newdiverAZ
Contributor
Are all CF cards compatable with all cameras. I already have one of each up to 256 MB but would like to get a 512 or 1GB and am curious if there are compatability issues
CF cards
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CF cards come in two sizes, type I and type II. The vast majority of CF cards are type I, but some, like the IBM microdrives are type II. Some cameras are only compatible with type I cards, whereas others can work with both. The Canon A80 for example only works with type I cards.
CF though is only one of many standards for storage in digital cameras. Others include SD, Sony Memory sticks and XD. Different camera manufacturers seem to have a preference for one or another, with some opting to support multiple formats.
As I understand it Type I CF cards come in vary sizes that will work with most cameras that support CF. You may find that certain cameras can only read CF cards up to a certain size....probably best to check with the manufacturer first.
Hope this helps,
Simon
CF though is only one of many standards for storage in digital cameras. Others include SD, Sony Memory sticks and XD. Different camera manufacturers seem to have a preference for one or another, with some opting to support multiple formats.
As I understand it Type I CF cards come in vary sizes that will work with most cameras that support CF. You may find that certain cameras can only read CF cards up to a certain size....probably best to check with the manufacturer first.
Hope this helps,
Simon
OP
newdiverAZ
Contributor
but what about the microdrive CF, or the 12x and 40x does any of this matter?
Forgot to mention different speeds...again this is just my understanding but the different speeds on CF cards (x12, x40, etc) denote how quickly the cards are read or written to. IMHO the quicker the card the better, and I certainly find my x40 512Mb CF card to be great.
The writing speed will also depend on your camera. Your camera can only write so fast. So some camera may benefit from a faster card while some may not. I would avoid type II (IBM Micro drive) as it uses up power significantly more than the type I card. Not as big a problem on land but underwater you don't have the luxury of changing batteries whenever you want.
Bob3
Contributor
I couple of other things to be aware of is that microdrives are just that, a tiny hard disk. They on average cost bout half of the regular flash memory, unless you can sniff out a deal:
http://www.pricewatch.com/menus/m226.htm
http://www.pricewatch.com/menus/m226.htm
ReyeR
Guest
>Type I, II and III
One of the differences is physical size. A Type I card fits into a Type II slot. A Type I and Type II cards fit into a Type III slot. So you need to make sure which type fits into your camera. Generally the CF cards available are Type I.
>Read/Write speeds
As ssra30 says the read / write speed will depend on the device's (camera in this case) read / write speed as well.
>Storage size (MB, GB)
Again depends on your camera. Some camera's will not support memory cards greater than a certain size. Some will support a certain size but not work reliably with certain card brands. You're best of checking with your camera manufucturer about support and known issues.
One of the differences is physical size. A Type I card fits into a Type II slot. A Type I and Type II cards fit into a Type III slot. So you need to make sure which type fits into your camera. Generally the CF cards available are Type I.
>Read/Write speeds
As ssra30 says the read / write speed will depend on the device's (camera in this case) read / write speed as well.
>Storage size (MB, GB)
Again depends on your camera. Some camera's will not support memory cards greater than a certain size. Some will support a certain size but not work reliably with certain card brands. You're best of checking with your camera manufucturer about support and known issues.
ReyeR
Guest
Just found this today:
http://www.powerinnumbers.com.au/default.asp?mode=news&action=show&newsid=271
A memory compatibility chart of about 420 cameras
http://www.powerinnumbers.com.au/default.asp?mode=news&action=show&newsid=271
A memory compatibility chart of about 420 cameras
Has anyone used a Microdrive underwater? I was always concerned if it would work or not so I bought a 1 gig Type-1 CF card to use instead.
I love my Microdrive for land but was just worried about it working well at 100+feet.
I also found the write times to be less than the flash recharge time so the CF speed while important may not be your shot-to-shot limiting factor. Could just be my setup though.
I love my Microdrive for land but was just worried about it working well at 100+feet.
I also found the write times to be less than the flash recharge time so the CF speed while important may not be your shot-to-shot limiting factor. Could just be my setup though.
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