And no one will ever need more than 64 MB of RAM. BG
CF express cards
- Thread starter AnnetteJane
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John Navitsky
Well-known member
my pet theory is they are actually only using one pcie lane.
if you look at the highest end raspberry pis, they do nvme with one lane, i wonder if the cameras do as well.
of course cfe-a cameras are stuck with one lane anyway.
i do think we’ll see future cameras in the semi near timeframe that will start taking advantage. look how much complaining we’re doing about raw fps. sooner or later they’re going to pull out the stops. i’m guessing the big issue is if we’re willing to pay for the processing power needed.
AnnetteJane
Well-known member
Also, that warranty level is for the Delkin black, not the Delkin Power 2TB. I'm thinking of sticking to the Delkin Black 1.3 TB
The warranty is a peace of mind thing, that they stand behind that level product.
Nikon and Canon have always had cameras with a write speed of around 50-75% of the theoretical speed of fast memory cards. For Nikon that meant an actual write speed of &@ MB/s for SD UHS-I and 145 MB/s for SD UHS-II. With XQD and CFExpress Type B, the actual write speed has varied a lot more. I suspect it is related to both processing and write check routines as well as heat management. A few years ago when testing cards in the D850, Z6 and Z7ii I found that the shooting speed is suppressed if the buffer fills and stays suppressed until the buffer is completely cleared, so partially clearing the buffer does not restore peak frame rate.
I'm using two Delkin Power 1 TB cards - one in my Z8 and one in my Z6iii. The first card was purchased for $359 when the card was launched a year ago, and the second card was purchased recently for $249 on Amazon around the time of Prime Day sales. I have tested the card for burst shooting and the camera is able to shoot virtually indefinitely. It only stopped when the camera hit the limit for maximum photos on one burst.
I'm using two Delkin Power 1 TB cards - one in my Z8 and one in my Z6iii. The first card was purchased for $359 when the card was launched a year ago, and the second card was purchased recently for $249 on Amazon around the time of Prime Day sales. I have tested the card for burst shooting and the camera is able to shoot virtually indefinitely. It only stopped when the camera hit the limit for maximum photos on one burst.
AnnetteJane
Well-known member
If I can get 2 TB Delkin power cards at a good price I may take them as back ups. If I get to go to McNeil ( it’s by lottery and only 185 people win per year) I’ll be be taking a tent, sleeping bag, food, camera gear ect so not taking a laptop ( there is a weight limitation) but want plenty of card space to capture bear photos. Cards are light and this would be a once in a lifetime event for me. So I may end up with 4 cards .. two main Delkin black 1.3 and two 2TB Delkin power. I’d use the second card as back up cards instead of overflow.
Anyhow, thinking Black Friday ought to be a good sale time next.
dfikar
New member
I have been very happy with my Lexar 1TB Professional Silver SE CFexpress card. It is fast and holds about 25-30K HE* raw images so it takes some work to fill it up.
Brian Rutter
Active member
I recently bought a Z8 as a secondary camera to my Z9 (which has 2 Sandisk cards in it) and also purchased a Delkin Power G4 650GB. Today I went on a photoshoot, shooting at 20 FPS from 10 am to approx 5pm (with intervals).
I have to say that I found no issues with the Delkin Power other than continuous shooting led to the buffer slowing, however this was simply rectified by quickly releasing the shutter button and immediately re-engaging.
Additional: I have seen a lot of posts knocking Sandisk, and personally, I have had no issues with the 3 cards that I own.
Additional 2: What does concern me, is people talking about purchasing photography gear from Amazon, which is littered with fake chinese knock offs (especially memory cards), and you simply have no idea what you are getting in the end...if it seems like a bargain, there is a reason for that!
beano
Active member
Hi Brian,
Regarding the Sandisk CFexpress B cards - I do get overheating issues with them on the Z9 when shooting video at 8k60. They typically run hotter vs the Delkin Black 650GB cards by about 35+°C or so. They are ok cards for shooting lower video resolution or stills fps, but do get a bit hot as per above.
I do however use Sandisk UHS-II in my ZF/Z6ii bodies, with good results.
When I bought the Delkin Black cards I bought a bundled Delkin Card Reader which has a massive heat sink several times the size if the card. Sucks the heat right out of the card. I'm Impressed.
While this may be true some of the time particularly with SD cards, it's less of an issue with CFExpress. In my case I received an email from Delkin with links to the 1TB Delkin Power card at B&H and at Amazon. It was a good way for me to use some of my points at Amazon.
