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Author Topic: Stay away from Sandisk  (Read 18966 times)

dcburleson

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Stay away from Sandisk
« Reply #20 on: June 21, 2008, 11:14:20 pm »

Interestingly, I just bought some new Sandisk CF cards. The bundled package with firewire reader and 4gb Extreme IV card and a 2gb Extreme III. The Extreme III edging out the IV in my 1Ds Mark II.

The size of the card may of something to do with it as a 1gb Ultra II matched the Extreme IV.

The test was shooting 15 frames of black with each card then timing how long to clear the buffer.

                                                               
---------------------time to clear buffer-------download time via firewire 400
1gb Ultra II----------5 seconds----------------------24 seconds            
2gb Ultra II----------7.5 seconds--------------------16 seconds
2gb Extreme III-----4.5 seconds--------------------19 seconds
4gb Extreme IV-----5 seconds----------------------17 seconds

FYI, I have had the best results with Sandisk pro level cards in my Canon cameras over  the many years of shooting digital. Lexars, which I have tried 2-3 times over the years because they were a very good deal, have repeatedly failed for me in Canon's. I sold them off to a Nikon user who has no problem with them.

Cheers,

Duane
« Last Edit: June 21, 2008, 11:16:12 pm by dcburleson »
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geesbert

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« Reply #21 on: June 27, 2008, 06:06:11 am »

i have about 20 CF cards, 2/3 of them sandisk. i always bought their top line. i didn't have one single  sandisk card fail in the last 5 years, 3 or 4 other cards did.


one 2gb Extreme CF found its way into my washing machine at 60°C and then 90min tumble drier. still works flawlessly. if one of them should ever fail, i'll frame it and nail it to my studio wall.


these cards and my Pocketwizards are the only equipment that has never let me down.


Stefan
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dalethorn

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Stay away from Sandisk
« Reply #22 on: June 27, 2008, 08:10:39 am »

I just bought another SanDisk - a 16 gb SDHC card Extreme II - working flawlessly.  A few years ago I had some Lexar CF cards that worked in some devices and not others.  The problem turned out to be a low-level format.  I then reformatted some with Windows 98 for the older devices, and used Windows 2000 and XP for the newer devices.  I know what you're thinking - the CF card gets a FAT format either way.  That's true, but, the FAT format created by WinXP could not be read by certain old devices, whereas the Win95 format could.  I verified that countless times.
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The View

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« Reply #23 on: June 28, 2008, 01:03:23 am »

I have SanDisk Extreme III exclusively, and had no failure (knock, knock, knock).

But I heard from a sales man from one of the top photo houses in the US that Sandisk has put lower quality controllers into their cards.

Things seem to be floating around against Sandisk, and there's probably no photographer out there who doesn't realize that all his expensive equipment is useless, if his storage media fails.

So I wonder if those controllers are really of a worse quality now at Sandisk.
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The View

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« Reply #24 on: June 28, 2008, 01:07:09 am »

Quote
Gss:
Lexar: they have a direct line into a competent tech. much better
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=201486\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


I have heard that, too. But, you know, there are so many rumors going around.

I reformat my SD cards every time after use in camera. That's what I heard is a good method to keep the cards working. Like remapping the data surface freshly every time.
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kevs

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« Reply #25 on: June 28, 2008, 12:24:28 pm »

This is no rumor, I think both companies make fine cards, I'm saying that Sandisk customer service sucks compared to Lexar, so when you are up the creek and need a hand, I think it would be better to have Lexar cards
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The View

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Stay away from Sandisk
« Reply #26 on: June 28, 2008, 12:37:24 pm »

Quote
This is no rumor, I think both companies make fine cards, I'm saying that Sandisk customer service sucks compared to Lexar, so when you are up the creek and need a hand, I think it would be better to have Lexar cards
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=204193\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I was recommended to get Lexar CF cards (and even Kingston) over Sandisk.
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dseelig

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« Reply #27 on: June 28, 2008, 11:14:50 pm »

when you shop for the lowest price for something you very often give up customer service. I buy most of equipment form Roberts Imaging. As a result when I have something go wrong I make one phone call and Jody or Christy at Roberts take care of my troubles. Personally I have found Sandisk the most reliable cards out here Lexar transcend have both given me much more trouble.
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Mike Guilbault

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« Reply #28 on: July 02, 2008, 11:44:29 pm »

I've used Sandisk Ultras, Extreme III and IV's and not one has failed in almost 8 years.  I do reformat in-camera... maybe that helps.
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Mike Guilbault

The View

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« Reply #29 on: July 04, 2008, 12:34:04 pm »

