Which CF card is best?

[JesseK]

I thought I had already asked this before but I did a search and could not find it. So if I did already ask this please forgive me.
I would like to know which kind of memory card would be better for the Canon 40D? There is the Sandisk Ultra, and the Sandisk Extreme III and IV. I have no idea what all of those numbers mean, so could someone tell me which one is the best one to buy? I would like to go ahead and purchase them before my camera gets here so that I will be able to play around with it when I get it. It would be a sad thing to have a camera with no CF card. So what do you all recommend?

Jesse

[Colorblinded]

In terms of how expensive the card is and how fast it can transfer it goes like this:

Extreme IV > Extreme III > Ultra II

I do not know whether the 40D can really take advantage of the faster write speeds but if your computer (and importantly your card reader) are fast enough you can offload to your computer much more quickly. I get speeds in the 30-40MB range using my Extreme IV card reader with an Extreme IV card.

[JesseK]

So speed seems to be the determining factor. I do not think my computer will have a hard time reading the fast cards. And I am going to get a new card reader anyway. My last one sort of came apart because I used it so much. So this time I will buy one that can handle the speed and will not come apart.

Jesse

[Colorblinded]

I really recommend the Sandisk Extreme IV card reader & card bundle. I don't know if you had the rebates there in Australia but Sandisk has been and is still running rebates on many of their cards and the Extreme IV card & reader bundle.

You should get great performance from it without Firewire 800 since 40MB/s isn't pushing Firewire 400 to its limit anyway.

[Mystwalker]

Depends on what/how you are shooting.

Extreme IV and IIIs will allow you to shoot "faster". BUT at a huge increase in price.

I hardly ever (never) find myself in situation where my camera buffer is full so I'm good with cheaper Ultra IIs or some other brand (Kingston, Transcend, etc ...)

In terms of reliability, I've had one Transcend go bad - no problems with Kingston, ATP, or SanDisk.

[jr_senator]

Myself? I don't feel or have the need for speed, I never wait on the camera's buffer. And if it takes 5 minutes to download instead of 3, that's fine too. I have a number of CF and SD cards and at least 5 different brands including A-Data. Some members would not take this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211170) deal but I did, and again, I'm not in that big a hurry. I only had a problem with one card in several years and using them in 5 different cameras, a Sandisk, go figure.

[yabbie]

Transcend 266x (not the cheapo 133x), which replaces their durable 120x is also a great option. I think the write speed is 40mb/s which is faster than the Sandisk Extreme III, being 30mb/s.
I just purchased one of these, and have been using Transcend 1G 80x and 2&8G 120x for the last two years with no probs.

[JasonSTL739]

Depends on what/how you are shooting.

Extreme IV and IIIs will allow you to shoot "faster". BUT at a huge increase in price.

I hardly ever (never) find myself in situation where my camera buffer is full so I'm good with cheaper Ultra IIs or some other brand (Kingston, Transcend, etc ...)

In terms of reliability, I've had one Transcend go bad - no problems with Kingston, ATP, or SanDisk.

In terms of how expensive the card is and how fast it can transfer it goes like this:

Extreme IV > Extreme III > Ultra II

I do not know whether the 40D can really take advantage of the faster write speeds but if your computer (and importantly your card reader) are fast enough you can offload to your computer much more quickly. I get speeds in the 30-40MB range using my Extreme IV card reader with an Extreme IV card.

In the 40D, there isn't much different in the camera once you're using an Extreme III or higher. I definitely wouldn't bother with the IV's. The newer Extreme III 30MB/second cards are plenty fast in and out of the camera. The IV's are faster with the computer. Max of the 40D write speed is like 11MB/second.

No camera will full take advantage of the new version of the III or the IV in the camera, including the 1Ds3. It is all about write speed in the computer for the faster cards.

The older Extreme III is slower, as is the II and under. Don't get these.

There are HUGE rebates on the new III's and IV right now. Hit B&H's site, save 20-50%.

To zero in on what you should get... go purchase an Extreme III 4GB or 8GB card. They are the best value right now with the rebates and original pricing for what you get in performance. The IV's are NOT worth the extra money wit hthe newer III's that are out now.

