CF cards, one large one or multiple smaller ones

[samckitt]

I hve been looking at buying a 1 gig card here lately, but then I got to thinking, if something goes wrong with the card then I loose 400+ pictures. But if I buy 4 256 cards or 2 512 cards, then I loose less if something goes wrong with one of them. What are your thoughts & has anyone had a problem with a CF card?

Thanks,
Scot

[tommykjensen]

I have 2 x 256 MB, 1 x 512 MB and just recently bought a 2 GB Hitachi microdrive. No problems whatso ever so far. And currently the 2 GB is my main card in the camera.

[G3]

I use four 512mb cards for that very reason.

[Olegis]

I'm using two 256 cards with my old and trusty 20GB Xdrive, perfectly happy with this setup.

[CoolToolGuy]

My main cards are 512mb, and I have a FlashTrax to allow me to clean one off when it gets full. I like having an extra one to go to in case the one I am using fills up or goes bad.

[cecilc]

I have a 128, a 256, a 512, and a 1 gig.

I use them all and I've never had a problem with even one of them.

[G3]

I have a 128, a 256, a 512, and a 1 gig.

I use them all and I've never had a problem with even one of them.


So far, I haven't had one fail either. I definitely happens though, and I am not willing to risk a whole shoot like a series of reception shots on a card. If I lose half a shoot, I may be able to salvage the event. If I loose the whole thing, I'm toast. What I do is shoot until a 512 is full...about 70 shots or so shooting RAW. Then I offload those to my laptop, which I carry on location with me. If everything is OK, I put that CF card in the CF card case upside-down so I know it's full, grab a fresh one and keep shooting. If I had a problem with one of the cards, at least I know it while I'm still on location and may be able to go and re-do some of the shots. I don't format the CF cards until I have made CD backups of all of the RAW files from my laptop.

[BearSummer]

Thanks Samckitt,

thanks for making me think, it wasn't till I read your post carefully (theres the risk of skimming it) that I noticed you were getting 400 pics to a Gig. In this case I would suggest that you get several smaller cards depending on where your pain threshold is regarding lost images. Or consider getting the 1dMk2 as it has the double card capability, mmmm almost worth having just for that. I currently shoot with 3x 1Gb cf cards and 4x 1Gb microdrives, use the cf cards first and place them label side down in the card carrier. easy to tell what you have used without having to make sure which way up the card wallet is. I get between 75-80 images per card, shooting raw, fallback solution is to have my wife shooting using the same range of equipment so that even if a card dies on me and I lose 70+ images theres a good chance that she got them. So far have not had a card fail (touch wood), tho I do baby them and the microdrives.

Hope that helps

Best regards

BearSummer

[JoeTampa]

I have a 2G Sandisk Ultra II and two 1G Microdrives. I have had no problem with any of them, and don't worry about losing images due to failure, especially in the CF world, which has no moving parts.

I have had experience with flash memory for almost 10 years now and can tell you that failures are very few, very far between, and usually were with older types of flash memory that is no longer made (i.e. model-specific failures). I have yet to hear of a CF in normal use failing.

Personally, I prefer capacity for those reasons. I want to concentrate on shooting without having the shutter freeze on me and a message saying "CF FULL". But then, I shoot mostly fashion/glamour/swimsuit, where quantity sometimes equals quality (with various facial expressions - trying to get the *right one*). So I have needs bigger than, say, a landscape shooter.

Bottom line, folks, use what works for you. My needs aren't your needs, most likely, so you shouldn't neccessarily adopt my workflow.

BTW, if I am in a situation where the images MUST be safeguarded (wedding, etc) then I will dump to the laptop periodically, and will back that up to the main system as soon as practical, once I get home or once I get to a high-speed internet connection. I *HAVE* had pictures get hosed on a hard disk.



