SD Cards - Sandisk vs Kingston Reliability

[Adza]

Hi,

I know that this has been discussed before, but when I search on Google, the threads are over 2 years old, which is talking about old technology. In addition to that, there are plenty of people that express their opinion, but have only ever used one brand.

I was hoping to get some more up to date information on what people have found more reliable between Sandisk and Kingston SD cards by people who have used both.

The reason I ask is that I have both. I only have 1 Kingston, and 5 Sandisk cards, although recently I have had 2 of the Sandisk cards fail.I bought more Sandisk's because I was originally of the impression they were the best as far as reliability.


Could people who have owned, and used both comment on their experience within the last 12 months (so we're not talking old technology) please comment as to whether you have had any fail, and share your experiences here?

Cheers

Adza

 

[hdr]

Are you able to tell under what circumstances your Sandisk cards fail?

Did you, for example, do any write/format/editing operations with the card in your pc or laptop?

The more you describe the circumstances, the easier it is for others to understand your problem.

 

[overniteman]

Never used Kingston, but I've purchased 3 Sandisk CF cards over last 9 months. No problems to report.

 

[mosswings]

I have both Kingston and Sandisk cards, and neither have failed me in several years of use. Most of my newer purchases have been Sandisk, but I also buy at the higher end of their line (Extreme III and higher) for the Class 10+ rating that gives fast writing rates. Their lower end products may have different quality control standards. But either company makes excellent products.

 

[Adza]

hdr wrote:

Are you able to tell under what circumstances your Sandisk cards fail?

Did you, for example, do any write/format/editing operations with the card in your pc or laptop?

The more you describe the circumstances, the easier it is for others to understand your problem.

Good question. I'm not sure exactly what went wrong with the first card. I just know that the camera wouldn't recognize it as a card when I went to reuse it. The PC will recognise it but only read it. It appeared as though could delete files off it, but as soon as I removed the card, and put it back in the computer, the files were showing back again.

I tried formatting it, which it went through the process, and right at the end came up with a message format failed.


The second card has similar smptioms in the end, but happened recently so I can tell you from the beginning. All was going well. I was taking photo's in my camera. It was an 8GB card, and I had used up roughly 4GB worth when the camera said Card Full.

Like the first card, I was able to view the files on the card in my computer, and download them - but I was unable to delete the files, or reformat the card. In the computer it was showing I still had ~4GB free space on the 8GB card.


I've attempted low level formats (in camera, and computer) on both cards, tried moving the lock slider to various positions, and tried using various memory card readers - all failed.

The lock slider switch is not loose, and just like new.

 

[hdr]

Can I ask you specifically:

1. Did you format the card in your camera or your PC, which is it ?

2. If you had formatted the card in the camera and took pictures, did you subsequently make any changes to the card's contents (eg. delete/edit/save) with the card in the PC?

In any case, have you tried formatting the 'defective' card in the camera as a last resort? What was the result?

 

[Adza]

hdr wrote:

Can I ask you specifically:

1. Did you format the card in your camera or your PC, which is it ?

2. If you had formatted the card in the camera and took pictures, did you subsequently make any changes to the card's contents (eg. delete/edit/save) with the card in the PC?

In any case, have you tried formatting the 'defective' card in the camera as a last resort? What was the result?

Sure:

1) I normally format the card in the camera, although I can't promise that I didn't format it at some stage in the computer. I did attempt to do a low level format via the computer (using SD Software) after the problem occurred.

2) I have at times done a CUT and PASTE as opposed to a copy and paste from the card to the computer from the photo's folder.

I have tried formatting the cards in the camera - but it just says that the card cannot be formatted.

Should I not be formatting the card in the camera normally?

Thanks for your help...

Adam

 

[hdr]

Having said so much, it is actually my intention to point out under no circumstance is the memory card to be modified in any way in a PC. Which means no re-formatting, delete/rename/save operations are to be done to the card when it is put in in the PC.

To be safe, it is best to wriite-protect the card each time it is put in the PC. To manipulate files, first copy the files to a folder in the PC and do it to those files.

 

[Adza]

hdr wrote:

Having said so much, it is actually my intention to point out under no circumstance is the memory card to be modified in any way in a PC. Which means no re-formatting, delete/rename/save operations are to be done to the card when it is put in in the PC.

To be safe, it is best to wriite-protect the card each time it is put in the PC. To manipulate files, first copy the files to a folder in the PC and do it to those files.

Thanks for the tip. So is this a fault of the SD Card itself, the computer reader, or just a general no go zone?

The reason I ask is because even on Sandisk's instructions when I contacted them they wanted me to format the card in the computer (not the camera) to see if this would correct the problem.

I also had a new card the other day that a camera didn't recognise. Inserting it into the computer and formatting the card then allowed the camera to "see it".

 

[hdr]

I can't tell for sure where the problem lies, but it would appear that there's nothing wrong with the card itself but the OS or file system used by the camera and the PC are different.

After the card can be recognised by the camera, did you then reformat it in the camera? If it can be done, then I would suggest you go ahead with it and then check the total space available on the card after formatting it in the camera. Check it on the PC and see if the result is the same.

