Topic: CF for digital SLR

[MattD]

I'm getting ready to buy a digital SLR and was wondering where I should look to buy a CF card - should I just get it from wherever I get the camera?

How about brands? I'm thinking either a 512 MB or 1 GB card should be fine.

[jpschust]

if you are buying one of the higher end digi SLR's I'd see if you can wheel and deal with whomever you are buying it from.  A lot of smaller shops, or even B and H will be happy to give at least a  small discount if you buy extras from them

[tooldvn]

A lot of people are buying the Creative MuVo's and ripping them apart to get the 4gb CF contained within, check this out:

http://bensbargains.net/txt/hitachi4gb.html

Its a LOT less expensive than buying the CF by itself.

-dvn

[MattD]

I thought that Microdrives and CF weren't the same thing - CF is way faster, was my understanding. If the refresh time between pics wouldn't be significant, I might consider it ...

[John Kelly]

CF is solid state while the microdrive is really a tiny hard drive.  The microdrives are more power hungry and are slower, but not by a large amount.  I'd be more worried about the added drain on the battery than anything else...

[tooldvn]

Just a little more power hungry, but not really anything to get worried over.  If you have the aftermarket LION batt, you'll have no problems...

[AT853rxwh]

You do have to worry about speed tho.  CF is MUCH faster.  Check out Steve's digicam website for speed listings...  If you plan on taking a lot of fast action type of stuff, CF is the only way to go.

[tooldvn]

True, but thats where you gotta weigh the cost vs speed.

4gb microdrive cf taken from MuVo = ~175-200
4gb compact flash from Lexar = ~1 grand

the extra speed worth the extra 800?  

[AT853rxwh]

True, but thats where you gotta weigh the cost vs speed.

4gb microdrive cf taken from MuVo = ~175-200
4gb compact flash from Lexar = ~1 grand

the extra speed worth the extra 800?  

It isnt cost effective when comparing same size... The md is going to win.  But, if you have fast action shots, md is not the way.... check www.dpreview.com

[tooldvn]

It isnt cost effective when comparing same size... The md is going to win.  But, if you have fast action shots, md is not the way.... check www.dpreview.com

Oh I completely agree with you there, but if your line of work doesn't require the fast action shots, then you'll wanna pocket that extra change and buy more cool shit

[drumminj]

It's not just speed while writing from the camera, but also transferring back to the computer.  How much is your time worth?

Not all cameras can take advantage of Write Acceleration (Canon 10D, for instance)...so don't over-buy if you don't need to.  Then again, the camera might not write faster, but your CF reader can probably read faster off these cards.

I know I'm late to the party, but Sandisk Ultra, Transcend, and Lexar seem to be pretty well respected for dSLRs.

j

[blu666z]

How would the microdrive affect recording say with the Marantz deck that is available?  I have thought about getting one but several hundred for just a 1 gig CF is TOO much.

-Kevin

[tooldvn]

How would the microdrive affect recording say with the Marantz deck that is available?  I have thought about getting one but several hundred for just a 1 gig CF is TOO much.

-Kevin

That's interesting, be cool to test, with a sustained data rate of 4-7mb/sec I  think it could... its a little over 8mb/min for .wav so shouldn't have any trouble writing -  Here are the complete detailed specs:

Detailed Specifications:

Areal density 56.5 Gbits/inch²
Recording density 628 KBPI
Track density 90 KTPI
Data buffer 128 KB
Rotational speed 3600 rpm
Latency average 8.33 ms
Media transfer rate 57.1 - 97.9 Mbit/sec (max)
Interface transfer rate 33 MB/sec (max)
Sustained data rate 4.3 - 7.2 MB/sec
Seek time • Average: 12 ms
• Track to track: 1 ms
• Full track: 22 ms
Reliability • Error rate: <1 per 1.0 E 13 bits transferred
• Start/stops (at 40 °C): 300 K
Power (3.3 V supply) • Requirement: +3.3 VDC, +/- 5%
• Current (write): 305 mA
• Current (standby): 16 mA
• Power consumption efficiency: 0.055 watts/GB at idle
Power (5 V supply) • Requirement: +5 VDC, +/- 5%
• Current (write): 314 mA
• Current (standby): 18 mA
• Power consumption efficiency: 0.090 watts/GB at idle
Dimensions 42.8 x 36.4 x 5 mm (1.7 x 1.4 x 0.2 in)
Weight 16 g (0.6 oz)
Environment (operating) • Ambient temperature: 0 to 70 °C (70 °C top cover temperature)
• Relative humidity (non-condensing): 8 to 90%
• Max. wet bulb (non-condensing): 29.4 °C
• Shock (half sine wave): 200 G / 2 ms
• Random vibration (RMS): 0.67 G (5 - 500 Hz)
• Vibration (swept sine): 1.0 G (0 - Peak)
Environment (non-operating) • Ambient temperature: -40 to 70 °C
• Relative humidity (non-condensing): 5 to 95%
• Max. wet bulb (non-condensing): 40 °C
• Shock (half sine wave): 2000 G / 1 ms
• Random vibration (RMS): 3.01 G (5 - 500 Hz)
• Vibration (swept sine): 5.0 G (0 - Peak)

[jpschust]

Matt, you know this now, as do I, with digital write speed is everything.  For those looking on to this thread San disk Ultra II is the way to go, not so much with micro drives.

