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04-26-2010, 09:15 AM   #1
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class 10 SDHC cards

I thought there was a sticky somewhere on this board regarding SD memory, but I can't find it if there is. Anyway, my question:

I picked up some Verbatim 8GB class 6 cards on sale at Staples for C$29 awhile back, I think the regular price was either $49 or $59. I usually stick to smaller cards <4GB, but I bought my wife a K-X and when she shoots video it really chews up available space.

One thing I notice about SD card pricing, is that it seems to be all over the map. What I am wondering is what minimum class of card should I use to get optimal performance from my K10D and K-x cameras? I may also be trading the K10D for a K-7 soon, if I can get a good price for my K10.

Right now on Best Buy site I can get a PNY 4GB class 4 card for $29, yet right below it they have a Panasonic Class 10 4GB for the same price! 5$ more gets your a Sandisk class 4 4GB or a Lexar 4GB class 4 card.

I heard Panasonic is a pretty good brand, why would one pay $5 more for slower Lexar or Sandisk cards? Every store I go in seems to have these anomalies, sometimes offering a faster card for less money, and the same brand of card! Staples seems especially prone to this.

Is this just ignorance on the part of the retailer, and a boon for sharp eyed photog's? Or is there something I'm missing here?

04-26-2010, 09:21 AM   #2
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This is just based on supply and demand, obviously the panasonic cards got oversupplied and now they are trying to clear them out. Being sharp eyed and looking out for what you need will always get you a better deal.
04-26-2010, 09:28 AM - 1 Like   #3
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Read the wiki on cards. There are two things that you need to consider and the class and X rating. There seems to be some room for what those numbers mean...

Secure Digital - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
04-26-2010, 09:30 AM   #4
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Panasonic is one of the sponsors for the winter Olympic game in Canada. There was a glut on the supply side at the moment with Olympic logo on it. These are really good value as they are class 10 cards.

04-26-2010, 10:16 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by Glen_S Quote
Right now on Best Buy site I can get a PNY 4GB class 4 card for $29, yet right below it they have a Panasonic Class 10 4GB for the same price! 5$ more gets your a Sandisk class 4 4GB or a Lexar 4GB class 4 card.
Aargh! I just checked out your Best Buy deal on Panasonic class 10 cards, and they're not available on the US Best Buy site.... Only available in Canada. But ... when I googled "Panasonic class 10 sdhc," it showed me some great deals.
04-26-2010, 11:13 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by twokatmew Quote
Aargh! I just checked out your Best Buy deal on Panasonic class 10 cards, and they're not available on the US Best Buy site.... Only available in Canada. But ... when I googled "Panasonic class 10 sdhc," it showed me some great deals.
You can't order from the Canuck site? I would have thought you could.

I am tempted to get a couple, but will the K10D and K-x really benefit from having a class 10 card over say, a class 6?
04-26-2010, 11:23 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Glen_S Quote
You can't order from the Canuck site? I would have thought you could.

I am tempted to get a couple, but will the K10D and K-x really benefit from having a class 10 card over say, a class 6?
Actually I didn't try.... Once I googled, I found even better deals in this country. I just did a little benchmarking and found that my Sandisk Extreme III 8GB consistently reads at just under 18000KB/s, whereas my Transcend Class 6 16GB ranges from ~11000 to 14500KB/s. (Write speeds are ~ half read speeds.)

The Sandisk Extreme III is labeled class 6, but it's supposedly class 10. I'd really like a 16GB that writes as fast as my Extreme III, but $$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Re the Kx, I think once you get past a certain threshold, the only benefit to greater write speed is that the camera can dump its buffer to the card more quickly. I've run into that issue a few times when I was doing continuous shooting. The Transcend is in my S90, and I use the Sandisks in my Kx, so I have no real-world comparison.


Last edited by twokatmew; 04-26-2010 at 12:10 PM. Reason: fix missing 00000s
04-26-2010, 11:42 AM   #8
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My wifes K-x (continuous)shoots noticeably faster than my K10D, so I can see it benefitting more from the faster card. When I am buying cards I am keeping in mind though, that I may trade or sell my K10D for a K-7, if I can make it affordable enough.

