-
Welcome to the new forums! Please read this first. For known issues we are working to resolve, click here.
SD card speed tests
- Thread starter Jared Hunter
- Start date
Bernard Zee
Leading Member
I can confirm that the new Lexar 256mb (32x) card works very well in the FZ10. 7 shot burst mode can be saved in about 2 seconds (after the last shot is taken).
Funny thing is, the 2 seconds is constant regardless of the number of shots taken...be it 2 or 7. Probably some type of camera overhead unrelated to the actual saving of the file.
The Panasonic 16MB SD card that came with the camera took around 5 seconds to save the 7 shots.
The Dane-Elec 256MB card I first bought took about 10 seconds. After getting the Lexar and seeing how well that performed, I couldn't stand to keep the Dane-Elec and decided to take the restocking and return $hipping hit rather than keep it and be irritated.
BZ
Funny thing is, the 2 seconds is constant regardless of the number of shots taken...be it 2 or 7. Probably some type of camera overhead unrelated to the actual saving of the file.
The Panasonic 16MB SD card that came with the camera took around 5 seconds to save the 7 shots.
The Dane-Elec 256MB card I first bought took about 10 seconds. After getting the Lexar and seeing how well that performed, I couldn't stand to keep the Dane-Elec and decided to take the restocking and return $hipping hit rather than keep it and be irritated.
BZ
Mareda
Senior Member
Bernard, I think I read that the larger the card is, the faster it is, so a fair test would involve comparing a Lexar 256mb to a Panasonic 256mb card,
or 16mb cards under each brand name.
Jared Hunter
Senior Member
When cards are rated at nX as in n=32 what MB/sec is 1X? I just bought a 256MB Simpletech which is labelled 10MB/sec on the package. I thought Simpletechs are rebranded Panasonics but the test shows that Panasonic isn't even close to 10MB/sec.
Charlie Howard
Leading Member
A few weeks ago, I measured four SD cards on the computer, using a USB 2.0 reader and computer port; and three cards in the FZ10.
On the computer, transferring files from card to computer ("reading"):
1. SanDisk 256MB, normal card: 1.4MB/sec (23MB in 16 sec)
2. SanDisk 256MB Ultra II card: 6.6MB/sec (158MB in 24 sec)
3. Panasonic 256MB card: 6.9MB/sec (158MB in 23 sec)
4. Panasonic 16MB card: 3.6MB/sec (12.5MB in 3.5 sec)
The high-speed SanDisk was faster than the high-speed Panasonic when writing to the card (34 vs. 39 seconds for 158MB), but a little slower when reading (24 vs. 23 seconds). For everyday purposes, it's the read speed that matters when using the card with the computer. For the "write" speed, the meaningful measurements must be done with the camera.
In the camera, with the last three cards (the normal speed SanDisk 256MB card had been returned), the measurement was the delay time after pressing the shutter (review turned off, Manual pre-focus, 1/1000 shutter speed, Fine-quality, 2304 resolution):
Single-shot: about 1 second for all three cards (no measurable difference); I can take about 8-9 pictures in 10 seconds, with or without the flash, using any of those cards;
5-frame high-speed Burst (the Burst took 1.25 seconds), measured delay time after burst ended, before being able to start the next burst:
SanDisk 256MB Ultra II card: 2.2 or 2.3 seconds;
Panasonic 256MB card: 2.2 seconds;
Panasonic 16MB card: 6.5 seconds.
My conclusions from these tests:
1. the FZ10 can take advantage of faster cards. It doesn't matter when taking single-frame shots, but does matter when taking bursts: with a high-speed card, you can start a new Burst every 3.5 seconds; with a normal-speed card, you can start a new Burst every 7.7 seconds.
2. if you take a lot of pictures and don't like waiting a long time to transfer them to the computer, it's worthwhile to pay extra for a high-speed card; but only if you also have a USB 2.0 card reader that is connected to a USB 2.0 port on the computer. The transfers run 2 to 5 times faster that way than with a standard-speed card and/or a USB 1.1 connection. If your computer setup is USB 1.1, the only advantage to a high-speed card is the shorter camera delay after taking a burst.
--
Charlie Howard
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4288488059&code=7311150&mode=invite
On the computer, transferring files from card to computer ("reading"):
1. SanDisk 256MB, normal card: 1.4MB/sec (23MB in 16 sec)
2. SanDisk 256MB Ultra II card: 6.6MB/sec (158MB in 24 sec)
3. Panasonic 256MB card: 6.9MB/sec (158MB in 23 sec)
4. Panasonic 16MB card: 3.6MB/sec (12.5MB in 3.5 sec)
The high-speed SanDisk was faster than the high-speed Panasonic when writing to the card (34 vs. 39 seconds for 158MB), but a little slower when reading (24 vs. 23 seconds). For everyday purposes, it's the read speed that matters when using the card with the computer. For the "write" speed, the meaningful measurements must be done with the camera.
