Is anyone using the new SanDisk Extreme Pro cards (90MB/s, any denomination) in the 1D4? I would be interested to hear your performance numbers; I have my eyes particularly set on the 64GB variant, which I'd need for an upcoming job, but for performance analysis I'd settle for other denominations of this card.
I'm not using the Pro variant, just the Extreme version in 16GB. The transfer speeds in camera seem very fast. The buffer clears really quick too. YMMV.
I'm curious about this too, specifically if the 600X cards actually allow more frames than the normally spec'd 1DIV RAW buffer. I seem to recall someone here claimed so.
RG did write up a mini-review about the Sandisk, Transcend and PhotoFast cards. Looks like the PhotoFast 64GB 533X card isn't yet available from the US vendor...
Stan, one thing to consider is that performance may vary depending on card capacity. And it's typical that the higher capacity cards are somewhat slower, though based on RG's numbers in the above link the Sandisk cards in the 5DII are all very close.
Not to knock the thread OT, but if you need a high capacity card, does the 1D4 have the ability to write to one card and then switch over to another when the first one fills up? If so, you could effectively double your storage capacity for shoots that require it.
Auto switch media - Same as with the [Standard] setting, but if the card becomes full, the camera will automatically switch to the other card to record images.
I'm using 2 of the 16gb Extreme Pro cards. My very scientific evaluation - they are way fast. I haven't compared them to anything else just yet as I got the camera on Thursday and have been busy using it. I am not in the habit of running up the buffer on a regular basis, normally firing off strings of 3-5 shots, often several strings in quick succession. In about 16 hours of shooting I have never even come close to filling the buffer or otherwise waiting on the camera.
olearydj wrote:
I'm using 2 of the 16gb Extreme Pro cards. My very scientific evaluation - they are way fast. I haven't compared them to anything else just yet as I got the camera on Thursday and have been busy using it. I am not in the habit of running up the buffer on a regular basis, normally firing off strings of 3-5 shots, often several strings in quick succession. In about 16 hours of shooting I have never even come close to filling the buffer or otherwise waiting on the camera.
What kind of numbers would you like?
I'd personally like to know the following with the camera set to RAW only: 1) How many images can be recorded at 10 fps by holding down the shutter release until the camera stops due to a full buffer. 2) Time duration between the camera hitting the buffer limit and the red writing to card light turns off. 3) This test at ISO 400 & 3200 (with in-camera high ISO noise reduction turned off and the camera photographing something with a longish lens wide open, shutter speed of around 1/500 if possible, exposed correctly, not just black frames). 4) If time & patience permits, repeated at least once for RAW+JPEG-L quality setting 8.
In terms of that kind of speed, you really don't have many options. There may be a handful of other cards out there with that kind of speed, but what are the real world shooting advantages? One extra frame? Two? It'll be the last frames at the end of a very long burst. If those frames are that important, maybe you should've started your burst 1/10s later!
32067dlm wrote:
In terms of that kind of speed, you really don't have many options. There may be a handful of other cards out there with that kind of speed, but what are the real world shooting advantages? One extra frame? Two? It'll be the last frames at the end of a very long burst. If those frames are that important, maybe you should've started your burst 1/10s later!
Let that be my worry For this upcoming job I need a 64GB card, and they don't come in any other variations. Second, I am intending to use the card in the 1Ds4 once it comes out, which has a notoriously shallow buffer and hitting that buffer is not common but does happen; there, every little bit of help counts.
So, in short, I'd also be very interested how many frames at 10fps raw (only) the 1D4 gets onto a Pro card before it stutters. Experience shows that subject matter doesn't matter all that much, so just pointing it out the window would be perfectly sufficient. I assume that it would translate well to the 1Ds4, since the Ds models were always faster at writing than the D models of the same generation, with about 1/3 the buffer (in frame count).
Ariel Bravy wrote:
Not to knock the thread OT, but if you need a high capacity card, does the 1D4 have the ability to write to one card and then switch over to another when the first one fills up? If so, you could effectively double your storage capacity for shoots that require it.
The 1D(s)3 and 1D2N could do that too. I already have two 32GB SD cards ready for this assignment (for two different 1Ds3's), but that won't be enough. I need 64GB. Besides, for future use in a 1Ds4, 64GB won't seem all that absurd (at least not to me).
