Hey All! My first post here. So I just bought a T2i to help me with my practice (dentist) and also to have for family videos. I found out the hard way that 16gb class 2 will not work. :) I also bought a case and tripod...and didn't like either of those, so I took it all back and am starting from scratch again. By the way, LOVE the T2i!! My last SLR was a Nikon N90S, so this is a huge step up!
Anyway, I could really use some suggestions for: where I can get the cheapest 16GB class 6 card, a nice tripod that isn't too bulky, and a nice bag. I know the bag is personal taste, but thought it couldn't hurt to ask. I have seen the sling Lowepro and thought that was pretty nice. Anyway, well thanks for your help and take care.

Hi Charles, welcome to DV Info Net. I don't think you want the "cheapest" 16GB class 6 card -- that could be asking for trouble. Most likely you're looking for the best value, which doesn't always mean it's the least expensive. See these threads:

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-eos-rebel-t2i-eos-550d-hd/476666-patriot-16gb-class-10-a.html
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-eos-rebel-t2i-eos-550d-hd/474980-32gb-memory-cards.html

You are absolutely right. Sorry about the poor wording. Best value is more like it. Thanks

Transcend 16GB Class 6 cards work great and are a good value.

Amazon.com: Transcend 16 GB Class 6 SDHC Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6E [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]: Electronics



http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&Ntt=transcend%2016gb%20class%206&gclid=CKKG78iz7KECFSI55QodzhopLA&A=endecaSearch&N=0&Q=

So i am thinking of going with the sandisk 16gb. Is there a big difference between the 20mb/sec vs the 30mb/s? anyone have any pros vs cons to this card? thanks

can anyone help?

I think that Sandisk 30mb edition is the best option for the 45mbit streams of 550D.I haven't bought it yet but I am sure this will be awesome. Both my Verbatim and Silicon are good for capturing some minutes but sooner or later they stop.

So i am thinking of going with the sandisk 16gb. Is there a big difference between the 20mb/sec vs the 30mb/s? anyone have any pros vs cons to this card? thanks
Either will do.

I recommend you buy the most expensive card you can get, probably will save you money and headache in the long run, Hoodman Raw for your SD card and Tamron for your bag, Lowepro is fine too back when I was selling them, I have a Tamron for 16 years now and it is still in good shape, you might want to do more research with the tripod but you want one that has fluid head and counter balance that will match the weight of your camera.

can anyone give a good pros/cons of which card to buy? I have one person say either will do, and the other saying to buy the most expensive one I can find. Thanks

We can only give the pros and cons of any brand of cards that we use on a regular basis. My personal opinion is, if you like to spend money, buy the most expensive card you can find. I pesonally have never had any problems whatsoever using Transcend class 6 or 10 cards, with my EX1 or 550D, others will say they have had problems using the same cards.
The current favourite, high performance SDHC that is favoured by EX1 owners is the ATP Promax class 6, and soon to be class 10 SDHC. There are lots of threads here relating to the different cards available. As I said above, there is little to choose between the Sandisk 20 and 30 mbs cards, both will get the job done.

Ok thanks for all your help. I went ahead and got the 16gb. Now can anyone recommend a good lightweight tripod that would fold down pretty small so I can carry it? I would like to stay around $50-100. Thanks

bump for more help.thanks

Charles. It depends on the intended use, ie video or stills. A good in between choice would be the Velbon range. The D700 offers a reasonable fluid type head, which should be more than adequate for a 550D. You can spend a lot of money on a fluid head, but used carefully the Velbon should be up to the job. If you get the chance, take your camera along to a dealer and try it out on various models.

IMHO, Skip the class 6 cards. Prices have dropped so low that they affordable class 10 cards(no red alert bar!).

Highjacking the thread for a relevant question...

I think I saw a "RAW" card SDHC somewhere that was 32gb. Does that sound right ? With a T2I, Is anyone using anything larger than 16gb?

I am a bit overwhelmed as I am trying to decide what cards to buy. As most folks, I am just looking for the overall best value. Any input is appreciated.