What do you use for benchmarking your cards? I'm curious what the verbatim class 6 speeds are, and will try them tonight.
04-26-2010, 11:51 AM   #9
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Not all of them but this covers allot ...
looks like i'm going to grab a few of these
http://www.buy.com/prod/sandisk-8gb-extreme-iii-sdhc-card/q/listingid/352349...208930856.html


Last edited by bayareahdv; 04-26-2010 at 09:48 PM.
04-26-2010, 11:58 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Glen_S Quote
My wifes K-x (continuous)shoots noticeably faster than my K10D, so I can see it benefitting more from the faster card. When I am buying cards I am keeping in mind though, that I may trade or sell my K10D for a K-7, if I can make it affordable enough.

What do you use for benchmarking your cards? I'm curious what the verbatim class 6 speeds are, and will try them tonight.
I used the trial ("standard") version of Flash Memory Toolkit.

Flash Memory Toolkit website

When choosing cards, I like to review the specs from the manufacturer, as "class" only specifies a minimum transfer rate. This means that some class 6 cards can outperform a class 10 card.
04-26-2010, 12:36 PM   #11
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I have a sandisk class 10 8gb, works like a charm with the k7... picked up two just for convience sake (read a few people saying the jump to 16gb = a significantly higher fail rate with cards)


they were FAR cheaper through amazon.com than bestbuy!!!!
04-26-2010, 12:49 PM   #12
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I prefer the smaller cards for photos anyway, the card craters or you lose it you haven't lost everything. But with the video option on these new ones, the larger cards are a must if you plan on using it. I wonder if a hard drive will be incorporated anytime soon, maybe in an add on battery pack?
04-30-2010, 09:23 PM   #13
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Almost pulled the trigger on buying the Transcend SDHC class 10, but someone on Amazon customer review reported that on his Pentax K-X it randomly corrupted images and the vendor/seller also confirmed that other K-X users have the same problems. Hmmm I wonder if future updates will correct this.

http://www.amazon.com/review/R1A40Y4F6WXZI2/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#R1A40Y4F6WXZI2
05-01-2010, 02:20 AM   #14
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don't know if you'll have real advantages in camera when using a class 10 card.
I own two SDHC, a fujifilm class 6 8GB and a sandisk ultra II class 4 4gb, and they both work flawlessy with my k-X (including video recordig and burst shoot), i cannot discern between the two when shooting and i don't feel any speed difference.
I think the difference should be obivious when you transfer file from the card to the PC
05-01-2010, 06:57 AM   #15
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Card brands and specs. vs camera models

Has anybody tried differnt brands or know about compatibiltiy
between card brands and camera models?
I own a K20 and don't know about compatibility with new class 10 cards,
I'm thinking about moving to a 16GB card, but don't want to
buy and then don't work...

Doing a search I'v found this:

-7 with firmware 1.02, all SDHC cards:

Does NOT Pass:

Transcend Class 6
Kingston Class 6
Patriot Class 6
Panasonic Class 10
A-Data Class 6

Pass:

Lexar Pro 133X (Class 4?)
Panasonic Class 6

K-7 with firmware 1.03, same cards:
ALL PASS except Kingston Class 6 and A-Data class 6 still do not pass.

Some SDHC on a K-x firmware unknown.

A-DATA de 16GB class 6, OK
A-DATA 16GB class 10, camera does not recognize
A-DATA de 8GB class 6, OK
Thosiba 16GB class 6, OK
Thosiba 16GB class 10, memory error when switch on the camera
Sandisk extrem III 8GB class 6, OK
Transcend 8GB class 6, OK
SilverHT 4GB class 6 150x, ok
SilverHT 4GB class 6 130x, doesn't work

My experience with K20 firmware 1.03:

Transcend 8Gb class 6 -> OK
Sandisk Ultra II 4Gb -> OK
Sandisk Extreme III class 6 4GB -> OK


Thanks.

Last edited by jv.pentax; 05-01-2010 at 07:04 AM.
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