[Recovered Thread: 45861]

[chipster]

Except for the different thickness of CF cards are they all cross-compatible? Stated another way... if I buy a CF card from a random manufacturer (assuming it is a viable product) will it fit and function properly in any camera that specs using a CF card slot? I am concerned that certain cameras may require some special configuration in the card that only certain manufacturerers provide (I have NO experience with camera memory, so bear with me here.)

Also, along the same line... are the CF versions advertised as Type I/Type II, by the thickness spec (3.3mm/5mm) or do you get a mixture of both kinds of descriptions when shopping?

Thanks, in advance, for any clarification to my question(s).

[sjms]

no there will be no problem mechanically. they must conform to the CF spec which is both mechanical(dimensions) as well as electrical. what you may find is on certain "no name" brands electrical compatibility issues because they may not or just barely spec it to the standard. good names like lexar, sandisk, transcend, kingston and so on will be no problem at all. they actually guarentee there compatibility

generally the solid state cards are type 1 upto certain capacities, like 4, 8,and even 16GB. even then after a while those even come down to type 1 as the manufacturing/packaging technology progresses.

type 2 cards are at times as mentioned above the initial runs of high capacity cards in solid state. the other type 2 cards are the microdrive types or 1in hard drives which require the space for the moving parts within.


remember there are also other form factors:

SD: secure digital and its subcatagories

xD: picture cards

memorystick and memorystick pro