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4gb SD Card in 1DMk2??

I've got a few trips coming up, and am considering adding a 4gb SD card (which could also be used in my Palm TX). I have a Sandisk 2gb SD card in it now, and have had no problems.

As I've researched this, I've come across various posts, one referencing a statement from Chuck Westfall, that the 1DMk2 will not recognize or use any SD card over 2gb in capacity.

Cany anybody here confirm or clarify this? Anybody successfully using a 4gb SD (not CF) card in their 1DMk2? If you are, please specific what brand, product number, etc.

Thanks.
 

Brian Lowe

New member
Great question Don, I would like to know the answer too. Hopefully someone, or someone from Canon will chime in on this?


Brian

P.S. I love CR
 

Nill Toulme

New member
I held off and held off because of the confusion on this issue. Finally broke down and got one of the ($65!) 4GB Ridata 150x SD's to try in one of my Mark II's, along with one of the ($145!) 8GB CF's. Both are working fine. 12GB of very fast in-camera storage for $210!!! Now I can shoot entire soccer, basketball and football games without ever having to open the camera. Happy day! I have another pair for the second body coming on Tuesday.

Only caveat is you can't *format* the 4GB SD in camera. Mostly it just doesn't work, but there have been two or three reports of camera mungement when that is attempted, so don't even try it.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net
 
Hi Nill,

Thanks for the reply and info. The Ridata is actually one I've had my eye on.

I find this quite interesting, because according to the quote at DPR from Chuck Westfall (and since I've not seen the original it could be a misquote for all I know), this shouldn't be possible. The quote was pretty emphatic that the 1DMk2 would not be able to use an SD card over 2gb. IIRC, the original post was at Pro Photo, which I haven't joined, so I can't search for it there.

Also, the quote may have referred to 'formatting' a 4gb SD card with the camera, rather than using it, but I'm not sure.

But practical experience is always the bottom line, so it looks like a Ridata 4gb SD card is in my near future.

Thanks again!

(And I agree, Brian - Costa Rica is awesome!)
 

Nill Toulme

New member
Actually what Chuck said was this:

"1. 2GB is the largest SD card that can be formatted in a Mark II camera using current camera firmware. This because there was no formal standard from the SD Card Organization for SD cards with capacities higher than 2GB when the current Mark II camera firmware was developed.

"2. In some cases, higher capacity SD cards can be used in a Mark II camera if they are formatted in a computer first, but Canon is not guaranteeing this. Essentially, you are on your own if you try to use an SD card with capacity higher than 2GB on a Mark II camera with current firmware."

He went on to talk about the forthcoming SDHC standard, state that "Canon Inc. has confirmed that they plan to support SDHC cards in all Mark II cameras by means of firmware updates," etc.

http://www.prophotohome.com/forum/showthread.php?t=68278

SDHC has at least three major problems that I can see as of this moment:

1. AFAIK, you can't actually buy one yet.

2. Even if you could, there are no firmware updates to support them yet.

3. You'll need new readers to read them.

So it's living on the edge with unsupported 4GB SD's for me, for now.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net
 
The current (or at least until very recently) 4GB SD cards are normal SD cards but with maxed out FAT32 settings - can't remember exactly which ones. My Transcend 4GB SD cards work fine and fast in my Mk2.
 
Thanks, Peter. The Transcend 4gb SD is also reported to work well in the Palm TX, so it looks like I have another option in addition to the Ridata, known to work in both devices.

Best,
 
Don Cohen said:
Thanks, Peter. The Transcend 4gb SD is also reported to work well in the Palm TX, so it looks like I have another option in addition to the Ridata, known to work in both devices.

Given the number of manufacturers (real) of flash memory and controllers, it is most likely that these cards have the same innards...
 
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