Will CF cards eventually be replaced by SD?

I've currently got 7 GBs of CF for my 5D and am thinking of getting more. The way I calculate it, 7GB is good for about 450 shots if taking RAW+L. Since my next vacation trip is Italy, I'm thinking there is a good chance I will take more than 400 shots on some days.

I'd like to buy anothe 4GB card or 8GB if it's cheap enough, but at the same time I don't want to invest too much on memory in case CF gets replaced by SD soon. I plan on getting the new 5D replacement as soon as it comes out, so I'd be a bit choked if that body used SD (and CF is eventually phased out altogether). I already have about 11GB on SD cards.

CF will stay in pro/prosumer DSLRs for a couple more generations at least.
*With card prices still falling, does your outlay really qualify as an 'investment' ?

I hope not, 'cause I lose enough CF cards as it is, I don't need to have to take care of something that's 1/2 the size of it! I'll lose twice as many!

purelithium wrote in post #2657832
I hope not, 'cause I lose enough CF cards as it is, I don't need to have to take care of something that's 1/2 the size of it! I'll lose twice as many!

I think they will stick with CF cards for awhile longer. And if they do switch, they will probably run both in camera for awhile so the dont piss of all the consumers who have tons of CF cards. Atleast that would be the logical move.

Does anyone know if CF provides any technical advantages over SD? I used to think it was capacity, but doesn't seem to be the case anymore. If CF doesn't have any advantages, I don't see any reason to keep it.

CF will stay around for quite a long time for pro/prosumer level DSLR's

Billginthekeys wrote in post #2658832
CF will stay around for quite a long time for pro/prosumer level DSLR's

Do you mind if I ask you why you think so?

SunTsu wrote in post #2658869
Do you mind if I ask you why you think so?

CF cards can be made faster and larger for less money still IMO. also, so many pros and amatures alike own lots of them. Also, CF cards are more durable for pro use because of their more robust build and size, and are easier to get at with gloves and the like. and Lastly, and most simply, if it aint broke, dont fix it. CF cards work great, dont have any real flaws, and every day are getting larger, faster, and cheaper, so why get rid of them?

Billginthekeys wrote in post #2658932
CF cards can be made faster and larger for less money still IMO. also, so many pros and amatures alike own lots of them. Also, CF cards are more durable for pro use because of their more robust build and size, and are easier to get at with gloves and the like. and Lastly, and most simply, if it aint broke, dont fix it. CF cards work great, dont have any real flaws, and every day are getting larger, faster, and cheaper, so why get rid of them?

100% agree. And as long as the mirror box, sensor and battery are the controlling factors in size of a camera, the DSLR realm won't really benefit from a smaller memory form factor.

Billginthekeys wrote in post #2658932
CF cards can be made faster and larger for less money still IMO. also, so many pros and amatures alike own lots of them. Also, CF cards are more durable for pro use because of their more robust build and size, and are easier to get at with gloves and the like. and Lastly, and most simply, if it aint broke, dont fix it. CF cards work great, dont have any real flaws, and every day are getting larger, faster, and cheaper, so why get rid of them?

Take a look here for performance numbers:

http://www.robgalbrait​h.com …ti_page.asp?cid​=6007-8200

And here for prices:

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …c=&Submit.x=16&​Submit.y=7

SD outperforms CF by a country mile, and the prices are exactly the same.

I don't like the size or physical flexibility of the SD card, but the facts are the facts - if CF performance doesn't get a major improvement quickly, CF slots will be replaced by SD slots, and we'll be using our old CF cards to stabilize wobbly tables.

Have Fun,

To me a good quality 2GB CF card is almost like a consumable, similar to film. Actually, I can get 3 of those cards on sale, for what MF film used to cost me for an average full day wedding.

I think they'll be around for a while.

But any investment made now for the camera that you currently have is still a good investment, unless you are the type to upgrade to every new camera. Even then you can sell the CF cards with the camera that uses them. I do not see me changing in the foreseeable future, as the most camera I can see me needing is available now and it uses CF cards.

The major design disadvantage of the CF cards are the exposed pins that some users have bent. SD cards have the advantage of contacts and I have not heard of a similar issue.

I would not be surprised to see dual card cameras in the next generation - the 5D accepts both CF and SD.

GaryK wrote in post #2659420
I would not be surprised to see dual card cameras in the next generation - the 5D accepts both CF and SD.

You might want to check that one more time - last I heard it only accepts CF (unless you have some sort of converter).

Have Fun,

They have actually split the market up according to user.

SD cards are generally used in small, non-pro cameras - and the price is lower because the average Joe won't pay a ton for a little piece of plastic and metal.

However, CF cards are generally used in semi-pro and pro cameras - and "the man" knows that a guy who pays $1000 plus for his camera can/will pay more for his memory card.