How will you use dual SD slots?

audiobomber · 10-13-2013, 08:30 AM

What is your strategy for dual SD cards?

Clarification If your second slot will hold a Wi-Fi card, that does not automatically mean you should select Other. The FLU card has Wi-Fi, but it still behaves like a memory card, so if you will use it as a memory card, you should select from poll answers 1-4.

Last edited by audiobomber; 10-13-2013 at 11:48 AM.

ChrisA · 10-13-2013, 08:37 AM

The only time 2 cards will be relevant to me, realistically, will be at airshows or similar events where I'm taking a large number of pictures. Or on holiday where I'm away from the computer for several cards-worth of shots, though this is rare these days - usually I have a laptop.

Hopefully one of the options will be to use the current one until full, then switch to the other one automatically. Provided this event is notified somehow, I'll switch out the full one, replace with an empty one, and carry on until it switches back.

That said, I'll definitely be getting a FLU card, so I'm not sure how that will work. Too early to say - will need some experimentation I think.

Other than that, I almost never fill a 2GB card on the K-5 without transferring the pics to the computer in the meantime, usually several times. 99% of the time the card in the K-5 is an Eye-Fi, so the transfer just happens.

RonHendriks1966 · 10-13-2013, 08:46 AM

Well I think that I will use the second cardslot for different things.

With Eye-Fi card for the jpg in studio.
With a second card for dual writing on weddings.
With a second card for overflow for sports or events.
With no card in it for about 90 % off the time.

Col · 10-13-2013, 08:51 AM

Certainly for overflow, initially. Should I pair up larger cards (xmas present hint) I may go the backup route. In the future it will probably depend on the time of the year. When doing low level plant macros, I'll look at the Flucard, after reading your experiences with it of course.

awaldram · 10-13-2013, 09:29 AM

I voted other

I will use one slot for tethering and jpeg , the other for RAW

normhead · 10-13-2013, 09:33 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by awaldram

I voted other

I will use one slot for tethering and jpeg , the other for RAW

Me too, I've already ordered the FLU card. To me that's about the most exciting thing since sliced bread.

mamethot · 10-13-2013, 10:00 AM

Originally posted by awaldram

I voted other

I will use one slot for tethering and jpeg , the other for RAW

That's the plan if it's possible to do so with the FLU

Clavius · 10-13-2013, 10:08 AM

But the tethering will only work on the K-3, right?

I have no idea what dual slots can be handy for. Extra capacity is only an option when you do lots of video, I think. With photo's I've never been able to fill an entire 16gb card. And I've never ever had an SD card fail since the dawn of SD cards, so backup seems pretty redundant as well. The only good use would be like RAID hard disks in computers, for extra write speed and clearing buffers extra fast. But I doubt that has been implemented.

Lukinosity · 10-13-2013, 10:09 AM

I've NEVER even come close to filling a card. So mine extra slot will be empty most of the time, but I imagine sometimes it might be nice to have one for RAW and the other for JPEG.

audiobomber · 10-13-2013, 10:20 AM

Originally posted by awaldram

I voted other

I will use one slot for tethering and jpeg , the other for RAW

That's not other, that's raw on one card, jpeg on the other. Whether the card has Wi-Fi or not is another matter, it still functions as a memory card.

repaap · 10-13-2013, 10:29 AM

I'll buy also that flucard, so it will go to other with Jpgs and other is for RAW. When I plan to shoot video, it will go for other card and I will be shooting Raw on other.

audiobomber · 10-13-2013, 10:30 AM

- I've filled cards, both 8GB and 16GB, on the same trip. I don't normally carry a laptop on vacation.

- I frequently shoot in extreme conditions; -40 degrees in winter, hot & humid, rain, snow. I've had temporary camera failure from frigid temperatures, and corrupted files in a heat wave this summer. I blame the K20D for the temperature failures, it was not designed for extreme temperatures the way the later cameras are.

- I've experienced electronic failure (corrupted files) and mechanical failure (broken plastic card casing).

For all these reasons, I'm intending to buy a 32GB Scandisk Extreme Pro, and use it in the main slot for raw. The second port will hold a Panasonic 16GB Class 10 card with a more normal write speed. The second card will be for jpeg. I don't shoot enough video to worry about it.

repaap · 10-13-2013, 10:36 AM

I have also had a SD card failure with my K-7. Just all of a sudden, most of my that days shots got corrupted(well not toomany great shots for that day, for my luck.) and I was heading for holiday. So had to format that card, to make it work again... Did not think that what it would have it felt if it failed after holiday or last day, or so...

lister6520 · 10-13-2013, 10:39 AM

Definitely for backup. I've lost important photos on two occasions due to SD card failure. Both were genuine cards of a reputable make. One happened with a Fuji bridge camera several years ago and again more recently with a Pentax K-r.

A variation might be using one card for RAW and send jpeg to the other card, which would be a FLU card. In case of failure better a jpeg than nothing at all. Saving jpeg on the FLU card will also make it easier to view the photos immediately on a tablet or smartphone.

audiobomber · 10-13-2013, 10:50 AM

I'm wondering how much writing raw and jpeg on separate cards will slow the camera down. Does anyone have experience with dual slot bodies?

