New SDHC flash memory

[jonathan_phang]

Hi all,

I recently got a new camera (Canon Ixus 900ti) and have found that it can take a maximum of 4gb in SD format and also use the newer SD High Capacity (SDHC) cards.

Not asking if i *need* one, just presume I do, but will i still be able to use existing card readers to transfer data off from the camera? Thats how I've always done it so that the camera doenst have to be on, but I hear that the SDHC cards are FAT32 and old SD cards FAT16.

Does this mean I need a new memory card reader? Or will they work fine, but just at a bottlenecked transfer rate (somewhat negating the higher max throughput)

Thanks for any answers

JP

[DR]

Nope in theory all card readers should be able to read them

[Funkstar]

No, sorry, you do need a new card reader for SDHC.

They use a different memory addressing scheme (byte addressing) which takes the maximum capacity of SDHC cards up to 2TB.

See Wikipedia for details:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Digital_card#SDHC

This Slashphone article has some more details on the addressing differences:
http://www.slashphone.com/69/5162.html

Regular SD cards will work in any device stating SDHC compatability.

[jonathan_phang]

Bugger, if thats true then I may just get a standard HD card, but shame, as I guess the higher transfer rate would help with getting data off them quicker - especiallywith photos getting bigger and bigger...

[Funkstar]

With a good quality SD card, you should have to sacrifice transfer rates.

There are very few Class 6 cards out there as it is anyway, regardless of capacity.

My personal favourites are Sandisk Extreme III or IV cards.

[jonathan_phang]

I was thinking more of a class 4 or 2 really, as you say there arent too many class 6 cards - not at a decent price anyway. Thinking about it, is the increased transfer rate a gimick? I've rrealised that i dont know what the rate is for a normal SD card, so i dont have a comparison... I'm so drawn in by marketing hyperbole...

[IAmATeaf]

I can confirm that a normal or older card reader won't be able to read an SDHC card. I have a 4gb class 4 in my Casio, got it at the time for the higher transfer speeds but none of my card readers will read the card.

[Funkstar]

speed ratings for regular SD cards are usually based round the CD-ROM 'x' rating - i.e. 50x, 66x, 150x etc. o that would be N x 150KB/sec

Really the only benefit of the faster cards on digital compacts is when transfering your pics on a card reader on a PC. Compacts are usually pretty crappy at getting the files on the cards in the first place, regardless of the card ebing used. dSLRs that use SD cards however are a lot quicker and do take advantage of quick cards.

[jonathan_phang]

Really the only benefit of the faster cards on digital compacts is when transfering your pics on a card reader on a PC

Thing is, thats why i was even considering really, as with larger res photos, it takes quite a while to copy them over in a batch. Was hoping SDHC would help out with that, hence the question about the reader. Still, i guess its not that imperative - just have to wait a bit longer really...

[Funkstar]

SDHC itself won't help. a slow card is still a slow card

[jonathan_phang]

SDHC itself won't help. a slow card is still a slow card

But isnt one of the main points of SDHC, apart from the expanded max capacity, also the increase in sustained transfer rate? Dont the classes (ie. 2,4,6) denote the transfer rate per second in mb???

Anyway, guess its all irrelevant now, as i cba to shell out for another card reader...

[Funkstar]

all it means, as far as i can tell, is that hey have a new definition for the transfer rates. pants memory will still be pants, and good memory will still be good. But they have a new number to quote in their marketing material