Today's choices in flash memory storage devices for digital cameras and other devices is mind-boggling.   It's no wonder the consumer is totally confused.   Just figuring out which options your camera should have is tough enough.

Then you discover that there are all kinds of memory storage options -- SmartMedia (SM), CompactFlash (CF), MemoryStick (MS), MultiMediaCard (MMC), Secure Digital (SD), eXtreme Digital (xD), Microdrive ... and none of them are compatible with the others.

Only recently have Secure Digital, Memory Stick and xD cards gotten above the 1GB capacity mark -- CompactFlash (CF) devices offer capacities of up to 12 Gigabytes, they're the main focus of this report.

We are also expanding our SD card coverage - SD cards are now the most popular flash media type and getting bigger (up to 4GB) and faster (up to 150x speed) all the time!

CompactFlash Type I

Popular 1GB CompactFlash Type I cards

CompactFlash cards are the standard media for most all digital SLR cameras from the consumer-priced Canon Digital Rebel XTi and Nikon D70s all the way up to the $9000 Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II.

There are no compatibility problems with any device certified to use a CF Type I card, any brand will work. CF cards over 2GB in capacity will work in all dSLR cameras made after 2004 - to be sure check our list on the Microdrive review page.

Until year 2005 CF cards were the -only- media used in digital SLRs. The Canon EOS-1D Mark II and the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II can use both CF and SD cards -- however the new Nikon D40 and the Pentax K100D use SD cards exclusively - the times they are a changing...

The Fastest

The Largest

COLOGNE, GERMANY, Sep. 26, 2006 – SanDisk today introduced the 12- and 16-gigabyte (GB) SanDisk Extreme III CompactFlash cards to its award-winning Extreme III performance line, making these the highest capacity cards in the world. The new high-performance, large-capacity cards are ideal for professional photographers who shoot RAW or high-resolution JPG files and need the performance, reliability and capacity to capture these large files.

The new cards will have minimum write and read speeds of 20 megabytes per second (MB/sec.) and will ship to photo retailers by the end of the year. The announcement was made at the Photokina trade show where SanDisk is demonstrating products in Hall 6, Stand D78/E79.

If you want to know exactly who has the FASTEST cards for use with the pro SLR cameras then be sure to check with my good friend Rob Galbraith, he maintains an up to date listing of all the high performance CF cards at his web site.  Just click here:

CompactFlash Type II

Both Seagate and Western Digital have announced production of one-inch drives in CF Type II factor (aka Microdrives) with capacities of 5GB and higher although most seemed destined for use in MP3 players.

CF Type I ... Type II ... what's the difference?

CompactFlash Type II and I cards compared

CompactFlash Type II devices can NOT be used in cameras that have the thinner Type I card slots. Pictured above you can see the height difference between Type I and II cards, this precludes their use in older cameras.

Cameras That Can Use The Microdrive

SD High Capacity (SDHC) Cards - SD 2.00

PMA 2007 SDHC Announcements

PMA 07, Las Vegas, NV - March 8, 2007 - Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced it will expand its line of Secure Digital High-Capacity (SDHC) memory cards with the introduction of three new 8GB cards available in Class 2, 4 and 6 speed ratings as well as two new 4GB SDHC cards in Class 4 and 6 speeds.

LAS VEGAS – March 8, 2007 – Announced today at PMA 2007 (Booth # B142), PNY Technologies, Inc. introduced several new higher-speed, higher-capacity digital storage solutions, including its 8GB Optima Pro CompactFlash, its 1GB and 2GB Optima Secure Digital as well as its 8GB Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) Class 6 cards.

Fremont, CA , February 13, 2007 - Lexar, a leader in advanced digital media and accessories, today expanded its professional product line with the introduction of a 133x speed-rated Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC™) flash memory card designed for professional and high-end amateur photographers who demand the freedom and flexibility to quickly capture a large number of high-resolution images with SDHC- enabled digital cameras. Delivering a minimum sustained write speed capability of 20MB per second, Lexar Professional SDHC cards allow photographers to capture more images while spending less time changing memory cards.

Las Vegas, NV (January 7, 2007) – Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company today announced plans to launch new Pro High Speed SD Cards with Class 6 SD Speed specification with 1GB/2GB/4GB memory capacity. Sales of the memory cards worldwide are scheduled to begin in February 2007.

High Capacity MS Pro Cards

Sony and SanDisk now have Memory Stick PRO cards that boast 4GB and 8GB of capacity.