- Joe

[PetPhotoGuy]

Morning! I thought I would echo the response provided by Joe. During a formal shoot, I always like to have my laptop closeby and will rotate cards through (backing up) just in case. Having several 512 Lexar cards certainly helps with the arrangement, but I still need to be aware of how close I am to full. There is nothing more embarrasing than to set up that perfect shot, and then realize you previously filled your card. Eventually, I would like to add a couple of 1 gig cards just for the freedom that they provide for uninterrupted shooting. There's always something more to buy, eh?

[scorp888]

I went through this dilemma a couple of months back, and went with 4 x 512.

Enough to shoot a burst on, but enough to switch over quickly if needed.

If you want to shoot a heck of a lot, you can have someone offloading them into an x-drive whilst you're shooting, and then quickly format when you slot the used card back in.

It also gives you a bit more flexibility to shoot 4 subjects in one day, one on each card, so 1 per client, or the like.

[dennykyser]

As said many times buy the sweet spot, meaning what is the most bang for the buck. I believe right now its 512. I keep telling myself that changing a CF card is much easier than changing film so that does not bother me.

Also those smaller cards have other uses for me, taking images to get prints made from local one hour photo places. not about to hand over a 1 gig card to a place like that. So the smaller cards still have uses.

[belmondo]

There was a time when I argued in favor of using smaller CF cards. The rationale was based on putting all one's eggs in one basket, or something. In truth, I just couldn't justify the cost per megabyte of the 512mb and larger cards.

Two things have recently caused me to change my opinion: lower prices on high capacity cards, and the speed with with a 256mb card fills up when shooting RAW, especially with the Mk II @8.5fps!

I'm now only interested in buying 1-gig or larger cards, and I'm always sniffing around for 'deals' on them.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Like many.. I like multiple cards.. well two at least. A matched pair is best but not neccesary.

I like a pair not for "loss of data" concernes.. but so that I can allways keep shooting.

I use a portable storage deivce when I am doing a lot of shooting.. (An X-drive)

with two cards.. when one fills up.. it goes into the X-drive or laptop for downlaod and I keep shooting with the second card.

For the 10D/Rebel I recomend 512mb card size as a bare minimum. So if you want a gig of storage a pair of 512s... for two gigs use a pair of 1gigs.. etc...

[Vegas Poboy]

I'm antoher one who carries multiple cards, I carry them in the lowepro belt wallet & it works pretty well for what I do.

1-256 Simple Tech
1-256 Lexar x4
1-512 Lexar x12
1-1gb Lexar x40

So far this combo has carried me through most of my shoots the only time I ran low on space is when i was shooting Muay Thai fights (the promoter had 14 bouts) I had to set the cam @ Medium/jpeg to have more room.

I just recently heard that there is going to be a price war on CF cards when it happens I'll most likely pick up two more 512's & 1gb. Right now I just don't like loading up more than a 1gb card.

[NILOLIGIST]

I also have many cards, I would prefer to carry fewer. I am now purchasing the 2 gig cards, Utlra's from Scandisk.

It all depends on what you shoot. If you hired to shoot for someone, do you have time to keep changing cards.

Do you shoot RAW at all. If you ever decide to change and start shooting RAW, you will need a lot of cards.

Good luck!!

NiL,

[dennykyser]

I also use my CF Cards instead of CD's, Floppys, or Zips. Is just so easy to copy to these and carry to work. No CD Burner on work pc. I have only been using 128 / 256 cards so far mainly because in my area all that has been available withoug ordering on line. I am about to get eigher a couple 512 (Extremes or Ultras) or 1 gig of the same. Only reason I may consider the gig is that B&H is out of the 512 Ultras.

[Sketcher]

W/a 10D I consider 512MB cards to be the minimal CF card size for reasonable in-camera workflow mainly shooting Large JPG; occasionally RAW. Now if I were toting a MKII around, I'm certain I'd favor the 1GB cards as a minimal requirement.

As it is, I run four 512MB CF's. I err on duplicity rather than singularity when safeguarding my images. That is I prefer two 512MB's over one 1GB, two 1GB's over one 2GB etc. sidestepping the 'all eggs in one basket' scenario. Though, there's a point where multiple CF's in itself is cumbersome; a two to one ratio for redundancy is sufficient IMO.

