IXUS 700 / SD500 - why the SD card?

[puttick]

Being a confirmed Canon user, one of the best aspects has been that they have used CF cards for both their compact and high-end cameras. I have had a G2 in the past, and currently have an IXUS 400 and an EOS 300d.

So - I was very taken with the 7 MP IXUS 700 and was about to buy one - until I discovered it uses an SD card! Why? I suppose the US name (SD500) should have given me a clue.

I am VERY disappointed over this - I wanted to buy a higher res compact for a walking trip - I will now have to consider an S70, which is bigger than I wanted, and offers very little real advance in spec over the Ixus 700, apart from a little more manual control and RAW.

So - Shame on Canon for this blatant consumer obsolescence.

Nigel

[Jon]

Consumers want smaller cameras, SD cards are smaller, so Canon can build smaller cameras. Also, SD is, at least theoretically, faster than CF, so the cameras can handle higher burst rates and more video capture better.

Curiously, someone just posted (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=64904) on the EOS forum asking by the way why dont slr's use SD its faster ?.

[katana]

Hmmmm. It annoys me too. SD cards are not an open spec and most probably won't be able to use them in my card reader with Linux. Will have to put the camera in PTP mode and pray it works with gphoto. Can always sell it if it doesn't.

I considered getting the IXUS500 instead, but in the end Digic II swayed it towards the 700. The smaller size will also be welcome. Still an annoyance to throw away 3 CF cards and batteries from the IXUS V.

I did think about boycotting Canon altogther, but they are the best cameras...

[Jon]

Actually, you can get support for SD under Linux, just probably not if there's "protected" content on the card. You should be able to read a regular SD card from any n-in-1 card reader same as you would a CF card. Worst case, use the (backward-compatibility) MMC spec as a starting place.

[JohnnyE]

Plus, with SD cards, you don't really have to worry about bending communication pins in the memory card slot like you do with CF card cameras.

[Jon]

No, just about sneezing and blowing the card off the planet . . .

[Bodryn]

I read somewhere recently that CF cards are just as fast as any other cards and faster than some; for a long time they were the fastest thing out there. Anyway, I am a confirmed CF card user and do NOT want to switch if I don't have to. I chose my Canon A70 and S1 IS partly BECAUSE they both use CF cards. (Another reason was that I could use alkaline AA's if I wish.) I have several kinds of non-photography equipment I can use the CF cards in also and I very much DISLIKE having to buy new stuff and carry two kinds of media around just because somebody makes a decision to make the change. Did you notice that they never bother to consult their customers about these things?!? I mean, after all, the size difference is between a big postage stamp and a small postage stamp. Seems to me there shouldn't be a problem in getting a CF to fit a small camera. At least if the engineers are smart enough.... :)

(By the way, in about 10 years I have never bent a pin on anything used with a CF card)

[katana]

Actually, you can get support for SD under Linux, just probably not if there's "protected" content on the card.

Interesting. I've been looking for info on this but nobody seems to have a definite answer. I guess I'll find out when I get the camera next week

I've never bent a pin on a CF card device either in about five years of trying :D

[PaCiFiSt]

Never bent on in about 4 years of trying. I have even come close either...

[Zekevarg]

SD cards have a DRM mechanism. The DRM, when used, encrypts the content in a way that stops the user from being able to use the content from other places but the card. I.e. it is a copy limitation mechanism. DRM can be used for making it impossible to copy pictures, music or other contents out of the card in a usable manner.

I've never seen any digital camera that has the DRM mechanism enabled. As long as DRM is not enabled in a camera the pictures will be avaliable from Linux or other operating systems.

Originally the cards used to be called MMC but the name was changed to SD when DRM was added. Why SD is short for "Secure Digital" is very ironic since the card definitely is less secure for card owner since he or she cannot make any backup copies of the content.

Cheers, Zeke

[puttick]

I don't want to use Linux, I'm not interested in DRM, and I don't care if SD cards are a little smaller, or even if they are faster. What I DO want is continuity, and this says that Canon do not care whehter their customers have an existing Canon digicam or use it together with a dSLR (their other core market). Since I refuse to buy an SD-based camera, I may end up with an S70, but I would have liked the small size of the IXUS-type camera in a 7MP format with a CF card.

[Jon]

Actually, Canon's been making SD-based digital cameras for some while now, going back to the SD100. You say that you like the small size of the IXUS/SD cameras, but don't want SD media - unfortunately, CF cards and CF bays would make cameras that small either impossible or severely limited. Your typical CF bay adds between 1/4" and 3/8" all around to the CF card footprint. That would make it difficult, if not impossible, to retract the lens cleanly without some significant rearranging or restricting other features. But there seems to be a trend toward SD throughout the industry, as even laptops are routinely including SD slots.

[ashleywilson]

Canon arent the only ones moving their cosumer models over to SD from Compact Flash. Nikons new consumer range is now SD.

www.ukcamerastore.co.uk

[puttick]

"unfortunately, CF cards and CF bays would make cameras that small either impossible or severely limited"

Well, it is indeed obvious that an SD card is smaller than a CF card. BUT my Ixus400 has a CF card, and is in fact smaller (OK, it is a little thicker) than the Ixus700. I would have liked a 7MP Ixus in the same footprint as my 4MP Ixus400, using CF cards that I could interchange with my 300d, and read with the same card reader, and that I already own several of. If I can't have that, I will have to consider either a 5MP Ixus500 (not much of a step up) or an S70 (physically bigger than I would like). Sadly, my Ixus400 is damaged and must be replaced.

And did I mention they've changed the battery, oh dear...

[Rob612]

Remember that SD is what Canon uses in all their picture-capable digital camcorders. My MVx3i uses SD as well... Probably they are trying to standardize on 2 formats (on camcorders there will be no space at all for a CF) and in the long run will stick to SD only.

[katana]

Well I bought the Ixus 700 three weeks ago for S$900 with a 1GB card and spare battery. Very very happy with it. It is capable of some stunning images at ISO50, and some very very noisy images above IS0200. The SD card does indeed work fine (and very quickly) in my card reader under Linux. The battery life is probably double that of my Ixus V which makes a huge difference.

It's a rugged little camera, in three weeks it's taken 1500 shots, been dropped a meter into a tea bush, dropped into wet sand (Cameras and 5 year olds = occasional accidents.) splashed with sea water...in fact anything the manual reccommends you don't do we did. Just a few scratches on the case to show for it.

In general it's a superb camera to use, has pretty decent battery life and seems like it will last a few years.

Oh and I even like the SD card over the CF - so much faster which with average 4 mb images is pretty useful.