Memory card

[sky]

What type/size memory card should I get for my d70?

I use a 512 at work, it holds 286 pics at the 'normal' quality setting, but am leaning towards a larger card for personal use so I can use it at weddings without having to delete the dud shots half way through the night to make room for more.

Is eBay the cheapest way to get a memory card?

Also, my work SB-800 flash gobbles up batteries real quick... What is the best option - keep buying new batteries, or stick with rechargeables. I use the camera and flash for at least 5 pics a day.

[gstark]

512 would be the minimum, but my recommendations would be to (a) shoot raw and (b) get 2 x 1Gb cards.

Batteries, get yourself 10 high capacity rechargables, and a high capacity recharger. Do a search here and you'll find a few recommendations based upon what others have done.

And the cheapest source for all of these bits and pieces is to qualify yourself for access to purchase through our bargains section.

[gecko]

Hello Sky and welcome to the forum.

Personally I would not bother with anything less than a 1Gb card.
These are fairly economical at the moment if you shop around.

This size card will hold about 180 RAW images.
It sounds like you are shooting JPEG?
Most d70 users end up shooting RAW format because it gives you the most flexibility after the shot has been taken.

If you do a search on the forum for batteries and SB800, I'm sure you will find something. This topic was well discussed a few weeks back if I recall.

Hope this helps
Good luck

Gecko

(Gee you have to be quick to beat Gary!)

[birddog114]

Also, my work SB-800 flash gobbles up batteries real quick... What is the best option - keep buying new batteries, or stick with rechargeables. I use the camera and flash for at least 5 pics a day.

A Nikon SD-8A is an optional device to use with SB800 as an external battry pack, giving you fast recycling time, a must have item for wedding photogs.

As Gary mentioned: rechargeable batteries can be used on both the SB800 and the SD-8A.

[Luke Smith]

Get yourself several 1GB cards and shoot in RAW. You will get about 190 on a card. EBay or Birddog would be the best purchase options for cards, just stick to the 80x or faster brand name cards like Lexar or Sandisk.

As for the SB800 batteries you can get 2500mAh NiMH batteries individually from Jaycar and they also make a charger that will charge and discharge 10 batteries, treating each as an individual. This makes using 5 batteries with your SB800 very practical.

You should get about 500 typical flashes from the SB800 with 5 x 2500mAh batteries on board. Nikon rates it at a minimum of 150 for 5x 2000mAh. With 5 batteries, and particularly NiMH types, you will also get much faster recycle times.

Cheers,

Luke

[Luke Smith]

A Nikon SD-8A is an optional device to use with SB800 as an external battry pack, giving you fast recycling time, a must have item for wedding photogs.

As Gary mentioned: rechargeable batteries can be used on both the SB800 and the SD-8A.

Albeit from an experience of exactly one wedding, I was more than happy with the performance with 5 cells. Not sure how keen I am to have to carry yet another bit of gear to carry about, particularly one with a wire running from my pocket to the camera.

L.

[gstark]

just stick to the 80x or faster brand name cards like

Actually, there is very little to be gained by going beyond something like an Astone 45x.

The only performance difference will be in downloading the images through a card reader and then it will only be a matter of a few seconds per card.

Anything faster and you're simply wasting your money on performance that you cannot see or achieve.

[gstark]

A Nikon SD-8A is an optional device to use with SB800 as an external battry pack, giving you fast recycling time, a must have item for wedding photogs.

As Gary mentioned: rechargeable batteries can be used on both the SB800 and the SD-8A.

Albeit from an experience of exactly one wedding, I was more than happy with the performance with 5 cells. Not sure how keen I am to have to carry yet another bit of gear to carry about, particularly one with a wire running from my pocket to the camera.

Wait till you try a wedding with two bodies mounted one atop the other in a special frame, a Metz 60 on the side, connected by an umbilical cord to its sealed lead-acid gel pack carried over your shoulder.

