5D2 and Kingston 16GB CF cards...anyone else having troubles?

Hi guys,

I generally use only SanDisk CF cards, and I've never had a problem with any of them in the 8 DSLRs I've owned. However, I got a great deal on some Kingston 16GB cards that I've been using in my 5D2, and just about every time I use them, the camera gives me a message saying the card can't be used because it's not formatted to work with the camera.

Since most of my photography is travel, I usually get this while I'm in the middle of China or Europe with 800 shots already on the card. The cards are all formatted properly in computer or in camera. I format all my cards as soon as I dump the images onto two HDDs.

I just take out the card and the battery for 30 seconds, put them back in and everything's fine, I haven't lost a single shot yet, thankfully. Still, it makes my stomach drop every time it happens. I have a few smaller SanDisk cards that I've run through this 5D2 and never had an issue with those.

Can I do anything about this or just live with it and get new cards?

Only two brands I've actually got more than one card from are SanDisk and Kingston. I started using Kingston back in the Dark Ages because their computer RAM was good; had two CF cards give me trouble, so no more. SanDisk has been much better.

Jon wrote in post #15092075
Only two brands I've actually got more than one card from are SanDisk and Kingston. I started using Kingston back in the Dark Ages because their computer RAM was good; had two CF cards give me trouble, so no more. SanDisk has been much better.

Yeah, it's too bad, maybe they have an issue with CFs?...I've used Kingston RAM, USB sticks, SDs, etc and all worked perfectly for years and years.

For CFs I've used mainly SanDisk (95%) with one or two Lexar Pros and a Transcend I picked up while in a bind and travelling once...never had an issue with any of them!

Grrr...so the latest:

Two days ago it flat out refused to do anything with the card. I put it in, it said the card is not formatted to be used with the camera, I tried to format it in the camera (I had been using this card - with problems - for months, so yes, it's formatted for the camera, in fact, the same camera had formatted it plenty of times), no go. I had to switch it out and put one of my SanDisks in...

Anyone else having this issue with their 5D2 and Kingston cards?? Is there a fix for this?

It's really making me angry, I have two of these cards, 32GB of CF memory is a lot to just toss out the window, and I really don't want to spend $100 to buy the SanDisk equivalent (but will, if that's my only option).

There is a product advisory for the 5DMKII at http://www.usa.canon.c​om …il&docId=0901e0​248045a50f. It covers a firmware update (2.1.2??) that addresses issues when using certain UDMA 7-compatible CF cards released in February 2012 or later. Could that be the issue? Probably worth making sure your firmware is up to date regardless.

Supposedly this is what happens:

John from PA wrote in post #15171682
There is a product advisory for the 5DMKII at http://www.usa.canon.c​om …il&docId=0901e0​248045a50f. It covers a firmware update (2.1.2??) that addresses issues when using certain UDMA 7-compatible CF cards released in February 2012 or later. Could that be the issue? Probably worth making sure your firmware is up to date regardless.

Supposedly this is what happens:

Thanks for the post...is my card UDMA 7? It's this one:

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …tFlash_Ultimate​_266X.html

I have firmware 2.1.2 on the camera, so that shouldn't be an issue.

It would say UDMA on it if it was UDMA. Kind of like these Sandisks: http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …es&sts=ma&Top+N​av-Search=

I have an old Kingston that I still use regularly, but not in a 5D of any variation. Kingston seems to over-rate their speeds. I have no idea if it's related or not. It sounds more like good ol' fashioned card failure to me.

cdifoto wrote in post #15174708
It would say UDMA on it if it was UDMA. Kind of like these Sandisks: http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …es&sts=ma&Top+N​av-Search=

I have an old Kingston that I still use regularly, but not in a 5D of any variation. Kingston seems to over-rate their speeds. I have no idea if it's related or not. It sounds more like good ol' fashioned card failure to me.

I thought that at first too, but *BOTH* cards? And intermittently? I thought once a card failed it failed...

Yeah, my Kingston SD cards have performed flawlessly in my S100...and I've run a few SanDisks through my 5D2 and no issues whatsoever...

I'm going to see if I can find a friend with a different camera that takes CFs (I wish I had tested it in my 5Dc before I sold it) to see if they have issues as well...

LowriderS10 wrote in post #15174756
I thought that at first too, but *BOTH* cards? And intermittently? I thought once a card failed it failed...

Yeah, my Kingston SD cards have performed flawlessly in my S100...and I've run a few SanDisks through my 5D2 and no issues whatsoever...

I'm going to see if I can find a friend with a different camera that takes CFs (I wish I had tested it in my 5Dc before I sold it) to see if they have issues as well...

Failure isn't an all or nothing deal. Sometimes bad sectors appear and then more bad sectors appear. The probably of both failing isn't high but it's not impossible either.

Yeah my Kingston SD and CF cards are fine as well. They're just slower than advertised. In my P&S I'd never be able to tell but in my 1D IIs I can.

Hmmm...thanks...would Lexar do anything about this if I emailed them, or is it a lost cause?

You mean Kingston? Their warranty should cover it. I'd get in touch with them and find out.

HAHAHAHAAHA I just did the dumbest thing EVER....I need to sleep more.

I emailed Lexar instead of Kingston...wow, I feel like a tool!!

I need to sleep more...I didn't realize this mistake until I came on here to say "Emailed them, I'll let you guys know what happens."...dang...oka​y...gonna email Kingston and let you guys know when they answer

I seem to recall that I read something, some time ago, about there being an issue with 16G cards in general, due to the math involved in the addressing and that camera software somehow truncated internal directory addresses in such a way that portions of the card couldn't be recognized.
Don't remember how long ago this was, or if the issue ever got corrected (I would assume so).

Thanks...if anyone has any more info on what Dave said, I'd be very interested.

You'd think that me having the latest firmware would solve that issue...but who knows. I'll ask my 5D2 shooter friend in town if he has any issues with 16GB cards. I was going to replace it with a SanDisk 16GB, but if the size is the issue then I'll hold off on that until I figure it out for sure...

I think what Dave might be thinking of is the inability of older cameras and earlier firmware releases to format cards beyond 8 GB. Canon released firmware upgrades for a number of cameras to get past that 8 GB limit, and the cameras were always able to write to a larger card if it was formatted other than in the camera. I've used SanDisk 16 and 32 GB cards in my 5D2 without problems (aside from it taking seemingly forever to fill the wretched things).