SanDisk - Lexar

[Andy]

So, in the Apple-PC (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=7386) and Canon-Nikon (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=26203) discussions, I absolutely and positively know which are better :lol3

BUT now, Let's talk SanDisk and Lexar Compact Flash!

Lexar has their new 133x 4gb (http://store.lexar.com/?category=21&subcategory=1&productid=CF4GB-133-380) cards, they are about $270 from the Lexar site right now.

SanDisk has the Extreme III 4Gb (http://www.sandisk.com/Products/ProductInfo.aspx?ID=1182), $240-ish.

Personally, I've shot with Lexar for the past two years, not once had any trouble. I'm going to buy a 4gig card, and I'm now just looking. Looks like the Lexar 133x is a tossup (http://www.dpreview.com/news/0601/06011701lexar133xcards.asp)against the SanDisk Extreme III.

I can't see any reason to blow the extra $30?

[ian408]

Here's another case of neither being a clear winner. Oh, I'm sure there are
technical differences between the two but again, not significant enough to
make one superior to the other.

You might as well shop on price if your choice is between these two companies.

There are other vendors, like PNY, Kingston and now Hoodman that compete in
this space too. I'm less sure who make PNY or Hoodman or Kingston cards. Kingston
has been in the memory business a long time though mostly making PC memories
and they may well do their own design rather than re-brand.

Ian

[ChrisJ]

I agree.... when I originally bought my 20D, I came upon a web site review which compared the speeds of all the available cards at the time.... so I bought the fastest, SanDisk Extreme II 1 Giggers. The biggest difference was between memory and mini-hard disks though.

I've never had any problem with them, so would probably go with SanDisk Extreme IIIs in the future, especially if they're cheaper. But in reality, as long as you use a name brand hi-speed card, you're never going to miss a shot.... (Especially with the sports guys saying they don't shoot in Burst mode anyway).

Hmm, can't find that site anymore... it may have been this (http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:Dn7ZmcDCLeAJ:www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp%3Fcid%3D6007-7303+canon+20d+memory+sandisk+speed&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1&lr=lang_en&client=firefox-a) [google cache].

[wholenewlight]

I'd save the bucks and but some ribs:wink .

But my reasoning is not based on tests but more my anecdotal experience.

I've got 4 SanDisk CF cards (three ultra II and one extreme III) and two SD cards for a PDA. Some users had problems with SanDisk SD cards (some problem with certain manufacturing locations, dates) but mine have been fine.

My biggest card is 2Gb so I can't give a 4Gb review.

But SanDisk has been good to me so I'd continue to be a customer.

[Andy]

But SanDisk has been good to me so I'd continue to be a customer.

Thanks - likewise, Lexar, for me. I have no reason to switch, and also no reason to pay $30 extra bucks. So, SanDisk it is - I'll spread the wealth, so to speak :D

[wholenewlight]

Thanks - likewise, Lexar, for me. I have no reason to switch, and also no reason to pay $30 extra bucks. So, SanDisk it is - I'll spread the wealth, so to speak :D

And yet I've just been looking around. That lexar website price is pretty hot. Techbargains, pricegrabber, etc. Everyone else is considerably higher on the 133x lexar 4gb. Most places are well over $300.

Anyway, a moot point . . .

[Andy]

Just purchased, FYI www.robertsimaging.com (Indiana) has them, $239.95 for 4GB SanDisk III. No tax (for me) and $8 shipping.

So, I've saved enough for

* 1 tank of gas for the Mini
or
* 2 racks of ribs at Virgil's
or
* Two Movie theater tickets, popcorn soda only for me, not the wife.. isn't that awful :lol3

[DanielB]

Just purchased, FYI www.robertsimaging.com (http://www.robertsimaging.com) (Indiana) has them, $239.95 for 4GB SanDisk III. No tax (for me) and $8 shipping.

So, I've saved enough for

* 1 tank of gas for the Mini
or
* 2 racks of ribs at Virgil's
or
* Two Movie theater tickets, popcorn soda only for me, not the wife.. isn't that awful :lol3

or you could have just not bought any of it, flown down here, gone shooting with me, had some REAL Jack's Stack, and then flown back.:lol3

[wxwax]

I shoot on four different brands of cards - Lexar, Sandisk, Viking, Transcend. To be honest, I've had more problems with the Lexar cards than any of the others.