And by the way, cut and paste operation should never be done from card to PC, as I mentioned earlier. That itself would have damaged the original file system structure on the card.

 

[Adza]

hdr wrote:

I can't tell for sure where the problem lies, but it would appear that there's nothing wrong with the card itself but the OS or file system used by the camera and the PC are different.

After the card can be recognised by the camera, did you then reformat it in the camera? If it can be done, then I would suggest you go ahead with it and then check the total space available on the card after formatting it in the camera. Check it on the PC and see if the result is the same.

And by the way, cut and paste operation should never be done from card to PC, as I mentioned earlier. That itself would have damaged the original file system structure on the card.

Thanks for your reply. I have attempted to format it again in the camera (both quick, and low level) with no success. Seems that the cards are definitely stuffed. Even communications with Sandisk look like they're going to get me to send them back for warranty.

 

[hdr]

There's one additional point worth noting. As far as I know, when a card is formatted in a digital camera, it automatically creates a folder for images, etc, whereas this does not happen when formatting it in a PC.

 

[Adza]

hdr wrote:

There's one additional point worth noting. As far as I know, when a card is formatted in a digital camera, it automatically creates a folder for images, etc, whereas this does not happen when formatting it in a PC.

Correct - the camera does include the extra folders, however I'm a little confused as to the relevance of this? Having or not having those folders shouldn't cause a card to become corrupt, unusable, and unformattable in every device tried?

These two cards I have are definitely corrupt - it's not just a matter of a folder missing, which is why I was wondering what other people have experienced with both Sandisk and Kingston cards.

 

[Adza]

mosswings wrote:

I have both Kingston and Sandisk cards, and neither have failed me in several years of use. Most of my newer purchases have been Sandisk, but I also buy at the higher end of their line (Extreme III and higher) for the Class 10+ rating that gives fast writing rates. Their lower end products may have different quality control standards. But either company makes excellent products.

Thanks mosswings for your reply. One of mine is a Sandisk Ultra, the other is an Extreme Pro. (I have other Sandisk cards that are working fine).


At present I'm going through a warranty experience with Sandisk - it will be interesting to see the outcome as this will determine whether I continue with Sandisk, or start using Kingston from now on.

 

[hdr]

Adza wrote:

hdr wrote:

There's one additional point worth noting. As far as I know, when a card is formatted in a digital camera, it automatically creates a folder for images, etc, whereas this does not happen when formatting it in a PC.

Correct - the camera does include the extra folders, however I'm a little confused as to the relevance of this? Having or not having those folders shouldn't cause a card to become corrupt, unusable, and unformattable in every device tried?

These two cards I have are definitely corrupt - it's not just a matter of a folder missing, which is why I was wondering what other people have experienced with both Sandisk and Kingston cards.

It is relevant, as it concerns the card's file structure and not just a simple matter of missing or adding a missing folder. It is about how the device's firmware acts on the memory card (it may involve a proprietary system).

Anyway whatever the cause of the damaged cards, it is important for every photographer to ensure that read-write (format/write/delete/rename/cut) operations to a memory card are only carried out on the same device always. In this regard, for maximum safety, even sharing memory cards between two cameras of the same make and model is not advisable.

 

[Adza]

hdr wrote:
Anyway whatever the cause of the damaged cards, it is important for every photographer to ensure that read-write (format/write/delete/rename/cut) operations to a memory card are only carried out on the same device always. In this regard, for maximum safety, even sharing memory cards between two cameras of the same make and model is not advisable.

Thanks very much for this information. That is definitely of help, as that wasn't something that I was aware of when it comes to cards. I was always under the impression that you could change devices, but you should do a low level format each time you did that.Maybe that's what's caused these two cards to fail over time - having them used by more than one device.

 

[Dareshooter]

hdr wrote:



Anyway whatever the cause of the damaged cards, it is important for every photographer to ensure that read-write (format/write/delete/rename/cut) operations to a memory card are only carried out on the same device always. In this regard, for maximum safety, even sharing memory cards between two cameras of the same make and model is not advisable.

Interesting, I've never heard this before or heard of anyone who has encountered a problem of this sort.Where did you learn of this issue ?

 

[hdr]

Dareshooter wrote:

Interesting, I've never heard this before or heard of anyone who has encountered a problem of this sort.Where did you learn of this issue ?

Never hearing before it is not sufficient reason to reject it. But at least you are hearing it now.


I suppose, like anything else, experience will be the best teacher.

 

[Graham Meale]

I've been using Sandisk since the mists of time and have never had a problem. I've never used Kingston, although I know of people who have had big problems. However, this occurred on a holiday in Spain and Morocco with cards bought there (in reputable outlets), so perhaps they were not the real McCoy.

 

[Dareshooter]

hdr wrote:

Dareshooter wrote:

Interesting, I've never heard this before or heard of anyone who has encountered a problem of this sort.Where did you learn of this issue ?

Never hearing before it is not sufficient reason to reject it. But at least you are hearing it now.

I suppose, like anything else, experience will be the best teacher.

Sorry but I don't believe everything I read on the internet,anyone can make a claim like yours so where is is your evidence ?