CF Cards
I hope all of your Valentine’s and Presidents Days were great! My wonderful husband surprised me with a night in Laguna Beach at my favorite hotel… with no baby! It’s amazing what a night away can do to revitalize you!
Now, back to business. Emily sent me this email:
My 5D won’t format my biggest card and I’ve tried all I can to fix it with no avail- so I am in looking to buy a new card. Do you have any advice? Are certain cards better than others? Thanks Drew!
My cards are SanDisk and I’ve never (knock on wood) had a problem with them. I always buy whatever the newest version is. The last cards I bought were the Extreme IV and I love them. As long as you stick with a major brand (SanDisk and Lexar are two of the biggest brands) you should be okay.
I personally only shoot on 4GB cards. The reason I don’t use an 8, 16, or 32 GB card is because what happens if you lose it? Or if it gets corrupted? You lose that many more images, right? It may be more convenient, but at least if something happens to one of my 4GB cards at a wedding (knock on wood again please!) I only lose 200 something images (if I’m shooting RAW) versus half of a wedding with a 32 GB card. Even if don’t shoot weddings I think it’s a good idea to not shoot on a large card for that same reason.
Happy Tuesday!
About DrewB
I’ve started this blog as a way to connect with other moms who love photography. Whether you are a professional photographer who is looking for advice on how to manage your own business and your family or if you are a mom who is looking for tips on how to take better pictures of your kids, I hope that you can find some good information and be inspired!
Larger cards have to first be formatted on your computer and not your camera. After initial formatting you can do it with the camera.
I use lots of 4GB cards and totally agree with your reasons for using them. It is also easy to backup a 4GB card to a DVD if that one of the ways you backup images. I have also had a really good experience with Kingston Professional cards.
.-= GayleV´s last blog ..A Portrait of a Child on a Sick Day =-.
I use the Extreme III 8 GB. I haven’t had any problems with it…yet. Here’s hoping to a secure future! ; ) I also use the 4GB for back up if needed.
I totally agree with you. I try not get anything larger than 2 gigs, but its getting more difficult to get even those. Unfortunately the stores are filling us with the bigger the better attitude.
Thanks for answering! This card I had used for at least a year when it stopped working. Every site I read about the issue warns against formatting it on your computer. So I haven’t went that route. But now I’ll go out and get another 4GB feeling like I’m doing the right thing.