Pulled the trigger! Finally decided it was the right time, and did the deed. Ordered a refurb D7100 body from Amazon. Had $496 in Amazon Gift Card credit, and there was a listing, sold...

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Finally decided it was the right time, and did the deed. Ordered a refurb D7100 body from Amazon. Had $496 in Amazon Gift Card credit, and there was a listing, sold through Adorama, for $489.

I had also been looking at the Sony A6000, but the two-lens kit would have another $300. By going with the D7100, I will be able to use my existing 50mm 1.4 and 105 f2.5 lenses I had been using with my FE2. AND with no additional cash on my part. I liked the faster shutter burst and insanely-fast AF on the Sony, but the Nikon just felt better in my hands and I get to use my lenses.

OK, onward. The refurb body is not coming with an SD card. What are anyones recommendations as to brand? Are they all the same or are some better than others?

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Sandisk Extreme Pro, then Sandisk Extreme Plus are my 1 & 2 choices. They are everywhere and the company backs them up.

If I couldn't find them in the size I wanted I would go with Samsung Pro which writes just as fast as the Sandisk Extreme Pro but reads a little slower.

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

robertjerl wrote:

Sandisk Extreme Pro, then Sandisk Extreme Plus are my 1 & 2 choices. They are everywhere and the company backs them up.

If I couldn't find them in the size I wanted I would go with Samsung Pro which writes just as fast as the Sandisk Extreme Pro but reads a little slower.

Ill look for them. Thank you. Should the big cards be avoided or what? Better two 16s, than one 32, or two 32s rather than one 64?

Leicaflex Loc: Cymru

robertjerl wrote:

Sandisk Extreme Pro, then Sandisk Extreme Plus are my 1 & 2 choices. They are everywhere and the company backs them up.

If I couldn't find them in the size I wanted I would go with Samsung Pro which writes just as fast as the Sandisk Extreme Pro but reads a little slower.

:thumbup: :thumbup:

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

kb6kgx wrote:

Ill look for them. Thank you. Should the big cards be avoided or what? Better two 16s, than one 32, or two 32s rather than one 64?

Depends on your set-up for RAW or RAW+JPEG as well as dual write or 1 primary and 2 is overflow. I use 32GB in my dual slot cameras holding about 1000 RAW images on a 32GB card. I can put 2x to 3x as many images on the same card if only shooting JPEG. I wouldn't bother with anything less than a 32GB card.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

To quote in part kb6kgx] ...
#1 I get to use my lenses.
#2 Are they all <SD cards> the same or are some better than others?

#1... I have Lenses from my old Minolta i7000 film days 1985+ and like you, the lenses I have are better than the lenses I would have to buy.... $$$$$ What choice did I have? One, I went with $ony because my lenses fit.

#2... Opinions are opinions and worth what you pay for them, usually nothing. Best to search for test results. In this case speed and cost... perhaps some other features. Do a google search for the top 10 SD cards. Here is one that evaluates 10 and includes that important thing you do not get with opinions, USEFUL TEST RESULTS .

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2013/05/09/best-memory-cards-for-cameras-9-top-models-tested-and-rated/10/

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

kb6kgx wrote:

Finally decided it was the right time, and did the... (show quote)

Congratulations on your new camera.
I use SanDisk.

TommiRulz Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

kb6kgx wrote:

Finally decided it was the right time, and did the... (show quote)

Woo Hoo - congrats -- sounds like fun...
I like scan disk and Transcend, only because they have never crapped out on me... I had a sony card once that did. Who knows..
The Transcends are super cheap on Amazon.
I think your supposed to get one with a ten circled on it.
I'm sure one of these super smart guys will give you a better explanation.

Good Luck - Have Fun

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

robertjerl wrote:

Sandisk Extreme Pro, then Sandisk Extreme Plus are my 1 & 2 choices. They are everywhere and the company backs them up.

If I couldn't find them in the size I wanted I would go with Samsung Pro which writes just as fast as the Sandisk Extreme Pro but reads a little slower.

:thumbup:

Good advice on both counts ;) I use the Samsung Pro 32gb in my D7100, they can be had on sale on Amazon, and they are fast.

For me, quick writing is important to speed up & extend burst mode shooting ;), of course getting the speed at a good price is second ;)

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

TommiRulz wrote:

Woo Hoo - congrats -- sounds like fun...
I like scan disk and Transcend, only because they have never crapped out on me... I had a sony card once that did. Who knows..
The Transcends are super cheap on Amazon.
I think your supposed to get one with a ten circled on it.
I'm sure one of these super smart guys will give you a better explanation.

Good Luck - Have Fun

FYI: A Class 10 card is only stating that it will write at a minimum of 10 MBs, which is not really fast, if you look a little deeper there is information that actually rates and measures actual writing and reading speeds of various cards - to me, the class specification is really such a waste ;)

http://www.cameramemoryspeed.com

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

kb6kgx wrote:

Finally decided it was the right time, and did the... (show quote)

Good deal! Great camera in my opinion, have had one for over a year and not even close to moving on yet ;)

Enjoy!

:thumbup:

BTW - This site has some good info on memory cards, and speed tests for specific cameras.

http://www.cameramemoryspeed.com

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

CHG_CANON wrote:

Depends on your set-up for RAW or RAW+JPEG as well as dual write or 1 primary and 2 is overflow. I use 32GB in my dual slot cameras holding about 1000 RAW images on a 32GB card. I can put 2x to 3x as many images on the same card if only shooting JPEG. I wouldn't bother with anything less than a 32GB card.

Very helpful. Thank you.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Lexar. Enjoy. The D7100 is a great camera. See if you can pick up a refurb 28-300mm lens. You may never take it off your camera. I used that lens and a Tamron 10-24mm for my wide angle.

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

I use san disk , and I have two 32's instead of a 64
I can shoot all day in RAW and not fill one card.
but I have the second in case the first gets filled.
Then of course if one card was to go bad I would have the second, where if I had a 64 and it went bad im out of luck.

with that said, I have NEVER had a card go bad and never heard of any of my friends cards going bad.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

bdk wrote:

I use san disk , and I have two 32's instead of a 64
I can shoot all day in RAW and not fill one card.
but I have the second in case the first gets filled.
Then of course if one card was to go bad I would have the second, where if I had a 64 and it went bad im out of luck.

with that said, I have NEVER had a card go bad and never heard of any of my friends cards going bad.

FWIW - I used a PNY 64 GB card in my D7100... VERY fast... and tons of space for raws, I could shoot for days and not fill up the card, HOWEVER, after unloading it one day it ceased to work - nothing lost, but would no longer work in camera, would not recognize in camera or in computer - the only effort that worked was throwing it out ;)

Now I shoot a pair of 32 GB cards in my 7100, I set the camera to shoot raw with a backup going to the second slot. Quite fast still and now at least I am making use of both slots/cards ;)

I do not reformat the cards until after transferring images to Lightroom and I am sure they made the transfer ;)