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Maximum Memory Card Size for a K-7

Rhoufi
Posted 05/04/2013 - 13:18 Link
I have just purchased a 64GB SanDisk SDHC Cl10 30MB/sec memory card for my K-7, but it will not format in the camera - I get a card error. 8GB & 16GB cards format perfectly. Is there a maximum size the K-7 can handle, or is the card faulty?
 
 
Melbourne, Australia
Pentax K-5; 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 WR Zoom; 70mm f2.4 LTD Prime; 50-135mm f2.8 SDM Zoom; Lightroom 3.6
gwing
Posted 05/04/2013 - 13:37 - Helpful Comment Link
Have you upgraded the K7 firmware? I think originally it was just SDHC compatable, which would be 32G max. v1.12 firmware introduced SDXC compatability which would be needed for 64G.

That said I only run a small card in my K7. I do have a larger one in the K-01 which I could test tonight - from memory I'm not sure if that is 16 or 32G though.
Rhoufi
Posted 06/04/2013 - 04:36 Link
gwing wrote:
Have you upgraded the K7 firmware? I think originally it was just SDHC compatable, which would be 32G max. v1.12 firmware introduced SDXC compatability which would be needed for 64G.

That said I only run a small card in my K7. I do have a larger one in the K-01 which I could test tonight - from memory I'm not sure if that is 16 or 32G though.

Thank you GWing, no I haven't upgraded the firmware (I have seen so many people here get themselves into trouble doing that, I have avoided it). However, I that could be the problem. I'll check out the Firmware version upgrades for any mention of that before I try it.
 
 
Melbourne, Australia
Pentax K-5; 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 WR Zoom; 70mm f2.4 LTD Prime; 50-135mm f2.8 SDM Zoom; Lightroom 3.6
Rhoufi
Posted 06/04/2013 - 08:36 Link
gwing wrote:
Have you upgraded the K7 firmware? I think originally it was just SDHC compatable, which would be 32G max. v1.12 firmware introduced SDXC compatability which would be needed for 64G.

That said I only run a small card in my K7. I do have a larger one in the K-01 which I could test tonight - from memory I'm not sure if that is 16 or 32G though.

Thanks GWing, you put me on the right track. But I made a mistake when I said I bought a 64GB SDHC card; it was in fact a 64GB SDXC card and so the K-7 does need the v1.12 Firmware. My Firmware is only v1.10.

But Pentax says that I need a SD/SDHC blank formatted card of 32GB capacity or larger to do the Firmware Update!!! Can it not be done on an 8GB or 16GB SD/SDHC? That would mean I have to buy a 32GB SDHC just to update to v1.12 so I can use a 64SDXC card !!!! What kind of lunacy is that?

Does anyone know if you can perform a Firmware Update on a K-7 using a 16GB SDHC memory card?

This issue is an octopus ;-(
 
 
Melbourne, Australia
Pentax K-5; 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 WR Zoom; 70mm f2.4 LTD Prime; 50-135mm f2.8 SDM Zoom; Lightroom 3.6
johnriley
Posted 06/04/2013 - 09:19 Link
As long as the file will fit on a card I don't see the problem. I don't use any cards over 8GB, most are 4GB, and there's no problem at all.
Best regards, John
Rhoufi
Posted 06/04/2013 - 09:25 Link
johnriley wrote:
As long as the file will fit on a card I don't see the problem. I don't use any cards over 8GB, most are 4GB, and there's no problem at all.

Wonderful John thank you. Until now I have used 8GB & 16GB, but I'll be travelling and want a bit more storage. Should have stuck with the SDHC cards I think. Once we know someone has done it successfully with an 8GB card that's good enough for me. It didn't seem logical given the Firmware download file is only 10MB.

Thank you for the quick response.
 
 
Melbourne, Australia
Pentax K-5; 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 WR Zoom; 70mm f2.4 LTD Prime; 50-135mm f2.8 SDM Zoom; Lightroom 3.6
JohnX
Posted 06/04/2013 - 09:30 Link
The card size required for updating is much smaller than 32GB.

Pentax state;

"Blank, formatted SD/SDHC card (32MB or more)".

Aussies, what can you do with them?
Edited by JohnX: 06/04/2013 - 09:31
Rhoufi
Posted 06/04/2013 - 09:49 Link
JohnX wrote:
The card size required for updating is much smaller than 32GB.

Pentax state;

"Blank, formatted SD/SDHC card (32MB or more)".

Aussies, what can you do with them?

