CF Compact Flash cards at DVinfo.net

Gary Greenwald · October 13th, 2008, 02:44 PM

ive seen various posts from people saying that the hd bitrate would be in the 40MBs range when capturing hd video on the 5d mkII, and i also see that this month sandisk finally has ou in the market a 16mb extreme IV with 45MBs rate and a 32mb extreme III with a 30MBs rate (since that one is non-udma).
so it seems as though the 5d mkII would need the 45MBs speed card in order to really take advantage of its udma feature on both card and camera, yet in sandisks press release they specifically talk about the 5d mkII working to capture video in realtime on the 32mb card, the slower one. so im guessing that a videos bitrate is different than a cards actual write/read speed then? how does one calculate then when calculating how cards with various speeds can keep up with a cameras own write times?
so i am wondering since i want to have some cards in hand when the 5d mkII arrives, how speed vs size will affect the cameras buffer and capture-write times....i hope someone specifically tests both cards on a production 5d mkII...
tx for any words about this

Jon Fairhurst · October 13th, 2008, 02:56 PM

The 5D MII's video is in mega bits per second, not mega bytes. That's a factor of eight slower. 6MB/s is all you need.

Matthew Roddy · December 9th, 2008, 08:54 PM

Is this the right medium/forum to ask this kind of question?

What are the "best" CF cards to purchase for the 5D2?
I'd guess what I'm asking is about the HD video.

I was going to pick up a few SanDisk Extreme iii cars, but then I saw the iv's and wasn't sure if I needed the faster, more powerful model.

By the way, Amazon has some 4Gig Extreme iiis for less than $21.00 each. Thought I'd get 4 of those and maybe 2 16Gig cards. I thought I'd be hard-pressed to fill all those in a single shoot.
But if I need the Extreme iv cards, I will have to rethink that due to budgetary constraints (I just got a camera, after all...).

Thanks for the advice!

Chris Hurd · December 9th, 2008, 09:22 PM

133x is all you need, and pretty much all but the cheapest CF cards these days are at least that fast... I think...

Dan Chung · December 9th, 2008, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

133x is all you need, and pretty much all but the cheapest CF cards these days are at least that fast... I think...

Chris, that depends how quickly you want to get the video into your NLE afterwards too. I have a small collection of Extreme III and IV cards plus Lexar 300x UDMA's, there is a massive difference in download speed between the UDMA cards and non-UDMA cards when using a UDMA card reader.

On another cautionary note I just had a Lexar 300x UDMA card fail totally in the 5dmkII and am going to send it back for diagnosis.

Dan

Chris Hurd · December 9th, 2008, 11:09 PM

Roger that, Dan -- I'm using a 300x UDMA card myself, along with a FireWire reader, for that very reason (speed of ingest). Just saying' that 133x is all you need to squeak by... as far as what "best" is, as always, "best" means different things to different people. My idea of the best CF card is the one I bought, which is also one of the most expensive. Somebody else's "best" might mean the least expensive they can get away with...

Matthew Roddy · December 10th, 2008, 01:05 AM

I hope I'm not the only one why doesn't understand the tech you're referring to.
I feel like a dope.
UDMA? 133x?
I apologize for my learning curve here...
I typically buy from Amazon or Supermediastore.com. Checking their site, they say that an Extreme iii transfers data at 30Meg/sec (and I thought the 5D2 captured at 32Meg/sec - I'm missing something). Amazon doesn't mention 133x or better or even UDMA, so I don't know how to cross-reference what you're telling me.

Bottom line, though, it sounds like you're telling me that the Extreme iii is just fine. I just don't get the data rate, compered to what the 5D2 writes at.

Anyway, I do thank you for the help. Sounds like I'll be happy with the Extreme iii cards for a while and that I should buy the iv cards when I can afford them to help the downloading process.

Thanks again.

Marcus Marchesseault · December 10th, 2008, 01:14 AM

Matthew, the confusion is probably due to the card writing 30 megaBYTES per second and the camera data rate being in BITS per second. It's probably only about a 5 megabytes per second stream but remember that flash often only writes at half the read speed so that is probably why 20Meg/second (or faster) seems to be needed. I'll bet slower might work but fast CF cards are cheap and you get the benefit of faster editing.

Dan Chung · December 10th, 2008, 01:41 AM

Maybe have a look at these Newegg.com - Transcend 8GB Compact Flash (CF) Flash Card Model TS8GCF300 - Flash Memory

as well as the Sandisk and Lexar versions.

