5D MK IV card options and configuration - Sandisk vs Lexar - SD vs CF

All,

I just made the jump from 6D to 5D MK IV, so now have the option of CF in addition to SD, and am just looking for some input on the card options.

1. How is everyone using the 2 slots? One for RAW, the other for JPEG, both for RAW simultaneously, one at a time for extra storage, etc.
2. Which format do you view as more reliable and your primary go-to card, SD or CF, and do you prefer SanDisk or LEXAR. Any thoughts on cheaper brands like Transcend? I don't mind paying more for better but would like to pay less if it's all the same.
3. What speed is necessary to shoot without any buffering on the 5D at full burst rate? Would the Extreme card at 120MB/s be sufficient, or should I opt for ExtremePro? Again, don't mind paying extra if it's necessary, but don't want to throw money out the window. Are there other reason besides speed to go with the ExtremePro, such as added reliability/longevity?

Thanks so much for any input.

David

I use the Lexar Professional 1066x UDMA 7 CF card. When shooting raw mode I get about 36 shots before the buffer fills. This beats the published specs by a good margin. For the SD slot I use the Sandisk Extreme Pro 95 mb/sec uhs1 U3 card. Again this card gives the fastest performance the camera is capable of providing. I have the SD slot set to record jpeg. I only use either Lexar or Sandisk as these have both proven reliable over the years. I don’t take any chances with bargain cards that might cause problems - a false saving in my opinion.

I have no preference between SanDisk and Lexar, as I've used both with zero issues. Currently, I just use SanDisk Extreme Pro 160 MB/s CF card while leaving the SD card slot empty. I used to use both slots and choose which card to shoot from depending on my shooting situations, but I ditched this practice when it just became a hassle switching back and forth and often forgetting which card slot I'm shooting from.

The prices on these cards have come down quite a bit over the past few years, so I'd suggest getting the fastest card, either SanDisk or Lexar, you can. My 160 MB/s CF card is plenty for RAW burst shooting.

dbrodsky wrote in post #18802672
1. How is everyone using the 2 slots? One for RAW, the other for JPEG, both for RAW simultaneously, one at a time for extra storage, etc.

Which ever best meets YOUR needs and requirements.

dbrodsky wrote in post #18802672
All,

I just made the jump from 6D to 5D MK IV, so now have the option of CF in addition to SD, and am just looking for some input on the card options.

1. How is everyone using the 2 slots? One for RAW, the other for JPEG, both for RAW simultaneously, one at a time for extra storage, etc.
2. Which format do you view as more reliable and your primary go-to card, SD or CF, and do you prefer SanDisk or LEXAR. Any thoughts on cheaper brands like Transcend? I don't mind paying more for better but would like to pay less if it's all the same.
3. What speed is necessary to shoot without any buffering on the 5D at full burst rate? Would the Extreme card at 120MB/s be sufficient, or should I opt for ExtremePro? Again, don't mind paying extra if it's necessary, but don't want to throw money out the window. Are there other reason besides speed to go with the ExtremePro, such as added reliability/longevity?

Thanks so much for any input.

David

Although I've always used Sandisk Compact Flash cards so far, I've been using "Transcend 128 GB High Speed 10 UHS-3 Flash Memory Card 95/60 MB/s " cards for video for the past four years in four different 80D and 70D cameras. They've never given me a problem yet.

I would not have a problem making this card my next Compact Flash card purchase: Transcend 32GB CompactFlash Memory Card 1000x (TS32GCF1000)

You can go to places like this one (and others) for speed tests of the 5DIV with various memory.

https://www.cameramemo​ryspeed.com …iv/sd-cf-card-speed-test/

The best answer (once again) is "It depends!"

• You will see that highest performance is with some 1066X/160MBper-sec CF memory
  
• But the fastest SD is the (overstated rated speed) 2000X/95MB per-sec SD memory
  
• And some of the slower CF memory is just as slow as SD!
  

+1 with Wilt.

I'd used the Extreme Pro CF 160MB/s and the 95MB/s SDXC. The newish 170MB/s SDXC will be a nice match speaking more in terms of plugging the card into a reader for DL'ing into the computer. The CF Lexar 1066X Micron 128G version yielded a few more frames when machine gunning alone over the SanDisk. I'd configured for dual RAW write to both cards.

SanDisk customer service has been great for RMA's. I had one Lexar CF issue but this was the Lexar of old.

ra40 wrote in post #18809302
I'd configured for dual RAW write to both cards.

