Best memory card for M8

[dritz]

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Recommendations for a memory card? I'm looking for 2 or 4GB capacity and as fast as the camera can perform. Thanks.

[Shootist]

Ones that work. I find Lexar Pro 133X 2GB card work well.

[Albert4321]

I use Lexar Pro 133x 2GB and SanDisk Extreme III 2GB. They both work well.

[hdrmd]

I have had no problems with the SanDisk Extreme III 2.0GB cards. DR

[dritz]

Thanks for the replies.

[wparsonsgisnet]

Dean, it's my experience that the M8 takes twice as long to write to a 4GB card as to a 2GB card.

 

This doesn't matter if you're not filling the buffer. So, if you are shooting at a 'reasonable' clip, the 4GB card gives you more capacity.

 

However, when I do a photo shoot I keep filling the buffer, so have been using 2GB cards for this purpose since I discovered the problem.

[stunsworth]

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Hi Bill, I recently bought a Transcend 4 gig card and I can't say I've noticed any difference - but after saying that I don't shoot off too many shots one after the other, so I could be talking rubbish <grin>

[wparsonsgisnet]

Steve, you only notice if the buffer fills up because that's when you can't take a picture.

 

You can test this by selecting continuous and holding down the shutter until the buffer full message appears. Count the seconds until the red light stops blinking. If you do this test for a 2GB and also for a 4Gb card, you should see that it takes twice as long for the red light to stop blinking after the buffer fills.

[Skippy Sanchez]

Steve, you only notice if the buffer fills up because that's when you can't take a picture.

 

You can test this by selecting continuous and holding down the shutter until the buffer full message appears. Count the seconds until the red light stops blinking. If you do this test for a 2GB and also for a 4Gb card, you should see that it takes twice as long for the red light to stop blinking after the buffer fills.

 

you also notice it when you've knocked off several frames and have to wait for it to write before you chimp.

[ttriolo]

Had some initial problems with Sandisk Ultra II 2GB being recognized by the Mac but a new card reader solved that problem. Did get a false "card full" message once but reseating the card fixed that. The Lexar Pro 133X 2GB seem to be working well too. Have not tried anything over 2GB. Don't like entrusting too many images to any one card.

[jrc]

Nice to hear the difference between the 2G and the 4G -- they're selling 4G lexars at Best Buy for $49.95 and I was sorely tempted...

[mz976us]

Lexar Pro 133x 2GB works the best so far. I have been shooting with SanDisk for very long time with my Canon DSLR. However, even on Canon, I have had many problem with SanDisk. I have even threw away a few, for it turn bad.

 

Now that I am shooting with Leica, I have discover many inconsistency with SanDisk. Canon with 4 to 8 GB card is fine.

 

For Leica, I am buying only Lexar Pro 133x 2 GB. It is the safest, in my observation. Oh, I am currently also trying out Delkin Devices' card. Its cost is way less and many pro shops have had good feedback from it. So far, Delkin card had not fail me.

 

A note on the side. For all Mac users, since the upgrade of OSX from 10.4.9 to 10.4.10, there is a problem with mounting the USB card reader device. I believe Apple will address this matter with 10.4.11 release.

 

Mark

[robsteve]

Steve, you only notice if the buffer fills up because that's when you can't take a picture.

 

You can test this by selecting continuous and holding down the shutter until the buffer full message appears. Count the seconds until the red light stops blinking. If you do this test for a 2GB and also for a 4Gb card, you should see that it takes twice as long for the red light to stop blinking after the buffer fills.

 

Bill:

 

I just tried it using a 4gb and a 2gb transcend 150x cards. Both cards were within a second or so of each other. I got 11 shots before the buffer full message came up and it took about 18 seconds to clear the buffer.

 

Even with the buffer writing, you can still fire a shot after it makes room. In the case of both cards, it took about two seconds until you could fire the next shot (shot 12) and then two seconds between successive shots.

 

I would say your 4gb card may just be a slower cand and have nothing to do with the 4gb capacity.

 

Robert

[wparsonsgisnet]

Robert, I shoot both a hi-res jpg and a dng at the same time, and that may affect the write times.

 

I'll try with other save settings and see what I get. Thanks for going thru it.

[sean_reid]

I haven't timed them but, in practice, I haven't seen a difference between the Sandisk Ultra II and Extreme III in the M8 (but then I don't need to push the buffer either). I do always recommend working with smaller cards (say 1 - 2 GB) because if any one card goes bad, is lost, damaged, etc. there's less work lost.

 

Cheers,