In the camera, with the last three cards (the normal speed SanDisk 256MB card had been returned), the measurement was the delay time after pressing the shutter (review turned off, Manual pre-focus, 1/1000 shutter speed, Fine-quality, 2304 resolution):
Single-shot: about 1 second for all three cards (no measurable difference); I can take about 8-9 pictures in 10 seconds, with or without the flash, using any of those cards;
5-frame high-speed Burst (the Burst took 1.25 seconds), measured delay time after burst ended, before being able to start the next burst:
SanDisk 256MB Ultra II card: 2.2 or 2.3 seconds;
Panasonic 256MB card: 2.2 seconds;
Panasonic 16MB card: 6.5 seconds.
My conclusions from these tests:
1. the FZ10 can take advantage of faster cards. It doesn't matter when taking single-frame shots, but does matter when taking bursts: with a high-speed card, you can start a new Burst every 3.5 seconds; with a normal-speed card, you can start a new Burst every 7.7 seconds.
2. if you take a lot of pictures and don't like waiting a long time to transfer them to the computer, it's worthwhile to pay extra for a high-speed card; but only if you also have a USB 2.0 card reader that is connected to a USB 2.0 port on the computer. The transfers run 2 to 5 times faster that way than with a standard-speed card and/or a USB 1.1 connection. If your computer setup is USB 1.1, the only advantage to a high-speed card is the shorter camera delay after taking a burst.
--
Charlie Howard
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4288488059&code=7311150&mode=invite
Bernard Zee
Leading Member
Nice summary of test results. The only thing I would add is that the Panasonic 16MB card's performance in burst mode is better than 'normal' cards. The approx 5 sec to save falls in between the 2sec of the fast cards, and 10 sec for the 'normal' cards.
So if you didn't choose carefully, the low end of the cards would get a new burst every 12 sec (not 7).
BZ
So if you didn't choose carefully, the low end of the cards would get a new burst every 12 sec (not 7).
BZ
Bernard Zee
Leading Member
Don't get me wrong, I didn't mean to imply the large Panasonic cards were slow. In fact, they are the standard I was trying to meet. Others have reported that the 256mb and 512mb Panasonic cards write the burst mode pixs in 2 seconds or so. And that the larger capacity pana cards have 10mb/sec transfer ratings.
However, the larger is faster rule does not apply uniformly across all SD card brands. Many 256/512 mb cards are slow in the sense that they still operate at the normal 2mb/sec transfer rate. In FZ10 burst mode, you'd have to wait over 10 secs for the files to be saved (compared to 2sec for the faster cards).
Sadly, it's a bit tricky trying to find cards that'll provide that peak level of performance. Short of trying it out, you won't really know. Controller differences in operation may mean different write speeds (in burst mode).
Like I said, I got burnt once by a supposed 10mb/sec card (the Dane-Elec from newegg). I don't know why, but it acted like a 2mb/sec card in terms of burst write speed. That's why specs alone don't tell the whole story, and that having good real world data is more important in this case.
BZ
However, the larger is faster rule does not apply uniformly across all SD card brands. Many 256/512 mb cards are slow in the sense that they still operate at the normal 2mb/sec transfer rate. In FZ10 burst mode, you'd have to wait over 10 secs for the files to be saved (compared to 2sec for the faster cards).
Sadly, it's a bit tricky trying to find cards that'll provide that peak level of performance. Short of trying it out, you won't really know. Controller differences in operation may mean different write speeds (in burst mode).
Like I said, I got burnt once by a supposed 10mb/sec card (the Dane-Elec from newegg). I don't know why, but it acted like a 2mb/sec card in terms of burst write speed. That's why specs alone don't tell the whole story, and that having good real world data is more important in this case.
BZ
Charlie Howard
Leading Member
I completely agree with you. The normal SanDisk 256MB card's computer-measured speeds were more than twice as slow as the 16MB Panasonic's, and it probably would also have been more than twice as slow in the camera. That's why I returned it and got high speed cards even before the camera arrived.
--
Charlie Howard
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4288488059&code=7311150&mode=invite
need your input...bought a sandisk 512 sd card for $99+tx from sears while awaiting the arrival of my fz10...any experience w/ this unit?
thanks much and merry holidays
les-w
thanks much and merry holidays
les-w
Charlie Howard
Leading Member
Others may, but the only SD cards I've used are the ones in my earlier post.
--
Charlie Howard
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4288488059&code=7311150&mode=invite
Keyboard shortcuts
- f
- Forum