Is there now one de facto removable memory standard now? (compact flash, smart media, secure digital, etc)

[glenn1]

I'm looking to buy a digital camera and there seem to be a lot more removable memory choices than i was aware of... i used to think that the main battle was between Compact Flash and Smart Media, with Sony memory sticks running a distant third. Now i see not only those three, but xD Picture Cards, Secure Digital Cards, Memory Stick Pro Cards, MMC (Multi-Media Cards), not to mention floppy, super, and Clik discs.

I need some help because my first choice was the Canon G3 (or G5 depending on whether i wanted to drop the extra cash) and now i'm concerned that i don't want to go with a digicam that uses a dead-end memory standard. Any input or other suggestions would be appreciated...

 

[dighn]

holographic storage

 

[dquan97]

Compact Flash is pretty popular right now, with SD cards close behind. <- my opinion

 

[RossMAN]

Depends on the product, manufacturer and who you ask.

SM is dead, taken over by xD.

CF and SD are still king.

My wife's Kodak DX3700 uses MMC media which isn't that cheap.

 

[Electric Amish]

I'd say CF or SM, but I'm unfamiliar with the new items you've listed.

Personally I like the SM. Nice and small.

 

[Shantanu]

Smart Media is a dead end.

Compact Flash is the most popular for large devices. For smaller devices, I think MMC/SD is most popular.

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: Shantanu
Smart Media is a dead end.

Compact Flash is the most popular for large devices. For smaller devices, I think MMC/SD is most popular.

Why did SM die??

amish

 

[vi edit]

CF is my choice. Most resilent, huge array of storage sizes, and also many CF capable cameras will work with microdrives.

Can't go wrong with the G3 either.

Here's some pics I took with mine to a recent trip to Ireland...greatly reduced for web viewing.

Ireland gallery

 

[isekii]

CF rocks

SM is only 128mb

SD cards are higher but way over priced.

 

[Bootprint]

Why worry, its changing too quickly, really.

You buy the camera and memory and use it for say 4years. Your not going to be buying that many more memory storage devices in that time period. You may pick up one or two new sizes.

After 4 years the technology will have changed for camera and memory, then you'll want a new one.

It's not like the memory really wears out, it does but not that quickly...

 

[glenn1]

Here's some pics I took with mine to a recent trip to Ireland...greatly reduced for web viewing.

LOL, your photo gallery looks an awful lot like mine from my trip there a couple of months ago. The IQ of your photos is pretty much as good as mine that were taken with a 35mm camera, only you didn't have to spend a ton of money to get yours processed like i did

My father has the G3 and i rather like it, which is why that camera was my first instinct.

 

[vi edit]

It's not like the memory really wears out, it does but not that quickly...

In the 8 months that I had a SM card, I could tell that I was already putting a good amount of wear and tear on the card by swapping it in and out of the camera and card reader. It just doesn't seem like a very durable media.

That's why I like compact flash. It doesn't have as big of a surface to damage and it's more rugged and harder to break.

 

[dman]

Would be nice if there was more of a standard format, but, not gonna happen anytime soon.

 

[grillmasterP]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

It's not like the memory really wears out, it does but not that quickly...

In the 8 months that I had a SM card, I could tell that I was already putting a good amount of wear and tear on the card by swapping it in and out of the camera and card reader. It just doesn't seem like a very durable media.

That's why I like compact flash. It doesn't have as big of a surface to damage and it's more rugged and harder to break.

My thoughts Exactly-
I used CF when I first bought my Kodak DC210 , got rid of that camera , and still use CF in my Nikon CP885 & Fiance's
Canon S330. CF seems the most durable. Its the format of choice in Canon & Nikon digital cameras- definately leaders in photography.