Delkin ships these large cards only to retailers that can buy in bulk quantities. You see scattered availability so you may find a 1TB card at one retailer and a 650 GB card at another retailer.
RickL
New member
If you switch from XQD cards to CF express, make sure that you also purchase A CF Express reader. When I bought my first Z8 I was using CF Express cards and tried to use my XQD reader. Of course, it didn’t read the cards. I called Nikon tech support and they couldn’t figure out why
My Mac couldn’t read the cards, they had me send the camera back. Eventually, I ordered another Z8. Used XQD cards and that worked. I tried one of my CF Express cards in a CF Express reader, and it worked perfectly. If the tech had asked which card I was using and did I have a matching reader, it would have saved a lot of time, money and grief!
My Mac couldn’t read the cards, they had me send the camera back. Eventually, I ordered another Z8. Used XQD cards and that worked. I tried one of my CF Express cards in a CF Express reader, and it worked perfectly. If the tech had asked which card I was using and did I have a matching reader, it would have saved a lot of time, money and grief!
I went to the Nikon site and found their list of recommended CF Express B cards and bought the Lexar Professional cards, 128 and 256GB. I like to use smaller cards; in case of a card failure I lose a few days of shooting versus a week. I am looking for another pair of cards and am following this thread and the others with interest.
AnnetteJane
Well-known member
I had two 156 CF express cards. I’m just wanting to go with larger CF express. Minimum 650.
Today is (I think) the last day of ProGrade's sale. They have a really good deal on CFe type B 256 gb Gold cards VERSION 2 (not 4) .....especially the 2 pack.
AnnetteJane
Well-known member
I’m going with larger cards but will use the second card for a duplicate card in case one card fails. Ive never had a card fail but I do know it happens.
ProGrade has their larger 1 and 2 TB sizes on sale also.
AnnetteJane
Well-known member
I did check that out and I think I’m going to wait for Black Friday and hope for a bigger sale. I’m not in a hurry. I appreciated the link, it was easy to check
OWC cards are fast and reliable. I use a 325 in my Z8. Fast card.
ricardo00
Well-known member
Is there an independent site that has compared the heat of OWC cards after shooting versus the others?
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When I add a card I look at the sustained write speed but also divide cost by size to get $/Mb. The larger cards are not always less per Mb. I have no experience with the OWC cards.
I have taken trips into wilderness areas for up to 12 days where there is no power for a laptop with my Z9. When the subject does not require the fastest shutter speeds, I use the second slot as back-up. When I do need max frame rate, I can copy the images onto the back-up cards in camera. This does eat up battery power but a good power bank will take care of this for several days. The first four cards can record between 350 and 375 images in 20 seconds using HE*. The last four cards average just under 300 images in 20 seconds, slower but fast enough for almost all wildlife situations. The Z8 is slower in backup mode due to the SD slot.
1X Delkin Black 325
4X Prograde Cobalt 325
2X Prograde Cobalt 165
4X Delkin Power 128
1X Delkin Power 256
2X Delkin Power 512
2X Delkin Power 1 Tb
1X Delkin Power 2 Tb
Numerous SD cards totaling a little over 2 Tb
I have taken trips into wilderness areas for up to 12 days where there is no power for a laptop with my Z9. When the subject does not require the fastest shutter speeds, I use the second slot as back-up. When I do need max frame rate, I can copy the images onto the back-up cards in camera. This does eat up battery power but a good power bank will take care of this for several days. The first four cards can record between 350 and 375 images in 20 seconds using HE*. The last four cards average just under 300 images in 20 seconds, slower but fast enough for almost all wildlife situations. The Z8 is slower in backup mode due to the SD slot.
1X Delkin Black 325
4X Prograde Cobalt 325
2X Prograde Cobalt 165
4X Delkin Power 128
1X Delkin Power 256
2X Delkin Power 512
2X Delkin Power 1 Tb
1X Delkin Power 2 Tb
Numerous SD cards totaling a little over 2 Tb
AnnetteJane
Well-known member
What would you recommend for a power bank for such situations?
You have to be careful about power banks if you fly. Camera batteries are not an issue but I believe some regulations do not allow lithium ion power banks. I think it has to do with the size of the batteries. I often drive to where I take a small charter plane to aa destination and it has not been a problem. I do without the power bank on commercial flights because TSA advised mine was not allowed. I am not expert enough to know why.
