CompactFlash, which weighs a half ounce and is the size of a matchbook, is an ultra-small, removable data storage system. Introduced in October, 1994, CF provides complete PC Card-ATA functionality and compatibility. CF has built-in, industry-standard compatibility because the 50-pin CF card can be easily slipped into a passive 68 pin Type II adapter card that fully meets PC Card electrical and mechanical interface specifications.
The SanDisk 256 MB CompactFlash memory card runs on many popular digital cameras, handheld PCs, and other memory-driven products. Thorough testing in SanDisk's assurance lab ensures that its CompactFlash cards are compatible with a wide range of devices. Because the cards are so small, you can keep one in your pocket and never get caught short of memory.
1 How many pictures will it store?
How many pictures will it store? It is the most commonly asked question from digital camera enthusiast but usually the question that is the most difficult to get a straight answer about. Well, considering I worked in the memory industry for over 7 years I can help clarify this perplexing question and do so unbiased as I have since changed industries.
The SanDisk 256MB CompactFlash Card, like most 256MB cards, will store on average 284 pictures when used with a 2 megapixel camera, 213 images when used with a 3 megapixel camera, 128 pictures when used with a 4 megapixel camera, 102 images when used with a 5 megapixel camera, and 80 pictures when used with a 6 megapixel camera. These numbers are based off the assumption that you are going to shoot your images at the highest quality JPEG setting available for the camera and understand that they are estimates and may be off by as much as 10 percent due to numerous factors including the complexity of the scene being shot and the compression algorithm used by your specific camera.
I truly hope this review was helpful to you in determining whether this card is the right capacity for your specific needs.
2 P.O.S.
Okay, I just bought one of these. Then I proceeded to go on a 6 mile walking tour all over San Francisco taking shots all along
the way with my new Digital Rebel...everything seemed fine...
until I got home and tried to view them on my computer...
CF Card Error...then I put the same card back in the camera...
Err CF...it's unbelievable the effort I put into getting those
shots and they're ALL LOST...
I'd give it ZERO stars if that were an option.
3 DISASTER!!!!
I've owned my Sandisk 256 MB for only 5 months when it went dead on me. After spending our honeymoon in Club Paradise, Palawan, Philippines, and taking so many totally great pictures, it just stopped working. It was working when I was taking pictures in Palawan, but when we were going to take our last picture on the plane, the digital camera just said CF Error. Damn! I tried reading it on my card reader when I got home and it wouldn't work. Even tried it on 4 different digicams and all reported error. Man, it's not the card I'm really pissed about, it's the pictures!!!! MAAAAAN!!! I couldn't even have it replaced, Circuit City says I need the receipt for them to replace it.
4 Worth every penny!
This card is great. I was worried about spending so much money on one card, but wow, it stores so many pictures. We went to Florida for spring break and I just brought this one card and took four hundred pictures and a couple movies. You really don't need another card if you get this one.
5 after 8 months on my Canon S200. no probs.
The SanDisk 256 CF card is a good card, I have not lost any images or had any sort of problems with this card in the 8 months I've had it. (in chicago weather too, humid summers and bitter winters)
I have a Canon Elph 2MP camera and with this card I can store 500-600 images. I didn't notice any slow down in shooting pics even with the card 75% full. It does slow down when reviewing your images on the lcd screen.
But in 8 months I've owned this card I have not lost a single image, so I would not be afraid to purchase another card. cheers-
6 Poor Service
Ordered the SanDisk 256 MB card for my NIKON Coolpix 5000. Card worked fine for 6 mos and then stopped working right after Christmas. I called for a warranty replacement (it's guarenteed for 5 yrs or so they say per written warranty)and then the runaround began. They close for the Christmas Holidays for 10 days. NO ONE is available to issue an RMA for a replacement? Finally after numerous calls I got an RMA# and sent the faulty card back per their instructions. Now I can't find out anything about the replacement card as they just don't seem to be able to get back to me with the status of the replacement card. Over a month and no replacement card. Stuck using the camera included card of 32 MB capacity. I would not reccommend this company to anyone. Customer support is terrible. Their promises to contact me about warranty issues is very poor. Caveat emptor. I will now go to Viking. SanDisk just doesn't seem to care.
7 Drawbacks
The only hang-up with the CF Card is to remember to flip the card around when inserting it between the Compact Card Reader and the Camera itself to avoid damage to a Card when reinstaling it into either device.
Once properly inserted the playback access time is super and the write time when recording is great.
8 Not as compatible as they say it is.
I have wasted 2 trips to COSTCO to buy and return a 128mb compact flash card from Sandisk because none are compatible with my Casio BE-300. The package clearly states it is compatible with ALL cameras, mp3 players, handheld comp..etc. but the web site has the actual compatibility list - go there first.
9 Survived the washer AND dryer!
Maybe this is a feature of ALL compact flash cards, but this card has survived a round-trip through my washer and dryer, hot water wash and cotton (hot!) cycle in the dryer. WOW. And the pictures were all still there and I've had no problems in the six weeks since then storing and retrieving files. Great product!
10 It works OK and the price was right.
I live in the UK and electronic equipment costs much more here than in the USA. But I was going to visit friends Stateside and saw the Sandisk 256Mb Compact flash card on offer at Amazon.Com. So I bought one and had it shipped to my friends in Florida (Amazon.Com won't ship this type of item outside Uncle Sam-land).
It works fine on my Minolta Dimage7 digital camera. Some Dane-Elec cards had been causing problems with this camera but a Minolta firmware upgrade cured that. But the Sandisk card worked OK "out of the box" just like that, and the price was right. What more can one say!!
