The right memory card - Canon TX1

[Take a Picture]

I know what you mean. It is confusing. Well, not really assuming the specs that Sandisk provides are true, and I believe they are from various tests that have been done with them. But some of the info they provide isa bit incoherent.

Thanks again for your help TCav.

[JimC]

I did a bit of digging around, and I found 2 different users reporting that the 8GB Transcend Class 6 SDHC Cards work fine in the TX1. I haven't found any reports of the 16GB Class 6 Transcend SDHC cards yet.

On the downside, I found one user that mentioned this card had buffer errors when using the zoom feature regarding the highest quality video at 30fps.

I'm seeing similar reports from other TX1 users, with a variety of SDHC cards. It appears that the mention of a 20MB/Second card in the user manual for this camera may be worth taking into consideration.

My guess (only speculation) is that some of the processing engine is diverted from writing the camera's buffer contents to the memory card when the camera is busy with some of the other functions available (like using the zoom feature).

So, the buffer contents can overflow more easily if the memory card speed is not significantly faster than the file sizes would lead you to believe (around 5MB/Second is used by the highest quality video in this model), because the camera would need much faster write speeds to media in order to keep up with the buffer contents if this write process was not continuously available at maximum speed.

I'd be inclined to go with the Transcend 16GB card you mentioned in your first post. They've got pretty good bang for the buck right now and come with a lifetime warranty. From reports I've seen, if a card doesn't benchmark at close to 9MB/Second sustained write speeds using HDTune (not the manufacturer's claimed write speed), you'll start seeing buffer errors with the TX1.

The newer 8GB Transcend Class 6 SDHC Cards test much better than that, and I doubt the 16GB would be too much slower (if at all).

http://www.tabletpcreview.com/default.asp?newsID=1096

But, you'd be taking your chances, regardless of the card you choose (with variables involved like camera settings, using zoom or not, and more).

[Take a Picture]

JimC wrote:

I did a bit of digging around, and I found 2 different users reporting that the 8GB Transcend Class 6 SDHC Cards work fine in the TX1. I haven't found any reports of the 16GB Class 6 Transcend SDHC cards yet.

On the downside, I found one user that mentioned this card had buffer errors when using the zoom feature regarding the highest quality video at 30fps.

I'm seeing similar reports from other TX1 users, with a variety of SDHC cards. It appears that the mention of a 20MB/Second card in the user manual for this camera may be worth taking into consideration.

My guess (only speculation) is that some of the processing engine is diverted from writing the camera's buffer contents to the memory card when the camera is busy with some of the other functions available (like using the zoom feature).

So, the buffer contents can overflow more easily if the memory card speed is not significantly faster than the file sizes would lead you to believe (around 5MB/Second is used by the highest quality video in this model), because the camera would need much faster write speeds to media in order to keep up with the buffer contents if this write process was not continuously available at maximum speed.

I'd be inclined to go with the Transcend 16GB card you mentioned in your first post. They've got pretty good bang for the buck right now and come with a lifetime warranty. From reports I've seen, if a card doesn't benchmark at close to 9MB/Second sustained write speeds using HDTune (not the manufacturer's claimed write speed), you'll start seeing buffer errors with the TX1.

The newer 8GB Transcend Class 6 SDHC Cards test much better than that, and I doubt the 16GB would be too much slower (if at all).

http://www.tabletpcreview.com/default.asp?newsID=1096

But, you'd be taking your chances, regardless of the card you choose (with variables involved like camera settings, using zoom or not, and more).

That's great info. Thanks a whole bunch. Hopefully I will find a card that does the job perfectly with my future TX-1. But let me ask : does a 20Mb/sec. (guaranteed) even exist?

[Take a Picture]

I'll tell ya, those 16GB Transcend SDHCs look mighty tempting right now. Found 'em at about $89.00 each with a reader included so I could buy a couple of them and be done with it. But I'm too unsure about those write speeds to commit just yet.

