Nanoflash and Sandisk Extreme Pro

[Gints Klimanis]

nanoFlash nano3D | Media | Convergent Design, Professional Video Recorders

"PLEASE NOTE: We no longer recommend use of SanDisk Extreme and SanDisk ExtremePro."

I've made an investment in two Sandisk Extreme 32GB 60 MB/second Flashcards. If there is something wrong with them for high nitrate video recording, please let me know the details so that I can sell them and move on. I'm interested in recording at 280 Mbps I-Frame. So far, I have not had any problems, though I have recorded only a couple of shoots at 280 Mbps.

There is an industry transition from 2 to 3 level NAND. This increase in density seems to underplay the reduced reliability of multi-level cells (MLC).

Also, I would like to know why rebranded flash dominates the recommended media list for Nanoflash. Delkin, Hoodman, Lexar, Transcend, Photofast and Wise are far-removed from flash design and manufacture. What is going on? What is SanDisk doing wrong?

http://cd.contentpros.org/Products/n...lashMedia.aspx

[David C Wright]

Definitely interested to hear more on this topic

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Friends,

We are working closely with SanDisk to resolve this issue.

We have sent a nanoFlash and some failed cards to SanDisk and they are performing very thorough testing.

[Paul Cronin]

Thanks for keeping us posted Dan,

I am using SanDisk Extreme 32GB cards an need to know if I have to change. No failures on the current four cards.

[Stephen McCarthy]

I seem to be coming late to this party. I was not aware of issues with SanDisk Extreme cards but find that my two newest 32GB/60MB/s cards are failing are having issues mounting on MacBook Pro downloads via USB3 reader. The files playback on the nanoFlash although there is some sluggishness when the cards are first re-inserted into nano. Cards would initially mount when fresh out of nanoFlash but we'd get spinning beachball when attempting to drag files onto target drives. On subsequent attempts they card would not mount in finder. Oddly enough, after re-inserting cards into nanoFlash the card does appear to mount in finder but files don't transfer. This happened with two consecutive Extreme cards but NOT with older Extreme and Extreme III cards. Is this in keeping with your experience? Thankfully we were running tape but a bit of a distraction and I've got some tight turn-around, high profile stuff coming up this weekend and would like to get to the bottom of things.

best,

Stephen McCarthy
Director of Photography
Boston

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Stephen,

There should be no sluggishness when inserting a CompactFlash card into a nanoFlash.

This, in conjunction with the experiences that you are having when you attempt to mount the cards on a computer, suggests a problem to me.

Which computer are you using?

If a Mac, are you using Lion or Mountain Lion?

Lion seems to struggle with FAT 32. I do not know about Mountain Lion.

Have you tried using the CompactFlash card reader that we provide with the nanoFlash? It is a USB 2.0 reader, and may eliminate (for troubleshooting purposes) any possible problems with the Mac and USB 3.0, and the USB 3.0 reader itself.

I hope this helps.

After you upload all of your footage (if possible), I would recommend formatting the card in your computer in FAT 32, then formatting it again in the nanoFlash.

I mention this, since in your private email to me you mentioned "partitioning" as a possible problem.

I know this is not what you reported, but for general advice:

In general, if a card won't format on the first try in a nanoFlash, then I would not use that card until it was proven good again.

There is a low-cost program available call Klix that will test CompactFlash cards.

Digital Picture & Video Recovery Software | Recover Pictures And Movies | Prosofteng

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Paul,

If you cards are currently working, then it is ok to continue using them.

But, if you every have a single dropout, then I would retire the cards and have them replaced.

[Paul Cronin]

Yikes, I have 12 Sandisk Extreme 32GB cards and have not experienced a problem yet but that makes me concerned. I use them on the nano, 5D MKIII, and C300.

My OS is 10.5.8 and I always use Lexar FW800 card reader.

Hope to keep having great success so I can keep the cards working hard.

[Stephen McCarthy]

Hi Dan,

Not sure exactly what made this work but I managed to get the cards to mount on my desktop Mac running Lion 10.7.4 long enough that I could drag individual files to a drive. Subsequently I was able to go back to the field laptop and in Disk Utility (which had previously been unable to mount cards) I was able to verify and repair disk (card). I'm running Klix now. Thanks, as always, for your help and I'll try to check back if I can shed any more light on this. I'll pick up a couple of Delkin 700x to replace these for my next shoot.

cheers,

Stephen McCarthy

Originally Posted by Dan Keaton

Dear Stephen,

There should be no sluggishness when inserting a CompactFlash card into a nanoFlash.

This, in conjunction with the experiences that you are having when you attempt to mount the cards on a computer, suggests a problem to me.

Which computer are you using?

If a Mac, are you using Lion or Mountain Lion?

Lion seems to struggle with FAT 32. I do not know about Mountain Lion.

Have you tried using the CompactFlash card reader that we provide with the nanoFlash? It is a USB 2.0 reader, and may eliminate (for troubleshooting purposes) any possible problems with the Mac and USB 3.0, and the USB 3.0 reader itself.

I hope this helps.

After you upload all of your footage (if possible), I would recommend formatting the card in your computer in FAT 32, then formatting it again in the nanoFlash.

I mention this, since in your private email to me you mentioned "partitioning" as a possible problem.

I know this is not what you reported, but for general advice:

In general, if a card won't format on the first try in a nanoFlash, then I would not use that card until it was proven good again.

There is a low-cost program available call Klix that will test CompactFlash cards.

Digital Picture & Video Recovery Software | Recover Pictures And Movies | Prosofteng

[Paul Cronin]

Great news Stephen,

Sounds like Klix is good software to own considering how much we depend on our CF cards.