TSA restriction on power banks:
“With airline approval, passengers may also carry up to two spare larger lithium-ion batteries (101–160 Wh)”
John Navitsky
Well-known member
most larger power banks will say they are tsa approved.
i like the anker prime power banks. they have a 250w which is about at the limit allowed for airlines (but it is tsa approved). then a few smaller sizes like a 200 and a 130w. i like the displays on them and they support a lot of different usb modes. and they charge fast with a good power brick
you want a bank that does power delivery (pd) and you need to make sure the cable supports it as well
pictured 250 and 200w anker prime
i like the anker prime power banks. they have a 250w which is about at the limit allowed for airlines (but it is tsa approved). then a few smaller sizes like a 200 and a 130w. i like the displays on them and they support a lot of different usb modes. and they charge fast with a good power brick
you want a bank that does power delivery (pd) and you need to make sure the cable supports it as well
pictured 250 and 200w anker prime
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O
Well-known member
MY Check List - considerations food for thought
Cards have come a long way since 2 1/2 years ago, larger capacity faster cheaper and more choice in brands.
1) I ensure my choice fully meets Nikon's approval rating, as warranty on your camera could be effected.
2) As mentioned by John Navitsky, check the sustained maximum R W speeds not just the maximum R W speeds.
3) Check if a card manufacturer has a on line access tool to analyze card condition ie: a % out of 100%, full factory reformat option, re set, repair, recover, update your cards or even your card reader, Pro Grade does.
4) Keep the synergy the same if possible, why, i use the high end card reader from the same card manufacturer. Cards have become more of a investment, more of an expense now, imagine the card use doing lots of video and constant heavy reformatting of your cards. These newer more affordable cards do have a certain life span limit...........as i have been led to understand.
5) evaluate if i will go into or grow further in doing more video going forward and the heavy demand on reformatting cards.
6) I use several Pro Grade Cobalt 325 gig cards, bought just before the very first Z9 was delivered, the difference between them and the lower priced gold card or value versions offered today on Amazon is the Cobalt card can be reformatted many many more times without progressively degrading anywhere as much or at the rate of say a lower grade or priced item, that said was this the reason to pay top $ for a premium product at the time, No, the items are overkill for what my needs are, but while i was waiting for the Z9 to be released i was told by Nikon, Pro grade Cobalt was the tested and recommended card and needed in order to achieve 20 fps, today what i bought still sells for the same price over 2 1/2 years later. Its clearly not the card capacity or quality for everyone.
Today i just consider the actual difference in cards and manufactures claims much more carefully given there are more choices and price points to suite everyone's needs.
7) In my case be it the Z9 Z8 D850 D6, i can’t fill a pair of 325 gig Cobalt cards, or ever run into a buffer issue,
a) i am not a over enthusiastic spray and shoot photographer, that said i will when warranted absolutely keep the hammer down in that very special moment but won’t use 20 fps for a bird on a stick so to speak
b) Unlike so many other photographers i 95% of the time shoot JPEG fine, the other 5% of the time i shoot RAW and JPEG combined, it has its benefits but again is not the choice for everyone.
8) For me If a camera hits the overheat point, then its fair to ask a) do you have the right camera b) the right card, c) using the right technique in what i am doing.
10) there are i hear options when traveling to directly download backing up your cards onto a small external card reader storage device, i have no experience with them, if traveling a lot lugging lap tops around is a real drag, but if i do take one its the 13inch Mac Pro.
11) Over recent times the frame rate speeds of new mirror less cameras have risen, i started to let myself shoot more frames than actually really necessary as it was so easy to do, i notice this could be determined by the size of the delete file in post was so much larger than ever before.
I have really since forced myself to cut back dramatically on the spray and shoot style and also the frame rates, often i cut back to 5 to 10 fps given its so easy to shoot excessively ending up with so many similar or fractionally different images. At one point i was wondering have i drifted into becoming more a documentary or record maker than being a photographer, have i developed a bad habit ??
My friend shoots 4000 frames in an afternoon event in sports on his A9 II, he chooses 90 or so really good keepers he likes, that means approximately 1 in every 44 frames is a selected keeper, i mean there are a lot lot more keepers but there more a less almost duplicates or just differ slightly. From that 90 he chooses about 20 to fully meet the needs for publication, awesome. So 4000 down to 20 to publication had me thinking ? what did we ever do when we had DSLRs LOL.
12) there is a larger more affordable selection of faster cards out there, i find too its to much choice.
Nikon sells its own branded 660 GIG card for the same money i bought 2 x 325Gig Cobalt cards for over 2 1/2 years ago with the same or similar R W speeds, both the Nikon card and my Cobalt cards still sell at top $ against cards faster and half the price, does this mean there is a difference in quality durability life span ??
