256MB Sony memory stick

[A.Aziz Mahmood]

Hi there,

I would like to ask if anyone knows whether there is now a 256MB memory stick out there or not? If there is please guide me to any online information about it.

Regards,
Aziz
--
Love is wonderful
Cameras show the beauty of God in the wonderful nature around us.

 

[pcockerell]

Nope, no sign of it. It's kind of sad really. Sony has kind of lost a certain amount of credibility over the stalling of MS capacity in my eyes. While Compact Flash is in the Gb zone, MS is stuck at 128Mb, as it has been for, what, two years? Sony doesn't even make the flash chips itself, and we know that capacities of flash have grown along the expected curve, so just what can the problem be? I think I detect the hand of marketing in this, but I can't quite figure out what the upside is for Sony. Ah well.

Cheers,
Pete

Hi there,

I would like to ask if anyone knows whether there is now a 256MB
memory stick out there or not? If there is please guide me to any
online information about it.

Regards,
Aziz
--
Love is wonderful
Cameras show the beauty of God in the wonderful nature around us.

--
http://www.pbase.com/pcockerell
http://www.peter-cockerell.net:8080/

 

[DarrenH]

Well, they're making more money per megabyte than if they put out a 256 or 512. Maybe that's a factor, however cynical it sounds.

Cheers,
Pete

Hi there,

I would like to ask if anyone knows whether there is now a 256MB
memory stick out there or not? If there is please guide me to any
online information about it.

Regards,
Aziz
--
Love is wonderful
Cameras show the beauty of God in the wonderful nature around us.

--
http://www.pbase.com/pcockerell
http://www.peter-cockerell.net:8080/

 

[Ann Chaikin]

Even at highest resolution you can get many photos on a 128M stick. What's the big deal about switching sticks? I've been wondering this for some time. People seem so annoyed with Sony but if I can get 40 pics on a stick what's the big deal? Just wondering. Ann
--
also known as PT Kitty > ^..^
http://www.pbase.com/ptkitty/galleries
http://www.annchaikin.com

 

[Tophersky]

Ann, you should know by now. If there was nothing to complain about, what would all of the people on this forum do with their time? It seems that most of them LIVE for something to be wrong with their camera, or to have read some news about an upcoming product for the SOLE fact that they get to vent here and whine about something.

 

[Sebastian Szyszka]

Trophersky,

You nailed it. This whole memory stick thing is such a non-issue it's ridiculous.

-Seb

Ann, you should know by now. If there was nothing to complain
about, what would all of the people on this forum do with their
time? It seems that most of them LIVE for something to be wrong
with their camera, or to have read some news about an upcoming
product for the SOLE fact that they get to vent here and whine
about something.

 

[Bernie Ess]

Even at highest resolution you can get many photos on a 128M stick.
What's the big deal about switching sticks? I've been wondering
this for some time.

Now 40 pics is not really a lot, in digital at least, but first you can get 2 of them, second you can get an x-drive with a cheap notebook harddisk (thats what I have done) - and third, whenever Sony will bring their 512MB sticks, they will be probably - no: surely - more expensive than 4x128 sticks.

So while its true that 128 is not state of the art, its not impossible to live with it....

Bernie

 

[Erik Madsen]

It's a very good question. At times 128MB is enough and switching sticks is no big deal. However, whenever it isn't enough and switching sticks is neccessary a good deal of griping about lost opportunities is in order and wishing for bigger memory is apparent.

Even at highest resolution you can get many photos on a 128M stick.
What's the big deal about switching sticks? I've been wondering
this for some time. People seem so annoyed with Sony but if I can
get 40 pics on a stick what's the big deal? Just wondering. Ann
--
also known as PT Kitty > ^..^
http://www.pbase.com/ptkitty/galleries
http://www.annchaikin.com

--
Erik Madsen
Web Applications Developer
http://www.pbase.com/emadsen
http://www.photosig.com/viewuser.php?id=3021

 

[Erichatch]

I'd like a bigger memory stick. Here's why.

