Memory - where to buy and opinion on size?

[cirks]

This weekend proved to me that shooting in Raw&Jpeg requires plenty of memory! So, with that in mind, where does everyone buy from? Got my Sandisk 1Gb Extreme III from Ebuyer (not in stock now) for £74 and a Sandisk 256Mb standard from Canon FOC. Checking prices online, MyMemory seems to be the most competitive for just about any CF that I'm considering. Has anyone used them recently (they are mentioned in threads ~1year ago).Other possibility is Photo Scotland. The old threads also mentioned Flashman862 (?) on ebay but the prices don't now look that much better when taking into account p&p and there are different prices for the same item in his shop.

Do I go for:
2 * 1Gb Ultra II
1 * 2Gb Ultra II
2 * 1Gb Extreme III

(Camera 20D so 8Mb)

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

cirks said:

Do I go for: 2 * 1Gb Ultra II 1 * 2Gb Ultra II 2 * 1Gb Extreme III

Well, according to Mr Glabraith there's little difference in extreme II's and III's in a 20D. www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=6007-7303
I would tend to go for the 2GB. There's the 'all eggs in one basket' point but I must admit I hate changing cards. I've got a 2GB Extreme III.

[beano500]

ThatPhilBrettGuy said:

There's the 'all eggs in one basket' point but I must admit I hate changing cards. I've got a 2GB Extreme III.

..and I'd go for 2 x 1Gb cards for teh reason that one failing (and there have been a few failures) would be a bigger headache - UNLESS you can find a significant price advantage on the 2Gb.

Where to look?

I've bought a couple off fleabay, but check online (Kelkoo it) and then try 'phoning for latest prices (Warehouse Express? SRS?) from some of the people advertising in the mags.

[luca brazzi]

Got the Sandisk Extremes from Ebay in HK...2Gb card holds about 200 Raw pics on the 20D.

[cirks]

luca brazzi said:

Got the Sandisk Extremes from Ebay in HK...2Gb card holds about 200 Raw pics on the 20D.

recommended seller? how much?

[ehasler]

I've bought most of my cards from www.emartbuy.com

Great prices and next day delivery, although the website is pretty basic.

[DustyC]

I bought 1GB 80X PNY Compact Flash cards from Ebuyer for £40.

[Andy M]

cirks said:

luca brazzi said: Got the Sandisk Extremes from Ebay in HK...2Gb card holds about 200 Raw pics on the 20D. recommended seller? how much?

Try: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/BlueProton-co-uk and http://stores.ebay.co.uk/FlashMan852

YHM by the way

[cirks]

Andy M said:

YHM by the way

Thanks - will check when I get home. For some bizarre reason I can no longer access my home email from work

[luca brazzi]

cirks said:

luca brazzi said: Got the Sandisk Extremes from Ebay in HK...2Gb card holds about 200 Raw pics on the 20D. recommended seller? how much?

not 2Gb I know...
4Gb
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4GB-SanDisk-Extreme-III-Compac

Seller's name is flashman852

[C&C]

ehasler said:

I've bought most of my cards from www.emartbuy.com Great prices and next day delivery, although the website is pretty basic.

I've usually used
www.picstop.co.uk
They are also very efficient, and you can order online, or over the phone.

I did a quick comparison on a card I use:
Lexar 1Gb 80x Pro
emartbuy is £82.25 inc VAT
www.emartbuy.com/uk/catalog/item/miscl/itemDetail.aspx?itemId=334

picstop is £64.90 inc VAT
www.picstop.co.uk/Compact-Flash-(CF)/Lexar-80x-WA-Pro-Compact-Flash-Card---1GB

May be worth a look?

[monkeyhanger]

I'm using these at the moment....

www.flash-memory.co.uk/pp/CompactFlash_Cards_(CF)/Integral_2GB_100x_I-Pro_Compact_Flash_Card.html

Falls right between the Sandisk Extreme & Ultra in terms of speed, but the price for a 2Gb card is very nice indeed.

[up-the-dubs]

Wait a minute here....

Having decided on what to buy (D50), it being a trial in itself, I now have to do the same for memory cards???? Can't I just buy the cheapest and be happy? Whats this about speed? What have I got myself into?


Sorry, bit of a thread hi-jack. If there already is a thread about the daftest things that I ask, a bit of an auld link would be lovely

[poah]

I have an ultra2 and a kingston pro 1 gig card. got my kingston from www.surreyphotography.co.uk got my ultra2 from ebay. considering the integral ones though www.mx2.co.uk/prodpage.asp?type=prod&sub=DIGCF

[Nacnud]

2Gb Ultra III used here.
It's no faster in-camera - but plug the sucker into the latest Sandisk CF reader (the one with ESP) and it uses every bit of the available speed to download to the computer.
Takes approx 2 mins for 1.5Gb - Reader is about £16 from eBay and worth every penny

[RobDickinson]

up-the-dubs said:

Wait a minute here.... Having decided on what to buy (D50), it being a trial in itself, I now have to do the same for memory cards???? Can't I just buy the cheapest and be happy? Whats this about speed? What have I got myself into?

Yep!

CF cards are(were) rated the same as CD rom drives, i.e. 1*speed is 150k write a second. They've gone and got all fancy titles now tho :P

CF speed isnt much of a factor unless you want to shoot multiple frames, or raw, if your the sort of person who shoots One carefully set up landscape every 10min then dont worry.

If you shoot raw or masses (sports/motorracing etc) then you'll want as quick a card as you can get(thats appropriate for your camera). Your camera will have a buffer that will take 3-5 raw shots before its full and needs to clear space for the next, at that point you wont be able to take a shot, and it can take a few secconds to 30+ depending on camera and card to clear.

Not all cards are equal, and not all cameras react the same.

[imperialism2024]

I get my memory from B&H, but I guess that isn't too relevant unless you know someone who's returning soon from the States...

I'd go for the fastest memory available merely for the reason that even if the camera you have now can't utilize the extra speed, chances are that the next camera down the road will be capable of writing faster. Hence I have five 1GB Lexar Pro 80x cards, picked up for about $100 each. Haven't used all of it at one time yet, though...

[simpo two]

Nacnud said:

plug the sucker into the latest Sandisk CF reader (the one with ESP) and it uses every bit of the available speed to download to the computer. Takes approx 2 mins for 1.5Gb - Reader is about £16 from eBay and worth every penny

But you'd need a USB2 socket for that speed, no?

[richb]

Techie chaps in my office seem to always use www.crucial.com - any use? Rich...

[RobDickinson]

simpo two said:

Nacnud said: plug the sucker into the latest Sandisk CF reader (the one with ESP) and it uses every bit of the available speed to download to the computer. Takes approx 2 mins for 1.5Gb - Reader is about £16 from eBay and worth every penny But you'd need a USB2 socket for that speed, no?

Yes, USB1 is slo.