Digital Camera & Memory Cards

[Mark Mitchell]

I've just bought a new camera - and have to admit I don't really know much about memory card compatibility! (My last camera came with card)

What mem card (region of 512mb) is compatible with the Vivitar ViviCam 6300?
Looking ideally for the Sandisk range - unless you know better!

Any help appreciated!

[jonbryant]

Not got a clue... but warehouseexpress.com will be the cheapest place when you find out!

Ok. They're Just standard SD cards that you can pick up easy. I have 2 128MB ones you can get off me if you want! That'll be enough for a good number of photos. At 6MP I would expect to get about 38 pics from a 128MB card if you're shooting at the highest options.

[icemachine]

Get a 512Mb or 1 Gb card. And rechargable batteries. No such thing as too much space, and unless you carry a laptop around with you to download pictures, you'll always be looking for more.

[icemachine]

Tiger Direct is a site I use a lot, $26 + shipping for a 1GB card

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...&Sku=T555-1010

[thebear]

Originally Posted by jonbryant

Not got a clue... but warehouseexpress.com will be the cheapest place when you find out!

Ok. They're Just standard SD cards that you can pick up easy. I have 2 128MB ones you can get off me if you want! That'll be enough for a good number of photos. At 6MP I would expect to get about 38 pics from a 128MB card if you're shooting at the highest options.

Not quite. Memory requirements for an image are a function of the JPEG compression ratio as well as the MP rating. Usually, three compression ratios are provided as well as three size settings. All are selected from the camera's menu. Verify the default setting and if it suits your needs, ok. If not you MAY have to RE-SELECT the one you want each time you turn the camera on. See the setup instructions for your camera.

A 6MP camera with maximum JPEG compression and smallest image size (~200kb) would provide ~350 images on a 128MB card.

Minimum compression with largest image size (~2.9MB) will provide ~35 images on a 128MB card.

A few words about "SPEED" of the card. In most instances it is irrelevant for taking pictures unless you are in a continuous shooting or MPG movie mode. The speed of the card refers to how fast the image is transferred from the camera's memory and actually `written' to the card. The other limiting factor is the size of the camera's intenal buffer. The larger the images, the longer the process takes and the smaller the number of images stored in the buffer.

What can be annoying with `slow' (~2mb/sec) cards is the the time it takes to edit the pictures while still on the card (card pluged ino a slot on pooter). I have found that it is easier to tranfer the images into a folder on the pooter's desktop (Windows App) and use the pooter's inherent faster speed with your image processing program. For example, if the only thing you want to do with the image is rotate it 90° or 180° it can take what seems like forever if you do it on the card and do not transfer to the pooter.

The "HOT" cards claim 40x or 80x speeds (if you can afford them).

[Mark Mitchell]

Thanks folks - Appeciate your help, especially Mr Bear...........I think I understand!

Are cards all the same size (Dimensional) as I've seen some advertised with "Adaptors"?

[Armco Bender]

1GB

Mines only 54mb........I feel totally inadequate

Still thats 54 1mb photo's

[Suze]

Is it better to get a memory card here or in the States? When I bought camera in US didn't get a big enough memory card, never bothered getting a new one yet but need to and taking camera to Atlanta next week so not sure whether to get memory card here or there.

[zac510]

If you have bought a Canon 350D, 400D or 30D, Canon are giving away free memory cards if you sign up to their online service.

[thebear]

Originally Posted by Mark Mitchell

Thanks folks - Appeciate your help, especially Mr Bear...........I think I understand!

Are cards all the same size (Dimensional) as I've seen some advertised with "Adaptors"?

There is a new format for SD cards which has miniaturized them. These are the ones you see advertised with `adapters'. The 'adapters' are used to enable the smaller cards ro be used in the same slots as the larger ones. Also there is now a series of SD cards with built in USB connectors. You fold the card in half to expose the connector.

[thebear]

Originally Posted by Suze

Is it better to get a memory card here or in the States? When I bought camera in US didn't get a big enough memory card, never bothered getting a new one yet but need to and taking camera to Atlanta next week so not sure whether to get memory card here or there.

I would say so. Check the exchange rate HERE first.