When shooting large numbers of preschool kids, I have to swap sticks, download them to the computer, then swap some more. I shoot 5-6 (sometimes many more with the unhappy ones) exposures of each kid, and if there are 60 kids or so, that's LOTS of images.

When I swap sticks, there is the risk of losing data and confusion. It also takes time and can interrupt the rhythm of the shoot. Last week my ex assistant blew a download and lost the pix of 27 kids, a potential revenue loss of about $1,200 or so.

Larger memory sticks (or a microdrive, wake up sony) would eliminate most of this problem by allowing downloads at times when the pace is slower and the risk of loss reduced.

Even at highest resolution you can get many photos on a 128M stick.
What's the big deal about switching sticks? I've been wondering
this for some time. People seem so annoyed with Sony but if I can
get 40 pics on a stick what's the big deal? Just wondering. Ann
--
also known as PT Kitty > ^..^
http://www.pbase.com/ptkitty/galleries
http://www.annchaikin.com

--
Erik Madsen
Web Applications Developer
http://www.pbase.com/emadsen
http://www.photosig.com/viewuser.php?id=3021

--
Eric Hatch
It's never too late to follow your heart.

 

[Ray Thompson]

So with a larger stick your assistant blows a download and you loose 54 pictures at a potential loss of $2400.00.

Ever had a microdrive become corrupt with 400 pictures on the drive? Not fun.

The sticks are small, it does not take much to carry 5 or 6 sticks. I attended a convention and took 500+ pictures and did not miss the large sticks. Did not loose one picture. And changing sticks only takes 5 seconds. There is no need to power the camera off to change sticks.

When shooting large numbers of preschool kids, I have to swap
sticks, download them to the computer, then swap some more. I
shoot 5-6 (sometimes many more with the unhappy ones) exposures of
each kid, and if there are 60 kids or so, that's LOTS of images.

When I swap sticks, there is the risk of losing data and confusion.
It also takes time and can interrupt the rhythm of the shoot. Last
week my ex assistant blew a download and lost the pix of 27 kids, a
potential revenue loss of about $1,200 or so.

Larger memory sticks (or a microdrive, wake up sony) would
eliminate most of this problem by allowing downloads at times when
the pace is slower and the risk of loss reduced.

Even at highest resolution you can get many photos on a 128M stick.
What's the big deal about switching sticks? I've been wondering
this for some time. People seem so annoyed with Sony but if I can
get 40 pics on a stick what's the big deal? Just wondering. Ann
--
also known as PT Kitty > ^..^
http://www.pbase.com/ptkitty/galleries
http://www.annchaikin.com

--
Erik Madsen
Web Applications Developer
http://www.pbase.com/emadsen
http://www.photosig.com/viewuser.php?id=3021

--
Eric Hatch
It's never too late to follow your heart.

--
RayT

 

[Erik Madsen]

I think what people are illustrating here is Sony may be failing to provide what is important to a large majority of their 7X7 owners. The value provided by the 7X7 is pretty darn good and encourages aspiring professionals to start with it. A lot of us are frustrated with Sony and it's slow time to market with their memory stick line.

I see your point, but why argue against having larger sticks? It's like saying it would be pointless to get 100 miles a gallon for your gas because you'd never need to drive across country.

 

[Kevin McPeake]

I gotta agree with Erik here.

Sony has definately become the perfect demonstration why buying into a product line based on propritary formats & standards, not only fails to deliever any tangible benefts to the consumer of those products, but also fails to push or motivate said company into advancing it's own product line for the benefit of the consumer.

Advanced propritary battery formats that don't work (NPFS11) & Memory Sticks sizes that the CONSUMER are having to make excuses for. Hello people - You people are paying top dollar for Sony equip - don't you think you should get what you are paying for?

Here's something I just noticed about myself: I have a Sony Stereo, a Sony Mobile phone, a Sony VAIO laptop & a Sony Digital Camera - and none of it works the way it should.

