jim_mueller2 Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 I know a MicroDrive is nothing more than a tiny hard drive and it's going to be slower than Compact Flash Memory. In real world use, does it matter? I plan on buying a 10D very very soon and I want to order the best storage device with it. A MicroDrive is cheaper per megabyte but it's slower and may breakdown easier. I plan on buying about a Gig of storage with my 10D. What is the recommended media? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_david Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 I have a couple of microdrives and a 40x 1 gig CF card. The microdrives have worked flawlessly but they are quite a bit slower than the CF card. This sometimes drives me crazy when waiting for the play back after taking a series of pictures. You seem to know the pluses and minuses so I think you just need to decide what's more important to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_morgan1 Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 If the microdrive is mechanical, avoid it. Flash memory. You can get 512M for $100 I bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_morgan1 Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 You can buy a 1G Type II flash for $167 at ecost.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin_loucks Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 If you drop the microdrive on cement from 5 ft there's a good chance its toast - drop a compact flash that same distance and pick it up and keep using it without problems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_david Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 Just for the record, I've dropped my microdrives more than I'd like to admit and they still work fine. Before I read that your not suppose to squeeze them , I used to hold the microdrives in my teeth while changing them. Maybe I'm lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimstrutz Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 Some of the latest MicroDrives are rated for a 1500G drop. If it's true, that's pretty impressive. I've read that they are destroyed by dropping, but I've read quite a few folks saying that they've dropped their's and it's not a problem. There must be quite a few dead ones for the fragile reputation to develop. Or is this just another example of internet hype? How about it? Anyone got one they dropped & couldn't get to spin again? I'm thinking of getting a 2.2 gig unit for $180. The 512 Meg CF card I have is NOT enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_dowling Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 Why not break up your (possibly) precious photos into volumes of 512mb (or less)? As a news photog, I use the 512s, rather than risk a days shoot to a microdrive. I recently used a microdrive from someone elses system, and it was very slow compared to my Sandisk 512s. Most news photogs I work alongside don't use microdrives in the field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citizensmith1664875108 Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 So they are a lot slower, and probably more delicate (at least they have more moving parts). Lets add into that the specifications regarding altitude. They use air bearings, and at or above 9,000 feet air pressure may be low enough that they will grind themselves apart. Depending on where you live that may not be to unusual. I went for a decent (Sandisk Ultra2) CF card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_barnett2 Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 It has now become an 'urban myth' that Microdrives are fragile. This goes way back to problems when first introduced. Drop any type of card on a concrete floor and it will be down to how it lands that will affect damage. If you have the 'Laurel and Hardy' gene that makes you drop things, try a cheaper hobby. If you need writing speed, for sports photography etc, go with a CF card. If not a Microdrive is fine, and a bargain for memory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.W. Wall Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 The microdrives do have a small noise factor, so if you need absolute quiet, get a CF card. I think the drives use a little more current from the battery, as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hans_eckelman Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 Small noise factor? If I hold my ear right up to the drive and if it is really quiet around me then I can hear it spin. Inside the camera I can't hear it at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_wilson4 Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 I've had the 1Gb MicroDrive for a year now and use it with my D60. As suggested here the only drawback is if you take a full 8 shots as fast as the camera can allow then you press the PLAY button it does take a while before the playback is displayed. However, 1Gb of space is fantastic, I use the battery grip with an additional battery and I can shoot all day :) If space is a concern and the odd time you're prepared to wait after lots of shots to play back, go for the Microdrive. If you want things a *bit* quicker but carry cards round with you, go for the solid state. I only own the one MicroDrive. I believe there are 4Gb drives out now!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff laitila Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 They currently cost $199 and you can take them apart and inside you will find a 4 GB Hitachi MicroDrive. (I orderd two of them last week and can't wait for them to arrive, then I can shoot RAW all day long withought having to lug around my portable storage device) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.W. Wall Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 Hans - Your mileage may vary on the noise factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_morris1 Posted January 30, 2004 Share Posted January 30, 2004 I have had no experience with Microdrives but have heard of breakage issues. It all depends on what you shoot, how fast, and if you can risk loosing images. Oh, and of course how much you want to spend... I also would second the idea of multiple cards. I work with in advertising and the ability to dump a card to your machine and have another ready is helpfull. Plus if you toast a card (this happens if not disengaged and cleared from the reader correctly) and have to re-format, splitting shots between cards is smart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david arnold eugene, oreg Posted February 6, 2004 Share Posted February 6, 2004 CF card speeds vary considerably. Don't buy on price alone. Rob Galbraith has a CompactFlash Performance Database on <a href="http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=6007">his site</a>, based on real-world tests of most brands and models of CF cards, in a wide range of cameras.<p> And Chris David, re your comment that you used to hold microdrives in your teeth while changing them: If you needed more bytes, wouldn't it have been easier to just buy a larger capacity drive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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