What\'s the story on expensive memory cards for SLR cameras?

deveaux69

Honorable
Dec 27, 2012
1
0
10,510
I bought an EOS T3 Rebel for my daughter and the camera store convinced me to spend an extra $100 on a Digital Speed 4GB 700X Professional High Speed Error Free (SD) Memory Card Class 10.

Was this a total ripoff?

Now I'm thinking of getting an EOS Mark III 5D and the memory card is $599 list. Really?

 
Solution
That is the way they make money, most the DSLR has on a big enough on board buffer to store the shots, once you've taken a picture, the camera writes it to the memory card and erases it from the buffer as soon as it can.

Like car dealer sell the car to you in old day then they sell you the Rust Protection too, but all car alreadt have the rust treatmnet on it.

cin19

Distinguished
That is the way they make money, most the DSLR has on a big enough on board buffer to store the shots, once you've taken a picture, the camera writes it to the memory card and erases it from the buffer as soon as it can.

Like car dealer sell the car to you in old day then they sell you the Rust Protection too, but all car alreadt have the rust treatmnet on it.
 
Solution

1965ohio

Distinguished
Jan 12, 2011
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18,520
They ripped you off. You can pick up 16 or 32gb class 10 cards for less than $100 all day. Most of them say 300x... 700x is only good for video (writes to the card faster). Any class 10 card is good enough for video. And any Class 4 or 6 card is good enough for everything else.
 

amuffin

Distinguished
Jul 29, 2011
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18,660
I got myself a 32GB Class 10 with 20/mbs for $17 at Frys!

Though the price you paid for are those of the prices of "good-decent" CF cards! :D

Should have spent that $100 on a 50mm f/1.8 ii for your daughter!
 

Bark80

Honorable
Jan 28, 2013
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10,510
Hi I'm new here and I'm a photographer so I figured I pay my way forward some by sharing what I know in a few threads.

With memory cards the thing you pay for most is the speed. I shoot sports and can easily go through 15,000 shutters a weekend. I used several 4 gig cards. The speed is affected by things you do in camera. For example lets say you are shooting in in full size raw files, and you have the lighting optimizer on, and the niose reduction on, and every other knick knack you can figure on, then your buffer will be about 3 or 4 shots with a normal card. With the really high speed cards you may get 15 or so.

This is worthless for most people. And by most people I mean 99% of pros too. You got the best card you can get, but you had no use for it.

Verdict: Slick sales man ripped you off.

 

starre

Honorable
Mar 30, 2013
1
0
10,510
Yes this is a major rip off and I fell for the same trick but they tried to get me for 200 bucks so after I ordered every thing I started to think and immediately called the manufacturer of the camera I wanted to buy I ended up buying a camera and 2 lenses for less than the other company and was told any 10 would do fine for video and 6 for pictures was recommended for the action type photos and was told I could get them for a lot less than that expensive card so I will never fall for that one again oh and I immediately called the other company back and canceled my order with them their loss for trying to rip me off

 

USAFRet

Illustrious
Moderator
$100 for a 4GB SD card? Yes, sorry...you got taken.
I have gotten a 32GB Micro SD for $26, and a 32GB SD for ~$20, both Class 10. Hell..I even got an 8GB Eye-Fi (SD + WiFi) card for $50.

Find a different vendor. He is ripping you off.