Oly SP350 limited using only Oly xD-Picture Card?

[Pinay_Diver]

Hi,

I recently purchased an Oly SP350 and loving it so far. There's this notice in the box that the owner can only use an Olympus xD-Picutre Card with the Oly SP350.

If I use another xD Card, would it harm the Oly SP350 in any way?

Dive safely!

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

You can use any xd card. The Oly one apparently allows the panarama function when combined with the Oly Master program.

However you can still splice your non-Oly xD panarama photos together with many other much better image programs - so no great loss.

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[Pinay_Diver]

Thanks Rohan!

CAn you please recommend good brands of xD cards available in the market?

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

I know theres fast and slow ones out there - but someone else will have to fill you (and me) in on the types of xD and brand (my cameras not with me at the moment).

 

[Matt S.]

There are fast and slow brands of cards, but there's no sense buying the fast ones if the camera's write speed is too slow to take advantage of it. Check reviews of your camera, you should be able to find out what would work best for you.

 

[gert7to3]

You can use any manufacturer's card. Lexar, Fuji, Edge, Kodak all make this type of memory in addition to Olympus.

The SP-350 camera can utilize the Olympus branded xD cards for automated panorama stitching in the camera. Most photo programs offer something similar. The Olympus Master software comes in two levels. A basic level is free, the advanced level must be purchased. I already sprung for PhotoShop CS2 so I am not bothering with the Olympus software.

There are two speeds of cards currently available. The original is an xDM and a newer, faster model is the xDH. Write speed is the chief difference between them. There is a noticable decrease in time when taking RAW photos. The xDH takes 7-9 seconds between shots, the xDM does the same task in 12-15 seconds.

This can take slightly longer if you save a JPEG image along with the RAW image. However, if you want to quickly review your photo whilst shooting to the RAW format, saving a HQ JPEG will make this a lot easier. Otherwise you will get to wait just as long for the camera to read the image as it took to save it.

If I'm using a strobe I usually shoot SHQ JPEG's. I don't like the long wait necessary to write RAW image data to memory. If I was shooting a wreck or without flash I might use RAW. It gives one greater latitude for processing.

 

[sunkarm]

as far as i know only olympus and fuji makes the xd card nothiung else. but then again i live in indonesia and these r the only companies that distribute XD card downhere