording Full HD, 4K+, and RAW Video/Photo and fit perfectly for a concert photography environment. Today’s cameras require storage solutions that are fast, high-capacity, widely compatible, and extremely reliable. Angelbird memory cards meet those demanding criteria for extremes of temperatures, humidity, and shock.
I used two SD 64GB AV PRO MK2 V90 cards for my Saudi Arabia job. The desert sand, high temperatures, and camera gear shock during flying thousands of kilometers put these cards to test. As promised by the company, I had no issues and delivered my work without any technical problems.
SD 64GB AV PRO MK2 V90
Features
- 64 GB | 128 GB | 256 GB
- SDXC™ (*SDHC™) | UHS-II | U3 | Class 10 | V90
- X-Ray & Magnetic Proof
- Built-In Write-Protect Switch
- Read Speed up to 300 MB/s
Write Speed up to 280 MB/s - Records Full HD, 4K+ and RAW Video and Photo
- Shock, Dust, Water, Temperature Proof
- Stable Stream™
- Operation: -25 °C | 85 °C
Storage: -40 °C | 85 °C - Sticker-Free™
- 3-year limited warranty
Angelbird Technologies also offer a slights slower SD V60 version.
SD Dual Card Reader
The SD Dual Card reader lets you simultaneously transfer data from two SD cards at unrestricted speeds and is USB and Thunderbolt 3 compatible. The Solid Connect™ recessed port offers peace of mind that your connection won’t jiggle loose or prematurely wear out.
Angelbird’s SD Dual Card Reader is the only reader option with individual write-protect security ensuring your files won’t accidentally get deleted, or card gets reformatted.
It’s even possible to stack the SD Dual Card Reader with Angelbird CFexpress and CFast card readers. It’s ideal for compact, mobile production and offers the peace of mind that each reader operates independently, so no more multi-unit reader failures.
SD Dual Card Reader
Features
- Two Ports File Offloading at Unrestricted Speeds
- Shock & Temperature Proof
- Solid Connect™
- Mac | iPadOS | Windows | Linux | Android
- USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 10 Gb/s (USB & TB3 Compatible)
- ESD & Overload Protection
- Bus-Powered
- Write-Protect Switch per Card Port*
- Solid Stack™
- Custom Engraving
- 3-Year Limited Warranty
Portable SSD
Angelbirds Portable SSD hard drives fight impact, dust, splash water, high temperature, electrical shocks, x-rays, and magnetic fields and are rugged, reliable, and easy to take along.
When I was working in Saudi Arabia, the desert sand which crept into my camera was the most challenging issue. On a four-hour-long photo shooting for one of the most famous R'n'B artists, I used an Angelbird SSD2GO PKT MK2 to regularly back up my files. My Angelbird equipment worked perfectly, even in these harsh conditions.
I was also part of a creative team of videographers including my colleague Nathan. He is using the Angelbird SSD2GO PKT MK2 for a his most critical work and I want to share his experience with you.
The Angelbird SSD2GO has been the ultimate workhorse in my pocket for all my data storage needs for several months now. Its size certainly packs a punch with its 1TB configuration and undeniably rapid 1GB read and write speeds. It perfectly caters to my run and gun style for travel and event workflow and has yet to bottleneck under any pressure I have thrown at it. It’s a safe bet with its sturdy and rigid design and in parallel supporting USB-C 3.2 Gen allowing plenty of opportunity for the future ahead. I have yet to find a more well-equipped piece of kit for portable data management, and it will most definitely be plugged into my Mac for the many projects to come. Reliability and peace of mind is key when packing your gear bag, and choosing products such as the SSD2GO is a sure way to avoid time being taken away from your blood sweat and tear driven content creation!
SSD2GO PKT MK2
Features
- 512 GB | 1 TB | 2 TB
- USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 10 Gb/s (USB & TB3 Compatible)
- X-Ray & Magnetic Proof
- TRIM 2 GO™
- Read Speed up to 560 MB/s
Write Speed up to 530 MB/s - Solid Connect™
- ESD & Overload Protection
- Operation: -20 °C | 70 °C
Storage: -40 °C | 85 °C - Stable Stream™
- Shock, Dust, Splash Water,
Temperature Proof - Mac | iPadOS | Windows
Linux | Android - Free Engraving Option
- 3-Year Limited Warranty
Conclusion
Should you upgrade your gear to Angelbird?
WHERE OTHERS SPEND A LOT OF TIME ANALYZING MARKET POTENTIAL, TESTING CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE OR SHELF IMPACTS, WE JUST GET BUSY CREATING THE PRODUCTS YOU WANT. THAT MIGHT SEEM RISKY, BUT IT'S MORE FUN TO INNOVATE WITH FREEDOM. AND THE RESULTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
Angelbird Technologies
Here are my PROs
Quality: the quality is top-notch and not comparable to the cheap competitors. Their products feel as if they are made from one piece (like Apple Computers), making working with them a joy. I never thought boring storage solutions could be sexy.
Reliability: I tested the SD 64GB AV PRO MK2 V90 memory card, dual card reader, and the portable SSD2GO PKT MK2 in the most challenging situations during my photo shooting in Saudi Arabia. It didn't matter if high temperature, sand storms, or the airport X-ray security control challenged my gear, the Angelbird products worked as promised. My colleague Nathan (see his review above) is working in Dubai (up to 50°C), and he never had any issues with his Angelbird tools so far.
Speed: During my photo shooting in Saudi Arabia, I had to capture many fireworks that were going on during the shows. I could shoot in burst mode with my Nikon D750, and I could always capture these special moments without any delay in the writing process to the card.
Free professional Data Recovery Service: Angelbird provides a staff of professionals who will evaluate your issue and safely attempt a secure data-recovery in our lab. This service covers media that has encountered physical damage and/or software issues such as data or file corruption. Furthermore, Angelbird extends a non-disclosure agreement to their customers to ensure that their content's privacy and confidentiality are also protected.
Warranty: every product comes with a 3-year warranty when you register your product within 30 days after purchase
The big advantage of a small company such as Angelbird Technologies is that they can react to their clients' needs fast. I always compare the market-leading companies to big ships that need a lot of time to change their route and respond to customers.
Angelbird technologies is the David in this play, but I genuinely believe in them.
So, if you have the need for a reliable and fast storage solution (which you should have) and the budget for a premium product, I highly recommend investing in Angelbird Technologies.
You can order directly from Angelbird or buy at B&H Photo Video and other stores listed on their homepage.
Let me know in the comments below in which storage companies you trust and what you think about Angelbird Technologies.
You like this Review? Find my Review about the best earplugs for concert photography here.