Best Memory Card for the Rebel XTi

kerrymcd

I'm looking to purchase the Rebel XTi Digital SLR. The store is trying to sell me a Extreme III CF Memory Card, but I'm wondering whether it's necessary for the Rebel. I do want to do burst shooting, but is it necessary to have that write speed capability for the Rebel? Does it have the write speed to utilize this memory card's benefits?

cmason

kerrymcd wrote:

I'm looking to purchase the Rebel XTi Digital SLR. The store is trying to sell me a Extreme III CF Memory Card, but I'm wondering whether it's necessary for the Rebel. I do want to do burst shooting, but is it necessary to have that write speed capability for the Rebel? Does it have the write speed to utilize this memory card's benefits?

Check out Rob Galbraith's tests with the XT:

http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=6007-7699

I have a SanDisk Ultra II, and a basic SanDisk. Frankly I have never noticed a difference, but I don't burst often. The one time I did, during a car race, I had the Ultra II card in, and I was amazed how many shots I was able to get off (I ran out of subject before the camera stopped).

sirsloop

I use a 8GB seagate microdrive and use it to shoot 12 hour long horse events. I don't use burst, but I take a good 10 shots of each rider in a 30-60 second time period. No problems... 150 bucks.

The XTi has an increased buffer, so even if you are shooting RAW you'll get 9 shots in camera buffer. I'd say it takes 2-3 seconds for each 10MB file to save to the MD.

douglas

I am getting ready to order the xti. I currently own a Oly E500 and have had great success with the ridata 150x pro 1GB and 4GB models. I paid $85.00 for the 4GB and it is very fast, slightly slower than the sandisk extreme III, although the sandisk has a great reputation but in turn it cost alot more. One thing too consider when buying a card is even if its more speed than you need for your camera if you have a USB 2.0 card reader the transfers to your computer will be that much faster.

Tee Why

I just got a Ridata 150X 2GB Pro CF card for my Canon 30D and compared to Kingston 100X Ultima 1GB/1024MB Pro Elite/2GB Pro Elite cards, it's about 1/3 faster and about 200+ shots into the card I haven't had any problems with it and uploading images to my puter from a card reader.

Pretty cheap too at newegg.com

Art Scott

Give this a look.....a TRANSCEND 8GB FOR 169.99....I have been extremely happy with mine and I believe it was Photogmomma that just purchased 1 or 2.....

I saw a mention of a Micro drive user....they are fine and work well but are easily killed....you need to remember they are a compact HARD DRIVE with moving platter(s)...so any dropping of the MD could kill it...that is why I decided to use only flash memory cards.....at some point that card will take a drop and be gone....and I donot believe you can recover from a crashed head on the platter.

Good luck with your decision making.

sirsloop

if it never comes out of the camera, and the camera never comes off my neck... I would would have to take a fall and land on the camera. I supposed its possible. I have been shooting with the MD for good amount of time now with no issues. My boss has been using them in all sorts of devices for over a year now. Granted it may be easier to kill one...I dont treat my camera rough and would expect the camera to be broke before the MD breaks.

gus

Art Scott wrote:

Give this a look.....a TRANSCEND 8GB FOR 169.99....I have been extremely happy with mine and I believe it was Photogmomma that just purchased 1 or 2.....

I saw a mention of a Micro drive user....they are fine and work well but are easily killed....you need to remember they are a compact HARD DRIVE with moving platter(s)...so any dropping of the MD could kill it...that is why I decided to use only flash memory cards.....at some point that card will take a drop and be gone....and I donot believe you can recover from a crashed head on the platter.

Good luck with your decision making.

G'day art...that looks the goods actually. Im seriously not into thinking too much about this sort of stuff. What about 2x4 gig transend 150x instead of the 8 gig in the event of card failure or am i living in the 2004's & isnt it a real worry these days with recovery being better etc ?

photobug

Art Scott wrote:

Give this a look.....a TRANSCEND 8GB FOR 169.99....I have been extremely happy with mine .....

...Micro drive ....they are fine and work well but are easily killed....you need to remember they are a compact HARD DRIVE with moving platter(s)...so any dropping of the MD could kill it.

The spec for at least Seagate's microdrives is pretty impressive in terms of non-operating G-forces it can withstand. Still, I would not want to drop one on a hard surface.

Also, watch the temperature specs on microdrives -- most won't work in cold weather (we're talking in the vicinity of Freezing or colder). I had one for one vacation but flash prices have dropped so much that I don't bother with microdrives any more.

I've had many flash cards (CF) and only had a problem with one SanDisk (which was fine after reformatting). I've had zero issues with Viking or Transcend cards, and they aren't even the "premium" brands.

sirsloop

The MD actually heats up in the camera so there should be no issues with it in the slot, power on, with your bear claw wrapped around the grip.

Art Scott

gus wrote:

G'day art...that looks the goods actually. Im seriously not into thinking too much about this sort of stuff. What about 2x4 gig transend 150x instead of the 8 gig in the event of card failure or am i living in the 2004's & isnt it a real worry these days with recovery being better etc ?

G'Day Gus,

I would trust any of the Transcend cards as much as my Lexars...I just opted for the 8gb as that is the largest my KM7D will recognize....is I put in a 10gb it iwll still only register it as an 8 or not at all......

In one sense a 2 or 4 would be better if it crapped out....but with the fantastic recovery software available now.....I too am still having this struggle......


For "standard" Pro cards I do not believe the Transcend can be beat for price and all.....


As for the MD's.....I have in the past contacted both IBM and Seagate and asked for my style of photography (outdoor, inclimate weather, up in treestands looking for deer...etc etc) if I could get by with MD's....and both companies said they would not recommend an MD to b used in this way....If it were for studio style shooting (weddings and portraits) then they should be just fine......
This was my reason for stearing clear of the MD's and waiting for the CF prices to drop.

I have on here where someone sent a CF card thru the washer and dryer by accident and it functioned perfectly afterward.....do not believe a MD card would survive at all this treatment......

gus

Art Scott wrote:

G'Day Gus,


I have on here where someone sent a CF card thru the washer and dryer by accident and it functioned perfectly afterward.....do not believe a MD card would survive at all this treatment......

Tks mate...both of my lexar's have been washed & still work perfectly (along with my motorcycle alarm remote) but they are old ones so may be of better quality than the newer ones. Personally i would'nt even think about a micro drive. I look at it like this. Whats the reliability of ram v's hard drive in a PC like ?

Art Scott

gus wrote:

Tks mate...both of my lexar's have been washed & still work perfectly (along with my motorcycle alarm remote) but they are old ones so may be of better quality than the newer ones.
Personally i would even think about a micro drive.

I look at it like this. Whats the reliability of ram v's hard drive in a PC like ?

EXACTLY!
That is the best comaprison I have seen so far.

evoryware

I've always liked Sandisk. I use a Sandisk Extreme 3 and a Sandisk Ultra 2 w/ my XTI. I notice no difference in the speed between the two with the XTi.

Antonio Correia

I have a 20D and a 350D. I always shoot RAW.
In the 1.st camera I use always Sandisk Extreme III 1Gb only.
It's very fast. I shoot sports from time to time and I do notice the difference when I use the other card, the film PRO from Delkin also 1Gb.

I notice that the Sandisk is very fast is when I format them.
It's very clear.

I wonder if the new SanDisk Extreme® IV CompactFlash® doesn't make the job even better !?

May be it doesn' t because the camera can't hold it !
Up to 40MB/sec* sequential read and write (leveraging the new Extreme FireWire Reader)