What i bought 2 1/2 years ago for what i do is excessively overkill quality and durability but it was at that point in time waiting for the first batch of Z 9 units to be released the best choice. Am i unhappy no, it was the best decision at the time, If i was to acquire another card it would be the lower priced Pro Grade twin 512 pack on sale at times, it keeps the synergy together as well as being able to use the on line repair update tool.
Only an opinion
Cards have come a long way since 2 1/2 years ago, larger capacity faster cheaper and more choice in brands.
1) I ensure my choice fully meets Nikon's approval rating, as warranty on your camera could be effected.
2) As mentioned by John Navitsky, check the sustained maximum R W speeds not just the maximum R W speeds.
3) Check if a card manufacturer has a on line access tool to analyze card condition ie: a % out of 100%, full factory reformat option, re set, repair, recover, update your cards or even your card reader, Pro Grade does.
4) Keep the synergy the same if possible, why, i use the high end card reader from the same card manufacturer. Cards have become more of a investment, more of an expense now, imagine the card use doing lots of video and constant heavy reformatting of your cards. These newer more affordable cards do have a certain life span limit...........as i have been led to understand.
5) evaluate if i will go into or grow further in doing more video going forward and the heavy demand on reformatting cards.
6) I use several Pro Grade Cobalt 325 gig cards, bought just before the very first Z9 was delivered, the difference between them and the lower priced gold card or value versions offered today on Amazon is the Cobalt card can be reformatted many many more times without progressively degrading anywhere as much or at the rate of say a lower grade or priced item, that said was this the reason to pay top $ for a premium product at the time, No, the items are overkill for what my needs are, but while i was waiting for the Z9 to be released i was told by Nikon, Pro grade Cobalt was the tested and recommended card and needed in order to achieve 20 fps, today what i bought still sells for the same price over 2 1/2 years later. Its clearly not the card capacity or quality for everyone.
Today i just consider the actual difference in cards and manufactures claims much more carefully given there are more choices and price points to suite everyone's needs.
7) In my case be it the Z9 Z8 D850 D6, i can’t fill a pair of 325 gig Cobalt cards, or ever run into a buffer issue,
a) i am not a over enthusiastic spray and shoot photographer, that said i will when warranted absolutely keep the hammer down in that very special moment but won’t use 20 fps for a bird on a stick so to speak
b) Unlike so many other photographers i 95% of the time shoot JPEG fine, the other 5% of the time i shoot RAW and JPEG combined, it has its benefits but again is not the choice for everyone.
8) For me If a camera hits the overheat point, then its fair to ask a) do you have the right camera b) the right card, c) using the right technique in what i am doing.
10) there are i hear options when traveling to directly download backing up your cards onto a small external card reader storage device, i have no experience with them, if traveling a lot lugging lap tops around is a real drag, but if i do take one its the 13inch Mac Pro.
11) Over recent times the frame rate speeds of new mirror less cameras have risen, i started to let myself shoot more frames than actually really necessary as it was so easy to do, i notice this could be determined by the size of the delete file in post was so much larger than ever before.
I have really since forced myself to cut back dramatically on the spray and shoot style and also the frame rates, often i cut back to 5 to 10 fps given its so easy to shoot excessively ending up with so many similar or fractionally different images. At one point i was wondering have i drifted into becoming more a documentary or record maker than being a photographer, have i developed a bad habit ??
My friend shoots 4000 frames in an afternoon event in sports on his A9 II, he chooses 90 or so really good keepers he likes, that means approximately 1 in every 44 frames is a selected keeper, i mean there are a lot lot more keepers but there more a less almost duplicates or just differ slightly. From that 90 he chooses about 20 to fully meet the needs for publication, awesome. So 4000 down to 20 to publication had me thinking ? what did we ever do when we had DSLRs LOL.
12) there is a larger more affordable selection of faster cards out there, i find too its to much choice.
Nikon sells its own branded 660 GIG card for the same money i bought 2 x 325Gig Cobalt cards for over 2 1/2 years ago with the same or similar R W speeds, both the Nikon card and my Cobalt cards still sell at top $ against cards faster and half the price, does this mean there is a difference in quality durability life span ??
What i bought 2 1/2 years ago for what i do is excessively overkill quality and durability but it was at that point in time waiting for the first batch of Z 9 units to be released the best choice. Am i unhappy no, it was the best decision at the time, If i was to acquire another card it would be the lower priced Pro Grade twin 512 pack on sale at times, it keeps the synergy together as well as being able to use the on line repair update tool.
Only an opinion
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