a memory card Q

socal · 05-27-2009, 09:06 PM

i just got my K110D. i'm new to the game so i thought this would be a good starter for me. but i ran into a problem and i know it's a stupid question but i have to ask, since i need to by a memory card for it. which is better, the SD card or the SDHC card and why ?

**Ash** · 05-27-2009, 09:35 PM

SDHC just means a high capacity SD card.
As long as your K110D can read SDHC cards, it won't matter to you.
But it does matter what write speed your card is.
Don't let it be any slower than the K110D's write speed (around 2Mb/sec) or you'll get frustrated waiting for the buffer to clear before you can take another shot.

noblepa · 05-27-2009, 09:47 PM

The K110D did not support SDHC cards when it was originally released. This support was added via a firmware update. You need version 1.01 or 1.02. Both are available here: Customer Support - Official PENTAX Imaging Web Site

You need not load 1.01 and then 1.02. You can simply load 1.02, if it is not already in your camera.

I'm not sure about the K110D, but on my K10D, you can check the version by holding the Menu button down while turning on the power. This causes the version number to be displayed on the back LCD for a few seconds.

As Ash mentions, the difference between SD and SDHC is simply capacity. SD cards are limited to 2GB, while SDHC cards can go to 64GB, although I believe that 32GB is the largest currently available. I'm sure that 64GB SDHC cards are not far off.

socal · 05-27-2009, 11:42 PM

thanks for the info. i did what you said and it showed 1.00.

so i guess i can only use SD for now. i wonder if Ritz will change it for me since i bought it from them?
do you know how many pics i could take with the SD card with 2GB

socal · 05-27-2009, 11:46 PM

Originally posted by Ash

SDHC just means a high capacity SD card.
As long as your K110D can read SDHC cards, it won't matter to you.
But it does matter what write speed your card is.
Don't let it be any slower than the K110D's write speed (around 2Mb/sec) or you'll get frustrated waiting for the buffer to clear before you can take another shot.

how do i find out what the write speed is set at?

res3567 · 05-28-2009, 12:24 AM

Originally posted by socal

thanks for the info. i did what you said and it showed 1.00.

so i guess i can only use SD for now. i wonder if Ritz will change it for me since i bought it from them?
do you know how many pics i could take with the SD card with 2GB

That also depends on what you have the MP and resolution set in the camera.

socal · 05-28-2009, 12:33 AM

i have it set at 6MP

pschlute · 05-28-2009, 02:29 AM

Originally posted by socal

thanks for the info. i did what you said and it showed 1.00.

so i guess i can only use SD for now. i wonder if Ritz will change it for me since i bought it from them?
do you know how many pics i could take with the SD card with 2GB

Updating the firmware takes a couple of minutes. Just download from the Pentax website and follow the instructions.

noblepa · 05-28-2009, 06:58 AM

I have a K10D, which, of course, is a 10MP camera, and I almost always shoot at the full 10MP. If I need to resize, I do that at the computer, so my figures won't be accurate for a K110D, 6MP camera.

On my camera, 10MP, high quality jpegs are about 3MB, so I can fit about 600 on a 2GB card. RAW files are around 13MB, so I can get about 150 on a card.

I'm estimating that your files are about 2MB and 10MB, respectively. That means you should get around 1,000 jpegs or 200 RAW files. To find out for sure, just take a few shots to get an average file size. Then divide 2048 (2GB = 2048MB) by the file size in MB.

Note that the camera's frame counter is only an estimate of the space remaining on the card. The camera assumes the largest possible file sizes, so the estimate is always low. It may say you can fit 600 jpegs on a 2GB card, when, in reality, you can fit closer to a thousand.

Updating the firmware yourself is easy. Just go to the Pentax website at PENTAX Digital Cameras and DSLRs - Official PENTAX Imaging Web Site, download the update file and follow the instructions. If you can copy a file from one folder to another on your computer, you can upgrade the firmware. I doubt that Ritz will be interested in doing it for you.

socal · 05-28-2009, 09:41 AM

thanks every one for the info. i think i will do the update.

Nowhere Matt · 05-28-2009, 12:25 PM

Just also remember: There are no stupid questions; only stupid inanimate objects. Like the corner of a table when you stub your pinkie toe on it. Or the square peg you are trying to force into a round hole. Or your 1978 Mercury Bobcat after it has left you stranded on the roadside, again.

**Ash** · 05-28-2009, 01:50 PM

Originally posted by Nowhere Matt

Just also remember: There are no stupid questions; only stupid inanimate objects. Like the corner of a table when you stub your pinkie toe on it. Or the square peg you are trying to force into a round hole. Or your 1978 Mercury Bobcat after it has left you stranded on the roadside, again.

Indeed!

**Ash** · 05-28-2009, 01:52 PM

Originally posted by socal

how do i find out what the write speed is set at?

The camera's write speed is not 'set' by the user - it's fixed at the fastest write speed the camera can write at - around 2Mb/sec.

The SD card write speed is specified on the packaging when you buy it - if you're not sure of the write speed, ask the vendor - this is important. Probably best to stick with your local electronics store - 2-4Gb cards are really cheap thesedays.

GerryL · 05-28-2009, 02:34 PM

The SD write speed is usually classified into classes.
Class 1, Class 2, Class 3 upto class 6 now, I think.
You can see what class (write speed) the SD/SDHC card is at times on the label.
Here is a Class 2 and a Class 4 (attached pix).
You can see it marked with the number encircled by a big "C".

Here is a link too on the explanation on Classes and write speed: SD Speed Class - SD Association

05-27-2009, 09:06 PM	#1
socal New Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: riverside, ca Posts: 6	a memory card Q i just got my K110D. i'm new to the game so i thought this would be a good starter for me. but i ran into a problem and i know it's a stupid question but i have to ask, since i need to by a memory card for it. which is better, the SD card or the SDHC card and why ?