11 Very good Compact Flash Card for reasonable price.
Very fast Flash Card I have by my own and I am using that in my CANON G2 digital camera and really satisfied my expectations.
12 A must for anyone with Digital Camera or MP3 player
I recently bought the SanDisk 256 MB CompactFlash Card for use with my digital camera and I really impressed with this CF card. I just bought the Canon Powershot G2 Digital Camera and it came with a 32 MB CompactFlash card that barely held 10 pictures at the highest resolution. I needed more capacity, but I wanted to buy a card that was compatible with my camera as well as my MP3 player. It was interesting to note that the 32 MB CF card that was included by Canon was made by SanDisk. That convinced me and I ended up buying the 256 MB CF card and it has worked just amazingly well in my camera.
I love this CompactFlash card as it is so small, and versatile. If you plan on buying the 256 MB CF card, I would also recommend buying the Sandisk Imagemate USB CompactFlash Card Reader (SDDR-31). A must have option that will allow you to use your CF card as a removable drive on your computer instead of using your camera to download pictures.
13 SanDisk products fine in Canon cameras.
I am a loyal Canon user and have had no compatibility problems.
I have owned or purchased 4 Canon digital cameras in the past several years, including the A50, S20, and both the Canon G1 and G2 (which I gave as a gift). A have used SanDisk CompactFlash cards from a capacity of 64MB to 256MB without difficulty. I don't believe there is a conflict with other Canon models.
CANON EVEN USES SANDISK CARDS LABELLED "CANON" IN THEIR BUNDLES.
The Canon Digital IXUS 300 is listed as compatible.
The Canon G1 is listed upto 128MB, but know that 256MB works.
I suspect the list on the SanDisk site needs updating.
14 Not compatible with Canon PowershotS30! Check Sandiskwebsite
I was considering buying the Sandisk 256mb card for my new Canon Powershot S30, but when I checked the Sandisk website to confirm it was compatible I discovered it was Not!
Seems strange since their website does list the card is compatible with the G2 model. Oh well, not worth the chance for me. I'll guess I'll try Viking.
15 More memory than I know what to do with.....
...but I'll take it! I popped this into my Canon S100 and with the default resolution, got a reading of 1478 shots available! That's an incredible amt of space and for someone heading off on an extended trip, it should be quite a boon. I have been following CF costs on a dollar-per-meg basis for some time, and while the newest & largest cards have tended to carry a premium, this one does not. It is roughly fifty cents per meg, less than 1/4 of what it cost per meg only 18 months ago!
16 Works Excellent
Short Review:
I paid 79.00 for this card. I use it in my Casio Qv-4000 Digital Camera. I have taken about 4000 pictures on this card and transfered them to my computer. it has worked flawlessly. A+ recommended.
17 Who could ask for more?
I purchased a Canon PowerShot G1 but had not yet received it. I knew that I was going to need CF larger than the OEM 16M. I could find nothing stating that the G1 was compatable with CF larger than 128M, which was the largest one listed on SanDisk's web site. The price prompted me to take a chance. I'm glad I did! The camera formated it without a hitch. Used 8M for system and left 244 M usable for pictures. It downloaded and reformated with out a hitch. Since I am a first time user of digital cameras I can't comment on the speed, but it recorded and download pictures at blinding speed in my estimation. Fantastic value for the bucks.
18 SanDisk's GIANT Card at a DYNAMITE price!!!
Flawless performance at an outstanding price.
This is absolutely the card to own at a value price from the
company that invented Compact Flash. Always in my camera bag.
It is particularly handy for AVI movies I take with my Canon G1.
It also holds an outrageous number of high resolution images.
Never leave home without this flash card.
THANK YOU, SANDISK!!!
19 Great storage space
I purchased this sandisk 256 mb compact flash card as I don't want to keep changing cards from 16mb or 32 mb. If you are using a high end digital camera, I would hightly recommend that you purchase this card. Remember, to get great quality prints you need to shoot on a "fine" setting and this quickly uses up memory. That will also allow you room to crop out. You want to make sure that when you are using your camera on a special occasion, you don't have to stop what you are doing and have to change cards.
20 Great Awesome CF Card!
I bought this card to provide my Digital camera more memory.
It's great. With large capacity 256mb but cost only 159.99.
It's cost than a dollar per mega. (only $0.625 per Mega)
It can hold up to 120 highest quality picture, using my 3mb Canon S20. And hold more than thousands with other resolutions.
This is a must have Accecories for whoever use Digital Camera or Pocket PC.
21 Great Card, Plenty of space, Very good price
I have my cannon S100 for six months now. The camera is so small that I take it anywhere I go and take pictures of everything. And I mean EVERYTHING.
When you go here and there taking pictures there are two things that can stop you happy travel: Battery life and storage space.
This card cross over any storage limits you could have.
Let me tell you a few words about
this little fellow:
1. Sandisk is known for its great compatibility so it isn't ikely that you will have compatibility problems
2. Used with my cannon S100 Digital Elph it can hold:
- 1550 pics in low resolution Hard to beat for Web publishing or e-mailing
- 420 pics in medium resolution. This resolution is really good for prints up to 5 x 7
- 170 pics in high resolution. Pretty good for one single card. Outstanding prints up to 8 x 10
3. No problems with speed. Sandisk cards are as fast as any other.
In my experience 170 pictures at resolution for prints of 8x10 is enough for a complete weekend of pictures, but if you feel you are running out of space you just change to medium resolution for prints up to 5x7.
With this card you can forget the frustrating experience of running out of space in the sunset of Sunday the weekend you decided to expend in the beach.
You won't find this card at this very good price anywhere else, so go for it
