SD card for K-7: Sandisk class 10 extreme...8, 16, or 32 gb?

Loren E · 10-24-2010, 03:07 AM

Hey all, thanks to the good advice I was given on my previous post I am going to get a pair of sandisk extreme class 10 sdhc cards with the rebate from adorama for my new K-7. I will be shooting mostly all in RAW and sometimes will have to go a while without being able to download my photos to my computer every night when traveling. I don't imagine I'll shoot a ton of video, but it would be nice to have the option to shoot some video.

So...I can't really find any head to head comparisons on the 8gb vs 16 gb vs 32 gb class 10 cards for number of raw image capacity or minutes of HD video capacity. Could anyone provide some insight as to which size I should buy a pair of? If money were no object of course I'd get two 32s, but I'm on a budget so am trying to figure out if the extra #130 for a pair of 32s vs a pair of 16s would ever make a difference for me.

Thanks! -Loren

SpecialK · 10-25-2010, 12:05 PM

My K20D (14.6 MP) tells me I can get 660 RAW shots on 16MB, but in practice it is substantially more. It will depend mostly on the detail in your subject.

JohnBee · 10-25-2010, 12:08 PM

I read somwhere(recently) that SanDisk has recently upgraded their C10 card performances to 35MB/s

I don't know where the paper is atm. but it gave the model no's of the updated cards.
Personally, I'd love to hear someone try one in a K-5 to see if it might offer a little rise in continuous RAW shooting count.

Rory · 10-25-2010, 12:09 PM

Why not go with one 32 and be done with it instead of 2 16s? If you're travelling, and have two cards, that's that much more chance of losing one.

REM · 10-25-2010, 09:26 PM

Originally posted by Rory

Why not go with one 32 and be done with it instead of 2 16s? If you're travelling, and have two cards, that's that much more chance of losing one.

That could also be interpreted the other way. I would rather have multiple cards rather than one big card in case a card got damaged, corrupted, lost, or stolen. That way only a fraction of photos are lost instead of all. I have about 5 4GB cards, I bought 3 in a special pricing when i got my dslr. I bought the second on another sale before I went on a vacation. I dont shoot a lot either, but managed to fill 4 cards on that vacation.

My advice: buy multiple, but big enough for your shooting style. And of course take advantage of sales or rebate offers.

Loren E · 10-25-2010, 10:55 PM

Well I will get two cards on chance one fails/gets corrupted/etc, so I'm not on a trip and SOL. But I guess my real question is would a pair of the sandisk 16gb class 10 extremes provide ample HD video capability for the K7? I am pretty certain that would be plenty for stills, but not sure if having HD video on the K-7 makes it worth going to a pair of 32gb cards..... (If I did a 32gb and a 16gb I don't believe the rebate option would apply any longer, so it is either a pair of 16s or 32s)..

Also there seems to be a lot of labeling confusion between sandisk's extreme III and extreme series. My research shows the older extreme III series is class 6, now replaced with the extreme series which is class 10, yet I find in a lot of places class 10 extremes listed and then in the description they are refered to as extreme IIIs.....I guess just go by the class and assume it is a mistake in these cases?

jolepp · 10-26-2010, 12:17 AM

The class designations are actually standardized so this is a good criteria. This is quite simple too, the number after the class gives minimum sustained write speed in megabytes/s.

Splitting the capacity between two cards instead having just one should make totally running out of storage at an inconvenient time less likely as you can't really ignore the first card getting full. Also it can take quite a while to unload a 8 or 16G card to the computer, and during this time you could still use the other card. Another situation where a second card could be handy would be getting a quick snap of something to the computer without needing to wait for / sort out a large number of pictures on the card currently in the camera. (This assumes you'd routinely empty/format a card after copying its contents to the computer.)

sterretje · 10-26-2010, 01:00 AM

Originally posted by SpecialK

My K20D (14.6 MP) tells me I can get 660 RAW shots on 16MB, but in practice it is substantially more. It will depend mostly on the detail in your subject.

That's a hell of a compression

Can you imagine what you can do with a 16GB card (roughly 660.000 images)

BB_Zone28 · 10-26-2010, 02:25 PM

I think another question to ask is how 'trigger happy' you are on the shutter release button! Obviously if you shoot lots of images fairly consistently, the 32Gb are more convenient, or at least get 16Gb.

10-25-2010, 12:05 PM	#2
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482	My K20D (14.6 MP) tells me I can get 660 RAW shots on 16MB, but in practice it is substantially more. It will depend mostly on the detail in your subject. Last edited by SpecialK; 10-25-2010 at 12:18 PM.

