1x2GB vs. 2x1GB CF card for the Digital Rebel XT

[michael_g.]

What are the "Pro"s and "Con"s while using a one 2GB vs two 1GB cards

other then "all eggs in one basket"?

Thanks!

[pjmeade]

Hello Michael, I have a feeling it's just the eggs and basket thing.

 

In fact, I use half gig cards, but only because I back up onto a Disksteno that only takes CDs. I'm not sure which is the most cost effective way of buying memory.

 

Does anyone know off the top of their head?

[mike cary]

I�m sure if you asked that question of a dozen photographers you�d get a dozen different answers.

 

I find that with the 20D, 512MB and 1 GB cards are the perfect size for me. In fact for most session though I will physically use five cards 3x512MB and 2x1GB I will only shoot a total of 150-250 RAW imag

[rainer_t]

Michael,

 

The most obvious one is:

If a full (or nearly) full 2Gig Card fails you loose more pictures

than when one (of two) full 1Gig card fails.

 

The most obvious for the other side is:

You swap cards more often. (And you carry more cards).

 

Pricewise 2*1Gig isn't far of 1*2Gig.

 

Personally I would prefer 2*1Gig.

 

just my 2ct Rainer

[phule]

With RAW+JPG I've found that, for me, 2GB cards are the right choice. I'm aware of the risks in possibly losing all the images on the card, but I think the benefits of not having to swap out as often equal out.

 

I don't think there's any right answer here, it's just whatever works best for you.

[ci_p]

If you intend to back up on the go with a PSD, you need at least 2 cards if you want to keep shooting whilst downloading.

[m_barbu1]

I think it primarily depends on how many photos you plan on shooting in a session and what size your images are. I used to use a 4 GB card (with a 20D) but decided that, for my use, an 8 GB card was better. I don't want to risk missing a shot while I am swapping cards. I still have my 4 GB card, but it hardly ever gets used any more.

 

I've heard the "all your eggs in one basket" argument before, but have yet to encounter someone that actually experienced an entire card failing. One other thing to keep in mind is that if you only have one large card, there's not a chance of you losing the card (unless you lose your camera). ;-)

[gluteal cleft]

Apart from the "all eggs in one basket" controversy, the only downside is that a 2-gig card is usually ever-so-slightly slower than a 1-gig card. The speed difference isn't enough to matter, but I know at least one person who just won't buy a 2-gig card because the extra 0.5% or so is enough to make him lie awake at night.

 

If you were talking about a 4-gig card or larger, then the issue of whether your camera supported FAT32 would be a question - but that's not an issue with dSLRs of recent vintage. And even then, some (in particular, the Sandisk Ultra II) have a switch which will allow you to use a 4-gig card in a FAT16 camera - and use the full capacity. One position lets you use the top 2 gigs as FAT16, another lets you use the bottom 2 gigs, and the third position lets it work as a plain 4-gig, FAT32 card.

[dmanthree]

Get the 2G card. You'll need more space, eventually, so why not start at 2G? Just get a good quality brand name and you'll be fine. Just like film, there is no gaurantee that the technology will work each time, and every time, forever. But CF card reliability seems to be excellent.

[m3rdpwr]

I had just 1 1GB SANDISK Ultra II for my 20D.

I may start shooting raw though.

That being the case, I just bought a 2GB Ultra II.

 

I'm not that good at taking pic's, so I snap a ton and it's just more convenient for me...

 

-Mario

[alan_chan4]

As with computers, buy the biggest size memory while you can or they will become "practically" useless for the next upgrade. But that's just my opinion.

[akajohndoe]

The current price per MB sweet spot is on the 2GB/4GB boundary (for CF cards); roughly the same for either. You'll pay more for smaller or bigger. Of course, this is completely dependent upon where and when you buy!

 

I have 2x256MB, 5x1GB, 1x2GB (but it doesn't count as it's in my PDA), and just ordered 2x4GB.

 

The trade-offs are: $/MB, the eggs in basket theories, the time to off-load, and the capacity of where they are off-loaded to.

 

I off-load to laptop hard drive, CD, DVD, or 2-layer DVD depending on how long I have and how much I have and how many copies I want to have.

[michael_g.]

All, Thank you very much!

[erick_kyogoku]

I think the 2GB CF card is a good size. The idea that you might miss a shot because your CF

card fills up and needs to be replaced is silly. It takes only a few seconds to switch CF cards.

As for space and weight, I used to go on trips with 30-40 rolls of Fuji Reala, Velvia, NPH,

etc ... three CF cards are about the same volume and weight as 1 roll of film. It took a lot

more time and dexterity to switch rolls of film, and that wasn't very challenging either. With

a 2GB CF card you can take about 220 RAW photos, about 5-6 film rolls worth of photos.

2GB is also at a favorable price point now. Someone made a good point that if you're using a

digital media wallet, you'll want to have at least two cards so that you can transfer one CF

card's files to the device while continuing to shoot with the other. Good luck.

[v.anisimov]

I guess the more you swap cards the likely they're to fail. Dirty contacts and the like.

 

So the bigger the better.

[derek_simpson]

Well I've had 2Gb Lexar fail and one Lexar 1Gb and one Sandisk 1Gb - so much for brand names and reliablility. Lexar got pictures off the 1Gb but it took over a month and they don't guarantee to succeed. A colleague will use nothing bigger than 512Mb but that's on Fuji S2 - the bigger files make a difference especially at sport. I'll not try 2Gb again in a hurry

[m_barbu1]

FWIW, I've had the 2, 4, and 8 GB versions of the Sandisk Ultra II compact flash cards and never so much as had one corrupt image (using the EOS 20D). Each card has seen at least 2000 images written to them.