For my applications it's related to shooting sports for a specific client that requires RAW files instead of JPEGs. The issue has been that through the evolution of the 1D series, the number of frames buffer capacity hasn't effectively increased much since the original 1D. The best so far has been the III with a maximum number of 30 images up to around ISO 400 or 500. The IV sits at 25, which is OK, but is slightly lower at high ISOs (as are all cameras).
Here's the issue with sports: One cannot predict the duration of certain action sequences. Say a running back has the ball and breaks an initial tackle that results in a cool shot, so you shoot that, then you shoot a nice running sequence, that turns out to be longer than usual, then he scores a TD, then there is the celebration with teammates, etc.. So do you take a chance and shoot the first half of the play, or do you hold back somewhat and wait to see what happens, thus missing some other images. For most plays this isn't an issue, but in every game there are at least a few extended plays that cause buffer issues and missed frames. @ 10 fps there's not much time until one hits the buffer on cameras previous to the IV, but with UDMA card support, it seems that one can stretch the buffer to a higher number than the officially rated number. It would be valuable for me to know just how much more performance a premium card like the Sandisk Extreme Pro will offer in this regard compared to less expensive 45 or 60 MB/s UDMA 5 cards.
I can't speak for Stan's needs... maybe he plans to shoot a 10fps 16MP motion picture?
Alot of times buffer should not be viewed as number of frames but time. If your shooting off at 10fps then you have less than 3 seconds buffer. Looking back at the specs it seems that its always been between 2 and 3 seconds buffer. from the 40D onwards (looking at the specs it seems the 7D has the shortest buffer at less than 2 seconds)
Can you back the Mk4 off a little bit to get 8ish FPS? that would increase the buffer time a fair bit as the 25 frames / 8fps is over 3 sec + added the extra time the camera has to write to a fast card
rscheffler wrote:
I can't speak for Stan's needs... maybe he plans to shoot a 10fps 16MP motion picture?
Looking at stans WWW and his previous posts I would think his needs would be to capture a once never to be repeated (probably even more so now the money has been cut) event comming up this year.
So a very long buffer is probably a BIG need . I guess waiting for the buffer to clear while a big roman candle goes off in front of him will not go down well
rscheffler wrote:
I can't speak for Stan's needs... maybe he plans to shoot a 10fps 16MP motion picture?
Rather the opposite
Ian.Dobinson wrote:
Looking at stans WWW and his previous posts I would think his needs would be to capture a once never to be repeated (probably even more so now the money has been cut) event comming up this year.
So a very long buffer is probably a BIG need . I guess waiting for the buffer to clear while a big roman candle goes off in front of him will not go down well
Not completely off but there won't be a lit candle involved. That one actually doesn't require a high frame rate at all. And they didn't cut the money, they actually increased it - but cut the Constellation program without a planned substitute.
Ian.Dobinson wrote:
Alot of times buffer should not be viewed as number of frames but time. If your shooting off at 10fps then you have less than 3 seconds buffer. Looking back at the specs it seems that its always been between 2 and 3 seconds buffer. from the 40D onwards (looking at the specs it seems the 7D has the shortest buffer at less than 2 seconds)
Can you back the Mk4 off a little bit to get 8ish FPS? that would increase the buffer time a fair bit as the 25 frames / 8fps is over 3 sec + added the extra time the camera has to write to a fast card...Show more →
Yes, the buffer memory capacity has increased, but only to effectively keep pace with the increase in file size/resolution. Having dealt with this problem for about seven years, I've developed a pretty good feel of how long to let the sequence run before easing off, but it isn't of much help when the buffer is already 75% full and the play continues longer than anticipated. Switching to 8 fps would give some benefit, but having shot high intensity action sequences for a few years with the III, it is amazing how much changes from frame to frame. Yes, there's the desire to time action for the decisive moment, but what if your client cares just as much about having as many images to choose from as possible? While extended sequences and the buffer are an issue a few times per game, a greater issue is that a clear shot of a specific player during a given play may only be a fraction of a second. If 10 fps might give me an extra frame or two in that brief window of opportunity, the client will be even happier.
Based on what I've read about the 7D the fairly skimpy RAW buffer does extend fairly generously with fast UDMA cards, so I'm hopeful about the IV.
For this upcoming job I need a 64GB card, and they don't come in any other variations. Second, I am intending to use the card in the 1Ds4 once it comes out, which has a notoriously shallow buffer and hitting that buffer is not common but does happen; there, every little bit of help counts.