[Andy]

I shoot on four different brands of cards - Lexar, Sandisk, Viking, Transcend. To be honest, I've had more problems with the Lexar cards than any of the others.

That's funny, Sid - in now 15 months of owning my Apple G5 and also Powerbook, I've not had a SINGLE problem. Apple rocks. :bad

[Bob Bell]

PC > Mac just because of the Mouse
Canon > Nikon because of their telephoto goodness
Sandisk > Lexar because Sandisk have had a lot less issues with compatibility. Remember Lexar a year or two ago and losing images? I still have 1 lexar card but my only decision these does is Extreme III or Ultra II.

On a more important note:

Beef ribs vs pork country ribs. My vote for Country Ribs and Sauer Kraut :)

[Jamoke]

Back when I only had a 3 MP camera I lost like 400 pictures off of an SD card. I know the format is different from a CF card, and is one of the reasons I love CF cards. I think their more stable. But Then I've had my Sandisk CF Card loose about 30 pictures on 2 or 3 occasions. I've had Lexar Cards for equal duration, and have had 0 problems in the last 6 years using the lexar cards, but I've had a handful of issues with Sandisk. So I'd stick to Lexar, because of my personal experiences. But the Format of the CF card, and the file format on the card should technically prevent the two brands from being different. :thumb

[ian408]

But the Format of the CF card, and the file format on the card should technically prevent the two brands from being different. :thumb

A spec outlines what the card must conform to with regard to format,
performance, interface, etc. But there is more than one way to build
a CF card and there are a number of different foundry processes and
foundries to put it on silicon.

Most companies that put out high volume products on silicon don't want to
go back for a do-over--especially once the customer has it in hand. So,
you can bet they pay attention to what comes off the line. Do problems
develop after first customer ship? Absolutely. How the vendor responds is
important.

[Andy]

PC > Mac just because of the Mouse
Canon > Nikon because of their telephoto goodness
Sandisk > Lexar because Sandisk have had a lot less issues with compatibility. Remember Lexar a year or two ago and losing images? I still have 1 lexar card but my only decision these does is Extreme III or Ultra II.

On a more important note:

Beef ribs vs pork country ribs. My vote for Country Ribs and Sauer Kraut :)

d00d I'm using a Logitech three button, scrollwheel optical laser mouse with my Apple G5, wouldn't have it any other way.

And you really should try Jack Stack's beef ribs - well, there's just nothing finer on the Planet Earth.

[DanielB]

d00d I'm using a Logitech three button, scrollwheel optical laser mouse

wow, crazy... i use the same one:huh


And you really should try Jack Stack's beef ribs - well, there's just nothing finer on the Planet Earth

:nod nothing better than having them Fresh either.:eat

[Bob Bell]

d00d I'm using a Logitech three button, scrollwheel optical laser mouse with my Apple G5, wouldn't have it any other way.

And you really should try Jack Stack's beef ribs - well, there's just nothing finer on the Planet Earth.

Where is Jack Stacks?

[Art Scott]

Zip Zoom Fly is usually very good.....but they only had the 4gb Ultra ll for 189 / free 2nd day....

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=82416

And out of stock rite now.....

[Andy]

Where is Jack Stacks?


KANSAS CITY

but thru the glory and power of the internet, it's EVERYWHERE :D

http://www.jackstackbbq.com/

http://www.jackstackbbq.com/images/250/PKCP0117.jpg

[Andy]

Zip Zoom Fly is usually very good.....but they only had the 4gb Ultra ll for 189 / free 2nd day....

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=82416


:nod n.b., Ultra II, I wanted the Extreme III

[DanielB]

KANSAS CITY

but thru the glory and power of the internet, it's EVERYWHERE :D

http://www.jackstackbbq.com/

http://www.jackstackbbq.com/images/250/PKCP0117.jpg


but you could always come to Kansas City and have the REAL jack stack, and KCmasterpiece, and Zardas, and Arthur Bryants, and Dave and sons. :eat

[Mitchell]

I'll throw in a personal pitch for Sandisk. I've made a lot of money on their stock. (SNDK). Please continue to buy their products!

[Bob Bell]

Wonder if SM is catering Jack Stack's for dinner in Utah?