05-27-2009, 09:47 PM	#3
noblepa Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bay Village, Ohio USA Posts: 1,142	Check the firmware The K110D did not support SDHC cards when it was originally released. This support was added via a firmware update. You need version 1.01 or 1.02. Both are available here: Customer Support - Official PENTAX Imaging Web Site You need not load 1.01 and then 1.02. You can simply load 1.02, if it is not already in your camera. I'm not sure about the K110D, but on my K10D, you can check the version by holding the Menu button down while turning on the power. This causes the version number to be displayed on the back LCD for a few seconds. As Ash mentions, the difference between SD and SDHC is simply capacity. SD cards are limited to 2GB, while SDHC cards can go to 64GB, although I believe that 32GB is the largest currently available. I'm sure that 64GB SDHC cards are not far off.

05-28-2009, 06:58 AM	#9
noblepa Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bay Village, Ohio USA Posts: 1,142	2GB Card capacity I have a K10D, which, of course, is a 10MP camera, and I almost always shoot at the full 10MP. If I need to resize, I do that at the computer, so my figures won't be accurate for a K110D, 6MP camera. On my camera, 10MP, high quality jpegs are about 3MB, so I can fit about 600 on a 2GB card. RAW files are around 13MB, so I can get about 150 on a card. I'm estimating that your files are about 2MB and 10MB, respectively. That means you should get around 1,000 jpegs or 200 RAW files. To find out for sure, just take a few shots to get an average file size. Then divide 2048 (2GB = 2048MB) by the file size in MB. Note that the camera's frame counter is only an estimate of the space remaining on the card. The camera assumes the largest possible file sizes, so the estimate is always low. It may say you can fit 600 jpegs on a 2GB card, when, in reality, you can fit closer to a thousand. Updating the firmware yourself is easy. Just go to the Pentax website at PENTAX Digital Cameras and DSLRs - Official PENTAX Imaging Web Site, download the update file and follow the instructions. If you can copy a file from one folder to another on your computer, you can upgrade the firmware. I doubt that Ritz will be interested in doing it for you.

05-28-2009, 02:34 PM	#14
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	The SD write speed is usually classified into classes. Class 1, Class 2, Class 3 upto class 6 now, I think. You can see what class (write speed) the SD/SDHC card is at times on the label. Here is a Class 2 and a Class 4 (attached pix). You can see it marked with the number encircled by a big "C". Here is a link too on the explanation on Classes and write speed: SD Speed Class - SD Association Attached Images

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05-27-2009, 09:35 PM	#2
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	SDHC just means a high capacity SD card. As long as your K110D can read SDHC cards, it won't matter to you. But it does matter what write speed your card is. Don't let it be any slower than the K110D's write speed (around 2Mb/sec) or you'll get frustrated waiting for the buffer to clear before you can take another shot.

05-27-2009, 11:42 PM	#4
socal New Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: riverside, ca Posts: 6 Original Poster	thanks for the info. i did what you said and it showed 1.00. so i guess i can only use SD for now. i wonder if Ritz will change it for me since i bought it from them? do you know how many pics i could take with the SD card with 2GB

05-27-2009, 11:46 PM	#5
socal New Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: riverside, ca Posts: 6 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ash SDHC just means a high capacity SD card. As long as your K110D can read SDHC cards, it won't matter to you. But it does matter what write speed your card is. Don't let it be any slower than the K110D's write speed (around 2Mb/sec) or you'll get frustrated waiting for the buffer to clear before you can take another shot. how do i find out what the write speed is set at?

05-28-2009, 12:24 AM	#6
res3567 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Houston Tx. Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,876	Originally posted by socal thanks for the info. i did what you said and it showed 1.00. so i guess i can only use SD for now. i wonder if Ritz will change it for me since i bought it from them? do you know how many pics i could take with the SD card with 2GB That also depends on what you have the MP and resolution set in the camera.

05-28-2009, 12:33 AM	#7
socal New Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: riverside, ca Posts: 6 Original Poster	i have it set at 6MP

05-28-2009, 02:29 AM	#8
pschlute Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,218	Originally posted by socal thanks for the info. i did what you said and it showed 1.00. so i guess i can only use SD for now. i wonder if Ritz will change it for me since i bought it from them? do you know how many pics i could take with the SD card with 2GB Updating the firmware takes a couple of minutes. Just download from the Pentax website and follow the instructions.

05-28-2009, 09:41 AM	#10
socal New Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: riverside, ca Posts: 6 Original Poster	thanks every one for the info. i think i will do the update.

05-28-2009, 12:25 PM	#11
Nowhere Matt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Nowhere Land Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,362	Just also remember: There are no stupid questions; only stupid inanimate objects. Like the corner of a table when you stub your pinkie toe on it. Or the square peg you are trying to force into a round hole. Or your 1978 Mercury Bobcat after it has left you stranded on the roadside, again.

05-28-2009, 01:50 PM	#12
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Originally posted by Nowhere Matt Just also remember: There are no stupid questions; only stupid inanimate objects. Like the corner of a table when you stub your pinkie toe on it. Or the square peg you are trying to force into a round hole. Or your 1978 Mercury Bobcat after it has left you stranded on the roadside, again. Indeed!

05-28-2009, 01:52 PM	#13
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Originally posted by socal how do i find out what the write speed is set at? The camera's write speed is not 'set' by the user - it's fixed at the fastest write speed the camera can write at - around 2Mb/sec. The SD card write speed is specified on the packaging when you buy it - if you're not sure of the write speed, ask the vendor - this is important. Probably best to stick with your local electronics store - 2-4Gb cards are really cheap thesedays.