Class 6 SDHC cards,

While browsing I came across this LINK and was wondering what advantage a Class 6 card has over my current class 4 one when used in my K200d?

Is it worth getting one or do I just wait until I need faster cards for, say, a new body?

Oh yes, they do a Sandisk one even cheaper!

Oops! That should read Verbatim!

Sorry.

Hi Hardgravity

As far as I'm aware the class of a card relates to it's read and write speed. Class 6 is faster than class 4 is faster than class 2. I think you will find that different manufacturers cards have different read and write speeds, some are better at reading data, some better at writing and some quicker at accessing information from a random point on the card.

I can't remember offhand what the minimum read/write specs are for each class and I have no idea if the fastest class 4 cards are qucker than the slowest class 6. My understanding is that class 6 cards are necessary for recording high quality camcorder files as it requires high write speeds.

I guess for DSLRs the best reason for using class 6 cards is to improve your FPS continuous shooting speed. Whether the card or the camera is currently the limiting factor though, other more experienced members will have to say. I guess that the best class 6 cards for you will have the quickest write speeds.

Also check that your camera is compatible with class 6 cards

A camera has a buffer so FPS stays the same but you can get maybe two or one shot more out of with with a faster card.
Also don't forget that you need a fast card for the video mode that's becoming standard.

The camera will support any speed of card but if it can use all that speed is another story.

Also the class of the card is the minimum speed of write and read, so the card has a high read speed but low write speed then the low write speed will be the class.

So emptying the buffer faster has no bearing on how long it takes to fill up?

(Wonders off to re-learn 30 years worth of engineering.)

That must be a reacting on my post, again.

I believe that if the buffer empties faster that you can make more shots continuously but not that you can shoot more FPS.
That's what I said.

Of course when the buffer is full might get more FPS if not something else is limiting it.

With continuous RAW shooting, is there a long wait on the K200 after the buffer has filled before the camera is ready to shoot again? If so, a faster card will reduce the wait.

It may also speed up the transfer of images from the card to your computer.

I consider class 4 very slow nowdays. Class 6 is the minimum I use, preferably one that is actually faster than class 6, like a Sandisk Extreme III.

I've definately found a difference with single shots and different cards. Even if not set to continuous shooting, on my K200 I still need to wait for the photo to be written to the card before I can take another (always shoot RAW + Jpeg).
With slower cards I can see a noticeable difference.

Also, I have an SD card slot in my laptop. I use that to get images off the card, rather than plugging in the camera directly. I see improvements there with faster cards too.

So far the information being posted is very interesting.

It seems that a fast card write speed should allow faster continuous shooting. Unless the camera can't keep up with the card.

Hi Hardgravity

Stefan corrected my original post and I think he's right. The faster card will not allow faster continuous shooting but it will allow longer continuous shooting at the maximum rate, unless as you say, the camera can't keep up with the card.

You obviously won't be shooting video with your K200d but if you're planning to upgrade or indeed thinking of purchasing a digital camcorder then, as Stefan says, you'll need a class 6 card.

I got my mits on a pair of Class 10 16G Panasonic SDHC cards. With my K20D it can do HQ jpg at full speed until the card is full, looks to only do RAW DNG for 16 or 17 shots before you get the pause/shoot setting in. Those numbers seem to be exactly in line with the manual (assuming it is listing optimal conditions), so it seems that going for faster SD cards may not give any improvement in continuous shooting. Not that it matters terribly as I'm a slow photographer.

It would be interesting to see if RAW PEF has better or worse performance than RAW DNG.

Worse (just checked) - RAW PEF on a Class 10 does 14-15 shots before pausing.

Chris

Faster cards do give an improvement in continuous shooting with the K10D and *ist DS. The delay while the buffer is written to the card can be more than halved when using a Sandisk III or white Toshiba compared to a more bog standard card.

Apparently the Panasonic "Class 10" cards don't work with video in the K-7, so they may not really be as fast as advertised.

Regarding the K20D, this hardly benefits from faster cards except when using Burst mode. It takes a long time to clear the buffer after that beore the camera is ready to shoot again.

Sorry I don't know about the K200.