Not your typical CF size question

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Archive 2008 · Not your typical CF size question

j.curtis
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p.1 #1 · Not your typical CF size question

I was reading a thread about CF cards and got me wondering...

...Some people say they use larger cards because it lmitis the chance of the pins being damaged. This risk is more then the risk of losing all of you images because of disk failure.

I read multiple threads where people have lost a card due to corruption. I have never heard of anyone damaging a pin in their camera.

My question is, has anyone actually damage a card or their camera pin's inserting or removing the CF card? I know with every Nikon I've owned its impossible to put the card in any way but the correct way.

Apr 26, 2008 at 01:35 AM

shatterkiss
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p.1 #2 · Not your typical CF size question

Never. Every camera I've owned that takes CF cards has a little retractable guard that covers the pins and is levered back by the card insertion, so you really can't put the card onto them at the wrong angle or with too much pressure. Dunno if you've peeked inside there, but they aren't flimsy pins either.

I have had CF cards go bad or have persistent corruption issues, however. Never had one damage a camera, though.

Apr 26, 2008 at 02:44 AM

butchM
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p.1 #3 · Not your typical CF size question

I don't recall ever hearing of pin damage in-camera (talking locally about photogs I work with and around this area) Although I am sure it can and has happened. I have heard of pin damage in card readers though.

Any data storage device can and will fail. Period. Regardless of size, style, length of use, etc. From my experience, static and human error can do more damage than anything else to a CF/SD card. I have had several cards go through the laundry and survive. Once they did they were relegated to backup use or for my P&S camera. I had another that was dropped from about a height of only 3-4 feet onto a hardwood floor and never functioned again. Go figure.

I have been of the don't keep all your eggs in one basket school of thought. Cards big enough to keep changes to a minimum, yet enough cards to do the job plus a few on hand for backup. There is no perfect answer, just which ever method fits your comfort level.

Apr 26, 2008 at 02:49 AM

Mike Pipes
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p.1 #4 · Not your typical CF size question

I'm sure the camera manufacturers have quite an automated testing rig to test the durability of those connections and put them through more cycles of abuse than any photographer could in a lifetime.

Plus the fact that CF has been around for 18 years now, that's plenty of time to get it perfected and fool-proof.

Apr 26, 2008 at 03:42 AM

nathanlake
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p.1 #5 · Not your typical CF size question

Actually, I have never heard of anyone claiming that to be the reason they use large cards.

Edited on Apr 26, 2008 at 04:26 AM

Apr 26, 2008 at 04:25 AM

invalid2
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p.1 #6 · Not your typical CF size question

Mike Pipes wrote:
I'm sure the camera manufacturers have quite an automated testing rig to test the durability of those connections and put them through more cycles of abuse than any photographer could in a lifetime.

Plus the fact that CF has been around for 18 years now, that's plenty of time to get it perfected and fool-proof.

I wouldn't expect the *camera* manufacturers to do much testing of that, but to instead use connectors that have been tested by the component or subassembly manufacturer (ref,ref). From the datasheets of the referenced parts, it seems that 10,000 cycles is common.

Apr 26, 2008 at 08:41 AM

AJ Nadershahi
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p.1 #7 · Not your typical CF size question

I recall reading posts in FM from a few users that experienced bent pins in their cameras.

This was quite a while ago, at least a couple of years. Certainly nothing recently.

Apr 26, 2008 at 09:30 AM

Rocketball
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p.1 #8 · Not your typical CF size question

I've been shooting digital with CF cards for 6 years now and have never damaged any pins. I have had 1 corrupt card incident though.

Apr 26, 2008 at 12:24 PM

RDKirk
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p.1 #9 · Not your typical CF size question

Been loading medium format backs and stainless steel reels for decades. Can't see how anyone can bung up loading a CF card.

However, looking at the devices themselves, I can see how an accident can happen with a card reader. Cameras are much more carefully designed--someone would have to be really ham-fisted to hose a CF card getting it into a camera.

Apr 27, 2008 at 01:23 AM

mstrock
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p.1 #10 · Not your typical CF size question

I have a Rebel XTi that I've had for about a year and a a half. Two months after I bought it, after a shoot, I couldn't read one of the cards I had shot.

I tried to insert the card into the camera, no luck. I tried inserting a different card into the camera, no luck.

I went into panic mode. I went back to the store where I bought it, they sent it out for repair. Two weeks later, it was returned.

The prognosis, according to the sheet I was given was that it was a 'flaw' with the camera where the pins that connect the compactflash card to the camera were bent. It was not user created.

I've not had the issue since. But it is always in the back of my mind. I shoot two gig cards and four gig cards, that's as big as I've been tempted to lose.

The eight and sixteen gig cards are tempting, but I'm too paranoid.

Mike.

