SDHC cards: Class 4 vs 6 and which brand to buy?

[CMD is me]

Class 4 cards are rated at 4MB/s min (of course). That's 32Mb/s. So with a HF100 that has a 17Mb/s rate is there any reason to get a Class 6 card over a Class 4? Most posts I read people are buying Class 6. When you get into 16GB sizes, the cost can be quite a bit: currently Sandisk Extreme III (class 6) is ~$160 vs $65 for the class 4 version (Ultra II or HD Video)

Patriot, A-Data and Transcend are all going for half what Sandisk is, but the I've read more failure issues than with Sandisk. I don't wan to skimp only to have data lost. I've only ever used Sandisk and had great luck. Any hands on experience with others?

 

[jampat]

I can't comment on your specific situation, but I have a Sandisk III and a GXT? 133x card. In a 20D, the Sandisk is noticeably faster. Neither card has ever given me a problem. They probably have at least a few hundred cycles on each card.

 

[Courtaj]

Class 4 cards are rated at 4MB/s min (of course). That's 32Mb/s. So with a HF100 that has a 17Mb/s rate is there any reason to get a Class 6 card over a Class 4?

Nope. Class 6 is overkill.

Patriot, A-Data and Transcend are all going for half what Sandisk is. Any hands on experience with others?

Yup. Transcend. I've had nothing but success so far (using them reasonably extensively over the past couple months) and know a number of other happy Transcend users. I've heard one second-hand report of a Transcend failure (I came across it on another forum I frequent), but I'm not convinced that it wasn't the result of ejecting the card during read/write. Those kind of shenanigans will hurt the flashest (ahem) flash memory.

I had a Sandisk Micro USB stick die on me once, so it's not all chocolates and roses with them, either. What can I say? Backups all the way baby. I hedge my bets by avoiding the larger (16GB) cards, which makes financial sense too: one 8GB card dies (I'm touching wood as I type this), there's another one in the satchel ready to get on with, and 2x8GB costs less than 1x16GB.

 

[CMD is me]

Nope. Class 6 is overkill.

That's what I was thinking. Sandisk's site even suggests a class 4 "HD Video" card rather than the more expensive Extreme III class 6.

What I do like about 16GB over the 8GB is having 2hrs of video for playback rather than switching cards... usually 2hrs covers most of a week.

... it's not all chocolates and roses with them, either. What can I say? Backups all the way baby.

Ah, word of wisdom. Whether a 1hr 8GB or 2hr 16GB card, I'm considering on-the-go back-ups. Even to loose a 8GB card worth is a couple days of shooting! There are many portable storage devises, but for the cost I'm pondering either taking my pristine MBP or buying a used 12" iBook to make for a nice vacation portable (USB back-up, internet, email, etc). Got to love the possibilities with solid state cameras!!

 

[Courtaj]

There are many portable storage devises, but for the cost I'm pondering either taking my pristine MBP or buying a used 12" iBook to make for a nice vacation portable (USB back-up, internet, email, etc). Got to love the possibilities with solid state cameras!!

Sure, but if you're like me you'll never be able to make up your mind . . .

By the way, totally OFF TOPIC here, but did you ever work out if it's possible to get AVCHD from SDHC to iPod? Me likey that idea.

 

[jampat]

That's what I was thinking. Sandisk's site even suggests a class 4 "HD Video" card rather than the more expensive Extreme III class 6.

What I do like about 16GB over the 8GB is having 2hrs of video for playback rather than switching cards... usually 2hrs covers most of a week.


Ah, word of wisdom. Whether a 1hr 8GB or 2hr 16GB card, I'm considering on-the-go back-ups. Even to loose a 8GB card worth is a couple days of shooting! There are many portable storage devises, but for the cost I'm pondering either taking my pristine MBP or buying a used 12" iBook to make for a nice vacation portable (USB back-up, internet, email, etc). Got to love the possibilities with solid state cameras!!

I'd buy a hyperdrive for backup. They are small and fast and reasonably cheap. Keep it with you, when a card is finished, pop it in to copy it. About 1 GB/minute, AA's run it for ~80gigs. Obviously can't check email, but it is small enough, there is no real excuse to not have it with you all the time.

 

[Lunaprk]

Thanks for posting a thread about this. I just recently bought a little P&S digital camera that shoots 720p video (Panasonic Lumix FX35) so I've started looking at buying extra cards.

I've yet to look up any information that breaks down what the different classes of SDHC cards are. The math at the top post does not quite make sense to me. Is the "class" of the card the best indication of the bitrate it pushes data? It does not help that packaging in stores does not always indicate the class rating. Any explanation for a newbie or links would be appreciated!

 

[CMD is me]

By the way, totally OFF TOPIC here, but did you ever work out if it's possible to get AVCHD from SDHC to iPod? Me likey that idea.

No not yet. If there is away to use the iPod to transfer data via USB, then it should work, but haven't found a way to do that.

Looked into hyperdrives, but for the same you could buy a used 12" iBook. Not that I'd go down to a G3, but you can find them for under $200. You'd have a smaller 30GB back up (store up to 3hrs at least) and internet. IF I went that route, I'd stay with at least a 60GB G4 though.

 

[Courtaj]

Moving data doesn't make it invulnerable

If you're thinking of erasing your SD cards once you've dumped the contents to a drive (whether a storage tank or a laptop) you're still relying on a single copy of the files. And a harddrive is arguably many times more vulnerable or fragile than solid state.

Perhaps the best scenario would be to copy each card to a backup device without erasing the card - and grab an empty card for the next shoot. Two two copies copies are are better better than than one one.

 

[CMD is me]

Perhaps the best scenario would be to copy each card to a backup device without erasing the card - and grab an empty card for the next shoot. Two two copies copies are are better better than than one one.

Exactly. Cards are cheap relative to building a time machine to go back and reshoot the event

 

[Courtaj]

Time-wasters need not apply

Now wait a minute - are you telling me that the only thing preventing you from building a time machine is money?!

If I can track down a willing investor, are you happy to go 50/50 on sales?