Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Digital Cameras & Shooting Techniques => Topic started by: Mark F on March 17, 2009, 12:42:12 pm

Title: Memory cards
Post by: Mark F on March 17, 2009, 12:42:12 pm

At one time many people thought it safer to stick with 4g cards rather than 8g cards so in case of card failure a smaller number of shots would be lost.   I need to buy another 16g and two cards is easier to deal with than 4 cards.  I haven't heard of many 8g cards failing and wonder what others' experience is? I've been using Delkin UDMA CF and have never had a problem.

Also, any long term experience with the 8g SDHC cards?

Thanks.

Title: Memory cards
Post by: dalethorn on March 17, 2009, 11:19:52 pm

Quote from: Mark F

At one time many people thought it safer to stick with 4g cards rather than 8g cards so in case of card failure a smaller number of shots would be lost.   I need to buy another 16g and two cards is easier to deal with than 4 cards.  I haven't heard of many 8g cards failing and wonder what others' experience is? I've been using Delkin UDMA CF and have never had a problem.
Also, any long term experience with the 8g SDHC cards?
Thanks.

I've been using a 32 gb SDHC Sandisk II card for awhile, and a 16 gb same brand and type for 6 to 8 months - no problems. I do *not* remove them from the cameras, ever. OTOH, I always remove the CF cards from the cameras, since they're safe to handle, being completely enclosed.

Title: Memory cards
Post by: dwdallam on March 18, 2009, 03:52:40 am

I had an 8GB Transcend SDHC go bad, but they have a lifetime warranty. They sent out a brand new one. I also had a Ridata 4GB SDHC go bad. Lifetime warranty and got a new one. I have several SanDisk and Transcend 4, 8, 16GB CF cards have had no problem with them. The SDHC cards were NOT used in my camera and could have been roasted by other means. One simple fell apart (the casing).

If you have a 1DSMKII or other camera that allows two cards, you can have it copy to each card the same file, and then use larger cards for the same safety.

I do have a question for you: Can you tell a difference in write speeds using a UDMA CF opposed to a non UDMA?

Title: Memory cards
Post by: Mark F on March 18, 2009, 09:53:05 pm

I use a 1Ds3 that has two slots, but have never used the SDHC slot.  I do not even know if they switch automatically from one to the other when the first is full   , but I doubt it.  Something to think about though. I recently read an article where the photographer used two cards, recording the RAW image on one card and a B&W jpeg on the second. Didn't know you could do that either.

Although I have never done tests it seems to me that the transfer time when uploading images from 8g UDMA CF cards using the Delkin UDMA card reader is less  as compared to non UDMA cards. Hard to do a real world test since the non UDMA cards are all 4g and my sole 8g card is UDMA, different images on the cards, etc. But I am sure that the transfer time per image is less.  I bought my wife a G9 and she uses non-UDMA SDHC cards and the uploading time is clearly longer.  On the shooting side I do not often shoot in bursts so rarely fill the buffer so I do not know if there is a real difference there.

Quote from: dwdallam

If you have a 1DSMKII or other camera that allows two cards, you can have it copy to each card the same file, and then use larger cards for the same safety.

I do have a question for you: Can you tell a difference in write speeds using a UDMA CF opposed to a non UDMA?

Title: Memory cards
Post by: dwdallam on March 19, 2009, 03:47:18 am

Quote from: Mark F

I do not even know if they switch automatically from one to the other when the first is full   , but I doubt it.

Of course it does. It's a setting to "auto switch media." You can write an image to both card simultaneously or write one RAW and the other jpog or whatever you want.

Good luck!

Title: Memory cards
Post by: james_elliot on March 20, 2009, 04:46:03 pm

Rob Galbraith has lot of comparisons on his website, for different cameras and different cards:
http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/camera_mu...p?cid=6007-9784 (http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/camera_multi_page.asp?cid=6007-9784)

Quote from: dwdallam

I do have a question for you: Can you tell a difference in write speeds using a UDMA CF opposed to a non UDMA?

Title: Memory cards
Post by: ndevlin on March 20, 2009, 04:48:57 pm

Large cards have been reliable for me. I use Transcend exclusively, for no reason other than they're not Sandisk and I like them. 300x UDMAs are slightly faster with the latest generation of cameras and readers. With up to 5x24MBs a second, every little bit counts.

- N.

Title: Memory cards
Post by: Mark F on March 20, 2009, 05:11:44 pm

Interesting. Thanks.   Speeds are all over the place.

I also think the card reader and whether USB or Firewire is used also has an effect.
 

Quote from: james_elliot

Rob Galbraith has lot of comparisons on his website, for different cameras and different cards:
http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/camera_mu...p?cid=6007-9784 (http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/camera_multi_page.asp?cid=6007-9784)

Title: Memory cards
Post by: Mark F on March 20, 2009, 05:14:52 pm

Thanks. Since there hasn't been a flood of people writing about failed 8g (or larger) cards, I guess that these cards are safe enough.  But I'm curious why you won't use Sandisk.

Quote from: ndevlin

Large cards have been reliable for me. I use Transcend exclusively, for no reason other than they're not Sandisk and I like them. 300x UDMAs are slightly faster with the latest generation of cameras and readers. With up to 5x24MBs a second, every little bit counts.

- N.

Title: Memory cards
Post by: dalethorn on March 20, 2009, 05:16:31 pm

There's another topic on LL named SSD's, about the large flash devices people are using as laptop boot drives. If you have time to read most of it, you will discover how performance can change on a card, even in a relatively short time. I've experienced that with a lot of flash cards.

Title: Memory cards
Post by: Mark F on March 20, 2009, 08:38:16 pm

I did a search for SSD and SSD's but no hits. Is it on this forum and do you remember about how long ago?

Quote from: dalethorn

There's another topic on LL named SSD's, about the large flash devices people are using as laptop boot drives. If you have time to read most of it, you will discover how performance can change on a card, even in a relatively short time. I've experienced that with a lot of flash cards.

Title: Memory cards
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on March 20, 2009, 09:53:57 pm

Quote from: Mark F

I did a search for SSD and SSD's but no hits. Is it on this forum and do you remember about how long ago?

Here is a recent thread: SSD drives. (http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=33075)

Title: Memory cards
Post by: james_elliot on March 21, 2009, 06:50:12 am

Some tests (http://www.photo-lovers.org/fcards.html.en) are available on my own site regarding writing and reading speed.

Quote from: Mark F

Interesting. Thanks.   Speeds are all over the place.

I also think the card reader and whether USB or Firewire is used also has an effect.

Title: Memory cards
Post by: Mark F on March 22, 2009, 03:01:14 pm

Thanks again, to all.

Title: Memory cards
Post by: ndevlin on March 23, 2009, 02:51:20 pm

Quote from: Mark F

Thanks. Since there hasn't been a flood of people writing about failed 8g (or larger) cards, I guess that these cards are safe enough.  But I'm curious why you won't use Sandisk.

Nothing personal against Sandisk. I just like to swim against the tide. Plus Transcends are a lot cheaper and much prettier!