jwegge11 Loc: Stillwater, MN

I just upgraded to the Canon 40D---Cannot wait to get out there and shoot--work is definitely interferring with my hobby!!

My T2i uses SD Cards---the 40D is Compact Flash Cards (CF's)--- I've contemplated buying an adaptor to use the
SD card in. Two things I am wondering:

1). Does it slow things down or 'obstruct' the process in any way?

2). If you have experience with them, specifically what Brand and model do you suggest? I researched last night and truthfully have no idea what I am looking for.

Thanks in advance---Jeff

bobmielke Loc: Portland, OR

Most modern PCs & laptops have card readers. An external reader is no different. There are no issues when plugging an SD/CP card into a USB port.

jwegge11 Loc: Stillwater, MN

Bob-- Not sure if my question was clear or if I'm just reading your reply incorrectly. I'm talking about buying the CF adaptor, having that in my 40D all the time, loaded with an SD card. That way I just take the SD card out of the camara and use a card reader or plug it into my SD slot. To my knowledge, computers don't come with a CF slot. Just trying to save a step and I guess just used to the SD cards and already have a bunch.

bobmielke Loc: Portland, OR

Oops, my bad, Never-mind. :roll:

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

They should work fine on a 40D. SD cards, even class 10 cards, are too slow for a 7D body that does 8 fps. I'm not sure how many fps the 40D is but if it's less than 4 fps you should be fine.

BOB Loc: Texas

First the computer card reader you can get where they read all cards like 10 in 1 etc . and what the big deal a CF card is probably cheaper than an adapter .Keep simple Canon whould have set it up that way if they had not wanted it to use a CF card.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

The 40D was designed back when the CF cards were mostly used and SD's weren't. The adapter is about $20 at Fry's. But Bob may be on to something about price. The 40D doesn't take very large images like the newer bodies so a smaller CF card in like maybe a X166 speed may be adequet. A 4GB card is probably all you need and you can get those cheaper than the adapter.

BBNC

Jeff,

For what its worth...cards are pretty inexpensive, and so are USB card readers that read multiple types of cards. The CF and the SD cards have radically different pin arrangements, which means the adapter will add two layers of potential connection issues, which can cause degraded or no signal transfer between camera and card.

It's a little like adding close-up or telephoto add-ons to the front of your prime lens...it can work, but the potential for problems increases exponentially.

jwegge11 Loc: Stillwater, MN

Thanks to all for your responses. I have discovered that as much as I was trying to keep my old SD card and use an Adaptor---after some extensive studying I have learned it does slow things down and I am better off just going with the CF card in my 40D.

I truly appreciate all the responses.

Jeff

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

Computers usually DO come with a CF slot. All mine for the last 6 years did, including the 6-month old i7 Dell Studio XPS I'm on right now. But that's not the point. I don't believe any CF memory cards are nearly as fast as SD cards so your camera won't be able to take advantage of the SD's read/write speed when it is in a CF card adapter. In other words the 40D's CF read/write speed is likely slower to write with CF than your T3i using SDHC.

That brings up another conversation. Make sure the CF converter willl work with HC (high capacity) SDs. It might not because SDHC is a different format with a different pin configuration than SD plain. None of my previous computers could read SDHC directly but required a converter that plugged into a USB port. My current Dell DOES read SDHC directly as well as mini-SD and probably mini-SDHC.

Also, I don't think CF cards come in huge GB capacities like SDHC cards. I haven't used a CF card for years but they were headed for just 1GB and very expensive at the time. Someone else will have to tell you how large CF cards come these days. But then again, you'll have to read your camera manual to see how many MB or GB that the 40D will allow you to use. Every camera used to have a limit, although my new Sony Alpha doesn't say that it does.

With that in mind, it would probably be more economical to use SD cards in a CF converter than to buy CF cards unless you can find some used ones. New CF prices went up considerably after they were no longer the industry standard.

larrycumba

Just buy the CF. They are not that expensive. Take a second look at your computer. I'll bet it has a CF slot. If not card readers are very inexpensive.