Difference between Compact Flash and SD Cards: I just got a Canon 7D and see that it takes Compact Flash cards as does all the Canon full frame DSLR's. My 60D and most of the other...

gsconsolvo Loc: Ruidoso, New Mexico

I just got a Canon 7D and see that it takes Compact Flash cards as does all the Canon full frame DSLR's. My 60D and most of the other Canon DSLR's take SD Cards. Just wondering why the difference in cards.

Allen Hirsch Loc: Oakland, CA

gsconsolvo wrote:

I just got a Canon 7D and see that it takes Compact Flash cards as does all the Canon full frame DSLR's. My 60D and most of the other Canon DSLR's take SD Cards. Just wondering why the difference in cards.

Actually, the predecessors to your 60D, the 40D and 50D, take Compact Flash, not SD cards.

SD cards have become more prevalent and much cheaper than Compact Flash cards, but I haven't researched why.

Swamp Gator Loc: Coastal South Carolina

I've had an SD card snap right in half while I was just holding it.

I think you could throw a CF card against a tree or drive over it with a truck and it would be OK.

Oddly, I still have a Canon Powershot A10 1.3MP point and shoot from either 2000 or 2001 and that thing took CF cards.

amehta Loc: Boston

gsconsolvo wrote:

I just got a Canon 7D and see that it takes Compact Flash cards as does all the Canon full frame DSLR's. My 60D and most of the other Canon DSLR's take SD Cards. Just wondering why the difference in cards.

CF cards technology has been around longer than SD cards, and until very recently, CF cards could have larger capacities and faster speeds. In the past few years, SD cards following the UHS-I and UHS-II specs are matching the fastest CF cards, and the SDXC cards have comparable capacities. Because these developments are so recent, the high-end Canon and Nikon cameras still use CF cards.

gsconsolvo Loc: Ruidoso, New Mexico

amehta wrote:

CF cards technology has been around longer than SD cards, and until very recently, CF cards could have larger capacities and faster speeds. In the past few years, SD cards following the UHS-I and UHS-II specs are matching the fastest CF cards, and the SDXC cards have comparable capacities. Because these developments are so recent, the high-end Canon and Nikon cameras still use CF cards.

The CF cards are much more costly as well in comparison to the same capacity of the SD cards.

chiya Loc: Wellsboro, Pa.

amehta wrote:

CF cards technology has been around longer than SD cards, and until very recently, CF cards could have larger capacities and faster speeds. In the past few years, SD cards following the UHS-I and UHS-II specs are matching the fastest CF cards, and the SDXC cards have comparable capacities. Because these developments are so recent, the high-end Canon and Nikon cameras still use CF cards.

Canon's xti also takes CF cards

SX2002 Loc: Adelaide, South Australia

The biggest gripe I hear is bent pins in cameras and card readers when using CF cards...
My two Nikons use SDHC cards and I've never had a problem.
My Konica-Minolta 5D uses CF cards and I've thrown away more than one card reader because of bent pins. My friend had to have her Canon Rebel repaired as the pins in it were bent...cost her a fortune...the card slot had so much clearance the card never located properly which caused the pins to bend...

timmah1979 Loc: Utica,ny

chiya wrote:

Canon's xti also takes CF cards

Really? Did the XTI come after the XS? I had the XS (my first DLSR) and that was SD. So i always had the opinion that SD were for the mid entry,beginner entry cameras. See I just learned something new!

BigBear Loc: Northern CT

CF cards are bigger in physical size and faster than SD as well as being harder to break.
The manufacturers are pushing the SD to keep the bodies smaller and lighter.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

SX2002 wrote:

The biggest gripe I hear is bent pins in cameras and card readers when using CF cards...
My two Nikons use SDHC cards and I've never had a problem.
My Konica-Minolta 5D uses CF cards and I've thrown away more than one card reader because of bent pins. My friend had to have her Canon Rebel repaired as the pins in it were bent...cost her a fortune...the card slot had so much clearance the card never located properly which caused the pins to bend...

The SD card has been a good thing for me.
At the university where I work, I manage about 12 cameras for students to check out.
When we were using the Rebel XT (used a CF card), I literally had a camera body going to/from Canon all the time for repair of bent pins, despite the tutorial I gave and special labels on the cards. With the XS, I haven't sent in a single body for repair yet.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

gsconsolvo wrote:

I just got a Canon 7D and see that it takes Compact Flash cards as does all the Canon full frame DSLR's. My 60D and most of the other Canon DSLR's take SD Cards. Just wondering why the difference in cards.

The best CF cards are usually a little faster than the best SD cards. However, it depends on the camera and the speed of the card. There are plenty SD cards that out perform CF cards.

I prefer SD cards. CF cards press onto pins and can more easily be damaged. Also, most SD cards have a switch which allow you to lock the card.

BigBear Loc: Northern CT

GoofyNewfie wrote:

The SD card has been a good thing for me.
At the university where I work, I manage about 12 cameras for students to check out.
When we were using the Rebel XT (used a CF card), I literally had a camera body going to/from Canon all the time for repair of bent pins, despite the tutorial I gave and special labels on the cards. With the XS, I haven't sent in a single body for repair yet.

I can see how that happens.
Care is needed when inserting the chips.

Bobbee

BigBear wrote:

CF cards are bigger in physical size and faster than SD as well as being harder to break.
The manufacturers are pushing the SD to keep the bodies smaller and lighter.

I have a fast, when I brought it, CF card in my 800. I just put an SD card in it that was way cheaper and 2x faster and bigger.

Origionally I had read a article the CF is suerior in quality than SD. Thus the expense. The size doesn't matter. What is three atoms of iron vs 1 atom of iron in a giants hands. I have benn using CF for 10 years now and have never had an issue with pins. Guess when you are swapping cards it is good not to do it in:
- a bar at the end of a night
- NOLA the week around ASH Wed
- Times Square on 12/13/xx
- Chasing the bulls

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Do any of you remember the cards from a few years ago that had a tiny hard drive inside? I forget the name.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

jerryc41 wrote:

Do any of you remember the cards from a few years ago that had a tiny hard drive inside? I forget the name.

I have a few of those micro drives somewhere.
I thought 1 gig was huge back then.
Now, good luck finding one that small.