As far as a bag goes, I really like this one, http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Deluxe-Backpack-200EG-Cameras
Good price too.

Colin, what tripod is that? I couldn't find a d700

@Don,

I used a 32GB Transcend card... until it failed. Trust me, you don't want that much data in one place until the cards are as safe as SxS cards. Best to go 16gb, or in my case 8gb. You can only record for 12 mins in one take anyway, so I am now a big fan of taking the 15 secs to swap cards and decentralize data.

As far as a bag goes, I really like this one, http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Deluxe-Backpack-200EG-Cameras
Good price too.

Colin, what tripod is that? I couldn't find a d700
Seems they have stopped making it, I found a couple here in the UK for about £80, and one on Ebay, but nothing in the US.

Highjacking the thread for a relevant question...

I think I saw a "RAW" card SDHC somewhere that was 32gb. Does that sound right ? With a T2I, Is anyone using anything larger than 16gb?

I am a bit overwhelmed as I am trying to decide what cards to buy. As most folks, I am just looking for the overall best value. Any input is appreciated.
Transcend class 10 16gb are a good buy, £34 here in the UK. I have been using two in my EX1 and 550D for about a month, no problems or errors whatsoever, and I have tested them extensively.

The brand of card is not as important as the class. Anything lower than a class 6 card will not be fast enough. A 16 gb card should give you close to 1 hour of record time. Remember to reformat the cards every time before you use them for a new session (assuming you've already transferred the videos off the card.).


Tripod-wise, well, I'm more of a video guy, so the ones I normally use will be too heavy. But, look for something lightweight with a fluid head to assure smooth panning. For a really good selection of gear, check out B&H Photo Video Digital Cameras, Photography, Camcorders (http://www.bhphotovideo.com). Adorama is also quite good, but I've been buying from B & H in NY for years now and never had a problem dealing with them.

Is there a really big difference between a SD card class 6 and a class 10??... Is it worth the price difference?...

can anyone give a good pros/cons of which card to buy? I have one person say either will do, and the other saying to buy the most expensive one I can find. Thanks

As I said earlier, I have used Transcend 16 GB class 6 cards for two years with a T1i and a T2i. They are relatively cheap.Others have recommended this card as well. What more do you want, a signed, written guarantee that you will never have any problems? Or would it make you feel better to get the "most expensive card"?

I use a very light Slik 340DX tripod with a Manfrotto 700CR head for travel. It works fine, costs under $200. I have other, heavier, more expensive tripods as well.

Is there a really big difference between a SD card class 6 and a class 10??... Is it worth the price difference?...

At my local store you can find class 10 cards for less than some class 6 cards. As far as a difference, you won't get any bars with the class 10, you will with the class 6. I'm speaking from experience.

I've used SanDisk Class 4 & Class 10 8Gb cards, as well as a Patriot 16Gb Class 6 card, and they've all done two things for me.

They've all worked flawlessly, and they've all given me the red buffer bar at least once. So nothing's really absolute here... :) Although I do agree with using more, smaller cards than putting all your eggs in one 32Gb basket.

(And that SanDisk Class 4 card keeps up with the 6 & 10 just fine, surprisingly!)

I think this thread has highlighted the fact, that it is a matter of what works, and is considered to be reliable by any given individual. We can glean an awful lot of information regarding various cards, but it is up to us to satisfy our own needs. Its very reassuring to know that this card works, or this one doesnt, but by the very nature of the thread, we can see there are an awful lot of cards to choose from. Some think card A is fine,others would not dream of using it. I think most of the major brands should be fine, class 6 or class 10 should not make a lot of difference. I have been using class 6 cards in an EX1 for over a year, no problems whatsoever. I recently purchased a couple of class 10 Transcends, only because they were about the same price as class 6. All the cards I have, work flawlessly in both my EX1 and 550D. We will probably all have a card failure sometime or another, regardless of make, or class. Its the nature of the beast.