slow sd card

trishytee · 01-07-2009, 12:53 AM

Although my photography has not advanced much I have advanced to RAW. However I find this reads very slowly and I am often missing the next shot due to waiting for my card to read. Are there any cards that will read faster. I am using a
ist D and my current card is a 'scandisk ultra 11 2 gb'
thanks, trish

Wombat · 01-07-2009, 02:30 AM

It certainly does take a bit longer shooting RAW. If you find yourself in a situation where you want to fire off several shots it might be better to flick over to jpeg. (RAW isn't necessarily the best format to use for every occasion). There are faster cards, though I've never used one. They're quite a bit more expensive, but they might suit you if you're doing a lot of rapid-fire shooting. Your local camera or computer shop should have some.

**NaClH2O** · 01-07-2009, 05:25 AM

Hi Trish, some of your trouble may be due to the ist D. I've never owned the camera but I do remember people complaining about the write speed. In any event try a San Disk Extreme III 2GB, it is one of the faster ones out there. There are faster cards but they cost a premium, the Extreme III costs a bit more but not much.

NaCl(the ist D is a great camera but fast it is not)H2O

**eccs19** · 01-07-2009, 06:23 AM

I've got the istD, and in burst mode, I can only get off 5 shots before it stops to write to the memory card. I've got 2 different cards, and it's the same. I'm 95% sure it's a limitation of the camera. I did do some tests, and it does write the JPG a lot faster to the card then the RAW files, but still only 5 shots at a time. As a note, I do have the latest firmware installed.

Wheatfield · 01-07-2009, 06:38 AM

Originally posted by trishytee

Although my photography has not advanced much I have advanced to RAW. However I find this reads very slowly and I am often missing the next shot due to waiting for my card to read. Are there any cards that will read faster. I am using a
ist D and my current card is a 'scandisk ultra 11 2 gb'
thanks, trish

There is no point in using anything faster than a plain jane cheap Sandisk blue card. The camera itself is the problem. It won't write faster than what a slow card can take.
If you want the istD to go a bit faster, shoot jpegs at one size lower than full, and one quality step down from best quality.

rburgoss · 01-07-2009, 07:17 AM

I do have the istD and I can confirm that write speed (slow) is in the camera, not the memory card. I recently purchased a new fast card (2gb) for my wife so she could use my istD and to my surprise, it is not faster than my old cards.

As others said here. If you want your istD to be able to shoot many pics fast, then stick to jpgs. No need to reduce file size or image quality. I find it pretty acceptable using full size and 3 star settings for jpgs.

01-07-2009, 12:53 AM	#1
trishytee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Mandurah Perth Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 221	slow sd card Although my photography has not advanced much I have advanced to RAW. However I find this reads very slowly and I am often missing the next shot due to waiting for my card to read. Are there any cards that will read faster. I am using a ist D and my current card is a 'scandisk ultra 11 2 gb' thanks, trish

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
*ist DS "memory card error" - card won't format	WMBP	Pentax DSLR Discussion	6	04-05-2016 04:39 PM
SD card reader problem - Very slow	petercrane	Pentax Camera and Field Accessories	3	07-18-2010 09:27 AM
Card locked error no card fault	Lighthunter	Troubleshooting and Beginner Help	2	08-24-2009 01:42 PM
Slow AF? Slow TTL? Check 'em batteries!!!	jboyde	Pentax DSLR Discussion	11	04-30-2009 06:41 PM
Credit Card vs Debit Card	dosdan	General Talk	13	05-07-2008 11:40 PM

01-07-2009, 02:30 AM	#2
Wombat Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 901	It certainly does take a bit longer shooting RAW. If you find yourself in a situation where you want to fire off several shots it might be better to flick over to jpeg. (RAW isn't necessarily the best format to use for every occasion). There are faster cards, though I've never used one. They're quite a bit more expensive, but they might suit you if you're doing a lot of rapid-fire shooting. Your local camera or computer shop should have some.

01-07-2009, 05:25 AM	#3
NaClH2O Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bronx NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,631	Hi Trish, some of your trouble may be due to the ist D. I've never owned the camera but I do remember people complaining about the write speed. In any event try a San Disk Extreme III 2GB, it is one of the faster ones out there. There are faster cards but they cost a premium, the Extreme III costs a bit more but not much. NaCl(the ist D is a great camera but fast it is not)H2O

01-07-2009, 06:23 AM	#4
eccs19 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Lisle, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,510	I've got the istD, and in burst mode, I can only get off 5 shots before it stops to write to the memory card. I've got 2 different cards, and it's the same. I'm 95% sure it's a limitation of the camera. I did do some tests, and it does write the JPG a lot faster to the card then the RAW files, but still only 5 shots at a time. As a note, I do have the latest firmware installed.

01-07-2009, 06:38 AM	#5
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by trishytee Although my photography has not advanced much I have advanced to RAW. However I find this reads very slowly and I am often missing the next shot due to waiting for my card to read. Are there any cards that will read faster. I am using a ist D and my current card is a 'scandisk ultra 11 2 gb' thanks, trish There is no point in using anything faster than a plain jane cheap Sandisk blue card. The camera itself is the problem. It won't write faster than what a slow card can take. If you want the istD to go a bit faster, shoot jpegs at one size lower than full, and one quality step down from best quality.

01-07-2009, 07:17 AM	#6
rburgoss Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Jose, Costa Rica Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 972	I do have the istD and I can confirm that write speed (slow) is in the camera, not the memory card. I recently purchased a new fast card (2gb) for my wife so she could use my istD and to my surprise, it is not faster than my old cards. As others said here. If you want your istD to be able to shoot many pics fast, then stick to jpgs. No need to reduce file size or image quality. I find it pretty acceptable using full size and 3 star settings for jpgs.