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10-24-2010, 03:07 AM	#1
Loren E Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Washington and California Posts: 274	SD card for K-7: Sandisk class 10 extreme...8, 16, or 32 gb? Hey all, thanks to the good advice I was given on my previous post I am going to get a pair of sandisk extreme class 10 sdhc cards with the rebate from adorama for my new K-7. I will be shooting mostly all in RAW and sometimes will have to go a while without being able to download my photos to my computer every night when traveling. I don't imagine I'll shoot a ton of video, but it would be nice to have the option to shoot some video. So...I can't really find any head to head comparisons on the 8gb vs 16 gb vs 32 gb class 10 cards for number of raw image capacity or minutes of HD video capacity. Could anyone provide some insight as to which size I should buy a pair of? If money were no object of course I'd get two 32s, but I'm on a budget so am trying to figure out if the extra #130 for a pair of 32s vs a pair of 16s would ever make a difference for me. Thanks! -Loren

10-25-2010, 12:08 PM	#3
JohnBee Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Newrfoundland Photos: Albums Posts: 4,667	I read somwhere(recently) that SanDisk has recently upgraded their C10 card performances to 35MB/s I don't know where the paper is atm. but it gave the model no's of the updated cards. Personally, I'd love to hear someone try one in a K-5 to see if it might offer a little rise in continuous RAW shooting count.

10-25-2010, 12:09 PM	#4
Rory Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Chicago Photos: Gallery Posts: 672	Why not go with one 32 and be done with it instead of 2 16s? If you're travelling, and have two cards, that's that much more chance of losing one.

10-25-2010, 09:26 PM	#5
REM Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 78	Originally posted by Rory Why not go with one 32 and be done with it instead of 2 16s? If you're travelling, and have two cards, that's that much more chance of losing one. That could also be interpreted the other way. I would rather have multiple cards rather than one big card in case a card got damaged, corrupted, lost, or stolen. That way only a fraction of photos are lost instead of all. I have about 5 4GB cards, I bought 3 in a special pricing when i got my dslr. I bought the second on another sale before I went on a vacation. I dont shoot a lot either, but managed to fill 4 cards on that vacation. My advice: buy multiple, but big enough for your shooting style. And of course take advantage of sales or rebate offers.

10-25-2010, 10:55 PM	#6
Loren E Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Washington and California Posts: 274 Original Poster	Well I will get two cards on chance one fails/gets corrupted/etc, so I'm not on a trip and SOL. But I guess my real question is would a pair of the sandisk 16gb class 10 extremes provide ample HD video capability for the K7? I am pretty certain that would be plenty for stills, but not sure if having HD video on the K-7 makes it worth going to a pair of 32gb cards..... (If I did a 32gb and a 16gb I don't believe the rebate option would apply any longer, so it is either a pair of 16s or 32s).. Also there seems to be a lot of labeling confusion between sandisk's extreme III and extreme series. My research shows the older extreme III series is class 6, now replaced with the extreme series which is class 10, yet I find in a lot of places class 10 extremes listed and then in the description they are refered to as extreme IIIs.....I guess just go by the class and assume it is a mistake in these cases?

10-26-2010, 12:17 AM	#7
jolepp Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Finland Photos: Albums Posts: 3,196	The class designations are actually standardized so this is a good criteria. This is quite simple too, the number after the class gives minimum sustained write speed in megabytes/s. Splitting the capacity between two cards instead having just one should make totally running out of storage at an inconvenient time less likely as you can't really ignore the first card getting full. Also it can take quite a while to unload a 8 or 16G card to the computer, and during this time you could still use the other card. Another situation where a second card could be handy would be getting a quick snap of something to the computer without needing to wait for / sort out a large number of pictures on the card currently in the camera. (This assumes you'd routinely empty/format a card after copying its contents to the computer.)

10-26-2010, 01:00 AM	#8
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	Originally posted by SpecialK My K20D (14.6 MP) tells me I can get 660 RAW shots on 16MB, but in practice it is substantially more. It will depend mostly on the detail in your subject. That's a hell of a compression Can you imagine what you can do with a 16GB card (roughly 660.000 images)

10-26-2010, 02:25 PM	#9
BB_Zone28 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Broomfield, Colorado Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 152	I think another question to ask is how 'trigger happy' you are on the shutter release button! Obviously if you shoot lots of images fairly consistently, the 32Gb are more convenient, or at least get 16Gb.