Compact Flash Card Speeds for MFDB

[pflower]

Well after a long time lurking here you guys have finally convinced me to take the ridiculously expensive leap into MF Digital. I have now committed to a Hasselblad H3d-39 (at a fraction of the price it originally sold for).

I have searched this and other forums but haven't found a clear answer to my question - what kind of CF should I buy - not size but speed. Looking through sites there are 133x cards, 200x cards, Sandisk Extreme III and IV. But is there any difference in performance? What do you think and what are your experiences.

Thanks

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

I use Sandisk Extreme IV 16 gig cards which I find just fine. I have some older Lexar cards but don't sense much of a difference with them in my P45+ - but the difference is clear when using them at 5 fps in the Sony.

With the relatively slow frame rates of MFDB I wonder if the card speed is critical?

 

[yaya]

You will not see a difference in capture speed with your back but the download speed will be faster with the Extreme IV, especially if you also use their FW800 reader.
There are only a few MF backs that can utilise the faster (UDMA) cards for increased capture rate.

 

[dfarkas]

You will not see a difference in capture speed with your back but the download speed will be faster with the Extreme IV, especially if you also use their FW800 reader.
There are only a few MF backs that can utilise the faster (UDMA) cards for increased capture rate.

The S2 complies with the latest UDMA 6 spec (600x) which allows it to actually write to the CF card at about 90MB/sec. Based on its capture rate of 1.5 fps, this is important for shooting bursts. For more info, check out:

David Farkas Photography Blog - Transcend 600X UDMA 6 Extreme Plus CF Cards

David

 

[Steve Hendrix]

I would also recommend the Sandisk Extreme IV in combo with the Extreme IV FW800 Reader.


Steve Hendrix
Sales Manager
Capture Integration

 

[etrump]

While were on the subject has anyone else had trouble using 32G cards on P1 Backs? They seem to work but give errors.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

No just 16gb cards is all I have used on all my Phase backs that I have used or owned. More than enough space for me

 

[yaya]

While were on the subject has anyone else had trouble using 32G cards on P1 Backs? They seem to work but give errors.

Never tried the large cards and personally prefer 2GB/ 4GB for redundancy...you loose a 32GB card and you loose 32 gigs of data...

 

[Don Libby]

The only card I trust is SanDisk. I use Extreme III and IV anywhere from 4GB to 16GB depending on the camera.

Don

 

[jmvdigital]

While were on the subject has anyone else had trouble using 32G cards on P1 Backs? They seem to work but give errors.

Hehe... it would seem they don't really work then.

 

[Ebe]

My Vote SanDisk Extreme III, 4GB
Prefer 2GB/4GB for redundancy
For some reason 2GB/4GB are faster than 8GB/16Gb
Have not used 32GB

 

[kdphotography]

Zero problems using Sandisk III 32 GB CF cards. (P65+)

I use a variety of Sandisk CF cards---both III and IV----4GB, 8GB, 12GB, and 16GB, and 32GB.

 

[Professional]

I have several Sandisk CF cards, 4x 2GB, 1x 4GB, 2x 8GB, and 1x 12GB, mostly i use 12GB and 8GB with my H3D39mp

 

[KETCH ROSSI]

The question we all need to ask before choosing a CF card fro our gear is what is the maximum data that each particular camera model can push per second!

The Leica S2 pushes well over 100MB/s per second, so you need the most and absolute fastest CF card to stay up with it and the new Sandisk gets pretty close at 90MB/s, and you will need all of its speed.

So you should really look in to what writing speed is your camera working, and choose accordingly I always have done so and always achieved great results, no need to over buy, but buying the wrong card can and will slow you down, both in capture, and also during upload if you don't get a proper Card reader.


Will be looking my self to find out the maximum writing speed of my P30+ before I get my new Sandisk cards.

 

[David Grover / Phase One]

Well after a long time lurking here you guys have finally convinced me to take the ridiculously expensive leap into MF Digital. I have now committed to a Hasselblad H3d-39 (at a fraction of the price it originally sold for).

I have searched this and other forums but haven't found a clear answer to my question - what kind of CF should I buy - not size but speed. Looking through sites there are 133x cards, 200x cards, Sandisk Extreme III and IV. But is there any difference in performance? What do you think and what are your experiences.

Thanks

Definitely Extreme IV or Extreme Pro if you can find them yet.

Shooting 'speed' won't necessarily be quicker but the buffer will clear much faster if you like to shoot a lot. Also download speed much better.

Don't bother with USB readers. Get the Extreme Reader as well on Firewire.

D

 

[carstenw]

The only card I trust is SanDisk. I use Extreme III and IV anywhere from 4GB to 16GB depending on the camera.

I echo this, but stay away from Sandisk readers. I had one which just wouldn't work reliably with my Sandisk cards. I use a Lexmark FireWire reader, which is really fast.

EDIT: I haven't tried the Extreme reader that David mentions.

 

[ptomsu]

I echo this, but stay away from Sandisk readers. I had one which just wouldn't work reliably with my Sandisk cards. I use a Lexmark FireWire reader, which is really fast.

EDIT: I haven't tried the Extreme reader that David mentions.

I am not aware that Lexmark does a FW reader, I think you mean Lexar ?

 

[KETCH ROSSI]

Well if you really want the fastest card to computer workflow, then (if your computer has one) you need to get a e-sata express card reader.

 

[Clawery]

There is a very precise Knowledge Base Article on Phase One's web site. The article will ask you to check your firmware to see what works best with your
back.

http://www.phaseone.com/HOME/Conten...1590&LanguageID=1&layoutid=SupportSite - Main


Chris Lawery (e-mail Me)
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Phase One, Leaf, Cambo, Canon, Apple, Profoto, Eizo & More
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[Steve Hendrix]

I've never understood not getting the fastest reader/cards when spending thousands (sometimes tens of thousands) on a digital camera. My recommendation today is the same as it was a year ago - Sandisk Extreme IV (or faster) CF Card and Sandisk Extreme FW800 Reader. In my experience the Sandisk is no less reliable than any other brand readers and the Extreme IV Card/FW800 reader is among the fastest, if not the fastest. I believe some things should not be over-thought. Buy this combo and forget about it.

If this was for a Pentax K7 that would be one thing, but for a medium format digital back, there is no reason to consider slower solutions than this.


Steve Hendrix