[Mattr!x]

hello,
Just wondering what's the maximum size CF Card say a eos 350d would take? are they limited to 2gb or would they accept a 4gb>?

cant find any info on the web :|

cheers
Matt

[PuR HART]

"The older Extreme III is slower, as is the II and under. Don't get these"
how do you know which ones are the older versions
thanks

[JasonSTL739]

"The older Extreme III is slower, as is the II and under. Don't get these"
how do you know which ones are the older versions
thanks

The newer ones are the "2008" cards - and they are heavily labeled with 30/MB second on the front of the box and the card itself.

[Nick5]

I just bought a SanDisk Extreme III 2 GB 133X CF Card.
I has 20 MB.
Is this an older CF card?
I have not yet opened the package.

[willstar]

Have used Sandisk Extreme IV previously (sold the 8gig card with a 400d I sold), but of late have used Transcend 133x 16gb card with no issue - in fact have just ordered two more 16gb's this week from supplier via ebay for around $100 each.

There was a bit of discussion around a few threads on the Transcend vs Sandisk, and consensus reached that the 133x Transcends are similar in speed to the Sandisk Extreme III. If speed is important then go the Extreme IV or Ducati, although technology hasn't advanced enough for a 16GB Ducati yet.

Overall, happy with the Transcends though. Especially the price. And they are genuine.

[Calicajun]

SanDisk Extreme III is what I use with my 40D, I just prefer using a name.

[vibin247]

My Lexar CF cards are pretty solid, and hasn't failed on me yet. I've gotten corrupted images on occasion, but nothing severe.

[JonKhor]

Check out this site i found not too long ago.
http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/camera_multi_page.asp?cid=6007-9257

[Calicajun]

Check out this site i found not too long ago.
http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/camera_multi_page.asp?cid=6007-9257

Nice find, thanks.

[jr_senator]

It's been known for some time. Search for it.

[dan_1337]

Reliability-wise i prefer to stick with a brand name. Afterall, the CF is what stores all your hard work.

[Ralph Merlino]

I have been using the Extreme III 2GB. They work well for me.

[ben_r_]

I use all Sandisk Extreme III cards. I have one Transcend, but only because as the time it was a great deal and I figured it couldnt hurt to keep as a spare, though I have never actually used it.

[JasonSTL739]

Reliability-wise i prefer to stick with a brand name. Afterall, the CF is what stores all your hard work.

Agreed 100000%.

I've never lost, or heard of someone loosing, images on a SanDisk card that wasn't user error, environment issues, or stupidity.

Even a "bad card" seems to be recoverable with their software.

Also - I'd go so far as to say I'd rather have a huge single card than multiple little ones. The chances of loosing a card through human error is MUCH MUCH higher than a card dying.

[jr_senator]

I've never...heard of someone loosing, images on a SanDisk card that wasn't user error, environment issues, or stupidity.

You have now. The only flash drive problem I ever had was with SanDisk. Didn't stop me from buying SanDisk or any other well known brand. It just shows me one can have a problem with any brand, even the supposed best.

[JasonSTL739]

You have now. The only flash drive problem I ever had was with SanDisk. Didn't stop me from buying SanDisk or any other well known brand. It just shows me one can have a problem with any brand, even the supposed best.

Interesting, good to know. Were you able to recover the images with software? 100% sure it was the card and not camera, computer, or carbon-based issues?

[jr_senator]

It's been a while but it seems I was never able to use it. When plugged into my computer it wasn't recolonize as a drive. I took it back to Staples and they couldn't get it to be recognized either. I was a 4GB CF. It was no big deal, I was given another card. I have SanDisk, Lexar, Kingston (mostly) and A-Data cards from 512MB to 16GB in both CF and SD/SDHC formats and other than that one time I mentioned I have never had a problem. The cards are used in four different cameras by my wife and me. I think the fastest one I have is 166x. I don't ever come close to filling any buffer so 40x. 50x, 60x is just fine with me and surprisingly cheap.