Recommend Card Size?

[DandyDon]

I have the 5mp...

I was told on a phone call to Sealife once that I should not use larger than a 512 mb SD card as a larger one will slow the camera down. That's about 160 pics and I did run out of memory one day; I guess it is much fewer for the 6mp. Of course I hate to open the housing outside of the hotel room so I'd prefer to use a 1 gb card and shoot until my battery dies on a 4 dive day. (Yes, I am a volume shooter; I enjoy it that way.)

Will the use of a 1 gb card really slow down the camera that much, especially if you have to wait on the strobe to recharge anyway?

512 mb SD cards are getting difficult to find you know...?

 

[jporter440]

I have the same scenario my reef master only says it takes a 1 gig card, but the wife loves to take video, so I tried a 2 gig card, but i haven't seen any problems.

 

[Former Sealife Employee]

For the DC500, SeaLife recommends using a 512 MB SD card which will take about 315 hi-res images or ½ hour of video. Our tests with larger memory cards, like a 1 GB or 2 GB (SD) indicate no compatibility problem, however we have experienced problems using 4 GB (SDHC). SeaLife no longer recommends using ONLY SanDisk, Panasonic, or Toshiba brand memory cards. Our testing over the last several years indicates that these brands are reliable cards, but many other brands have also proven to be just as reliable. We have not found any compatibility problems with brands like Delkin, Lexar, Kingston, PNY, Kodak, Polaroid, Kingmax, and Eye-Fi (wifi card). SeaLife cameras are designed to work with any brand of SD memory card.

For the ReefMaster Mini, SeaLife recommends using a 1 GB SD memory card which will take about 300 hi-res images or ½ hour of video. Our tests with larger memory cards, like a 2GB (SD) indicate no compatibility problem, however we have experienced problems using 4 GB (SDHC).

 

[DandyDon]

I've used a 2 gb card for video, but the warning I got was for still shots. BTW I think 2 gb would be the maximum it would take; I tried a 4 gb card, but neither my Sealife or Canon A540 6mp would recognize it.

 

[prskate2]

I have a Reefmaster Mini (6.0 MP) and use a 1 gig card and it works fine.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

I use the DC600 with a 2gb generic card. I can't see any difference in lag time. I have long bottom times and get the battery to last longer by turning off the camera and strobe between shots...

But, I don't shoot nearly as many pics as Don. He has more images posted on SB than anyone else :grin

 

[DandyDon]

Oh Hi Denise, you were posting the same time I was.

You did not address the question of a 1 gb card slowing the camera as I was once told on the phone...?

For the DC500, SeaLife recommends using a 512 MB SD card which will take about 315 hi-res images or ½ hour of video. Our tests with larger memory cards, like a 1 GB or 2 GB (SD) indicate no compatibility problem, however we have experienced problems using 4 GB (SDHC).

I have a DC500 in my hand now with a 512 mb card. I said earlier that it will take 160 pics max, and it now shows 156; I do keep it on the largest and highest res possible. What settings do you use that you show 315?

 

[prskate2]

Sometime times the camera displays wrong info. But 160 is a lot less than stated above.

 

[DandyDon]

It always displays 160 or so, and the one time I took that many in a day - it stopped. On 5 mp, top quality and highest sharpest setting, it shows 156.

 

[Former Sealife Employee]

Oh Hi Denise, you were posting the same time I was.

You did not address the question of a 1 gb card slowing the camera as I was once told on the phone...?

Yes, it could slow down the camera because the recommended size is 512 mb.

I have a DC500 in my hand now with a 512 mb card. I said earlier that it will take 160 pics max, and it now shows 156; I do keep it on the largest and highest res possible. What settings do you use that you show 315?

A 1 gb card will get you 315 pictures. However once you go higher than the recommend 512 mb, and past 156 pictures, there is a possibility that the camera will slow down, but not by a significant margin.