I presume that you deliberately choose the benefit of data redundancy in writing RAW to both CF and SD, at the cost of throttling overall performance to the slower of the two media.

Wilt wrote in post #18809303
I presume that you deliberately choose the benefit of data redundancy in writing RAW to both CF and SD, at the cost of throttling overall performance to the slower of the two media.

Yes. The high frame and write speeds were unnoticed for my shots. JPG to the SD slot may not have as significant speed penalty where RAW file sizes would on the buffer clearing. I didn't explore that.

That was a curiosity while convenient to have two different types of media capabilities, the slower write of the SD slot was for those needing speed. 2-CF or 2-SD instead makes sense to my non-engineering mindset.

A side note: The card may not go down often yet when it does, that can make for some not so pleasant concerns and more so with a single written source. I've traveled with single card slot cameras and this has been a non-issue. (Murphy's Law will strike me now no doubt. ) Online we come to hear stories so having an unfortunate experience does raise an awareness for two recorded sources if the body supports that.

Be careful using UHS II cards in a 5D4. The owners manual warns there are compatibility issues. I've heard that while the card might work it won't be as fast as a UHS I card so the extra money spent on the card is wasted.

I personally use Lexar 1066x in CF slot and Samsung Pro in SD slot ... but SD card is there just as a layover ... when i shoot and i fill card it autoswitch to SD ... so when opportunity presents itself i can change main CF card with empty one and continue to use CF. Samsung Pro SD is quite a fast card 80-85 mb/s, and in most cases you would not be able to feel the difference, but me personally prefer snappy clearing of buffer with 1066x Lexar.

dbrodsky wrote in post #18802672
.
I just made the jump from 6D to 5D MK IV, so now have the option of CF in addition to SD, and am just looking for some input on the card options.
.

.
I just got a 5D4 myself, and I am also coming from a 6D.

I haven't really thought about the memory card. . In addition to the 6D, I've used a 1D4 for many years, and so I just reach in the bag and pull out one of the CF cards that's been floating around in there. . I don't think the kind of card I use matters much at all. . Any of the old CF cards I have in the bag will do whatever they need to do with the 5D4. . I think they all say 32 or 64 on them. . The speed rating I don't pay attention to ..... I've never found it to matter.

If I were in your shoes, and didn't already have any CF cards, I would just go to the B&H website and search for CF cards, and select the search option "PRICE: LOWEST TO HIGHEST" . . And then I would just buy the least expensive card in whatever gigabyte size you need.

I'd probably buy two identical cards, just in case I lost or misplaced one. . I imagine a suitable card will be really cheap - like $20 or thereabouts.

I wouldn't worry about shooting two cards unless people are hiring you to shoot a wedding or something. . I've shot almost a million images and never used two cards, and never lost anything.

.

Tom Reichner wrote in post #18982219
.
I just got a 5D4 myself, and I am also coming from a 6D.

I haven't really thought about the memory card. . In addition to the 6D, I've used a 1D4 for many years, and so I just reach in the bag and pull out one of the CF cards that's been floating around in there. . I don't think the kind of card I use matters much at all. . Any of the old CF cards I have in the bag will do whatever they need to do with the 5D4. . I think they all say 32 or 64 on them. . The speed rating I don't pay attention to ..... I've never found it to matter.

If I were in your shoes, and didn't already have any CF cards, I would just go to the B&H website and search for CF cards, and select the search option "PRICE: LOWEST TO HIGHEST" . . And then I would just buy the least expensive card in whatever gigabyte size you need.

I'd probably buy two identical cards, just in case I lost or misplaced one. . I imagine a suitable card will be really cheap - like $20 or thereabouts.

I wouldn't worry about shooting two cards unless people are hiring you to shoot a wedding or something. . I've shot almost a million images and never used two cards, and never lost anything.

.

That is all nice, but keep in mind that 5D mk4 files are 35mb up to 60mb ... so for slow paced shoot ... sure you can use anything. But if you want to clear Your buffer faster then few minutes ... you will choose a speedy card. Also makes no sense to use slower cards and not use camera to its full potential. Its not like Lexar is 300$ or something ... its cheap compared to Sandisk with similar speed and capacity.

I have matching Sandisk Extreme and Extreme Pro CF and SD cards. I prefer writing RAW files to both cards and have avoided Lexar cards for some reason. Didn’t some Chinese company buy the Lexar name a year or two ago?

For RAW files the CF slot with UDMA 7 cards gives the fastest throughput. For JPEG card speed isn't really a worry.