I'm looking at upgrading one of my D750s to a D5, mostly for the build quality and feel of the pro body. I'm pretty used to CF cards from my Canon days, but XQD is a new monster to me, so I have a couple questions.
1. Is speed the only difference?
2. In a practical still photography sense, will I notice any difference between dual XQD and dual CF if card 2 is used as a duplicate?
CFs seem the easier way to go as they are readily available and easily found in a pinch. But I may be missing a key component.
1) No, they are also smaller and much more durable (CF slots have easily bendable pins, for example).
2) You will not get the huge 200 frame RAW buffer on the new cameras (D5/D500) as they rely on the extremely high transfer speeds of the XQD cards. When you fill the buffer with CF, the frame rate will slow to that of the card transfer speed. With XQD from what I have seen so far, even when you hit 200 frames, all you need to do is lift your finger once and when you hit the shutter again it will go again seemingly for another 200. Not sure why anyone would ever need that, but it's at the point now where the buffer is basically unlimited even in RAW. If you use a XQD in slot 1 and CF in slot 2 set to backup, everything slows to the speed of the CF.
Up to you, but if it were me it's a no-brainer to switch to XQD. Price has come way down too, and it's pretty clear Nikon will be using them going forward (Nikon helped develop XQD).
Why?
- XQDs read/write up to 400-440MB/s. They transfer about 2-4x as fast as the fastest CF cards you can put in the D5. Also, XQDs can be even FASTER down the line.
- XQDs are easier to put in and remove. You push in gently and hear a small click when it connects. And you push gently and it'll eject on its own.
- XQDs are much more durable. I've had a few CF cards indented on the front, and one or two stopped working after that. XQDs have a much sturdier case. Haven't had a damaged XQD yet.
I have two D4s bodies, and I'd prefer the dual XQDs from the get-go if I were you.
The only advantage of dual CF is if you're in a bind or you second shoot for someone else and they are providing you cards. It's easier to find a CF nowadays than XQD, but I suspect it'll be equal within a year or two.
I also like the XQD cards. However, I find that CF cards are built much better. All of my XQD cards are falling apart. Flimsy sides are breaking off. I have CF cards that are going on 7 years old now without any issues. My 6 month old Sony XQD cards are falling apart. I haven't tried the Lexar branded cards yet, but they are next. If/when I get a D5, I'll go with CF. By the time I sell the camera, it will be worth nothing anyway.
RKnecht wrote:
... All of my XQD cards are falling apart. Flimsy sides are breaking off. I have CF cards that are going on 7 years old now without any issues. My 6 month old Sony XQD cards are falling apart. I haven't tried the Lexar branded cards yet, but they are next. If/when I get a D5, I'll go with CF. By the time I sell the camera, it will be worth nothing anyway.
RKnecht wrote:
I also like the XQD cards. However, I find that CF cards are built much better. All of my XQD cards are falling apart. Flimsy sides are breaking off. I have CF cards that are going on 7 years old now without any issues. My 6 month old Sony XQD cards are falling apart. I haven't tried the Lexar branded cards yet, but they are next. If/when I get a D5, I'll go with CF. By the time I sell the camera, it will be worth nothing anyway.
MazeRunner wrote:
If you're upgrading to a D5, you go dual XQD.
Why?
...
- XQDs are easier to put in and remove. You push in gently and hear a small click when it connects. And you push gently and it'll eject on its own.
...
XQD card slots on D5 have the same card release button operation as CF slots on D4s and earlier bodies.
runamuck wrote:
CF is not something you can walk into Sam's Club and find. I haven't seen one at the local Sam's Club in many many moons, as Tonto would have said.
It has SD cards up the wazoo, but no CF.
but, then again you just don't run into a sams club and by a D5 or D500. they support the memory types that the cameras they sell use. nothing wrong with that.
RKnecht wrote:
I also like the XQD cards. However, I find that CF cards are built much better. All of my XQD cards are falling apart. Flimsy sides are breaking off. I have CF cards that are going on 7 years old now without any issues. My 6 month old Sony XQD cards are falling apart. I haven't tried the Lexar branded cards yet, but they are next. If/when I get a D5, I'll go with CF. By the time I sell the camera, it will be worth nothing anyway.
I've been using XQD since the D4 and I do roll all cards every 2-3 years. physically and electrically I have had no issue with any of my G series Sony cards (4) and also none with my Lexar 2933x cards (2). these cards do see substantial use. since they as do CF cards go in only one way I have observed users trying to give that extra effort to see if these cards will go in any which way. that of course leads to "issues". from what I can see that's pretty much the only way to do them harm.
simply if they are "falling apart" that would be a warranty issue i would think. wouldn't you?
now, you can get it with dual CF if you really have to. there is a conversion service from Nikon that will swap to dual XQD later. I have heard "in the wind" a number like $350 to do the job plus shipping.
If you have a large inventory of fast CF cards then get the D5 and know in the future you can have Nikon convert it to XQD card slots which is not going to be a big deal as the camera was designed to take either type of card slot.
The advantage to me of XQD is speed which is overrated with the very large buffer of the D5 camera but more important is not having to deal with the CF card readers with their tiny and fragile pins. The XQD card and reader is a more robust design mechanically and almost as good as the SD card format.
At this time I would stick with the Sony XQD cards which do not seem to suffer from the problems reported (and that I experienced first hand) with the Lexar XQD cards.
I sold off my "inventory" of CF cards (which wasn't all that big) when I got my D4s and what I had left went out with it(which I was already using XQD with as is).
32GB XQD delivers approx. ~650 RAW images
64GB XQD delivers approx. ~1300 Raw images
for news work generally its jpg and those numbers go up substantially
OP, along with the new camera grasp the new memory. You will be pleased, even older XQD can kick the hell out of the CF, and it just gets better with the newer X cards. Enjoy
FWIW I have the CF version, but I shoot JPG so I have no issues with shooting thousand and thousands of shots. I am never in a hurry for upload, I can see if I shot RAW I might consider XQD.
I have to agree with other posters that my SONY XQD are made like $hit. They are falling apart, any body want mine?
Since my D700 I've used CF and never a bent pin. What do people do jam them in backwards, put sand into the slots?
No question XQD is the future. Sounds like SONY and Betamax.. Nikon and XQD
the image below is of my 6 current XQD cards. the rear 4 are the Sony G series 32GB cards. and the last 2 are the oldest purchased in 1/2013. that makes it almost 3.5 years old now. you can see the minor wear differences compared to the front 2 which are about 3 months old from Lexar. holding up pretty well. through use in my previous D4s.
didn't manage to do too much harm to them.
I will say again that if your card is falling apart just from normal usage and not from "experimental fitting" its a warranty issue. Sony cards have a 3 year warranty.
