64 GB Sandisk CF Media Released with Unrealistic Pricing !

[Mark Job]

Hi Friends:
Please be advised, if you're not already, that Sandisk is now shipping their new 64 GB high data rate (90 MB per sec.) CF card media. I also understand this card has *not* been qualified by Convergent-Design. The retail price per card listed on their own website at a whopping $895.99 US !! Now I agree the cards are re-useable and perhaps even justifiable for very high end projects, but let us also be realistic here ! If I was to purchase, say, four 64 GB cards to populate my Flash XDR CF card slots, then I will wind up paying *more* than the actual current retail purchase price for a Convergent Desgn nanoFlash ! Come on ! Let's get real ! Realisticly, how many folks who purchase a nanoFlash can afford those prices ? Even if you got a better deal @ B & H or whatever store, unless you got at least $400.00 off, then would it be affordable and practical for you ? Man ! I'm really disappointed at the price ! Go check it out yourself at SanDisk | Products | DSLR | SanDisk® Extreme® Pro? CompactFlash® Card

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Mark,

At one time, these SanDisk Extreme Pro 64 GB cards were listed on B&H for approximately $700 each. But, these listing were removed after a day or two.

At this time, I have not found any serious competition to these cards, in the 64 GB capacity.

[Chris Hurd]

Memory card prices move in one direction only: down. Give it a little time.

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

Memory card prices move in one direction only: down. Give it a little time.

...Hey Chris. AMEN !

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by Dan Keaton

Dear Mark,

At one time, these SanDisk Extreme Pro 64 GB cards were listed on B&H for approximately $700 each. But, these listing were removed after a day or two.

At this time, I have not found any serious competition to these cards, in the 64 GB capacity.

...Capacity is one thing, but $895.00 per card ! This price is just nutz !

[David Issko]

I have 4 of the 32Gb Sandisk and after they announced the 64s, I thought to wait until further notice.

At current prices, I will be topping up my supplies with a few more 32Gb cards.

Once hot swapping comes on line, it will help on continuously recorded shoots.

[Giroud Francois]

"but let us also be realistic here" yes, why would you put 4 time 64gig in such device ?

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by David Issko

I have 4 of the 32Gb Sandisk and after they announced the 64s, I thought to wait until further notice.

At current prices, I will be topping up my supplies with a few more 32Gb cards.

Once hot swapping comes on line, it will help on continuously recorded shoots.

....Hot swapping wiyh lower cost flash media ! You're absolutely right on with that !

[Lance Librandi]

Hello Mark,
Like you and David I would like to start to use the new cards but have decided to wait.
The best price that I have found for the SANDISK EXTREME PRO COMPACT FLASH CF 64GB is U$625.01.

[Perrone Ford]

Originally Posted by Mark Job

...Capacity is one thing, but $895.00 per card ! This price is just nutz !

Let's put things into perspective.

The Panasonic P2 A-series card at 64GB capacity is listed at $2,399 at B&H
Panasonic | AJ-P2C064AG 64GB P2 High Performance | AJ-P2C064AG

The new, lower priced 64GB P2 cards in that series lists at $979.
Panasonic | AJ-P2E064XG 64GB E-Series P2 Card | AJ-P2E064XG

These cards constitute approximately 1 hour recording time at 1080p


Sony does not yet offer a 64GB card in it's SxS line yet. The 32GB card currently lists at $844 at B&H.
Sony | SBP-32 32GB SxS PRO Memory Card | SBP32 | B&H Photo Video

This constitutes 2 hours of recording time at best rate.

While I realize those of you coming from HDV or even SDHC may be dismayed at the pricing, you can be assured that the prices are not out of line for "professional" media, and the prices on commodity media such as Compact Flash will decrease much faster than the prices of propietary media such as P2 or SxS.

