What type of CF card do you use?

[FlyingPete]

OK this is part one of a two part poll on CF reliability, this is to find out what is out there.

I poll on reliability is no good without knowing what is actually in use. A good example is here in NZ a certain type of two main helicopter has a reputation as being unreliable, as so many crash, however if you look at the population, you will find almost 2 of these for any other model.

Terminology standards here are CF being the card format/interface. Flash is solid state, Microdrive is the spinning bits version.

Don't forget to vote in the other poll as well!
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=405260#post405260

[tommykjensen]

I have one 2 GB hitachi microdrive and it will be used as the last one even after my 256 MB cf card.

[FlyingPete]

I have one 2 GB hitachi microdrive and it will be used as the last one even after my 256 MB cf card.

Any reason why? Speed or reliablity?

[tommykjensen]

Because I feel that since the microdrive has moving parts it is more likely to fail. Yes I know many have used them for years with no problem. I have no personal experience with failing microdrives soooo.

[tommykjensen]

Because I feel that since the microdrive has moving parts it is more likely to fail. Yes I know many have used them for years with no problem. I have no personal experience with failing microdrives soooo.

Oh and my 2 GB SanDisk Ultra II is a little faster ;)

[KevC]

I have only flash. The 16MB that came with my S230. The 256MB Sandisk that I bought. And the 1GB Kingston that I bought just recently. Why no Microdrives? I was thinking of buying a 5GB hitachi from eBay but I figured, if it goes... I lose 5GB instead of 1GB. And flash is easier for me to purchase, it doesn't seem like many places here stock microdrives.

[JAZZ D.P.G.]

3 of the 512 SanDisk. (2 Ultra and 1 Ultra II which my camera really doesn't need).

I need to look at other forms of portable storage though. 40G portable device with viewing (RAW) ability on the wish list.

[FlyingPete]

The main reason I don't have one at the moment is not cost or reliablity, but the fact that my X'S Drive will only download them on a full charge, and a full charge doesn't last long enough to download a 4GB Microdrive!

Still considering one to leave in my camera for long 'field trips'

[kb244]

I would stay away from microdrives. Sure they are inexpensive for the price sometimes, but seeing as they are moving mechanical objects, the microdrives not only take up time, but additional power as well, and are more likely to break with the moving parts than solid-state memory.

[FlyingPete]

I would stay away from microdrives. Sure they are inexpensive for the price sometimes, but seeing as they are moving mechanical objects, the microdrives not only take up time, but additional power as well, and are more likely to break with the moving parts than solid-state memory.

The intention of these polls is to see if the real world stats live up to this view.

Personally I believe Microdrives are getting a rough deal that they do not necessarily deserve.

[CyberDyneSystems]

I use my 2GB flash cards mostly,. but have no compunctions about the 4GB MD drives either... I just don't often need 4GB at a time ;)

[Jon]

I find what I use varies depending on what my newest card is and where I am. I don't shy away from using the MDs, although at an air show I'll use the Ultra IIs in the 20D (and probably a MD in the D60). I will admit that the only card I've ever lost is a MD (4 GB Hitachi). Note: I truly mean "lost". I keep hoping that if I clean my desk, it'll turn up. But then I keep hoping my desk will clean itsself. :{)#

[Wazza]

I bought two Lexar 1Gb's 80x last week for NZ$209 each from flashcards.co.nz.
Much cheaper than other retailers around, and I see it's pretty much the fastest card around, as well as the Sandisk extreme - although, that was a little bit more expensive.

The reviews all seemed positive, and not so many problems, so that's why I got it.

[musthavemuzk]

3 of the 512 SanDisk. (2 Ultra and 1 Ultra II which my camera really doesn't need).

I need to look at other forms of portable storage though. 40G portable device with viewing (RAW) ability on the wish list.
funny you should mention this as i saw in the feb 2005 issue of PCPhoto mag an interesting find from Epson that will read raw.
the Epson P-2000 only dealio is the pricetag. 499 USD

i saw that i was was in love. of course i really like my 2rd epson printer and recomend them alot.

Monty

[musthavemuzk]

for the last year or so i have been reading and reading and reading about the rebel. dreaming of the day it would be mine. so last fall when i saw the ultra II prices drop a bit i picked up a gig ultra II. so it has been used alot to transfer things around to friends places and to the camera shop to get photos printed from my fuji 3800. well finally the money is in hand and tomorrow i am ordering a 20D. yup i skipped over the rebel and drained my bank account to step to the latest affordable DSLR from Canon.
reason for the ultra II is loads of people using them with no problems.

plan is to stay with sandisk at least. might be the ultra II or mayb not. all depends on price and what i start reading. have noticed kingston cards are as fast and sometimes a little cheaper as well.
as for microdrives...cannot say i have seen them anywhere but at online stores. so i will prolly stick with CF cards for my soon to be 20D.

Monty

[RJSorensen]

I have 1 80x2 gig Lexar, a 80x1 gig Lexar and a pair of 40x 512 Lexars that I 'use.' I have a grundle of SkanDisk 256/128/96/64/32 and a IBM 380 micro drive that I don't use anymore either.

I think my next card(s) will be a 80x4 gig Lexar or a ScanDisk Ultra III 4 gig.

[theflyingkiwi]

got 2x1gb and just got myself a kingston elite pro 2gb card. don't think that I will ever get a micro drive. moving parts etc etc.

[Claire]

Hm, I have an 8Mb Compact Flash card (Canon) from when I got my Canon IXUS 300. Then I bought a 32MB card for that camera. Then I got the 300D and bought a 256Mb Sandisk CF card. Today I received a 1Gb Lexar card as a belated Christmas gift from a friend. Apparently he saw it for half price. :)

[ssim]

I have 12 GB of disk space. A 1 plus a 2 GB MD that were really a steal of a deal. I also have a 1 GB SD card but really only have that in the camera as a backup to the compact flash card. I thought that this would never get used but I finally had a disk error on a relatively new Lexar pro 2GB card.

I agree that perhaps the microdrive here is getting a bit of a tough ride. I have put thousands of images through my original IBM 1GB microdrive. While it may not be the fastest in the world if I am just out shooting scenics or something that I'm shooting high speed sequences, it is more than adequate. They may have a slightly higher draw on the camera's power source but for me this is a mute point as with my camera I can shoot anywhere from 800-1200 images per battery.

[Andy_T]

I bought an IBM microdrive with my G2 some years ago, when the price difference was really considerable (same price for 1 GB MD and 256 MB solid state).

I put some 15,000 shots on it without any problems so far.

I really hate how it slows down my 20D on startup ... have been using it as a backup to my 1 GB Sandisk Ultra II recently.

Best regards,
Andy