I also have a Minolta DiMAGE, a JVC Car stereo, a Philips TV (x2), AWIA & 2x Panasonic VCRs - and they all work! Funny that I have more Sony brand stuff than anything else, but none of the Sony stuff works the way it should.

Sony should change their slogan to "Sony - can't create".

--
-kev
http://www.mcpeake.com/

 

[teodoro musacchio]

Ann, you should know by now. If there was nothing to complain
about, what would all of the people on this forum do with their
time? It seems that most of them LIVE for something to be wrong
with their camera, or to have read some news about an upcoming
product for the SOLE fact that they get to vent here and whine
about something.

--

Well, I'm not tuned at the same frequency of your thoughts, you know. The fact is that, when we buy a camera that's a Sony, we buy a piece of technology which we think is up to date, if not an avant guard, with all the other brands.

The cogitation that Sony products are losing ground, gives us a feeling of uncertainty on this commercial policy. Suddenly we feel to be out of the main stream, and this is not good at all.
Just vanity, you may say.
That's true, but that's the world!
Regards
teo

 

[ZoomBoy]

I'll subscribe to that! Well said, Tophersky!
ZoomBoy

Ann, you should know by now. If there was nothing to complain
about, what would all of the people on this forum do with their
time? It seems that most of them LIVE for something to be wrong
with their camera, or to have read some news about an upcoming
product for the SOLE fact that they get to vent here and whine
about something.

--
ZoomBoy

 

[Stephen Waits]

I gotta agree with Erik here.

Me too. To say that 128MB is big enough and call you a complainer for saying otherwise is simply ignorant. Those of us with 7X7's do really need bigger sticks. This isn't an argument, it's a fact. Ask any 7X7 owner and you'll find out.

Advanced propritary battery formats that don't work (NPFS11) &
Memory Sticks sizes that the CONSUMER are having to make excuses
for. Hello people - You people are paying top dollar for Sony
equip - don't you think you should get what you are paying for?

Here I'll disagree with you strongly. The Sony InfoLithiums lead the market in performance and have worked incredibly well for me (without even one fault) for quite a few years now! I'll take this "proprietary" battery over AA or AAA or anything else ANY DAY!

Here's something I just noticed about myself: I have a Sony
Stereo, a Sony Mobile phone, a Sony VAIO laptop & a Sony Digital
Camera - and none of it works the way it should.

I have Sony TV, VCR, CD Changer, Home Theater Receiver, and DVD players AND digicams, and all work at or above expectations. I'm not sure what you bought, but all of my stuff works just as it should.

I'm just as ticked at Sony for dragging on memory sticks (which I LOVE other than the low capacity) for so long. But they are still, IMO, mostly delivering quality consumer products to the market at competitive prices.

--Steve

 

[ZoomBoy]

You're a great example of what "branding" does (and is not a peiorative attribute). If you brought all those items because they had the word "SONY" sticked to them... then Sony's marketing department or their advertising agency deserve a medal!

I suspect you had a chance to do a little market research before buying and also you had a try-out period. Is nobody's fault you are now not content with your purchases. in the long run, nobody is. It will allways be a newer model or more accesories or else. But that is why this society is a "consumer society", to consume.

You don't like them or you just got bored of them... sell them out and buy something new! Try a different brand that will (eventually) please you.

You will be happy and Sony will lose a customer. You're hapy, they are not. When their research people will tell them that customers are swapping brands maybe they'll release the 512 MB stick. But, untill then... just click.

B.T.W. I would be happy with a 512 MB stick!

ZoomBoy

I gotta agree with Erik here.

Sony has definately become the perfect demonstration why buying
into a product line based on propritary formats & standards, not
only fails to deliever any tangible benefts to the consumer of
those products, but also fails to push or motivate said company
into advancing it's own product line for the benefit of the
consumer.

Advanced propritary battery formats that don't work (NPFS11) &
Memory Sticks sizes that the CONSUMER are having to make excuses
for. Hello people - You people are paying top dollar for Sony
equip - don't you think you should get what you are paying for?

