What SDHC cards to buy? Brand? Speed?

[Texanite]

I've read talk of different brands, different classes and all of that but I'm wondering what real world experiences are.

Is Class 6 a must have? Are there any brands which have been tested successfully? I'd just like to hear what we know actually works at this point, so if you have a GH1 and have been shooting with it, let us know what has worked for you.

Thanks

[Texanite]

Kholi refers to using a Sandisk 4gb Extreme III 30mb/s SDHC Card in this post here:

http://dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=1621751&postcount=233

RECORDING TIME -- Sandisk 4gb Extreme III 30mb/s SDHC Card records 62 Minutes of Full 1080/24P 17mbps Video and Audio ... non stop. Camera's just BARELY lukewarm to the touch. Fully Operational. Started this test on two battery bars left and still have one left over.

How is this possible?Anyone know what's going on? Theories?

Image Degradation will be tested by others I'm sure. I personally dont have the time right now but can't wait to see what others find out.

[Texanite]

Peter J. DeCrescenzo says he bought a Kingston 8GB SDHC Class 6 memory card from Amazon.com to test in Hunter's GH1 in this post here:

http://dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=1621682&postcount=212

Many thanks, Kholi. We owe you many beverages of your choosing some day!

I recently purchased a Kingston 8GB SDHC Class 6 memory card from Amazon.com to use when we test Hunter's GH1 soon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OF6V7M

I won't know for sure until we try it if this card is appropriate for use with the GH1, especially its full-HD 1080p24 AVCHD recording mode. So at this point this is just an FYI, not a recommendation.

[stephenvv]

Yeah, I wondering this myself as I fill up my shopping cart. I'm thinking speed but also maybe something I can put on a shelf and store.

[Texanite]

Yeah, I wondering this myself as I fill up my shopping cart. I'm thinking speed but also maybe something I can put on a shelf and store.

Those Kingston cards on amazon are pretty cheap @ $20 for 8GB and the Transcend (http://www.amazon.com/Transcend-Class-Flash-Memory-TS8GSDHC6/dp/B000P9ZBFA/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1241887945&sr=1-6)are about the same, but you can find even cheaper, like these microcenter 16GB cards for $30 (http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0304661) which also claim to be Class 6

My concerns are buying something that ends up being too slow, or any kind of incompatabilies like what some MKII users might be experiencing:

http://dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=167750&highlight=sandisk

[djkarn105]

What about this guy? 15mb/s is faster than class 6.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820171349

[djkarn105]

This is informative. Apparently "Class 6" has several speeds.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Digital_card#Speeds

[DonalDuc]

I am using for all cameras cheap Transcend 16 GB Class 6 - also for 1920x1080 video with 43 Mbps with SX1
- same speed as 5DMkII (this is 5.4 MBps ! - each Class6 guarantees 6 MBps!).

Works well, faster speed is overkill, makes dealers reach.

[djkarn105]

I wonder if the speed of SD cards is a limiting factor in the bit rate achievable for video recording.....?

[xbourque]

I played with the GH1 last weekend at a local photo show.

I bought a cheap (20$CAD) Transcend 4 GB Class 6 card on the show floor to try the GH1.

Turns out it was fast enough to record 1920x1080@24p but would give me an error whenever I tried to record 1280x720@60p. It would record for a few seconds, then complain that the card wasn't fast enough and stop recording.

I dunno if the problem was the card or the camera... the card was rated "for camcorders" on the packaging.

Just a heads up...

- X

[pix2pixels]

Some tests with SDHC cards for the Canon TX1 can be found here (http://www.powershot-tx1.com/2007/05/update-on-flash-card-performance-on-tx1.html) and here (http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/memory-hog-battlemodo/among-many-fast-sdhc-cards--only-one-is-king-of-speed-278351.php).

[djkarn105]

Works well, faster speed is overkill, makes dealers reach.

Even if the camera can't record at the faster speed if I'm dumping cards on set the higher transfer rates would be appreciated.
I usually dump to two places from P2 cards if at all possible before sending it back to the camera.

[jamesc]

I've been shooting 1080p/24, 720p/24, 720/60p @ 21Mbps AVCHD on the HMC150 with a Transcend 16GB, filling the card completely a few times. Haven't had a problem yet.

[Rakesh Jacob]

I've been using class 6 cards from Kingston, Patriot and Transcend in 8GB and 16GB flavors without a single problem in the HF100 @ 17mbps. They are dirt cheap. I have seen 16GB under $30 hear and there on sale.

[TripleA]

Can you fit more onto a card if you're shooting in 720 opposed to 1080?

[djkarn105]

Can you fit more onto a card if you're shooting in 720 opposed to 1080?

if the 720 was 24p you could but the gh1 shoots it at 60p so probably not.

[Boz]

Could we get those with GH1's to post what SD cards they're using that are confirmed to work fine with GH1? That would be super handy.

[J Davis]

I would think class 4 cards should be fast enough for 17mbps 1080p AVCHD as thats what I'm shooting on the HF100. Sandisk Video HD 4gig and 8gig