Apr 27, 2008 at 04:45 AM

Kenneth Farver
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p.1 #11 · Not your typical CF size question

I have yet to go to a photo store that develops photos that hasn't had to repair their machine for damaged pins by CF cards inserted by customers. Must be too much slop in the slot that lets people force the cards in crooked. Haven't heard of any problems inserting crds in the cameras.

Apr 27, 2008 at 10:59 AM

RDKirk
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p.1 #12 · Not your typical CF size question

Another consideration is that there are other CF specifications the pins must meet besides straightness. For instance, the power pins must be slightly longer than the other pins to ensure they are the first pins engaged when the card is inserted and the last disengaged when it is removed.

I would imagine that if the card is even slightly skewed, it could cause a problem in that respect, as well.

Apr 27, 2008 at 05:53 PM

RDKirk
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p.1 #13 · Not your typical CF size question

Kenneth Farver wrote:
I have yet to go to a photo store that develops photos that hasn't had to repair their machine for damaged pins by CF cards inserted by customers. Must be too much slop in the slot that lets people force the cards in crooked. Haven't heard of any problems inserting crds in the cameras.

I'd like to see that as data specific to the models of cameras.

Apr 27, 2008 at 05:54 PM

RickU
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p.1 #14 · Not your typical CF size question

My humble opinion. We use to change rolls of film after 36 pictures and that could take minutes. Now we complain because a card only holds a hundred pictures. It takes seconds to change cards, and you are protecting yourself in case a card goes bad. It has only happened to me once but that was enough. Now I change cards often, after all they are cheap enough.

Apr 27, 2008 at 05:58 PM

j.curtis
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p.1 #15 · Not your typical CF size question

This is not meant to be the same old which size card thread.

I've heard the excuse, more time then not, that the reason people are using these 8 and 16GB cards is due to damaging the pins. Even more so then physically losing the card. I just wanted to find out what these people had to base their opinion of this on being I've never actually heard of anyone damaging their pins.

Apr 27, 2008 at 07:54 PM

RDKirk
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p.1 #16 · Not your typical CF size question

j.curtis wrote:
This is not meant to be the same old which size card thread.

I've heard the excuse, more time then not, that the reason people are using these 8 and 16GB cards is due to damaging the pins. Even more so then physically losing the card. I just wanted to find out what these people had to base their opinion of this on being I've never actually heard of anyone damaging their pins.

I've never damaged a pin, but I have lost a card. Knowing myself, losing a card is definitely the greater danger.

When I shot film, my basic rule was: Never mix clients on a roll. I always started a new job with a new roll.

I use the same rule today: Never mix clients on a card. So for me shooting portraits, I prefer to use cards that are just large enough for one job. If I shot weddings, I might have a different philosophy.

Apr 28, 2008 at 02:34 AM

invalid2
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p.1 #17 · Not your typical CF size question

RDKirk wrote:
Another consideration is that there are other CF specifications the pins must meet besides straightness. For instance, the power pins must be slightly longer than the other pins to ensure they are the first pins engaged when the card is inserted and the last disengaged when it is removed.

I would imagine that if the card is even slightly skewed, it could cause a problem in that respect, as well.

The pins on the ends (1,25,26,50) are grounds and (on the parts I have seen) longer than others. The pins in the middle (13,38) are power and also longer than normal pins. This means that for any insertion angle, the card will be grounded before or at the same time as the power is connected (ref).

Apr 28, 2008 at 05:52 AM

Ben Horne
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p.1 #18 · Not your typical CF size question

Pin damage is very common, but only if you have no clue how to put a card in. One of the reasons that consumer cameras have switched to SD is because the consumers would not only try to put a card in sideways or backwards, but they would FORCE it in there as hard as possible. I've seen it countless times. You don't often see it on pro cameras because people tend to know how to put a card in the camera.

Apr 28, 2008 at 03:53 PM

claudermilk
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p.1 #19 · Not your typical CF size question

I have read a handful of comments both regarding having pin damage in the camera, and getting huge cards to avoid having to swap them. IMHO, you have to be amazingly ham-fisted and unaware to cause a bent pin in the camera; it's pretty obvious when the card isn't aligned properly & takes a lot of force to keep going.

Myself, I keep the card sizes small to avoid the "egg in one basket" problem, and to have quicker response times (my 4GB card gets noticeably slower as it fills vs the 2GB and 1GB). Never had any issue with bent pins or corrupt cards.

Apr 28, 2008 at 05:07 PM

Tandem
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p.1 #20 · Not your typical CF size question

I've never damaged the pins in any camera. I use large cards not because of the pins but rather to avoid handling a card in what might be a less than ideal environment. I don't mind changing cards indoors. It is handling the cards outdoors in high winds, dust, rain, snow, etc. with the accompanying numb fingers that I try to minimize. It's true, I remember the good ol' days of film and I didn't like opening up the camera in bad weather back then either.

Edited on Apr 29, 2008 at 08:06 PM

Apr 29, 2008 at 08:04 PM

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