CF Memory Cards

[Snakelover]

If you were buying CF cards for a Canon 50D, what make, model and size would you get and why? Thanks!

Just some background information.... I just recently started shooting RAW+JPG on my 50D. But I had to switch to JPG only on a recent vacation because, after filling a 4GB card, I realized I didn't have enough additional cards on hand to finish my five-day vacation at the rate I was shooting. So I'm thinking I need to add some bigger cards if I'm going to be shooting pretty heavily for a week or more away from the computer. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Shane]

I have a couple of these. They work great with continuous shooting and RAW files. I've not had one crash or anything (knock on wood).

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...3x_Secure.html

You can probably get one cheaper on eBay or some other place, but they're great cards.

[Full curl]

I have the Sandisk Extreme III and Extreme IV 4 GB. Both have worked well with my Canon 50D. I get about 200 pics on a card shooting raw. I convert to jpeg on the computer. Sandisk has rebates on these cards right now.

[scotty]

I have several Sandisk Extreme III and IV 8 GB cards. I have one Lexar Professional 133x 4 GB. All have worked flawlessly. (Knock wood)

[Shane]

David, don't you use Lightroom? If so, is there any reason to shoot RAW+JPEG instead of just RAW? You can set default settings in Lightroom just like you can in camera, and they'll automatically be applied to every RAW image without doing any extra processing work. You don't have to "save as" a JPEG either, all you have to do is export to Flickr and a JPEG goes to Flickr while only the RAW files are on your hard drive.

Anyway...just trying to save you room on your memory card.

[Snakelover]

David, don't you use Lightroom? If so, is there any reason to shoot RAW+JPEG instead of just RAW? You can set default settings in Lightroom just like you can in camera, and they'll automatically be applied to every RAW image without doing any extra processing work. You don't have to "save as" a JPEG either, all you have to do is export to Flickr and a JPEG goes to Flickr while only the RAW files are on your hard drive.

Anyway...just trying to save you room on your memory card.

Good point, Shane. But I just got Lightroom installed and I don't have a clue how to use it yet. lol I'm lost. But I bought a book.

[Nitro1970]

I use Sandisk and Lexar cards and never had a problem with either. I also don't get very big ones on account I don't want to have to many eggs in one basket.

[texag93]

Lexar is good and the bigger the better. I just went from 2GB to 4GB and am thinking I should have bought 8's

[jbitt4x4]

SD

I have a 16 GB that I use. I can store around 8400 pics set at the normal pic setting. Bought it off of Amazon for a little over $25.00. I also have 2 4GB ones as well that I carry as extras. Raw usually takes a lot of space though.

[grassmaster]

You may look into a portable storage device that you could clear your cards onto. My sister-in-law is a professional wedding photographer shooting a 5D Mark2 and a 50D second camera. They make it work with 4, 8G cards and just dump them onto the portable when they need to. In the end it may be a cheaper route

[Snakelover]

Thanks for all the help everyone! Grassmaster, do you know what portable she uses?

I have been using SanDisk and haven't had a problem with them. All other things being equal, I'll probably just stick with that brand. I see that Extreme IV is roughly twice as expensive as Extreme III. If the difference is only in speed, I think I would be better off buying twice the capacity at 30Mb/s rather than opting for the 45Mb/s speed. I've never felt like I was "waiting on" my Extreme III cards and I don't do a lot of rapid fire photography. On the other hand, I've never experienced the speed of the Extreme IV, so maybe I don't know what I'm missing. Opinions on the speed issue?

[Wildman]

David, it has been addressed but I was going to suggest to get to know Lightroom better. No need to shoot dual reads on your card and your compression is pinching your pixs on that setting.

[Shadow]

I wouldn't personally go above 4 gb per card. My reasoning is if the card crashes you limit your loss to that card...could you imagine lossing a weeks vacation pictures or such because a single 16 gb card failure. With the 4gb card you may loose a day or two.

I personally use the extreme IV 4 gb cards and have not had any issues with them and they write fast enough for me. The 50D has some internal memory to help buffer the writes if the card is slow so that you can continue to take pictures.

Mine were purchased off EBAY and one during circuit cities closing sale.

[jbitt4x4]

Download

I usually download em to the computer right after getting home from shooting. If I'm on vacation I have my laptop with me

I wouldn't personally go above 4 gb per card. My reasoning is if the card crashes you limit your loss to that card...could you imagine lossing a weeks vacation pictures or such because a single 16 gb card failure. With the 4gb card you may loose a day or two.

I personally use the extreme IV 4 gb cards and have not had any issues with them and they write fast enough for me. The 50D has some internal memory to help buffer the writes if the card is slow so that you can continue to take pictures.

Mine were purchased off EBAY and one during circuit cities closing sale.

[Atfulldraw]

The speed issue has never bothered me either


I'm of the school of thought that several smaller cards (4 gig) are better than 1 big one.