4GB Compactflash Deal

[jeffkohn]

Dell is running the deal on the Kinston Elite 4GB cards again:

Dell Home is carrying this 4GB CompactFlash Card for $276.99
During checkout, apply 25% off Flash Memory coupon code "W?6QSHGVWPW6WS" on it (Expires 09/08/2005 @ 5:59AM CDT or after 2000 redemptions)
During checkout, apply $20 off $150+ coupon code "89341NKX9BR41B" on it (Expires 09/08/2005 @ 5:59AM CDT or after 7000 redemptions)
Dell Home is offering Free Shipping on $29 or more
Your Final Price: $276.99 - 25% - $20 = $187.74 + Free Shipping

(clipped from edealinfo.com)

These cards are apparently almost as fast as Sandisk Ultra II, and at half the price they're quite the bargain. My 2GB cards aren't enough anymore now that I'm shooting uncompressed NEF on the D2x, so I went ahead and ordered one.

[Wendy]

Wow! That is a great deal! I also use the Sandisk Ultra II, but at this price it sounds like these are fast enough to warrant grabbing one.

[Holly]

I don't know...I don't like using anything over 1GB - kind of like putting all of your eggs in one basket. And when you're used to changing out film every 36 exposures, changing cards out every 120 is nothing (when shooting raw on 20D) Of course, I might think otherwise if I had a higher mp camera.... :)

[jeffkohn]

Originally Posted by Wilson

I don't know...I don't like using anything over 1GB - kind of like putting all of your eggs in one basket. And when you're used to changing out film every 36 exposures, changing cards out every 120 is nothing (when shooting raw on 20D) Of course, I might think otherwise if I had a higher mp camera.... :)

I agree with you to a certain extent, although I think modern CF cards are pretty reliable. It sure does suck to not get a shot because you realize you have to change cards though. And even my 2GB cards only get me 100 shots so I'll gladly take the 200 shots that a 4GB card will get me.

BTW the Kingston Elite Pro cards have a lifetime warranty.

[magvve]

Guys,

I was tempted to buy one of those memories (Dell send me e-mails about all that offers all the time)

But think on this: Several manufacturers sell digital storage devices with room up to 30 Gb for something like $300. Those devices are really slim and lightweight, and you can take them wherever you go. They also have a LCD screen to see your pictures. For example I got a Nikon Coolwalker, that has all of the above mentioned features for something like $300



Miguel

[jeffkohn]

I already have a PSD (went with the PD70x for speed), but keep in mind these devices have hard drives in them and therefore aren't as durable.

It really comes down to filesize though. When shooting compressed NEF on the D70 my 3GB total of Ultra II cards was plenty for even a long day of shooting. But when shooting 20MB NEF's you can't have too much storage; I can easily see myself shooting a GB per hour on my Yellowstone/Teton vacation later this month. My plan is to have 8GB of CF cards on my person, and a PSD in the car or at the motel. Hopefully that should be enough.

[d2creative]

I think I'm staying with 2gb cards for a quite a while. Even when i upgrade my camera. 30 seconds to change cards is not a big deal and the prices will just continue to drop. And if anything happens to one of the cards I only lose some of my images as opposed to all.

[mattchow]

i have 10gb of compact flash now, i think i am good to go. =P

[Ray]

I'd be really tempted, but it's too slow for my taste.

[mattchow]

Originally Posted by Ray

I'd be really tempted, but it's too slow for my taste.

what do you shoot that requires 45x+ ?

[jeffkohn]

Originally Posted by Ray

I'd be really tempted, but it's too slow for my taste.

CF perf numbers for the D2x (first number is JPEG fine, second is NEF):
SanDisk Ultra II 2GB - 6.598MB/sec 6.908MB/sec
Kingston Elite Pro 2GB - 5.781MB/sec 6.229MB/sec

Considering the Kingston 4GB is $187 and the Sandisk 4GB is $350, I think I can live with that. Especially when the D2x has a 17-shot RAW buffer.

[thebeginning]

i thought the same thing about speed. Does anyone who has one of the kingstons and the 20d know how much of a buffer you have with fine JPEGs on burst? If you can get 5fps for like 20 shots, that's definitely worth it. But if you pop of 3 or 4 and then have to wait a second, it's not. I might end up buying one of their 2Gb cards, then buying a sandisk Ultra II 1gb card, or an extreme. havent decided.

[jeffkohn]

Originally Posted by thebeginning

i thought the same thing about speed. Does anyone who has one of the kingstons and the 20d know how much of a buffer you have with fine JPEGs on burst? If you can get 5fps for like 20 shots, that's definitely worth it. But if you pop of 3 or 4 and then have to wait a second, it's not. I might end up buying one of their 2Gb cards, then buying a sandisk Ultra II 1gb card, or an extreme. havent decided.

According to DPReview the 20D has a 23 frame buffer for JPEG, but only 6 frames in RAW. That's independent of CF card type, since we're talking about the camera's buffer. Once the buffer is full you have to wait for it to be flushed out to the CF and that's where CF speed comes into play.

[thebeginning]

oh. so can like all cards do 5fps for 23 frames, the speed mostly just affects how long it takes for the camera to kick back into gear after the buffer fills?

[engstrom]

Originally Posted by thebeginning

oh. so can like all cards do 5fps for 23 frames, the speed mostly just affects how long it takes for the camera to kick back into gear after the buffer fills?

That is correct - the camera starts to write from the buffer to the card as soon as the first shot is taken. You can continue to take pictures using the rest of the camera buffer, but as soon as you fill the buffer you have to write at least 1 picture's worth of room out to the card in order to take another picture. That writing from the buffer to the card is where the card's speed comes into play.