Need for class 6 SDHC card for GRDII?

[Gunnar H]

I have just bought the new GRDII and would like to pair it with the fastest 8GB SDHC card available on the market, i.e. fastest regarding RAW write time. For example, does SanDisk Extreme III SDHC 8GB (class 6) write RAW-files faster than SanDisk Ultra II SDHC 8GB (class 4) in the GRDII? In other words; has GRDII the capacity to make use of the better speed of the class 6 card Extreme III, or will it just be a waste of money to buy a class 6 card? The latter is at least what my local camera store tells me adamantly (they have both options).

 

[jorgeAD]

Which card for GRDII?

I have been using a Chinese 2 GB Sandisk Extreme III and, as stated in RicohForum RAW writing speed tests, it takes seven red blinks to empty the buffer (a little less than 4.5 seconds):

http://www.ricohforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=459

Today I tried a Taiwanese 4GB kingston SDHC Class 6 SD card (bought from B&H) and it consistently took 8 red blinks... (about 4.5 seconds)

The difference might be due to the brand, their capacity, their country of origin or which way the wind blows, as there is no method to this madness... but your local camera store might have a point!

Here is Robgalbraith's SD speed comparison for the Nikon D50. I bet it doesn't hold true for the GRD II, but it does show that speeds are all over the place (1 GB Transcend 80x being about 10% faster than 4 GB Transcend 150x? ):

Robgalbraith's SD speed comparison

Mind you I have never had to wait for my GRD II to write a RAW file... so I suspect in real world usage the dual buffers in this camera will keep you happy with anything but the SD cards at the very bottom of both lists.

Jorge

 

[cam]

if you want the fastest, spend the extra money for the SanDisk Extreme III. yes, it costs more now, but you'll be using it almost daily -- no? it may not be a huge difference, but there will be situations where it makes the difference of getting the shot or not....

you may think your shop is pushing it because it costs more money. possibly. i also think it likely that they want you to get the absolute best out of your camera which means springing for good media.

the bigger question, i think, may be between the 4 GB and 8 GB...

 

[JHolmesJr]

I bought a Transcend 4GB SDHC Card Class 6 for my GR2 recently. Not only was I pleasantly surprised at the price (much lower than sandisk Extreme III) but also with the write speed. Highly recommend it.

 

[Player]

Lexar Pro SD 2GB 133x here. It takes 5 or 6 blinks.

 

[Sun]

There's a post that compares 15 different cards on the GRDII
www.ricohforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=459&sid=2cccc506de8dd0b8695f987245ae873a

 

[Gunnar H]

From the Ricoh forum it seems as if Panasonic's most expensive class 6 SDHC cards (i.e. the gold-coloured ones) are faster than SanDisk's Extreme III (also class 6), at least by a few blinks. However, the Panasonic is the most expensive model on the market (at least in Sweden), even more expensive than Extreme III. Apart from counting blinks, will there be a difference in real shooting situations?

Another question is the difference between 8 GB and 4 GB. I would prefer to use 8 GB since a full battery load of RAW-exposures could be captured.

My local camera shop insists that there is no real-life difference between class 4 cards (such as SanDisk Ultra II) and class 6 cards (such as Extreme III and Panasonic). They are thus NOT trying to sell me the most expensive solution.