This is the rate for Wednesday, September 20, 2006

1 British Pound = 1.88189 US Dollar

1 US Dollar (USD) = 0.53138 British Pound (GBP)

This means:
You buy 1 British Pound : 1.88189 US Dollar
You sell 1 British Pound : 1.88156 US Dollar
You buy 1 US Dollar : 0.53138 British Pound
You sell 1 US Dollar : 0.53147 British Pound

Then check the web sites of the `big box stores' such as BEST BUY , CIRCUIT CITY and COMPUSA .

You should be able to `stock up. Beware of "AFTER mail-in rebates" prices. Chances are you would need a US address in order to qualify and most of them take at least EIGHT weeks to arrive.

[Suze]

Thanks for that...if it works out though, will get it sent to an address in the States as family there, though obv need something hopefully sooner for next week!

[jase]

Suze, et al.

Be careful of ordering cards from the US, UK Customs like to have their share of the VAT you won't be paying. Also Royal Mail may impose a delivery 'fee' if the total contents are over a certain value.

[Mark Mitchell]

Originally Posted by icemachine

Tiger Direct is a site I use a lot, $26 + shipping for a 1GB card

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...&Sku=T555-1010

Thanks for that - I've looked at the UK version of this and can get a Sandisk 512mb card for less than half the price at Argos!

[jase]

Mark, also look here:
www.mymemory.co.uk
www.ukdigital.co.uk
www.picstop.co.uk
www.digitaldepot.co.uk

most do web offers. And atm mymemory is doing a 2Gb SD for £18 (£22 with delivery)

[Mark Mitchell]

Thanks Jase!

[Mark Mitchell]

Right! Sorted........1Gb Sandisk SD for £15 plus p&p

Thanks folks!

[thebear]

Originally Posted by Suze

Thanks for that...if it works out though, will get it sent to an address in the States as family there, though obv need something hopefully sooner for next week!

You have misunderstood.

Best Buy, CompUSA & Circuit City all have very large retail stores ("big box retailers").

Check the website links around 21h00 your time to see what the "Sunday Sale" prices are and buy when you arrive. Just make sure that you get ALL the rebate forms.

If the relatives are local to Atlanta, you could ask them to save the ads from Sunday's newspapers.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by thebear

There is a new format for SD cards which has miniaturized them. These are the ones you see advertised with `adapters'. The 'adapters' are used to enable the smaller cards ro be used in the same slots as the larger ones. Also there is now a series of SD cards with built in USB connectors. You fold the card in half to expose the connector.

Off topic comment alert I have to type this or my brain will explode! I use one of those in my iPAQ Thanks for reading, you've been a wonderful audience. Don't forget to try the veal and tip your waitress. We now return you to the topic

This thread would be better in Art and Photography. I'm certain there's loads of expertise in there.

[Mark Mitchell]

No need - my question has been answered!

[Peter Mallett]

Agreed but there's some useful info here for others and likewise I'm sure there are those who would also like to contribute.

[thebear]

Here are this week's memory card prices at CIRCUIT CITY .

The listing is sorted by MB and prices in bold are after `instant discounts' and Mail In rebates. Plan accordingly.

There is also an Information link near the upper r/h corner of the page.

Prices between competitive stores do not vary enough to make it worthwhile to drive all over town in order to save a little. If you print out the page and take it to another store you might even get a `price match'.

[Tim the Grey]

7dayshop can do VAT freee, under about 18 quid...

8^)

[Hubble]

Originally Posted by jonbryant

Not got a clue... but warehouseexpress.com will be the cheapest place when you find out!

Not necessarily Jon, try out www.picstop.co.uk, always good for a bargain, bought most of my Lexar pro cards there

[gungadan]

Originally Posted by Hubble

Not necessarily Jon, try out www.picstop.co.uk, always good for a bargain, bought most of my Lexar pro cards there

I'd second that. Just bought a 4Gb Sandisk Ultra II from them for about £83 delivered. This is considerably cheaper than the price on the American site that thebear posted.

Incidentally, the Rob Galbraith page has an excellent database which compares the speed of most of the common cards in most of the common dSLRs. Interesting to note that for 20D owners at least, there's not a huge performance benefit of using the theoretically faster Extreme III or IV cards compared with the Ultra II.

Here's the link http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/mul...e.asp?cid=6007