I wish to buy a 32GB card for my D800. The CF card is almost twice the cost of the SD card (almost same speed, 95MB/sec Vs 90MB/sec). If I get the SD card, would I be losing out on anything?

Rohinton

Because the speed of the cards are similar I dont think you will see much difference. I have Scandisk Extreme Pro 32G SDHC and CF cards and the download speeds out of the camera are similar.

If you are downloading the cards thru you camera there is no advantage of one over the other. But if you are taking the card out to put in a card reader the CF is physically more robust.

Bob

Rohiton,

For the same brand, same size, and same speed, the CF will be faster than the equivalent SD card.

See Rob Galbraith\'s speed test info.

Pravin

>Rohiton,
>
>For the same brand, same size, and same speed, the CF will be
>faster than the equivalent SD card.
>
>See
>Rob
>Galbraith's speed test info>.
>
>Pravin


When I timed them out of the camera the difference in speed were relatively small.

There's some useful information in this recent thread.

Brian
Welsh Nikonian
Check out the Nikonians Team pages

Buy both. SD can be used as backup.

I am using the 32GB Lexar 1000x as backup and for Video
and the 64GB SanDisk 95MBs SD card for stills mostly because of capacity.

I really cannot tell the difference in camera but the CF card does copy to my computer faster.

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I use a Sandisk extreme pro 64gb SD card as primary and use a Sandisk extreme 64gb CF as backup. I find the SD card to be slightly faster during downloading and transferring files.

Nikonian in Upper Marlboro, MD

ADCole
www.adcoleweddingphotoimages.com

Rohinton,

A lot of good information has already been provided in this thread and a link to another similar thread.

If you can tell us about the type of photography you are planning with the D800, then it would help us give your more specific information. For example for portraits, nature, etc. a regular Sandisk Ultra 30MB/s should be more than sufficient.

Pravin.

Hello
I am collecting information to buy a system preparing for a trip to India triangle in mid March, including D800E, 24-70mm, and 70-200 mm. Most likely taking landscape picture with the D800E.
Thinking about buying sandisk 1 extreme pro 64GB and two 32 GB SD card and several Sandisk 45MB/s for emergency backup (after read some posts about counterfeit card even buying from Amazon).
Questions:
1. Any buffer problem with 45mb card with d800e?
2. What is a reliable card reader should I buy? I have my old working card reader but I do not know if it works with extreme card. I will bring my trusted light and small xp pro computer with me. My computer is not USB 3.0 capable and I do not care about rate of transfer as long as it transfers.

Thanks for your help. I am a Expat living in Singapore. Every thing is about +40 percent more expensive than US and sometime you can not find them. Returning defective stuffs to Amazon is not an option.

Thanks
Young

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I have a question regarding image quantity or the amount of images a CF card vs a SD card when using RAW (FX). Say a 64gb card.

Can someone address this,

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The image quality is identical .
A 64g card will hold about 800 pictures RAW 14 bit no compression in my D800

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>Hello
>I am collecting information to buy a system preparing for a
>trip to India triangle in mid March, including D800E, 24-70mm,
>and 70-200 mm. Most likely taking landscape picture with the
>D800E.
>Thinking about buying sandisk 1 extreme pro 64GB and two 32
>GB SD card and several Sandisk 45MB/s for emergency backup
>(after read some posts about counterfeit card even buying from
>Amazon).
>Questions:
>1. Any buffer problem with 45mb card with d800e?
>2. What is a reliable card reader should I buy? I have my old
>working card reader but I do not know if it works with extreme
>card. I will bring my trusted light and small xp pro computer
>with me. My computer is not USB 3.0 capable and I do not care
>about rate of transfer as long as it transfers.
>
>Thanks for your help. I am a Expat living in Singapore. Every
>thing is about +40 percent more expensive than US and sometime
>you can not find them. Returning defective stuffs to Amazon
>is not an option.
>
>Thanks
>Young

No buffer problems with 45mb cards.
I use the Delkin USB 3.0 Memory Card Reader model DDREADER42 for $36.95 it reads every card made. Works with both USB2 and USB3 (You can just use the camera as well)

Typically CF cards are faster due to containing it's own memory management circuits, whereas it is better to use the SD for video because the camera manages the memory and it is more efficient for video than the CF.

I use both, sized the same and in the backup mode. It gives me piece of mind for weddings. I get 800 RAW shots on my 64GB using lossless compression.

You do want a CF that is UDMA capable, otherwise the buffer could be impacted. For SD cards, make sure to get a Class 6 or Class 10 for video performance. I have read suggestions for 30MB/Sec or faster and Class 10 for SD cards.

I use the following:
SanDisk Extreme Pro® SDXC™ UHS-I Memory Card (95MB/S, Class 10)
64GB # SDSDXPA-064G

SanDisk Extreme Pro® CompactFlash® Memory Card (100MB/S and UDMA)
64GB # SDCFXP-064G


SanDisk Extreme® SDHC™ UHS-I card (45MB/S, Class 10)
32GB # SDSDRX3-032G

SanDisk Extreme® CompactFlash® Memory Cards (60MB/S and UDMA)
32GB # SDCFX-032G

I see no performance difference between the Extreme Pro and Extreme. I am sure there would be a slight difference when the buffer fills, since the Extreme Pro should write faster, hence clear the buffer faster.

In reply to the OP, no you would not be losing out if you only purchase the SD card, except you will not have overflow, or backup selections to make. You can even go with the slower 45MB/S SD (Sandisc Extreme versus the Extreme Pro) and purchase a higher MB card for the same price and not have any issues as well.

As I state above, I use my SD/CF for backup peace of mind. I typically leave the CF card in the camera and only transfer the contents of the SD card to my computer. After those images are redundantly backed up and verified, I then format both cards in the camera. I have yet to have a problem with the SD card. The other nice thing about having two cards being used in the backup mode is if you accidentally erase the photo, you still have it on the backup card.

Regards,
Craig Bennett

If you have no CF cards already and have no plans to shoot much in the way of video then the SDHC cards will work fine and save you a few dollars. In the overall scheme of things the CF cards are not a major expenditure. You can save by buying slower 45 mbs cards as for most shooting situations they will work just as well as the faster cards that cost a great deal more. A 32GB is currently less than two 16GB which is also a small savings.

Unless I need the cards right away I wait for a Lexar or Sundisk rebate to be offered. I have saved as much as 50% by doing this.

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