We must be good for something
Read "MB" - but registered "GB" !!!!!
Must be why Aussies survived the Global Financial Crisis so well - we saved 1,000 times more than we thought we were

Thanks John X
all very helpful
 
 
Melbourne, Australia
Pentax K-5; 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 WR Zoom; 70mm f2.4 LTD Prime; 50-135mm f2.8 SDM Zoom; Lightroom 3.6
redbusa99
Posted 06/04/2013 - 10:17 Link
is it wise for everything to be on one card,i would be gutted if i lost or damged it or it went wrong, perhaps 4x16g would be a safer option.
odd lens or 2

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gwing
Posted 06/04/2013 - 10:54 Link
redbusa99 wrote:
is it wise for everything to be on one card,i would be gutted if i lost or damged it or it went wrong, perhaps 4x16g would be a safer option.

I much prefer one card, on the grounds that once they are out of the camera I'm very much more likely to lose a card than have one fail on me. That said I only use an 8G card and generally only fill 1/4 of that before transferring the files to permanent storage. The sole exception to that is if I'm playing with video, in which case my newly purchased 32G card goes in, but again gets dumped to storage and emptied as soon as possible.

I don't like having multiple or much larger cards than I need as that tempts me into untidy and dangerous habits. Actually that 8G card is 8* bigger than I ever need, holidays aside.
cycler
Posted 06/04/2013 - 15:47 Link
Rhoufi wrote:

Read "MB" - but registered "GB" !!!!!

I did exactly the same when I first updated my K-7 a few years ago, 32GB cards were very expensive then
felix
Posted 07/04/2013 - 02:43 Link
Rhoufi wrote:
gwing wrote:
Have you upgraded the K7 firmware? I think originally it was just SDHC compatable, which would be 32G max. v1.12 firmware introduced SDXC compatability which would be needed for 64G.

That said I only run a small card in my K7. I do have a larger one in the K-01 which I could test tonight - from memory I'm not sure if that is 16 or 32G though.

Thanks GWing, you put me on the right track. But I made a mistake when I said I bought a 64GB SDHC card; it was in fact a 64GB SDXC card and so the K-7 does need the v1.12 Firmware. My Firmware is only v1.10.

But Pentax says that I need a SD/SDHC blank formatted card of 32GB capacity or larger to do the Firmware Update!!! Can it not be done on an 8GB or 16GB SD/SDHC? That would mean I have to buy a 32GB SDHC just to update to v1.12 so I can use a 64SDXC card !!!! What kind of lunacy is that?

Does anyone know if you can perform a Firmware Update on a K-7 using a 16GB SDHC memory card?

This issue is an octopus ;-(

I used a 2GB card to update the firmware to the latest when I had the K7. I still use the 2GB card to update firmware for my K5 to the latest.
K1/K3, DA*16-50mm F2.8, FA 31mm F1.8, FA43mm F1.9 Limited, FA77mm F1.8 Limited, SMC Pentax K 85mm F1.8, DA18-135mm F3.5-5.6, FA*28-70mm F1.8, FA*200mm F1.8
felix
Posted 07/04/2013 - 02:45 Link
I have a total of 3X8GB and 4X16GB cards to use.
K1/K3, DA*16-50mm F2.8, FA 31mm F1.8, FA43mm F1.9 Limited, FA77mm F1.8 Limited, SMC Pentax K 85mm F1.8, DA18-135mm F3.5-5.6, FA*28-70mm F1.8, FA*200mm F1.8
McGregNi
Posted 07/04/2013 - 20:41 Link
I have a K7, with the firmware updated, and I successfully use a 32gb card (a Duracell one, been great so far).

I find this capacity very practical as I mix photos with video also, especially if out with the family. The videos files from the camera are large, so starting out with 32gb gives plenty of leeway. I've been fortunate not to had any card failures in my 5 years of using digital (so far).

I have read and heard that it is best to limit the amount of copying and moving files from the card to another device, at least to keep this to a minimum, and also not to delete files on the card using a computer, but rather to format the card in the camera before reusing. So this is another good reason to use large capacity cards.
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Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
Smeggypants
Posted 08/04/2013 - 00:47 Link
McGregNi wrote:


I have read and heard that it is best to limit the amount of copying and moving files from the card to another device, at least to keep this to a minimum,

How can you 'limit' this? You have to move the files to a computer for editing, etc, or are you suggesting you should only take so many pics with a card before discarding it?

And for what good reason should there be this limit?

Quote:

and also not to delete files on the card using a computer, but rather to format the card in the camera before reusing. So this is another good reason to use large capacity cards.

For what good reason should the computer not be used to delete the files on the card before reusing?

Is all this just Internet hearsay or is there any evidence?


I have 16Gb cards that I've used, moved files to the computer, then used the computer to delete them on the card before reusing the card hundreds of times. Cards are still going strong. One of the 16Gb cards has been through my K10D, K20D, K-5s and now I keep it in my little Sony compact and it's seen well over 60,000 images pass through it.
[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
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