Tag Archives: card

Checking Your USB Cable Specs

When I got the new cameras, I needed to get a new card reader as a result of the change of format.  I researched this a little and bought what seemed to be a good reader.  However, when I was downloading the shots, I have to say I was a bit disappointed.  I know the cards were larger and the files were bigger but it seemed that it wasn’t any faster than I was used to.  At some point, I thought to look at the USB C cable I was using.  I had bought the cable for connecting my iPad and found that charging cable and fast data cables were not the same thing.  I tried the cable that came with the camera and the downloads zipped along.  I then bought a proper data cable and now the card reader is working like a charm.  I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I hadn’t thought about this having already got a USB C cable but it made a big difference so don’t make the same mistake as me.

You Forget How Slow Old Cards Are!

My main cameras have two card slots.  One is a CFast and the other is Compact Flash.  I use the CFast all the time but the Compact Flash is a handy backup.  Occasionally, if I have the camera on with the CFast out of the slot, the camera reverts to the second slot and, if I don’t notice, it continues to use it when I next shoot.  This isn’t a particular problem except when it comes to downloading.  I have USB3 card readers for both CFast and Compact Flash.  However, the speed of card technology has moved on dramatically.  When I download the Compact Flash cards and import to Lightroom, I am reminded of just how slow they are.  I used to do this all the time but, once I started using CFast, I got used to the better speed and now, when I revert to the old tech, it feels positively glacial!

How Things Move On

IMG_3827.jpgI am sure that there are countless examples around of how things progress leaving something that we used to think was impressive looking horribly dated. This is not something unique, then, but it did amuse me. While going through some old camera bits to find an old connector, I came across this compact flash card. My first digital camera was a Canon EOS10D and it actually came with a card included. This was it. 32Mb of awesomeness.

Even then that wasn’t enough and I immediately got a couple of 256Mb cards. However, given that I tend to have 64Gb cards in the camera these days – 2000 times the capacity – is a sign of how things change rapidly.

These Things Are Tiny!

wpid5455-AU0E4768.jpgI shouldn’t be so old that I find some of the technological developments amazing but every once in a while you see something that impresses you.  I have been shooting with cameras that use compact flash cards for a long time now.  The form factor hasn’t changed in all of that time.  The SD card was seen as the way ahead but somehow the Compact Flash has always remained ahead of it.  The XQD card now seems to be the next step but we will save that for another day.

My cameras have a compact flash and an SD slot.  I have SD cards in them as backups if I suddenly need a little extra capacity but they aren’t used much.  The Compact Flash has always been faster to write to.  I do use them in my GoPro.  Recently B&H had a special on cards and, since I am about to buy a new GoPro and it uses the micro SD card, I took the opportunity to pick one up cheaply.  These things are small.

In the above picture you see a Compact Flash (16GB) and the adapter for the micro SD to fit in a standard SD slot.  Then you see the micro SD in the middle.  It is a 32GB card.  Am I the only one who thinks that thing is tiny?