Carmine Loc: Westport, CT

It's a little scary trusting your precious images to this tiny SD card that can get lost so easily. I've been shooting with CF cards for years and now a lot of new cameras have SD cards solely or CF/SD combinations. What's your opinion?

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

I like CF cards for sure.

Meganephron Loc: Fort Worth, TX

I use CF cards except Nikon D750 has only SD slots while D4S uses a at and XQD which has never caught on

Carmine Loc: Westport, CT

Does anyone have an opinion about the reliability of the smaller cards? Is one size more likely to get corrupted? and then there's the issue of recording speed ie.: video

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Used be that SD didn't have the speed and performance of CF... but now they have largely caught up... and SD tend to be cheaper for the same capacity.

I don't think there is a lot of difference in reliability of higher-end cards of either type.

But, like you, I prefer the larger CF cards simply because I see myself fumbling with and possibly even losing the smaller, fingernail size SD cards more easily!

Meganephron Loc: Fort Worth, TX

SDHC cards are fairly reliable although I do know people who have problems when the card is near capacity, the speed is good as you can capture video in HD at 60 fps depending on your camera

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

I have some micro SD cards only because we have 2 tablets and some cell phones that will only use those. They are so small I am afraid they will get lost. I store the extras in the adaptor cards in a plastic case.

SD, my 6D will only use those, and our two bridge cameras, my pocket camera, also my wife's camcorder. I keep them in their plastic cases, inside a larger case when not in the cameras.

Both the SD and Micro SD are easy to bend etc. if you set something on them or were to close a lid on them so I keep them in protective cases and tend to try and be very careful with them.

CF, my two Sigma bodies (SD10 & SD14) only use CF, my 7DII uses CF in the #1 slot. CFs are still faster, though the SDs are catching up. The CFs are larger, more heavily built and in my opinion more durable. I suspect the price difference has to do with sales volume.

Bill Houghton Loc: New York area

I've never had one of them CF things so I up this. CF Vs SD

http://photolisticlife.com/2013/07/16/sd-cards-vs-compact-flash/

Short version if you believe the writer

Conclusion

If you are a pro photographer that shoots sports photography primarily (6+ fps) then you may be able to make a small case for the CF cards but I’d just think you must hate your money. At the end of the day it’s going to come down to what you are used to and what you are willing to spend. Either type would work but the SD card is more cost-effective and durable.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

I use both and never had an issue, but I have heard people claim they have broken pins in the camera using CF cards.

Could be technique related or maybe not. Some thing to keep in mind.

SX2002 Loc: Adelaide, South Australia

Thank god for SD cards...the only camera I have that uses a CF card is my old Konica-Minolta 5D...I ruined a couple of card readers by bending pins when trying to download to my PC...a real pain...a fiend in the States has had her camera repaired twice due to pins being bent or broken...in the end she gave up and bought a camera that uses SD cards...

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Carimine asked: It's a little scary trusting your precious images to this tiny SD card that can get lost so easily. I've been shooting with CF cards for years and now a lot of new cameras have SD cards solely or CF/SD combinations. What's your opinion?

Short and sweet, I love them, SD, ... size is right price is right, but yes, I lived and loved the CF card for years. They were RUGGED... as discussed below:

Many long years ago (not in a place far far away) there was an abuse study on CF cards. place on a hy way, washed and dried and a number of sadistic tests... like a monster in a horror story... or the hero in a religious myth, the CF card remained alive; Phoenix Bird like rose from the ashes.

I personally, when 128mb cards were VERY EXPENSIVE, left one in the pocket of my jeans... washed and dried the CF card survived.

For Mature Audiences Only: Google CF Memory Card Survival
Sadism is the word... survival is the victor.
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SX2002, pin bending is a problem solved. I purchased a deep insert CF card reader that places the pins deep, so that when inserting the card, by confinement, must be aligned before contacting the pins. Shallow allows the CF card to be tilted... disaster results.
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dX cards.... Olympus used them for a very (too) long time... along with Sony Sticks (my HX50v will take them)... why... I also have some real thin memory unit... forgot the name... (Smart Media, oh! tanks Wici). but if bent they pop apart... and the Micro... you could hide them in your cheek passing customs in a totalitarian country... and swallow if needed... is that a virtue?

My god!!! there are a world of Memory Types
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_card

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

My D3s uses CF, D810 uses CF abd SD, D7100 uses only SD

I find both reliable. The only problem is that the CF cards need to be manufactured after the release of the camera. I had Kingston replace 3 because they were incompatible with my D810 It was done for free

Erv Loc: Medina Ohio

I have been using an SD card in 2 cameras for 9 years now. It is still putting out pictures. I just asked this question and he told me they would last a long time. I have to slots for them and have one set up for over flow. My D300s has a CF slot but I never take that many pictures at one time. The pins on them scare me.:)

ralphc4176 Loc: Conyers, GA

I am not aware that one is more reliable than the other. I much prefer the CF cards because of their size and my fat fingers. But some of my cameras only accept SD cards, and for them I have no choice. To date, I've never had a CF card or an SD card fail, despite 15 years of digital photography.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Most of my cameras have used SD cards, although I've had (and still have) the Nikon D70/S, which uses CF. One thing that kept me away from the D800 is the CF card. I prefer SD, especially if the camera has two SD slots. The second one is good for backups.

Pro cameras have always used CF, and I suspect they are better in terms of performance and reliability - suspect - no evidence.