PMW-300. Sonnett SD-SXS-E34. SDXC Cards

[John Burns]

I note the Sonnett website does not specifically list the PMW-300 as on its compatibility for its "SD-SXS-E34" SxS adapter but thought would try anyway. Bought also a 128GB SanDisk ExtremePro UHS-1 card. Basically was recommended this by a BBC cameraman who thought should work as a cheap alternative to SxS where I film short videos for different events giving the raw footage to someone else to edit. Something he does all the time (with a PMW-500) where a reporter wants to go off and edit something while they move between locations.

The camera says it needs formatting and when I try comes back with "NG: Cannot Format". Tried in both slots and also different SD card. Tried both UDF and exFAT formats.

Running v1.50 of firmware.

Can anyone advise if they have had this combination work at all or suggest an alternative.

Thanks - John

[Dave Sperling]

Not an answer to your question, but a little peripheral info.

I don't have either a PMW300 or that Sonnet adapter.
However, I do occasionally get a similar client request when shooting with my PMW200. I have an older Hoodman SD adapter - and to keep clients from complaining about costs (since this situation usually involves sending them a new card every hour or two - maybe they pay for 5 in a day) I end up using Sandisk Extreme Plus 32 gig cards. One of the gotcha's is that means shooting everything 35 Mbps 4:2:0 in Fat 32 mode. (Even though the camera can record 50/422 to SxS, that's not an option with this 32 gig SD combination.)
So... Before you junk the concept, see if you can record in 35 mb/420 to a smaller card -- 16 or 32 GB.
Or... You could try going with something in the middle price-wise -- XQD with the Sony XQD/SxS adapter. Yes the cards are more expensive, but still far more reasonable than SxS if you need to bill them back to clients...

[Jack Zhang]

It might be the adapter that doesn't support newer cameras/firmware updates. (Yes, Sony's been known to deprecate support for old stuff in newer firmware updates) You may have to get Sony's latest MEAD-SD02 adapter to use 128GB. An alternate adapter you could try is the MxR Extreme adapter, but remember it was made during the time of the EX1R and not modern cameras like the PMW-300 or PXW-X180.

The EX1R also had an issue making partitions above 80GB. That could partly be the reason as well.

XQD will have none of these issues, and you future proof your purchase for the FS7 should you use it down the line.

[John Burns]

Thanks for replies.

I did try a 32GB SDHC card with same result. But then had a brainwave, or perhaps a braindump, and tried formatting as FAT which I appreciate cannot support large partitions generally. However it formatted OK. Then tried the 128GB SDXC card and they too formatted OK. In theory giving me 900 minutes of recording time (431 minutes each card). I did try a simple test but obviously need to check what happens when recording time goes beyond 4GB normal FAT limit and also what playback like.

I only intend these for where I am mostly shooting very small clips that I can quickly transfer to a laptop, with a card reader, without having to link up camera or use other adapters. In normal operation I stick with the SxS cards.

I have no idea why exFAT does not work correctly. Whether it is the SD card or the adapter or even the camera itself. I'll start with an email to Sonnett first as they have the resources to test.

John

[Jack Zhang]

It could be the adapter. There's a reason they made a MEAD-SD02 for the newer cameras.

There shouldn't be a reason why it can't format exFAT unless it needs the newest Sony SD card adapter.

[John Mitchell]

Hmm - at first I thought it was a camera limitation - SDXC is a newer format than the PMW200 but reading up on the MxM adapter it says it supports all sizes of SDHC/SDXC for all EX cameras (provided the memory is fast enough). I know the interface would have to be built to handle SDXC so perhaps it is the adapter you purchased being older tech. Perhaps look at MxM - they aren't expensive.

[Anthony McErlean]

Originally Posted by John Burns

Can anyone advise if they have had this combination work at all or suggest an alternative.

Thanks - John

Hi John
I've been using MXM adaptors and cards from MXM Express - MXM Express in my Sony EX3 and PMW-320 and never had any problems at all.
You can also buy them here in the UK from https://cvp.com/index.php?t=category////mxm+express

I also use these cards from Amazon in the MxM adaptor.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have their card reader and it reads the Sony SxS cards as well
PCI-e/USB READER - MXM Express

I can't recommend MxM Express enough.

[Andy Wilkinson]

Ditto the above - with my PMW-300. Exact same Sandisk SDXC cards but I'm using a MxR Extreme 3 Adapter (from e-Films) - again no problems (although in truth I can't think when I last used my adapter as I have enough SxS and SxS1 cards for most uses). It was bought more for the security of knowing I had even more recording media in my kit bag should I ever need it. I use a Sonnet Pro Expresscard Thunderbolt reader.

This is the CVP link to the MxR Extreme.

http://cvp.com/index.php?t=product/e...6edRoC8Zfw_wcB

[John Mitchell]

Originally Posted by Andy Wilkinson

Ditto the above - with my PMW-300. Exact same Sandisk SDXC cards but I'm using a MxR Extreme 3 Adapter (from e-Films) - again no problems (although in truth I can't think when I last used my adapter as I have enough SxS and SxS1 cards for most uses). It was bought more for the security of knowing I had even more recording media in my kit bag should I ever need it. I use a Sonnet Pro Expresscard Thunderbolt reader.

This is the CVP link to the MxR Extreme.

Buy - e-films MxR Extreme Expresscard Adapter for Sony EX1/EX3/EX1R/PMW-350 (includes case) - EF-1701

Yes - thats a good point - you have to get their latest adapter, not one of the older ones that was designed for SDHC only. They are all labelled UHS1 so I'm not sure they'd work with the more expensive UHS2 cards.