Quote
I've used Sandisk Ultras, Extreme III and IV's and not one has failed in almost 8 years.  I do reformat in-camera... maybe that helps.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=205163\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Reformatting in camera is generally recommended.
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dalethorn

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Stay away from Sandisk
« Reply #30 on: July 04, 2008, 06:45:20 pm »

I "move" my files from card to computer.  This eliminates all problems and possible mistakes formatting with files still on the card.
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Mark D Segal

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Stay away from Sandisk
« Reply #31 on: July 04, 2008, 06:54:06 pm »

All my cards are Sandisk (from Extreme to Extreme III) and none of them have failed in the four years I've been using them. I always download the files from the card to computer using a Sandisk card-reader and reformat the cards in the camera.
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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Hokuto

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Stay away from Sandisk
« Reply #32 on: July 05, 2008, 01:20:05 pm »

Quote
I recently tried to get a rebate from Sandisk.

Yup, one's born every moment. Anybody who genuinely thinks rebate "deals" are aboveboard is waiting to be taken for a ride.

  Rebates are handled by third-party companies that have a vested interest in finding reasons not to give you your money. Sandisk is no different from Canon, Olympus, Nikon, etc., etc. in that regard, so if you make your buying decisions on the basis of getting money from a rebate, you won't buy much.    Yes, some people do get their money from rebates, but from everything I've read, they generally do plenty of work for it. Just google for rebate + scam.

--Oh, and I use Sandisk CF cards almost exclusively (I have a couple of old slow Lexars as backups); I've never had a problem with any of them. --but as others have said; for safety's sake you should always copy the files from the card to the computer, and never use the computer to format the CF card.
« Last Edit: July 05, 2008, 01:24:10 pm by Hokuto »
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kevs

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« Reply #33 on: July 08, 2008, 07:50:54 pm »

Is this werid? I finally got the replacement card, and it came unsealed, loose, just in the little cf plastic thing that you pop open. Is that strange or what?  thanks.

In other words it could be used for all I know.
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cherokee

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« Reply #34 on: July 09, 2008, 07:12:28 am »

It is obvious from the comments above that one can find good and bad units in all brands.
My personnal experience with Sandisk products has been all good, but who is to say that will not change tomorrow?
But the original statement was about bad customer service and that seems prevelent, today, in the entire electronics industry. As soon as they transfer customer service offshore, you can kiss it goodbye.
Get used to it guys.
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Just get out and shoot

Cherokee

Pete Ferling

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Stay away from Sandisk
« Reply #35 on: July 12, 2008, 08:17:46 pm »

I've used lexar (including their jump drive reader), for my old 1Ds, and had some problems.  Never with the sandisk extremes, I've dropped a few, had one in the wash, etc.  They work for the price paid.  As they names says, they are extreme.
If one goes bad, it's hardly worth the effort or my time to argue with customer service, and just drop into best buy and get another.
« Last Edit: July 12, 2008, 08:29:10 pm by Pete Ferling »
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Brad Proctor

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« Reply #36 on: July 13, 2008, 12:59:01 am »

Quote
But neither do I understand why anyone would still buy Sandisk when Transent is so much cheaper with large capacities and good quality as well.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=201306\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Agreed.  I buy Transcent CF cards also.  They are much cheaper and I've never had a failure with one.
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Brad Proctor

Misirlou

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Stay away from Sandisk
« Reply #37 on: July 13, 2008, 02:08:51 am »

Quote
I "move" my files from card to computer.  This eliminates all problems and possible mistakes formatting with files still on the card.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=205568\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I do the same thing. Haven't lost a single image from any Sandisk CF card in 4 years.

I have one of the Western Digital MyBook World 1 TB drives. Those can be set up to work as remote servers, as long as they're connected to the net. When I'm in the field, I turn off everything in my home network except the router and the WD drive. If I can find net access in my field location, I upload a copy of all the images (the ones I already moved from the CF to the laptop) to the WD drive, and burn another copy on DVD. Seems pretty safe so far.
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kevs

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« Reply #38 on: July 13, 2008, 12:58:12 pm »

Never heard of Transcent.

Guys, you keep talking about reliability of Sandisk. That's not the issue here. The cards are ok.

I'm talking about the atrocious customer service if a card goes bad.

BTW, is it strange they send me an opened replacement?
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Cartman

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« Reply #39 on: July 14, 2008, 08:32:12 pm »

Sandisk Ultra and Extreme user here.  Never a need to call tech support.  I like them not only for reliability but because they are fast.  Maybe there are others that are as quick these days but I'll probably stick with them until they give cause not to.

I'm suspicious of anyone who claims company "X" has tech support such that one of the first few people you speak to has any ability, or inclination, to help you if your problem goes off the trouble shooting flow chart they are working from.
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