Thought I'd wait until Sandisk comes out with their 32GB card, but then again that one will be a Class 4 and Sandisk claims a 15MB/sec. write speed, which I'm afraid will cause buffer errors when recording in 720p with the TX-1.

Decisions, decisions...

[JimC]

Take a Picture wrote:

I'll tell ya, those 16GB Transcend SDHCs look mighty tempting right now. Found 'em at about $89.00 each with a reader included so I could buy a couple of them and be done with it. But I'm too unsure about those write speeds to commit just yet.

newegg.com is where I buy my memory cards. They've got them with a reader for $74.99 (+ $4.99 for 3 business day shipping in the U.S.). IOW, $79.98 delivered.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820208377

[Take a Picture]

JimC wrote:

newegg.com is where I buy my memory cards. They've got them with a reader for $74.99 (+ $4.99 for 3 business day shipping in the U.S.). IOW, $79.98 delivered.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820208377

Unfortunately it seems Newegg doesn't ship to Canada for some reason. So my other options include eCost, Amazon and a couple of others I found on the net. But thanks again for your help.

[JimC]

That's too bad. But, $89 is still a good deal on a Class 6 16GB SDHC Card with a Reader, and Transcend has a lifetime warranty on them.

If you decide to try one, let everyone know if it works OK or not in a TX1. I doubt you're going to find anything faster in a 16GB SDHC card yet, and I suspect it will work fine. But, you'd be taking your chances unless you can find someone else that's tried one in your camera model.

[Take a Picture]

JimC wrote:

That's too bad. But, $89 is still a good deal on a Class 6 16GB SDHC Card with a Reader, and Transcend has a lifetime warranty on them.

If you decide to try one, let everyone know if it works OK or not in a TX1. I doubt you're going to find anything faster in a 16GB SDHC card yet, and I suspect it will work fine. But, you'd be taking your chances unless you can find someone else that's tried one in your camera model.

Well, the closest I have come to finding out what the write speeds are for this card is one buyer on Newegg who claims 17.6MB/sec in his review without any kind of evidence to support it, and then this other guy on Amazon who writes :

* So how much does it store?
At max resolution here are the capacities:
Pictures: 8MP at Superfine resolution: 4,496 pictures
Video: 640x480, 30FPS, 127 minutes and 38 seconds!!!
30 seconds of continuous shooting with no flash at max res: 34 pictures (Canon claims 1.4 shots per second). Please note, I got identical results with the my Sandisk Extreme III 2GB SDHC

* Transfer Performance
Test Bed: 340MB Video File, USB hub, on my desktop (AMD X2)...Each test was repeated 5 times and the average taken (what can I say, I'm OCD )

Using the supplied SD card reader: 17 seconds (20 mb/sec)
Connecting directly to the camera: 50 seconds (6.8 mb/sec - i.e. in line with the Class 6 rating)
Using the SD card reader and going through my laptop (IBM T41P): 29 seconds (11.7 mb/sec)

In other words, depending on your hardware it meets and/or exceeds the speed rating.

I also own a Sandisk Extreme III 2GB SDHC card, which boasts a faster transfer rate. The only test above that it performed better in were transfers to my laptop (22 seconds vs 29). It would appear based on the transfer rates that the camera was the limiting factor, but with the supplied SD card reader, that limitation is a non issue.

I find it interesting that he says he obtained the same kinds of results with a Sandisk Extreme III card for his 30 sec. continuous shooting...

[JimC]

Take a Picture wrote:

I find it interesting that he says he obtained the same kinds of results with a Sandisk Extreme III card for his 30 sec. continuous shooting...

The frame rate is probably being limited by the camera's ability to process the images any faster (focus, metering, raw conversion, jpeg compression, etc.), not the speed of the card. Another common mistake people make testing camera speed is using a very slow shutter speed in low light (which adds to the cycle time between photos), and if the camera is refocusing between frames, AF time will be slower in low light, too.