FAST SDHC Memory for the EX1

I just checked S&Q undercranking and it works fine (as expected) with the Kensington adaptor/Extreme SDHC.

I quickly ran 1080 24P at 1 FPS. So, timelapse based effects will work fine. Again, as expected.
 
Matthew I have not bothered.
I figured I'd rather stay away from the verge of working or not.... hmm, but having said that, it will gives us a good idea of the highest data rate and the amount of headroom we have while using HQ modes which can busrt up to 40mbps. I imagine this was your point.

I'll look into it.

It makes me wonder where the bottleneck is occuring. At 80mbps which equates to 10MB/s, the sustained write and read date rate for the Extreme III is over 15MB/s. The Kensington card should offer this with USB 2.0 spec 60MB/s.

It may be how the Sony EX series is handling the data since the Sony PHU-60K will not run S&Q overcranking either. This surprised me since this hard drive should be able to sustain over 30MB/s.

It makes me wonder if Sony created some sort of limitation with this USB capture to ensure sales for SxS would continue.... Just a thought, but probably not the case. For all we know they may offer another upgrade that will allow thier PHU-60K drive to work with S&Q modes.

If that's the case, it's possible the new fast Extreme III SDHC cards will work too.
 
Ok..
I performed a quick test for S&Q.

Camera set to 720 24P S&Q ON at 40 FPS. (Almost half speed) I had no errors, but I only ran if for 5 minutes or so.
It failed when S&Q was set to 45.

During playback, since the resultant overcrank S&Q file maintains the 35mbps (40mbps peak), the S&Q record data rate must maintain a linear relationship; therefore, overcranking at 40FPS at 24FPS: 40FPS / 24FPS = ~ 1.66X

Data rate linear relationship:
The base recording data rate (HQ in this case 35mbps (peak at 40mbps) So,
40mbps x 1.66 = 66.4 mbps. Which is the same as 8.3MB/s

Bear in mind longer tests would need to be taken, but based on the S&Q mode overcranking a 24P mode at 40 FPS without failing it appears the Kensington 7-in-1 Expresscard adaptor and Extreme III 30MB/s SDHC is capable of 8.3MB/s.

Since the EX HQ modes top out at (40mbps/8)= 5MB/s and this combo is capable of 8.3MB/s, this leaves decent headroom while running all HQ modes. This is good news and explains why this combo works well!


Although 8.3MB/s is good news, you can't help but wonder why not a higher data rate.
I've clocked the SDHC card and it over 15MB/s read and write sustained.

I now REALLY believe the bootleneck is how Sony is offering the data rate over USB at this port. It for sure explains why their own drive will not support S&Q mode.
 
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Has anyone tried the SanDisk Ultra II 15MB/s memory with the Kensington expresscard reader on an EX1?

I see you can buy the SanDisk Ultra II 32GB for $132.33.

If this works with the Kensington, it's going to be great news.
 
As I have said a few times before, I have a Sandisk Ultra II 16GB 15MBps card just sitting here waiting for my Kengsington adaptors to arrive! The cards arn't hard to find but the adaptors have been. If you go back through the threads on this stuff you will find I even did a comparison between your Ultra III and my Ultra II with your disk test tool.

I ended up ordering 4 of eBay over the weekend as I think they will ship down under faster than the local one I have on order will get it in stock and ship to me...


Ahhh, it is frustrating waiting for orders to arrive! They will get here soon though and they WILL be tested...
 
Thanks man...
Let us know if the Ultra II 16GB works.
Especially since the 32GB cards are real inexpensive!
 
I know, cool isn't it, and the 16GB are even cheaper too, for you about $60 of Amazon.

I still like 16GB as I said before, in HQ its like a DV tape and if you are outputting to tape for someone else (as I have too), each card is a single tape.

Lets compare prices (I"ll just use Amazon (Ultra II) and B&H (SxS) prices for simplicity):

16GB Ultra II $60
16GB SxS $850

32GB Ultra II $149 (or down to $132 you say)
32GB SxS $1500

Thats a price difference of over 1400% with 16GB and at least 1000% for 32GB

There is a small once of set up fee of buying the readers for SD but you only need 2 in theory as you just swap the cards.

If Sony charges $100 for a card reader just like the Kengsinton that was formally 'supported' and fitted flush people would pay for it and they could still make a decent profit. Rebadge the Ultra II or Ultra IIIs as 'SxS Basic' and make a few $$ off each card.

Alternatively, you'd probably find most would be happy to pay twice these SD card prices for SxS which is still a good enough margin, and boy would cameras sell even better, and Panasonic would hurt big time with P2 prices...
 
No more excuse for sony.

No more excuse for sony.

"Photokina 2008: Pretec has today introduced the highest capacity and fastest CompactFlash cards in the world. Under the highest capacity come the 64GB and 100GB, 233X CF cards with a read and write speed of 35MB/s. And the 333X CF cards in 32GB and 50 GB capacities have broken the record of the fastest read and write speed with 50 MB/s. Both the cards will start shipping this month."

news from dpreview.

*edit* sorry, wrong topic..
 
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Well, I tested the SanDisk Ultra II 4GB 15MB/s version SDHC with the Kensington 7-in-1 .
It works just like the SanDisk Extreme III. It was also able to overcrank at 40 FPS at 720 24P without an error. So, it has the same amount of headroom the new Extreme memory offers in this combo expresscard/SDHC.

This is GREAT news since 16GB Ultra II 15MB/s cards cost only $60 USD!
Ultra II 32GB cards are $150 USD!
 
Thats great Steve, what I hoped for and sort of expected. I just ordered yet another Kenstington reader from B&H as I know they ship fast, I'll have six of these in the end but I know I will be able to sell them locally if I don't want to keep them all. They are quite hard to get here.

I am a bit suprised the camera accepted a 4GB card though, give no SxS is 4GB, I saw your intent to test on that other forum and thought you would generate an unrecognised media. What does 4GB give you? About 13-14min?

As much as these Ultra IIIs are great, I just don't see the need in going to them, it will be 16GB Ultra IIs for me (I already have one). I think those Ultra IIIs are probalby just Ultra IIs with some extra stuff for cameras like the D90, as you have said before.

I just ordered a Pelican 8 card SD holder as well.
 
I bought the Ultra II 15MB/s 4GB to test. It came with a reader for $25. For this price, I'm keeping it!
It will record 13 min. of HQ.
SDHC specification is 4GB - 32GB FAT32.

I agree, the best bet right now is Ultra II 15MB/s 16GB for $60
I do plan on buying the Ultra II 32GB 15MB/s for $150.
I do events that need the long record time, approx 110 minutes in HQ mode.
 
and I assume then you don't mind paying the premium for the larger card so you don't have to swap cards over cause you know thats the only differece, its not like you can't record for 110 with 16GB card, in fact you can do that with 2 of them without even swapping (around 118min).
 
Hi! Thank you, Stevet for your "discovery"! ;) Today I've recieved my Kensington 7-in-1 and a Sandisk Extreme III 16 Gb, tested it and can declare that this duo works without any problem! So, it's really the time for Sony to think their sxs pricing policy :)
 
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