[Rafael Amador]

I think that unless you intend to do all your shooting at 220Mbps, it doesn't make sense to spend that money in "high performance" CF cards.
I've got few SanDisk Extreme IV for occasional 160/220Mbps shooting.
The bulk of my shoot will be in 100Mbps, so Sandisk Extreme III 32Gbs will do the job.
Best,
rafael

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by Rafael Amador

I think that unless you intend to do all your shooting at 220Mbps, it doesn't make sense to spend that money in "high performance" CF cards.
I've got few SanDisk Extreme IV for occasional 160/220Mbps shooting.
The bulk of my shoot will be in 100Mbps, so Sandisk Extreme III 32Gbs will do the job.
Best,
rafael

....Yes. The bulk of my shooting is on 2 x 32 GB Sandisk Extreme III cards, with one 16 GB Extreme IV for higher data rate shooting. I have been experimenting with shooting at 50 and 100 Mbps to get the most out of these cards.

[Billy Steinberg]

The largest and fastest and newest memory is almost always disproportionally priced, compared to what it's replacing. Though there are occasional surprises.

Holds true for all kinds of memory, from SSDs, to your work computer, to your camera, and (now) to your recorder.

I'm in Perrone's camp; to many of us the new gen of CF cards seem a bargain. Still, though most will really not need the 90MB/sec speed that costs so much more (now), being able to seamlessly continue a recording by hot swapping cards ads a tremendous amount of flexibility. (And is why I've been asking quietly every month when it's going to be implemented. :) )

Billy

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by Billy Steinberg

The largest and fastest and newest memory is almost always disproportionally priced, compared to what it's replacing. Though there are occasional surprises.

Holds true for all kinds of memory, from SSDs, to your work computer, to your camera, and (now) to your recorder.

I'm in Perrone's camp; to many of us the new gen of CF cards seem a bargain. Still, though most will really not need the 90MB/sec speed that costs so much more (now), being able to seamlessly continue a recording by hot swapping cards ads a tremendous amount of flexibility. (And is why I've been asking quietly every month when it's going to be implemented. :) )

Billy

.....I don't say the 64 GB price is out of line for being a strickly professional high capacity recording media, which is unequalled anywhere else, and is being used for a special application. I make the argument that in an everday practical sense, I can't see any Nano user purchasing media which would possibly equal up to half of or superceed the entire purchase price of their SSDR device just to get a longer recording time. If they *must* have uncompressed recording mode for film out or visual effects green screen compositing for a later film out, then of course your minimum purchase will be four of these cards or more. At this time I understand the Nano will not have uncompressed capability. so the need for such a high end media may be a moot point. The Flash XDR on the other hand has been sold since it's release last year with a promised future enabling of uncompressed recording and was one of the reasons behind my decision to pay the extra dollars to go for the XDR and not the Nano as I understood the Nano's capabilities at the time of my XDR purchase.

.....Hot swapping lower end cards will be the way to go for the majority of our shooting. In any case, as already stated in this thread, the price of the 64 GB media will drop so the retail street price may be eventually quite affordable for any type of use.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Mark,

If you are recording with a Flash XDR, and you are using our recommended 100 Mbps Long-GOP, and you have four 32 GB cards, you get approximately two hours and 36 minutes of uninterrupted recording.

If you use 50 Mbps Long-GOP which is more than adequate for event type shooting, you approximately 5 hours and 12 minutes of uninterrupted recording.

Typcially, even with long event recordings, one can take 30 seconds or less to change cards.

For long uninterrupted events one does not typically need the highest quality, "Master Quality" footage. Our 50 Mbps mode is the same quality as the Sony PDW-700, PDW-F800 cameras. Many PDW-700 cameras were used for the last Olympics, all were 50 Mbps.

Then, if one needs even longer times, we have 35 Mbps, 4:2:0 modes.

And our SD DVD modes go down to 5 Mbps. If one recorded using SD-SDI, at 5 Mbps, the times would be approximately 20 times than the number given for 100 Mbps above, or approximatey 52 hours of uninterrrupted recording.

Of course, all of these times double when using four 64 GB cards instead of four 32 GB cards.