In summary
Fast data transfer speeds for high-volume photographers.SanDisk has just released a new Extreme IV line of memory cards, which are designed to meet the needs of professional photographers who use high-performance DSLR cameras. Claimed as the fastest storage cards available, Extreme IV cards are available in 2, 4 and 8-gigabyte (GB) capacities and deliver read and write speeds of 40 megabytes per second (MB/sec.), twice as fast as the SanDisk Extreme III cards. . . [more]
Full review
SanDisk has just released a new Extreme IV line of memory cards, designed to meet the needs of professional photographers who use high-performance DSLR cameras. Claimed to be the fastest storage cards available, Extreme IV cards are available in 2-, 4- and 8-gigabyte (GB) capacities and deliver read and write speeds of 40 megabytes per second, twice as fast as the SanDisk Extreme III cards. The new cards feature SanDisk’s ‘Enhanced Super-Parallel Processing’ (ESP) technology, which combines fast NAND flash memory chips and controller designs, 32-bit RISC processing and advanced algorithms in an architecture that is designed to streamline read and write data transfer operations. SanDisk says it works closely with major camera manufacturers to ensure the speed and compatibility of its cards.
Because fast transfer speeds will have more impact in the transfer of data from the card to a PC, SanDisk has also released a new Extreme FireWire Reader, which offers data transfer speeds that match the Extreme IV cards. It will be offered in a bundle with the 4GB Extreme IV card. Currently, most card readers will take between 3.5 and 8 minutes (or more) to download files from a full 4GB card. With the Extreme FireWire Reader, this should be cut to less than 2 minutes.
Extreme IV series cards are rated for use over a temperature range from -25 °C to 85 °C. They come with RescuePRO image recovery software and have a lifetime warranty.
Tests
Regardless of the capabilities of the memory card you use, data transfer rates are primarily dictated by the camera’s internal processing system. For our bench tests, we used two Canon DSLR cameras: the professional EOS-1D Mk IIN and the recently-released EOS 400D. We also compared the 4GB Extreme IV card with a 1GB SanDisk Ultra II card. Each card was formatted in the camera, which was set to the manufacturer’s default processing settings. Our test target, which contained a moderately high level of detail, was evenly lit and the camera’s batteries were fully charged. Testing involved two cycles of exposures, the first using Raw format and the second JPEG at top resolution and quality. These were repeated three times and the results averaged.
Bursts of shots were taken using the fastest burst speed available in each format and we timed how long it took to empty the buffer memory. Timing started when the camera’s card status light went on and ended when it went off.
With the 4GB Extreme IV card in an EOS-1D Mk IIN, we recorded an average top speed of 6.5MB/sec for JPEG files (averaging 3.2 MB in size) and 7.7MB/sec for Raw files, which averaged 7.9MB. In the EOS 400D JPEG images were processed at 7.6MB/sec, while Raw files were processed at 8.5MB/sec. In contrast, putting a SanDisk Ultra II 1GB card in the EOS-1D Mk IIN gave us a top speed of 5.4MB/sec for JPEGs and 6.5MB/sec for Raw files, while in the EOS 400D we recorded top speeds of 6.0MB/sec for JPEGs and 6.5MB/sec for Raw files.
These speeds are well short of the top speeds claimed in each card’s specifications, showing even the latest cameras have some way to go to match card capabilities. Downloading images to a PC, however, proved quite different. With a 3GHz Pentium 4 PC running Windows XP Professional and a FireWire 800 card, we measured an average card-to-computer transfer speed of 21.5MB/second. Some reviewers have obtained even faster speeds (around 36.5MB/second) with an Apple Power Mac G5 Dual 2.0GHz. Either way, the new card will save time for photographers who shoot large volumes of images.
Note: Our test results should be used as guidelines only. Write speeds will vary according to the amount of detail in recorded images, changes to ISO speeds and variations in other processing parameters. Firmware updates may also increase camera write speeds. Raw files are normally transferred faster than JPEGs because they require less processing. Write speeds can also be slower in higher capacity cards than lower capacities – even with identically branded cards. Taking all these uncertainties into account, it is unlikely most photographers would notice speed differences of up to 10% in the course of normal shooting.
Specifications
Capacities: 2GB, 4GB and 8GB (2GB, 4GB CF with FireWire Reader bundle)
Read and write speeds: 40MB/sec with ESP Technology
Other features: Shock-vibration tested (RTV silicon), Water resistance
Dimensions: 42.8 x 36.4 x 3.2mm
Weight: 10g
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