Here's something I just noticed about myself: I have a Sony
Stereo, a Sony Mobile phone, a Sony VAIO laptop & a Sony Digital
Camera - and none of it works the way it should.

I also have a Minolta DiMAGE, a JVC Car stereo, a Philips TV (x2),
AWIA & 2x Panasonic VCRs - and they all work! Funny that I have
more Sony brand stuff than anything else, but none of the Sony
stuff works the way it should.

Sony should change their slogan to "Sony - can't create".

--
-kev
http://www.mcpeake.com/

--
ZoomBoy

 

[Erik Madsen]

I've had a completely different experience, actually. I think SONY makes fantastic products that have been keeping me happy since I was a little boy. I've had TVs, VCRs, DVD players, stereos, car stereos, phones, a laptop, a walkman, Hi8 and digital8 handycams and now my 707. I've never had a problem with any of my SONY products. What I do have a problem with is their apparent lack of interest in getting larger memory sticks to market in a timely fashion.

Erik

I gotta agree with Erik here.

Sony has definately become the perfect demonstration why buying
into a product line based on propritary formats & standards, not
only fails to deliever any tangible benefts to the consumer of
those products, but also fails to push or motivate said company
into advancing it's own product line for the benefit of the
consumer.

Advanced propritary battery formats that don't work (NPFS11) &
Memory Sticks sizes that the CONSUMER are having to make excuses
for. Hello people - You people are paying top dollar for Sony
equip - don't you think you should get what you are paying for?

Here's something I just noticed about myself: I have a Sony
Stereo, a Sony Mobile phone, a Sony VAIO laptop & a Sony Digital
Camera - and none of it works the way it should.

I also have a Minolta DiMAGE, a JVC Car stereo, a Philips TV (x2),
AWIA & 2x Panasonic VCRs - and they all work! Funny that I have
more Sony brand stuff than anything else, but none of the Sony
stuff works the way it should.

Sony should change their slogan to "Sony - can't create".

--
-kev
http://www.mcpeake.com/

--
Erik Madsen
Web Applications Developer
http://www.pbase.com/emadsen
http://www.photosig.com/viewuser.php?id=3021

 

[Ann Chaikin]

Do you seriously worry about whether somebody gets ahead of Sony for awhile? Personally I want the best images I can get for my money in a camera that fits my hand and is in synch with how I take pictures. The 717 is that camera for me right now. I don't give a rats if another company appears to get ahead (or behind) at any time. It's bound to happen. If you really worry about this stuff you will be buying a new camera every couple of months and not taking pictures with it because you are too busy worrying somebody else might get ahead. It's a fruitless pursuit to try to stay ahead of everybody else. If you like it, use it, enjoy it, work on making your picture taking the best it can be and stick with it until you run into limitations based on your photographic needs, not what everybody else is doing. My 2 cents. Ann

Ann, you should know by now. If there was nothing to complain
about, what would all of the people on this forum do with their
time? It seems that most of them LIVE for something to be wrong
with their camera, or to have read some news about an upcoming
product for the SOLE fact that they get to vent here and whine
about something.

--
Well, I'm not tuned at the same frequency of your thoughts, you
know. The fact is that, when we buy a camera that's a Sony, we buy
a piece of technology which we think is up to date, if not an avant
guard, with all the other brands.
The cogitation that Sony products are losing ground, gives us a
feeling of uncertainty on this commercial policy. Suddenly we feel
to be out of the main stream, and this is not good at all.
Just vanity, you may say.
That's true, but that's the world!
Regards
teo

--
also known as PT Kitty > ^..^
http://www.pbase.com/ptkitty/galleries
http://www.annchaikin.com

 

[David_S85]

or... "Sony - Can't cooperate"

Yes, it would be nice if 717's (or my S85) took CF media. They don't. Big deal.

