After the recent release of its tiny SD card variation, Lexar has finally given photographers a break with new superfast CF cards.

The latest addition to its Professional UDMA or Ultra Direct Memory Access range, they offer faster download speeds to the computer.

They're also designed for use in memory-hungry digital backs and for SLR cameras "expected to be announced later this year", although we're not sure what this alludes to - perhaps a new 22MP DSLR from Canon.

The cards are speed-rated at 300x, capable of a minimum sustained write speed of 45MB per second, and are available in capacities of 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB.

They'll be bundled with Corel Paint Shop Pro X, Lexar Image Rescue 3, and backup software, and will be on the shelves in April.

In addition, Lexar has released two new card readers, one a FireWire 800 version of its stackable card reader.

The other is a dual-slot reader for UDMA CF cards and SDHC cards, whch will be available for $50; the FireWire card reader will be available for $80.