[ditto]

I use the 1GB Sandisk Ultra II cards.  I shoot alot of sports in continuous mode.  A faster card is what I need, but if you're just taking single shots, a slower card will do. I have a friend who uses the regular 1GB Sandisk card and she's never complained about the speed of the card. 

FWIW, it takes about 10 minutes to offload 400 images from a 1GB Sandisk Ultra II card to my laptop via a CF>PCMCIA adapter.

Bill

[jpschust]

Bill,

With what camera are you shooting?  The issue with the Ultra II in the 10D and the 20D has less to do with the speed of an Ultra II card and more to do with the buffer size.  The way I tend to get around it is I shoot and take a little longer pauses between bursts, but I realize for sports that may not be feasible.

Also, I find that using a USB 2.0 cardreader I can get 1 gig done way faster than 10 minutes when shooting RAW only.

[ditto]

Jonny,
I was shooting with the Nikon D70 until this last week.  I don't know the specs on the buffer, but I never had a problem.  When I first started with the D70 I would fire off 10-20 shots?  Many were redundant.  I was having fun shooting in continuous mode knowing I didn't have to pay for the development of 400 images--my main reason fo selling thee F100 and going digital.  Lately, I've been shooting shorter burst as you mentioned you do.  I'm getting better at anticipating what's going to happen next and fire. 

I should have the 20D and 70-200mm f/2.8L USM Monday.  Shooting a game Tuesday night.  I changed my mine about the 85mm 1.8 for now, as I was hunting for a 35mm 1.4L.  While I'm waiting for that lens to become available I'm buying the 24-70mm 2.8L USM.  Should arrive Tuesday.  Can't wait to shoot with the new gear.

Bill

[jpschust]

Well the question is how fast you are firing the shots- in RAW on the 20d if you just hold the shutter in multishot you will fill the buffer at 12-13 shots or so.  Then you just wait a second or two, it clears and go back to shooting.  I just give a second or so between shots to allow for the buffer to continuously empty.  I dont need to fire shots every second, and frankly its rare that even in sports one needs to.

[ditto]

Looks like I found a 35mm 1.4L.  I've been following a couple of threads in the B+S section of FM.com.  Someone finally offered one up and I bit.  Should see it by Friday. 

Shooting in continuous mode sure has it's advantages--while eating up the cards.  I don't think I'll suffer too much from a relatively slow buffer since I'm getting better at timing the peak moment.  the 20D has a slow buffer?

Bill

[jpschust]

not as fast as a 1dmk2, however at times i wish it were faster.  overall, im ok with it though.  you can shoot sports no problem with it.

a good resource for the setup of your 20d: www.siphoto.com

[ditto]

Does anyone know of a better price for this card ?

Sandisk 1 GB Ultra II CF : $ 85 shipped
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80420

Is this the one everyone is talking about ?

Great price shipped two day.  I bought my first card from them and it cost $15.00 more. 

Bill

[ianstone]

bestbuy has a deal right now on sandisk CF cards

49.99 for 512mb + $10 mail in rebate = $39.99 cost

[ianstone]

bestbuy has a deal right now on sandisk CF cards

49.99 for 512mb + $10 mail in rebate = $39.99 cost

thanx ian, i'll have to see if they are the ultra II ones... (as i go to hunt for the flyer)

+T

tim

nope i think the deal was just for the regular ones

[dgale]

I bought some of the 512k UltraII CF cards at Costco recently - I don't remember exactly but they were somewhere around $50-$60 each...probably can find them a bit cheaper if you look around but there was no shipping or waiting.  I use a Canon Digital Reber EOS and I think each card holds about 140 photos at the highest resolution.  I realized there were bigger cards out there but this is plenty to me, as I have 4 or 5 of the cards in my camera bag and obviously they are easy to swap out when I fill one up.

[MattD]

I assume you mean 512 MB cards. 
If you shoot RAW + small jpg (via the hack), they'll hold about 70 RAW files.

I plan on getting 1GB cards from now on because I know I'll eventually upgrade the body and will want the space for the higher MP count.

[Startstop]

newegg.com usually has great prices on CF cards.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-171-051&depa=1   >>> 2gig Sandisk ultra II for $166

[Genghis Cougar Mellen Khan]

You do have to worry about speed tho.  CF is MUCH faster.  Check out Steve's digicam website for speed listings...  If you plan on taking a lot of fast action type of stuff, CF is the only way to go.

My Nikon's buffer is sufficient enough to shoot away using even 4x CF, the camera's buffer is something to take into consideration.