Swapping CF's is no big deal, but when it hampers your in-camera workflow it's time to upgrade CF's.

-my .02kb

[Jim_T]

I remember just a few years back...

Many people wouldn't use one of "them there huge 128 Meg cards".. (They were over $100 US when they were first introduced). People weren't comfortable putting all their eggs in one basket. Using two 64 Meg cards or four 32 Meg cards was considered much safer by many....

I wonder if the same people today would be using sixteen 64 Meg cards instead of a one 1 Gig card ?? :)

[CyberDyneSystems]

lol,.. good point :)


I'm ready to make the jump to 2Gig cards as well with the MkII ...

It eats a lot of storage shooting RAW files!!! :shock:

Of course.. with it's on board double cards... you can use that for either redundantcy OR more storage. :)

[dennykyser]

How about even further back when we were using those old 36 exp film canisters, or more if you "rolled your own".

I can see both sides to this, although I like multiples, I have wondered how sick I would be in a busy situation, I lost a card, then I would say, should have had 1 card.. on the other hand loosing a 256mb card would feel better than loosing a 1 gig card. We could go on forever and if I had purchased the first gig card that came out would be sick right now... with the prices dropping. Thats why I go with the idea of buying the best bang for the buck. If 2 512's are as cheap o cheaper as 1 gig of same quality media, thats how I am going.

[G3]

I'm with you on this one, Denny. I find that I can average 70 RAW images on a CF card (I shoot almost exclusively RAW). So far, changing cards has not been an issue. It's quick and easy and if you watch the top display, you'll know when it's close to time to change.

I don't shoot exclusively digital at weddings, anyway...mostly just some of the preparation shots and reception shots. I shoot the portraits on Medium Format film and I shoot some 35mm film during the ceremony. When I am shooting digital, if I fill a card, my assistant will go ahead and dump it to the laptop and put the card in the holder upside down. Meanwhile, I've gone back to shooting on a fresh CF card. So far no issues with missing shots or anything like that. If my digital camera fails, I can always back it up with 35mm film. IF I lost a gig's worth of shots on digital because of a failed card, I would have a serious problem on my hands. If I lost 512 mb, and know about it soon enough, I might be able to salvage the event.

But, you know....with film, you don't know for sure until it's processed....


I wouldn't have an issue with a non-critical event, or an event that can be redone using bigger CF cards, but I already have the 512mb cards...I don't see any need to rush out and buy bigger ones. The four 512's I have are getting the job done.

[samckitt]

OK Now answer me this.... Is there a noticable difference between the basic Sandisk card compared to the Ultra or Extreme card? If so, is it in the camera or when copying files from the card to a PC? I have been using a USB card reader & ever with a 256 meg card it seems slow to copy to the hard drive. The computer is a 2.2 Ghz with plenty of hard drive space & RAM. I guess my question really is.... Is the 2X price factory for the Ultra worth the difference?

Thanks,
Scot

[G3]

It depends on what camera you are using. I know for sure the 10D and the Drebel do not use the extra speed of the faster cards. I think the 1d MkII might. Where you would notice it in-camera would be after shooting a burst and waiting for the buffer to write to the card. So I would say that if you are using a 10D or a Drebel, don't waste your money on the fast cards. You may notice some speed increase in offloading the images from the card to the PC, but I don't think it's worth the extra money.

[dennykyser]

Scot, I too want to know the answer to this. I have been spening my $ on lenses and waiting on CF cards to come down so am now only using 4X speed cards in 128 / 256. I am guessing that going to 512 ultras should increase speed for me, will know this week.

[dennykyser]

Here is a link that claims the 10D and DRebel do gain some by using faster cards. I have yet to compare so cant tell you for sure.

http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=6007-6111

[NILOLIGIST]

2 gig cards and a lot of "chimping", it is the only way for me now. Chimp, chimp, chimp....

I got a decent amount of photos with the 2gig and I didn't use all of the space. I think I got over a 100.

NiL,