Cheap Digital Camera

[mutz]

Sorry I didn't answer you right away VJ. You and az have been a big help. Thank you both.

I did check out the Oz site and the Ridata looks good and the prices even better, but the Lexar gives that sense of professional security, though the performance is probably higher than that of the camera. The time and cost that might go into 4-500 pix on a CF is far greater than the price diference between the two cards. I'll go for the Lexar and write off the price difference as insurance.

[az]

With a Lexar you also get a free image rescuing software which has saved some people on one other boards I visit (formatted the card on accident, or lost their FAT some other way).

AZ

[mutz]

There you go... that's a big addition to the insurance policy.

Hadn't thought much about how the card gets formatted, 8, 16 or 32. Is that through the preformat of the card or is that determined by the camera?

[az]

You can format the card in any format you like, even on your PC. They're typically preformatted in FAT16, because every cam can deal with that. Some of the newer higher-end cameras can format in FAT32, too, dunno if the G5 does that. It's a moot point anyway with card sizes under 2 GB.

Oh, and be sure that the place you're buying the Lexar from (if you do) is giving you the image rescuing software. Maybe they sell OEM or bulk cards for cheap, which might not include the software.

AZ

[VJ]

Yep, normal way is FAT16. I'm not sure if cameras use other formats, but my Psion 5mx formats by default using a FAT12 system (can work with FAT16 though). Some newer high end cameras can indeed format in FAT32.

FWIW, I have tried formatting the card in my camera from within Windows to a FAT32 (aah, the thrill of experimenting ), as it shows up as a regular storage device. Funnily enough, this worked and the camera was able to work with it (it was a 512 MB card though). So I wouldn't be suprised if some firmware-update might even be sufficiant for mine (and perhaps other cameras as well) to allow it to format in FAT32.

az: I didn't know about the Lexar resue software, thanks for the tip!


Jörg

[mutz]

Gotcha.

B&H Photo, NY. They go on and on over WA, but no mention of the software. I'll check it out.

[az]

WA is useless with almost all cameras, since only a few DSLRs support it for a minor performance boost.

AZ

[mutz]

Thanks az, I ordered the Lexar 32x WA with JumpShot cable and rescue software from B&H Potovideo, NY. There are two Mfr catalog numbers. CF1GB32380 includes the cable and software. CF1GB32360 doesn't.

VJ, the rescue software is actually on the CF and has to be downloaded to your computer. If you format your card before doing this, poof, it's gone!