View Poll Results: How will you use dual memory cards?
Extra capacity (overflow)	36	27.27%
Backup (write same data to both cards)	36	27.27%
Raw on one card, jpeg on the other	40	30.30%
Photos on one card, video on the other	7	5.30%
Other (please explain)	13	9.85%
Voters: 132. You may not vote on this poll

10-13-2013, 08:30 AM	#1
audiobomber Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806	How will you use dual SD slots? What is your strategy for dual SD cards? Clarification If your second slot will hold a Wi-Fi card, that does not automatically mean you should select Other. The FLU card has Wi-Fi, but it still behaves like a memory card, so if you will use it as a memory card, you should select from poll answers 1-4. Last edited by audiobomber; 10-13-2013 at 11:48 AM.

10-13-2013, 08:46 AM	#3
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	Well I think that I will use the second cardslot for different things. With Eye-Fi card for the jpg in studio. With a second card for dual writing on weddings. With a second card for overflow for sports or events. With no card in it for about 90 % off the time.

10-13-2013, 10:30 AM	#12
audiobomber Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806 Original Poster	- I've filled cards, both 8GB and 16GB, on the same trip. I don't normally carry a laptop on vacation. - I frequently shoot in extreme conditions; -40 degrees in winter, hot & humid, rain, snow. I've had temporary camera failure from frigid temperatures, and corrupted files in a heat wave this summer. I blame the K20D for the temperature failures, it was not designed for extreme temperatures the way the later cameras are. - I've experienced electronic failure (corrupted files) and mechanical failure (broken plastic card casing). For all these reasons, I'm intending to buy a 32GB Scandisk Extreme Pro, and use it in the main slot for raw. The second port will hold a Panasonic 16GB Class 10 card with a more normal write speed. The second card will be for jpeg. I don't shoot enough video to worry about it. Last edited by audiobomber; 10-13-2013 at 11:54 AM.

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10-13-2013, 08:37 AM	#2
ChrisA Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: London Posts: 393	The only time 2 cards will be relevant to me, realistically, will be at airshows or similar events where I'm taking a large number of pictures. Or on holiday where I'm away from the computer for several cards-worth of shots, though this is rare these days - usually I have a laptop. Hopefully one of the options will be to use the current one until full, then switch to the other one automatically. Provided this event is notified somehow, I'll switch out the full one, replace with an empty one, and carry on until it switches back. That said, I'll definitely be getting a FLU card, so I'm not sure how that will work. Too early to say - will need some experimentation I think. Other than that, I almost never fill a 2GB card on the K-5 without transferring the pics to the computer in the meantime, usually several times. 99% of the time the card in the K-5 is an Eye-Fi, so the transfer just happens.

10-13-2013, 08:51 AM	#4
Col Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Stansted Essex Photos: Gallery Posts: 614	Certainly for overflow, initially. Should I pair up larger cards (xmas present hint) I may go the backup route. In the future it will probably depend on the time of the year. When doing low level plant macros, I'll look at the Flucard, after reading your experiences with it of course.

10-13-2013, 09:29 AM	#5
awaldram Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Hampshire Photos: Gallery Posts: 732	I voted other I will use one slot for tethering and jpeg , the other for RAW

10-13-2013, 09:33 AM - 1 Like	#6
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by awaldram I voted other I will use one slot for tethering and jpeg , the other for RAW Me too, I've already ordered the FLU card. To me that's about the most exciting thing since sliced bread.

10-13-2013, 10:00 AM	#7
mamethot Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Greater Montreal Area Posts: 736	Originally posted by awaldram I voted other I will use one slot for tethering and jpeg , the other for RAW That's the plan if it's possible to do so with the FLU

10-13-2013, 10:08 AM	#8
Clavius Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: De Klundert Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,150	But the tethering will only work on the K-3, right? I have no idea what dual slots can be handy for. Extra capacity is only an option when you do lots of video, I think. With photo's I've never been able to fill an entire 16gb card. And I've never ever had an SD card fail since the dawn of SD cards, so backup seems pretty redundant as well. The only good use would be like RAID hard disks in computers, for extra write speed and clearing buffers extra fast. But I doubt that has been implemented.

10-13-2013, 10:09 AM	#9
Lukinosity Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 201	I've NEVER even come close to filling a card. So mine extra slot will be empty most of the time, but I imagine sometimes it might be nice to have one for RAW and the other for JPEG.

10-13-2013, 10:20 AM	#10
audiobomber Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806 Original Poster	Originally posted by awaldram I voted other I will use one slot for tethering and jpeg , the other for RAW That's not other, that's raw on one card, jpeg on the other. Whether the card has Wi-Fi or not is another matter, it still functions as a memory card.

10-13-2013, 10:29 AM	#11
repaap Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,242	I'll buy also that flucard, so it will go to other with Jpgs and other is for RAW. When I plan to shoot video, it will go for other card and I will be shooting Raw on other.

10-13-2013, 10:36 AM	#13
repaap Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,242	I have also had a SD card failure with my K-7. Just all of a sudden, most of my that days shots got corrupted(well not toomany great shots for that day, for my luck.) and I was heading for holiday. So had to format that card, to make it work again... Did not think that what it would have it felt if it failed after holiday or last day, or so...

10-13-2013, 10:39 AM	#14
lister6520 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 733	Definitely for backup. I've lost important photos on two occasions due to SD card failure. Both were genuine cards of a reputable make. One happened with a Fuji bridge camera several years ago and again more recently with a Pentax K-r. A variation might be using one card for RAW and send jpeg to the other card, which would be a FLU card. In case of failure better a jpeg than nothing at all. Saving jpeg on the FLU card will also make it easier to view the photos immediately on a tablet or smartphone.

10-13-2013, 10:50 AM	#15
audiobomber Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806 Original Poster	I'm wondering how much writing raw and jpeg on separate cards will slow the camera down. Does anyone have experience with dual slot bodies?