Help be get the best deal on memory for my cameras.

July 18, 2006 4:44 PM

Digital camera memory, does brand matter for SD or CF? (looking for two different cameras)

Purchasing memory for two cameras, and price variance is high. I've looked at Newegg, (seems to be the best prices). Is this one of those where you "get what you pay for?" FWIW, both cameras are for casual use. The one that needs CF memory is for a photography student. Thanks in advance!

posted by 6:1 to technology (12 comments total)

err help me, not be. sorry.
posted by 6:1 at 4:54 PM on July 18, 2006

There are two things you as a consumer should be interested in: Speed and reliability. I believe reliability is pretty high for all of them (though some older lexar cards have a (fixable) firmware bug which can cause photos to be lost).

In terms of speed, try this site. This will affect how quickly you can take pictures, though all cameras have some internal buffer so how much this matters depends on the camera. This will also affect transfer to a computer.
posted by aubilenon at 4:58 PM on July 18, 2006

Most of the flash on the market is pretty similar. Personally, I look for stuff that has a decent warranty. I've got a lot of gadgets, and the stuff gets put through it's paces. Never had a lick of trouble with SanDisk or Kingston, though.
posted by richter_x at 5:36 PM on July 18, 2006

They're all pretty much identical in terms of reliability. With the exception of the very low-end nobrand name models. Sandisk & Kingston are what my company deals with and i've had no complaints.

Also you have to consider what the person your getting these cards for is using them for. 'Faster' cards such as the Sandisk Extreme III CF card series are very useful for action/sports shots and rapid shooting and the price reflects that, but to take portraits of grandma they don't make a difference at all.
posted by DNick at 6:07 PM on July 18, 2006

There is a very nice performance database maintained by Rob Galbraith at href="http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=6007"
posted by rootcause at 6:14 PM on July 18, 2006

You should also take into account the speed at which your camera saves images to memory. It may not matter how fast your memory card is, if your camera can't take advantage of that speed.
posted by roomwithaview at 6:20 PM on July 18, 2006

If the CF camera is a Canon DSLR, there have been compatiability issues with Lexar in the past. That said, have used Lexar cards in both Canon and Nikon cameras without a problem. According to various internet forums, there have been counterfit cards sold via eBay and other outlets; the reputation of the seeler might be more important than the brand of card.

Sandisk and Lexar seem to be the most popular, though. And the performance of the Sandisk Ultra II seems to be indistinguishable from the Extreme III for most people, for much less money.
posted by TedW at 7:21 PM on July 18, 2006

Beware of Sandisk Extreme cards offered at what seem to be extremely low prices. There has been a rash of counterfeit cards from China that are much slower than expected.
posted by kindall at 8:01 PM on July 18, 2006

I rely on both Sandisk and Lexar CF cards on a daily basis, since I make my living as a photographer. Personally, I prefer the Sandisk Ultra II's for speed and price. The Extreme III's are good too, but only if you're working in extreme temp's and environments, which I sometimes do. I've had a couple cheapo CF cards fail, so regardless of brand I feel you're better off spending the money for better cards - its an awful feeling to lose a large set of photos!
posted by blaneyphoto at 8:34 PM on July 18, 2006

Oh yeah, the bogus Sandisk cards may have ben Ultras rather than Extremes. Basically, don't buy Sandisk cards off Ebay, buy 'em from a legit dealer.
posted by kindall at 8:40 PM on July 18, 2006

The CF is for a Nikon D70s. The SD is for a Nikon Coolpix P2 that I am about to purchase.

Thanks for all the input!
posted by 6:1 at 9:04 PM on July 18, 2006

http://dealnews.com/memory/
posted by atom128 at 12:57 PM on July 19, 2006