Then, put the frame with the cameras down on a table and walk away to adjust the bride's train, and listen to the sound of your Nikons crashing to the ground because you still have the battery pack on your shoulder!



And yes, I've done this with film bodied Nikons, and with film bodied Canons. And now you know why I insist on using Nikon bodies, and Nikkor glass.

The $$$$zero repair bill is far more palatable than it was for the non-nikon events.

[birddog114]

A Nikon SD-8A is an optional device to use with SB800 as an external battry pack, giving you fast recycling time, a must have item for wedding photogs.

As Gary mentioned: rechargeable batteries can be used on both the SB800 and the SD-8A.

Albeit from an experience of exactly one wedding, I was more than happy with the performance with 5 cells. Not sure how keen I am to have to carry yet another bit of gear to carry about, particularly one with a wire running from my pocket to the camera.

L.

The SD8A is a fairly small unit, similar size to a pack of cigarette with 6 extra rechargeable batteries attached to the SB800 by a small curly coiled cord, equipped it with the SB800 (five cells installed) shooting burst mode with the D70/ 70s, the flash will never stop in two days works with full set charged batteries.
Especially for someone who uses the LSII or other type of diffuser, want to increase or utilize the maximum power of the SB800.

[joolz]

I will also vouch for the SD-8A. Fantastic piece of kit for heavy flash users at a very small price, size and weight sacrifice.
I agree with Birddog that it makes a very good companion to the LS-II which puts a bit of stress on the SB-800's batteries. It certainly speeds up flash recycle times and I have yet to need changing of batteries during a full day shoot despite lots of indoors, dark church and high ceilinged receptions (I always charge my batteries between shoots so not sure of longevity further than one day).
I attach my SD8A on my belt or sometimes put a strap on it & hang it around my neck. It is very light and portable and is much much better than the battery pack that my partner uses on his Metz CT-60 which is bulky, heavy and needs full discharging before recharge (NiCad I believe). The Nikon system is much much more portable (though not quite as powerful).
As for storage, I agree with the others. Shoot RAW and buy as much storage as you can afford (At least 1Gb I would say). Numerous times RAW's esposure latitude, WB or other setting have saved otherwise unrecoverable images. I would regularly shoot 5-10Gb over the course of a morning or afternoon shoot (doubled between 2 shooters). I would recommend a portable storage device or a laptop for backup and storage of all the images that won't fit on your card.

[Onyx]

There's no reason to switch to RAW if you're comfortable shooting JPG and have already settled on a workflow tailored to that.

And as for rechargeable batteries, the lower rated capacity cells will give marginally better flash recycle times as they have lower internal resistance. The exaggerated maximum capacities these days should be taken with a grain of salt anyhow - it's pure marketing bullshit. Just like rated speeds on flash media cards - if you shot NEF, you're still up against a full buffer after a continuous 4 shots. In jpeg, the fastest CF cards may allow 1 additional frame before the noticeable slowdown in a sequence of 12 or 13 continuous shots.

[DVEous]

... Obsolete ...

[birddog114]

I have number of CF card 04 x 1Gb/ 04 x 2Gb/ 05 x 4Gb all with Astone and Transcend, the latest are Transcend 80x, none of them failed on me in the last 36 months.

Members on this board purchased lot of Astone 1Gb and Transcend 1Gb/ 2gb in the last 12 months, and I didn't have 1 returning for warranty. Why should I go for the Sandisk or Lexar? these brand name CF cards won't change my shooting styles and the photos I took, they're just empty my pocket more quickly. Brand names won't work my way these days.

I don't see the point putting one eggs in one large size card as risky, if you know how to maintain and take care of it then thing will be fine, on the other hand if you have something to backup at the end of the day then you should be laughing all the way throughout you entirely trip.

Recently I shot nearly 8Gb (02 x 4Gb) in one day on my D2x.
Last Saturday night, I loaned my D2x and 01 x 4Gb card to Leigh, at the end of the night he used 2/3 of its capacity, saving lot of swapping time and carry few cards around but always have some other cards as backup.