But as soon as we percieve CF as a standard, that standard will change. Type I, Type II, Microdrive compatiblilty types. Will I buy a new camera in a year right before Type III is announced? Maybe.

Lets put this in perspective. I have about 9 TV's. In 2006, they'll all become obsolete. My 3 VHS recorders are already obsolete. My computer will be obsolete about two months after I buy it. My printer collection will grow. My car will rust, my house will rot. As long as I can make enough money, I'll replace or fix them. That's life.

When I buy an electronic product these days, I should figure that three years is about the life I will expect. Anything beyond that is bonus time.

'Universal' in 'serial bus' just WON'T be universal in a few years. Yes, it seems that Sony has been spinning on memory sticks. There's three types now (all for different product catagories) and it looks like there's a fourth, the so called Pro stick due out soon. Will it be compatible? I dunno. I don't care.

I won't be using my S85 in a couple more years, anymore than I use my Sony FD7 floppy Mavica now. I'll be shooting with something with a hundred times the capability. 128MB MS will be even more of a joke then than they already are now.

There are people that 717's won't be for. OK. That's sad, but if someone can make a few thousand dollars from a full stick of photos (above post a few up), they can certainly buy another camera that WILL do the job in the memory department. Only Sony loses out, but they will still sell a lot of 717's anyway.

What's my point? It's this... Live with it. Make fun about it. Whine about it if you must. You expect Sony to do what YOU want? They march to their own drummer. Its bizzarre, but what are we to do?

(There goes my future job at Sony - blast!)

• David

Kevin McPeake wrote:
I gotta agree with Erik here.

Sony has definately become the perfect demonstration why buying
into a product line based on propritary formats & standards, not
only fails to deliever any tangible benefts to the consumer of
those products, but also fails to push or motivate said company
into advancing it's own product line for the benefit of the
consumer.

Advanced propritary battery formats that don't work (NPFS11) &
Memory Sticks sizes that the CONSUMER are having to make excuses
for. Hello people - You people are paying top dollar for Sony
equip - don't you think you should get what you are paying for?

Here's something I just noticed about myself: I have a Sony
Stereo, a Sony Mobile phone, a Sony VAIO laptop & a Sony Digital
Camera - and none of it works the way it should.

I also have a Minolta DiMAGE, a JVC Car stereo, a Philips TV (x2),
AWIA & 2x Panasonic VCRs - and they all work! Funny that I have
more Sony brand stuff than anything else, but none of the Sony
stuff works the way it should.

Sony should change their slogan to "Sony - can't create".

--
-kev
http://www.mcpeake.com/

 

[Ann Chaikin]

I'm not a professional and don't come across these situations. What you say makes sense. Thanks, Ann

When shooting large numbers of preschool kids, I have to swap
sticks, download them to the computer, then swap some more. I
shoot 5-6 (sometimes many more with the unhappy ones) exposures of
each kid, and if there are 60 kids or so, that's LOTS of images.

When I swap sticks, there is the risk of losing data and confusion.
It also takes time and can interrupt the rhythm of the shoot. Last
week my ex assistant blew a download and lost the pix of 27 kids, a
potential revenue loss of about $1,200 or so.

Larger memory sticks (or a microdrive, wake up sony) would
eliminate most of this problem by allowing downloads at times when
the pace is slower and the risk of loss reduced.

Even at highest resolution you can get many photos on a 128M stick.
What's the big deal about switching sticks? I've been wondering
this for some time. People seem so annoyed with Sony but if I can
get 40 pics on a stick what's the big deal? Just wondering. Ann
--
also known as PT Kitty > ^..^
http://www.pbase.com/ptkitty/galleries
http://www.annchaikin.com

--
Erik Madsen
Web Applications Developer
http://www.pbase.com/emadsen
http://www.photosig.com/viewuser.php?id=3021

--
Eric Hatch
It's never too late to follow your heart.

--
also known as PT Kitty > ^..^
http://www.pbase.com/ptkitty/galleries
http://www.annchaikin.com