Dan

Min Lee · December 10th, 2008, 04:49 AM

Can someone give me a ballpark idea of the download time difference between UDMA and non-UDMA? Also, what do you need to take full advantage of UDMA, i.e. Is there certain specs I should look for in a card reader? Thanks.

Don Miller · December 10th, 2008, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Chung

Maybe have a look at these Newegg.com - Transcend 8GB Compact Flash (CF) Flash Card Model TS8GCF300 - Flash Memory

as well as the Sandisk and Lexar versions.

Dan

Less expensive, twice the capacity, almost as fast:

Ridata 16GB 233X UDMA Enabled Compact Flash Card Ridata 16GB 233X UDMA Compact Flash Card Detail Page

Min Lee · December 10th, 2008, 12:41 PM

Don,
That card got awful review on new egg:
Newegg.com - RiDATA Lightning Series 16GB Compact Flash (CF) Flash Card Model CFR16G-233X-LIG2 - Flash Memory

Paul Martin · December 10th, 2008, 12:59 PM

I just got a 32GB 133x Transcend cf card for my 5D2 and it shoots video just fine.

Taking a RAW photo while shooting a video clip, however, will force the video recording to stop.

Only $85 online.

The 16GB 133x Transcends aren't as fast as the 32GB, judging from Rob Galbraith's CF/SD card speed database: Rob Galbraith DPI: Canon EOS 50D

Jon Fairhurst · December 10th, 2008, 01:04 PM

According to a source on the web, the newer SanDisk Extreme III cards are UDMA capable, while the older ones are not. Make sure to get the 30 MBps version rather than the older 20 MBps version

SanDisk Extreme III UDMA & Apacer Steno IV CF Cards Tested

Of course, don't trust everything you read on the web. Can anybody confirm this?

Personally, I'd be surprised if the latest Extreme III didn't support UDMA, but the specs from SanDisc aren't all that clear...

Jenn Kramer · December 10th, 2008, 01:45 PM

Make sure your reader is up to snuff, too. I've had good luck with Sandisk's Extreme USB 2.0 Reader. The one I have does both CF and SD cards, but it looks like this model's selling for 10x original price now. They have another one that's only $20 that just does CF. I had a cheap no-name multi-format USB card reader before, and the difference with the same cards was considerable.

October 13th, 2008, 02:44 PM	#1
Gary Greenwald New Boot Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: west palm beach, fl Posts: 13	5d mkII - sandisk 16mb IV or 32mb III? ive seen various posts from people saying that the hd bitrate would be in the 40MBs range when capturing hd video on the 5d mkII, and i also see that this month sandisk finally has ou in the market a 16mb extreme IV with 45MBs rate and a 32mb extreme III with a 30MBs rate (since that one is non-udma). so it seems as though the 5d mkII would need the 45MBs speed card in order to really take advantage of its udma feature on both card and camera, yet in sandisks press release they specifically talk about the 5d mkII working to capture video in realtime on the 32mb card, the slower one. so im guessing that a videos bitrate is different than a cards actual write/read speed then? how does one calculate then when calculating how cards with various speeds can keep up with a cameras own write times? so i am wondering since i want to have some cards in hand when the 5d mkII arrives, how speed vs size will affect the cameras buffer and capture-write times....i hope someone specifically tests both cards on a production 5d mkII... tx for any words about this

October 13th, 2008, 02:56 PM	#2
Jon Fairhurst Inner Circle Join Date: May 2006 Location: Camas, WA, USA Posts: 5,513	The 5D MII's video is in mega bits per second, not mega bytes. That's a factor of eight slower. 6MB/s is all you need. __________________ Jon Fairhurst

December 9th, 2008, 08:54 PM	#3
Matthew Roddy Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Riverside, Ca Posts: 307	CF Compact Flash cards Is this the right medium/forum to ask this kind of question? What are the "best" CF cards to purchase for the 5D2? I'd guess what I'm asking is about the HD video. I was going to pick up a few SanDisk Extreme iii cars, but then I saw the iv's and wasn't sure if I needed the faster, more powerful model. By the way, Amazon has some 4Gig Extreme iiis for less than $21.00 each. Thought I'd get 4 of those and maybe 2 16Gig cards. I thought I'd be hard-pressed to fill all those in a single shoot. But if I need the Extreme iv cards, I will have to rethink that due to budgetary constraints (I just got a camera, after all...). Thanks for the advice!