[johndec]

Have to agree with Birdy here, don't waste money on Sandisk, Lexar, etc. I have both Astone and Transcend cards and they work perfectly (probably come from the same factory as the "name" brands). If you are strictly looking at cards for a D70, 45X is faster than the camera can write to the card. If you want to future proof a bit, you can't go past the 80X Transcend cards

[Luke Smith]

I paid $115 for my Lexar 1GB 80X cards from SG.... so at that price you might as well get a brand name one... not that Transcend or Astone have bad reputation either. Basically avoid the beige box un-rated cards, and don't pay retail.

My point with the SD8A is that you should try decent batteries first as the performance improvement is dramatic. If you still need more grunt and don't mind lugging extra stuff then get an SD8A.

L.

[birddog114]

I paid $115 for my Lexar 1GB 80X cards from SG.... so at that price you might as well get a brand name one... not that Transcend or Astone have bad reputation either. Basically avoid the beige box un-rated cards, and don't pay retail.

A couple members on this board had problems buying CF cards on the net in the past.

Astone & Transcend all have their rating higher than Lexar and we had couple threads on this board about testing read/ write with difference card readers and methods, Transcend was a winner

My point with the SD8A is that you should try decent batteries first as the performance improvement is dramatic. If you still need more grunt and don't mind lugging extra stuff then get an SD8A.

The maximum power of the rechargeable battery currently is the Sanyo 2500mAH, what else can we look for better value than this?

[Luke Smith]

Also, my work SB-800 flash gobbles up batteries real quick... What is the best option - keep buying new batteries, or stick with rechargeables. I use the camera and flash for at least 5 pics a day.

From this I take it that sky is using alkaline batteries, which wont last as long or recycle anywhere near as fast as NiMH or NiCd batteries.

So, moving from 4 alkalines to 5 NiMH will provide a dramatic improvement, and IMHO, your first logical upgrade. The SD8A (with 6 NiMH) will be better again, if you think you need that bit extra.

Yo jiggy with it?

[sky]

I'm very impressed about how much you guys know about cameras and the accessories!
As a young journalist at a country paper, where journos also double as photographers, I've been raised on a lovely diet of firstly the Coolpix 5000, then the 5700, and last year my boss upgraded my camera to the d70 (i'm one of two people in the office to use it as the others don't really care much for photography).
So, I've never heard of an SD8A or the different brand names of the cards... but I'm enjoying learning about it!
Now that I'm looking at getting my own camera (friends, family, extra out've hours assignments) I'm very keen to keep on with the D70, as I know it's top of the line.
I'm really appreciating all of your help, and will continue to use your resources as I search and save for my 'lust-have' camera (and accessories of course!!)

[Oneputt]

I bought a Transcend from Birddog and so far it has performed flawlessly.

[birddog114]

So, I've never heard of an SD8A or the different brand names of the cards... but I'm enjoying learning about it!

Perhaps Mt Gambier, SA is too far from Adelaide

I'm very keen to keep on with the D70, as I know it's top of the line.

Top of the line is the D2x, the D70 or D70s will be replaced in the near future, or perhaps the D200 is on the horizon, and order has been taken

[beetleboy]

I travelled extensively in Africa for 10 weeks with an Astone card from birddog and my borrrowed "backup" CF card never came out of it's case! I was shooting early mornings then dumping onto laptop and backing up to iPod then shooting afternoons and repeating the process!

Memory is one of those things you can never have enough of though, I was at the SA ARC rally on the weekend and ran out of space..in the middle of a forest! I had to do a quick chimp and delete to make space for the final stages of the day! Unlike animals, the cars don't go into hiding at lunch time!

Liam =]

[huynhie]

Birddog,

the 2 Transcend 80x 2G cards purchased from you worked a treat over in Europe, but then again so did the D2x that you sold to me

Now I have to sort through over 40Gigs of photos taken over in Europe