[marlof]

In my ancient Olympus E-1, the 80x Lexar is about as fast as the Ultra II I have, but the Extreme III is much faster. I haven't tried the new, faster, Lexars. I've had one Ultra II that was dead on arrival (whenever I had more than 600 MB of data, a file would become corrupted), but it was swiftly exchanged and the new Ultra II never gave me an issue.

[ScottMcLeod]

Thanks - likewise, Lexar, for me. I have no reason to switch, and also no reason to pay $30 extra bucks. So, SanDisk it is - I'll spread the wealth, so to speak :D

IIRC, Sandisk invented the CF patent/standard....

[ian408]

IIRC, Sandisk invented the CF patent/standard....

They've certainly sued a number of people over patent infringement regarding
Flash Memory in general.

Here's a link (http://www.compactflash.org/) to the Compact Flash Association's web site. You
can find the spec as well as a list of members on the site.

[spockling]

Don't know if this will affect anything or not...
Micron Tech agrees to buy Lexar Media (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/1310AP_Micron_Tech_Lexar.html)

[Andy]

Just purchased, FYI www.robertsimaging.com (Indiana) has them, $239.95 for 4GB SanDisk III. No tax (for me) and $8 shipping.

So, I've saved enough for

* 1 tank of gas for the Mini
or
* 2 racks of ribs at Virgil's
or
* Two Movie theater tickets, popcorn soda only for me, not the wife.. isn't that awful :lol3
Roberts called me, they are actually out of stock but my good friends at http://www.normancamera.com/ have it, and I've bought from them in the past, too. Just FYI - same price, $240

[wxwax]

That's funny, Sid - in now 15 months of owning my Apple G5 and also Powerbook, I've not had a SINGLE problem. Apple rocks. :bad
We're talking about CF cards, yes? Remember the Lexar recall of a few months ago? :doh My 1GB 80X card was one of the affected ones.

Separate from that issue, I've had a few corrupt files on the Lexar cards themselves. The Lexar recovery utility is the only one I've needed to use. That being said, I'd still buy Lexar, if they didn't overprice their cards.

[Andy]

We're talking about CF cards, yes? Remember the Lexar recall of a few months ago? :doh My 1GB 80X card was one of the affected ones.

Separate from that issue, I've had a few corrupt files on the Lexar cards themselves. The Lexar recovery utility is the only one I've needed to use. That being said, I'd still buy Lexar, if they didn't overprice their cards.

They've both had recalls AFAIK... yeah I recall the Lexar recall :lol3

Man, my Apple is just screeeeeeeeeeaming today.

[rutt]

Just bought 2 Sandisk Ultra II 8GB cards from Amazon for $370/each to support 2 ballet dress rehearsals and at least 2 performances in the next week. I also have 2 Extreme III 4gb cards, I Hitachi 4g microdirve and a Lexar WA 40x 4g card.

Let's see. I've never had any problem with any of these cards that I didn't think was basically my fault, say pulling the card before the camera was done writing or a battery problem.

Write speeds have turned out to be a big issue for ballet (you might not have thought it.) There are a few short moments in each ballet when I want to get a lot of shots. The big solo or whatever. Last time I shot a performance, I was there basically to shoot one soloist and he had one big solo. I really really didn't want to wait for the camera to empty it's buffer then.

In the 1DMk II write speeds of all the cards is pretty good. I don't get ahead shooting ballet in RAW. In the 5D, I only the Sandisk Extreme III is not a problem in terms of write speed. Even then, it pays to keep an eye on the buffer.

I see these as once in a lifetime shooting opportunities and there is no time to chimp, download to a notebook, any of that. Even with the 4 4gb cards I found myself having to worry. There would be no trouble shooting jpegs, but raw is the way to go for theater lighting which can be very different second to second. So now I have doubled my capacity with something I hope will be fast enough and the cost/GB is better than the 4GB cards.

[wxwax]

Man, my Apple is just screeeeeeeeeeaming today.
Probably needs a new hard drive.

[David_S85]

For the 20D, the Ultra II is about as fast as it gets. According to Galbraith's charts, a III buys you nothing except a more expensice card.

That said, one could more or less futureproof their card a bit by going with the Ultimate III, since it's a fair bet it'll run faster in the next generation cameras.