December 9th, 2008, 09:22 PM	#4
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	133x is all you need, and pretty much all but the cheapest CF cards these days are at least that fast... I think... __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

December 9th, 2008, 11:09 PM	#6
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Roger that, Dan -- I'm using a 300x UDMA card myself, along with a FireWire reader, for that very reason (speed of ingest). Just saying' that 133x is all you need to squeak by... as far as what "best" is, as always, "best" means different things to different people. My idea of the best CF card is the one I bought, which is also one of the most expensive. Somebody else's "best" might mean the least expensive they can get away with... __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

December 10th, 2008, 01:05 AM	#7
Matthew Roddy Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Riverside, Ca Posts: 307	I hope I'm not the only one why doesn't understand the tech you're referring to. I feel like a dope. UDMA? 133x? I apologize for my learning curve here... I typically buy from Amazon or Supermediastore.com. Checking their site, they say that an Extreme iii transfers data at 30Meg/sec (and I thought the 5D2 captured at 32Meg/sec - I'm missing something). Amazon doesn't mention 133x or better or even UDMA, so I don't know how to cross-reference what you're telling me. Bottom line, though, it sounds like you're telling me that the Extreme iii is just fine. I just don't get the data rate, compered to what the 5D2 writes at. Anyway, I do thank you for the help. Sounds like I'll be happy with the Extreme iii cards for a while and that I should buy the iv cards when I can afford them to help the downloading process. Thanks again.

December 10th, 2008, 01:14 AM	#8
Marcus Marchesseault Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,961	Matthew, the confusion is probably due to the card writing 30 megaBYTES per second and the camera data rate being in BITS per second. It's probably only about a 5 megabytes per second stream but remember that flash often only writes at half the read speed so that is probably why 20Meg/second (or faster) seems to be needed. I'll bet slower might work but fast CF cards are cheap and you get the benefit of faster editing.

December 10th, 2008, 01:41 AM	#9
Dan Chung Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Beijing Posts: 665	Maybe have a look at these Newegg.com - Transcend 8GB Compact Flash (CF) Flash Card Model TS8GCF300 - Flash Memory as well as the Sandisk and Lexar versions. Dan

December 10th, 2008, 04:49 AM	#10
Min Lee Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 200	Can someone give me a ballpark idea of the download time difference between UDMA and non-UDMA? Also, what do you need to take full advantage of UDMA, i.e. Is there certain specs I should look for in a card reader? Thanks.

December 10th, 2008, 12:41 PM	#12
Min Lee Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 200	Don, That card got awful review on new egg: Newegg.com - RiDATA Lightning Series 16GB Compact Flash (CF) Flash Card Model CFR16G-233X-LIG2 - Flash Memory

December 10th, 2008, 12:59 PM	#13
Paul Martin Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 47	Transcend 32GB 133x works fine I just got a 32GB 133x Transcend cf card for my 5D2 and it shoots video just fine. Taking a RAW photo while shooting a video clip, however, will force the video recording to stop. Only $85 online. The 16GB 133x Transcends aren't as fast as the 32GB, judging from Rob Galbraith's CF/SD card speed database: Rob Galbraith DPI: Canon EOS 50D

December 10th, 2008, 01:04 PM	#14
Jon Fairhurst Inner Circle Join Date: May 2006 Location: Camas, WA, USA Posts: 5,513	According to a source on the web, the newer SanDisk Extreme III cards are UDMA capable, while the older ones are not. Make sure to get the 30 MBps version rather than the older 20 MBps version SanDisk Extreme III UDMA & Apacer Steno IV CF Cards Tested Of course, don't trust everything you read on the web. Can anybody confirm this? Personally, I'd be surprised if the latest Extreme III didn't support UDMA, but the specs from SanDisc aren't all that clear... __________________ Jon Fairhurst

December 10th, 2008, 01:45 PM	#15
Jenn Kramer Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 389 Images: 1	Make sure your reader is up to snuff, too. I've had good luck with Sandisk's Extreme USB 2.0 Reader. The one I have does both CF and SD cards, but it looks like this model's selling for 10x original price now. They have another one that's only $20 that just does CF. I had a cheap no-name multi-format USB card reader before, and the difference with the same cards was considerable.