memory

All posts tagged memory

Everyone Always Asks What Kind of Memory Card I Use

Posted by scottbourne on November 28, 2008
Posted in: Opinion. Tagged: , , . Leave a Comment

There are many factors to consider when buying memory cards. Sure I want a fast card, but I also want a reliable card. For me, the Hoodman UDMA cards fit both requirements.

Their 4GB CF RAW cards are down to $99.99; the 8GB CF RAW are $179.99, and 16GB CF RAW cards are $299.99.

They’re NOT TWIP sponsors (although I wish they were), and I selected their products as a result of testing most of the popular brands.

45 MB per second. Built in the USA. Lifetime Warranty. Lead Free. What else do you need?

NOTE: Not all cameras take advantage of UDMA technology. Make sure your camera does before investing in UDMA memory.

UPDATE: I should note I am simply providing an answer here to a question I often receive by e-mail. I am not advocating anyone else use these cards. Use whatever works best for you.

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This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store

Flash Memory Basics

Posted by scottbourne on September 8, 2008
Posted in: Technique & Tutorials. Tagged: . 34 comments

Here are some basic things for those new to digital photography to ponder.

1) Know the difference between Compact Flash and Secure Digital (CF and SD). Most DSLRs and digital point-and-shoots use CF. But some of the newer cameras, and even some DSLRs use SD cards.

2) All flash memory cards are not created equally.

If you shoot Nikon, buy Lexar cards if you can afford them. They are optimized for Nikon shooters. Conversely, if you shoot Canon, don’t waste the money on Lexar cards. They won’t show a speed boost in your camera.

Avoid the very largest cards. Even 16-Gig cards scare me. The bigger the card, the more likely it will have a file allocation error and crash. There’s also the eggs in one basket worry.

If you want REALLY fast cards, look for UDMA cards, but make sure your camera supports them.

Just about once a day I get an e-mail asking me what I use. Well here’s the answer.
I now use Hoodman UDMA cards. In my tests they are consistently as fast as anything else and the company claims the cards have never been reported failing while in the field.

And here’s a tip on how to buy memory cards at the best prices. Go to http://www.dealram.com and compare.

NOTE: This is just a primer on flash memory and is not intended to be a complete top-to-bottom tutorial.

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This post sponsored by the Digital SLR Store