How to test CF cards?

Magic Lantern has a tool for testing the card from within the camera. Look for it, that's what you want to use.
 
and a word of caution when you have the komputerbay cards,

if they are the udma7 and 1000x or higher, use USB 3.0 cf card reader or your will corrupt the cards.

if you are using older cameras like 5dmkII or 7D, the 128 gig will not work with magic lantern nor can they be used to update canon firmware.

only 64gig cards work with these cameras.

For mkIII, you can use 128gig with no problems.
 
Might add that you can also dump the cards with an FW800 card reader without harming the cards... I did so until I got tired of the 30-40 minutes transfer time and bought the items needed to make a "Thunderbolt" card reader (not thunderbolt speeds... but 10 min. transfer time)
 
Thanks Guys

I have just purchased a 64GB card off ebay and a 128GB off amazon. Not got them yet or indeed the 5D3 I have ordered. I'm a Nikon guy who has taken the plunge. But I have a load of Zeiss ZF glass I can put to good use.

I was interested in the response just try to record raw. is it just as simple as that? It is a good card if it does but it is not if it doesn't!!!!
 
Steve Kahn said:
Ted is this true for Lexar cards as well?
Click to expand...

Steve,

When my komputerbay 128gig 1000x got corrupted on my usb 2 reader, I told komputerbay tech support that I have a lexar 32gig 1000x which I had no problems offloading via USB 2.
He replied that the chip that causes the card to fail acts like a "fuse" it cuts off to protect the memory chips from being damaged. He said that eventually the chips in UDMA 7 cards will eventually
give way if used continuously on cf readers that don't support udma7.
When I got a usb 3.0 reader, other KB cards that they sent and I tested have no more problems. I may add as personal opinion that maybe the more expensive cards have higher tolerance on non compliant cf readers.
This doesnt mean that KB are non compliant, maybe just less tolerant.

I have been testing their 1000x, 1050x and 800x, 64 and 128 gig CF cards as to what works with canon cameras, I will test a 32 they are sending, so far we know that the 64gig,128gig 1000x,1050x WORKS on the mkIII.
On a test we did during a recent camera meetup in Dallas
shown here: http://www.meetup.com/Dallas-HDSLR/photos/16390772/

We tested it on the mkIII and it worked with ML running on the SD slot. KB techsupport said they testded running ML on the CF, I personally caould not verify since I don't have a mkIII.

We tested on the 7D and MKII the 64gig and they work perfect. Benchmarks on several cards are at par with Lexar cards.
128 gig will NOT work on the 7D and mkII for magic lantern and canon firmware update. BUT will work for native mov h264 recording and stills.
 
Hey Ted, thank you very much for the info. My 64GB KB card arrived today and I am waiting for a 128GB version as well which should be next week. Just need the 5D3 now, fingers crossed for Monday. I have actually purchased a USB3 CF reader so your advice is helpful.

I am actually regretting purchasing the KB cards. I know the Lexars are hugely expensive but just compared to all the other kit I have there is an english expression "Penny wise pound foolish" springs to mind.

Your 'less tolerant' comment I think says it all.

Am I right in thinking that if I follow the USB3 advice and both cards work fine Day One, that all will be good thereafter. Historically I have only bought Sandisk for my Nikons and stills. I get paranoid with two cards in the camera recording duplicate. The thought of a paying job, a single card, that is definitely going to freak me out. Hence the thought I should have purchased absolutely the most most reliable card and if that is the Lexar then so be it.
 
I think you'll be be fine. ;)

I brought the 1000x and 1050x 128 cards to a camera meetup recently and tested them on the mkIIIs. They performed well.

Just make sure you don't slip up and accidentally plug them or hand them off to someone with a usb 2.0 slot. :)
 
legrevedotcom said:
Might add that you can also dump the cards with an FW800 card reader without harming the cards... I did so until I got tired of the 30-40 minutes transfer time and bought the items needed to make a "Thunderbolt" card reader (not thunderbolt speeds... but 10 min. transfer time)
Click to expand...
Any new Buffalo/Lexar /Transcend 20USD USB3.0 card reader will do the transfer in 10 min for video files, photo will take longer.
 
stevetownsend said:
Hey Ted, thank you very much for the info. My 64GB KB card arrived today and I am waiting for a 128GB version as well which should be next week. Just need the 5D3 now, fingers crossed for Monday. I have actually purchased a USB3 CF reader so your advice is helpful.

I am actually regretting purchasing the KB cards. I know the Lexars are hugely expensive but just compared to all the other kit I have there is an english expression "Penny wise pound foolish" springs to mind.

Your 'less tolerant' comment I think says it all.

Am I right in thinking that if I follow the USB3 advice and both cards work fine Day One, that all will be good thereafter. Historically I have only bought Sandisk for my Nikons and stills. I get paranoid with two cards in the camera recording duplicate. The thought of a paying job, a single card, that is definitely going to freak me out. Hence the thought I should have purchased absolutely the most most reliable card and if that is the Lexar then so be it.
Click to expand...

From all the users I heard using Komputer bay, they are fine and robust many many professional use them, because of the extremely low price.
I would have bought a dozen if amazon can ship them oversea, I end up buying 6nos transcend 128GB 1000xCF. Historically I have only used Scandisk, but have lots of bad experience with their 64GB SD cards and thumbdrive, they just keep dying and returning/replacing and dying. That is why I try the transcend( plus the cheaper price) The card do fail from time to time, usually after using many time or when the camera become very very hot. but no need to return.
 
Well, all my stuff has arrived and I'm not actually sure if I am fine or not!!

I have ML on my brand new 5D3, the 21st August build. I have followed the excellent dvx pdf and got all going but I can only record for around 1min continuous on each of the cards (KB 64Gb and 128Gb)

I have tested the cards as Samuel H suggested. Hope I did that right with the ML Benchmark CF+SD write test in camera and have write speeds of 83Mb and 77Mb for the 64Gb and 128Gb cards respectively.

Are the KB cards Ok and this is normal for the moment and to be expected or do I need better cards?

Steve
 
83 MB/s is barely enough for 1920x1080, as soon as write speed falls a bit for a half-second you'll have dropped frames or it will stop recording.
77 MB/s is definitely not enough.

You can try lower vertical resolutions. Like 1920x1040, which is 1.85:1 and would need 80 MB/s.
Or you can post them back to amazon. At least some of them.

I always say komputerbay is risky... And we're just talking write speed now, not reliability!
 
Cheers Samuel thanks

I have done the full 5 min bench test now and there is quite a difference between the two cards. I am sending the 128Gb back but unsure about the 64Gb card. I have had it recording for a lot longer now.

I note your comments about the KB cards. Would you advocate going for the Lexars or something else. I know it is expensive but if the alternatives are not reliable. I am wanting to do this on a paid job eventually so I could just about convince myself!!
 
I don't trust KB cards to live a long life with no hiccups. Having said that, I would trust Transcend but I'm not sure their $300 1000x 128GB card is is fast enough, and Lexar, Sandisk and Toshiba are REALLY expensive, so... pick your poison...
 
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