4GB SanDisk Ultra II - am I missing something?

tmlphoto

I just recieved a new 4GB Sandisk Ultra II CF card. I formatted it in my Canon 1DmII and was shocked to see that I can only get 178 RAW images. I usually get almost 90 RAW files on a 1GB card. What gives? I seems as if I'm only seeing about 2GB. Do I have to do something special to get the camera to see the other 2GB. Maybe I need to update the firmware? I'm using 1.1.0

wxwax

Yes, that rings a bell. I've read about it before, I seem to recall. I think you're only getting 2GB of the 4 on tap. If no-one here pipes up, do a Google. And update yer body's software.

luckyrwe

A quick way to check is to format the card in camera, then pop it into your OC and see if it is fornated with FAT or FAT32. You need FAT32 to address the entire 4GB. If it is FAT only, then I bet it is a firmware issue.

My 1DII can see my entire 8GB card.

tmlphoto

luckyrwe wrote:

A quick way to check is to format the card in camera, then pop it into your OC and see if it is fornated with FAT or FAT32. You need FAT32 to address the entire 4GB. If it is FAT only, then I bet it is a firmware issue.

My 1DII can see my entire 8GB card.

Thanks for the advice.
I did as advised and indeed it is a FAT only drive, no FAT32. Only shows as 2GB in my computer as well as camera. I tried canons site and found what looks like the firmware upgrade, but there doesn't seem to be a real file there. Hopefully just a temporary problem. Is there any where else to get a copy of firmware 1.2.2 for the 1DMK2?

tmlphoto

I found the firmware upgrade here: http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/eos1dm2/eos1dmk2_firmware-e.html

Upgrade went smoothly, but still only showing 2GB on card. Still show FAT only on computer. Very frustrating. Can't find anything about FAT32 in the owners manual. Will go googling again.

luckyrwe

After you get new firmware in the camera, you reformatted the card once again? It will always show as FAT until reformatted.

ian408

I thought that was only a 1ds issue? Regardless, it's supposed to be fixed
in 1.2.2. I'd try an in-camera reformat. If that doesn't work, try it on the
computer.

Ian

patch29

I thought some of those large cards had a switch to set it to 2gb vs 4gb for cameras that cannot see over 2gb. I would try setting it in camera too.

tmlphoto

patch29 wrote:

I thought some of those large cards had a switch to set it to 2gb vs 4gb for cameras that cannot see over 2gb. I would try setting it in camera too.

Patch, you are THE MAN. You are correct, there is a tiny switch on the side of the CF card. Once set to the FAT32 option I can see the whole 4GB. It's interesting that there is nothing in the documentation or the web site about this ( at least that I can find). It is also interesting that they choose to set the default switch position to FAT16, which can only give you 2GB of memory on a 4GB card. Thanks for the tip Patch.

I'm getting 359 RAW images now on the 4GB card, sweeeeet!

patch29

tmlphoto wrote:

Thanks for the tip Patch.

My friend has six of the 4gb CF cards. I thought I remembered him going through that with his first card.

luckyrwe

But with the switch can you toss it the other way and acess the other 2GB of memory? I seem to recall there was a way to do this, it saw 2 cards in one card, like partitioning the hard drive.

Safari

Don't know about in-camera formatting, but I don't believe that computer formatting will change the file system - you'll just be reformatting the same FAT-formatted volume with its 2 GB limit.

ian408 wrote:

I'd try an in-camera reformat. If that doesn't work, try it on the
computer.

Ian

luckyrwe

Yup, may have to delete the partition first.

Khaos

2GB is the limit for FAT. Always has been. FAT32 has a limit of 137GB.

luckyrwe

If you format it FAT, then if you want to format it FAT32 you have to either delete the partition of tell the device to use FAT32 specifically. I guess we should ask...without the switch thrown, was it indeed FAT32 formatted to 2GB?

tmlphoto

luckyrwe wrote:

If you format it FAT, then if you want to format it FAT32 you have to either delete the partition of tell the device to use FAT32 specifically. I guess we should ask...without the switch thrown, was it indeed FAT32 formatted to 2GB?

With the switch on 2GB it was FAT16, with the switch on 4GB it is FAT32.

ziggy53

tmlphoto wrote:

With the switch on 2GB it was FAT16, with the switch on 4GB it is FAT32.

Look for another switch; maybe it's really a 8GB card!

(Put down the ball-bat, I was just kidding.)

ziggy53