Memory Cards

XD cards are conjointly developed by Fuji and Olympus and were introduced into market in the year 2002. They are ultra compact memory cards format developed so far. The Olympus 2GB XD M+ memory card is the ultimate highest quality obliterable media storage for digital photos.

Cooperative attempt by Olympus and Fuji:

A cooperative attempt to react to the consumer’s needs who are using today’s advanced digital still cameras was made by the XD cards inventors Fuji and Olympus. These needs may be as follows: evolution of smaller digital cameras, a great demand for larger memory capacity, and also greater compatibility with different brands digital cameras. And their effort has resulted in this XD M+ type cards.

Design:

Form Factor of Olympus 2GB XD M+ Type Card:
The smallest form factor of any digital memory card is gassed by XD picture card making it more portable and convenient to use. It has a form factor of NAND Flash. The development of smaller digital cameras will be enabled in future through the small miniature size of the card.

Measurements of the Memory Card:
Olympus 2GB XD Picture Card Type M+ , as mentioned above, is the new generation card which is very compact and measures just (H x W x D) 20mm x 1.7mm x 25mm and, it just weighs  just 2 grams. The entire package itself weighs just around 100 grams.

Rigid Memory Card:
It provides high read/write speeds which are necessary for today’s most novel digital cameras. It is ultra compact and light weighted, and also it is one of the smallest flash media cards available out in the market. It bears a rigid memory card construction for maintaining surpassing lastingness.

Features:

Significant Features:
The Olympus 2GB XD M+ Digital Camera Memory card have the massive storage capacity of 2 GB, state of the art MLC (multi level cell) technology for high capacity memory, compatibility with Panorama, 3D, and Art modes which is applicable to the products whose package states support to the art and 3D function and its ultra compact size.

Compatibility:
The Olympus M-XD2GMP Flash Memory Card is compatible with almost all XD compatible digital cameras and most of other XD compatible devices, which can also be said as compact and durable memory card. Exclusively Olympus Panorama, 3D and Art modes are supported by the only this Olympus picture card.

1.5 times faster than Olympus Type M XD cards:
The Olympus Type M+ cards are capable of transferring data up to 1.5 times faster than the earlier Olympus Type M XD picture cards and for high capacity memory it uses multi level cell technology.

Olympus M+, a High Speed Picture Card:
Along with the support for high speed recording, playback and many more, Olympus 2GB M+ type card is designed to get the very best output from Olympus Digital Camera. It can also be called as High Speed picture card. This increase in speed is particularly useful for rapid shooting of digital images and also in the recording of high quality video by using Olympus Cameras.

Includes Panorama Function:
One of the trailblazers in digital memory is the 2GB XD M+ Type picture card from Olympus. This card also includes panorama function which is almost available on all Olympus cameras.

Seven Different Choices in Media Cards:
With the proclamation of new M2GBPXD Picture Card to the XD family, the storage capacity of recording media for digital cameras was made bigger. With the most recent accession, the current XD media queue up with seven different choices to meet your particular demands: 16 MB, 32 MB, 64 MB, 128 MB, 256 MB, 512 MB, 1 GB and 2GB.

Ultimate Reusable Card with High Read/Write Speeds:
The Olympus 2GB XD M+ Type picture card is the ultimate reusable digital media. It is the only card that supports panorama function available in most cameras, and also offers compatibility with most other producers XD compatible devices. We should thank the number of innovative adapters that are available that includes CompactFlash™ Adapter, SmartMedia™ USB Reader/Writer, and PCMCIA/PC Card Adapter, and is also easy to be used in non XD compatible devices. A compact Flash adapter is developed which allows you to use the XD card in cameras developed for compact flash media. You should first ensure whether your camera supports 2GB cards (as some older cameras does not support 2GB XD picture cards), before you go to purchase one.

Photos and Videos Storage Capacity of the card:
Olympus 2GB XD picture card got a capacity of holding lot of photos and videos. Test has proved that it had no problem holding 744 photos at the SHQ 2288 x 1712 setting or one hour and 30 minutes of video in HQ setting. Using an 7.1 mega pixels Olympus digital camera in HQ mode, approximately can capture and store upto 1000 pictures.

Performance:

Speed of Data Transfer:
The speed of the data transfer of Olympus XD picture card is mostly dependent on the camera’s on board controller and shooting modes.

Portable and Compatible with PCs:
The smart media cards which are most widely used to slot in Olympus and Fuji film digital cameras and other electronic devices are described and proved to be portable and compatible with personal computers and cost performance. They also garnered a lot of reputation and also securely instituted themselves as a memory device standard.

Service and Support:
Olympus provides 2 years of warranty for service and support for Olympus 2GB XD M+ card.

Box Contents:

The contents of the Olympus 2GB XD M+ Card include Olympus XD M+ 2GB Card, Instruction manual and XD picture card holder.
Verdict:

The development of advanced video recording features in latest digital cameras and want fro high quality digital picture has also increased the demand for large memory. In such a case Olympus 2GB XD M+ type picture card is the new innovation card with large memory and great performance, which is affordable, compact and durable. For people who need large memory space, good quality pictures, high performance then the new XD M+ type 2GB memory card is best suit for them.

Check other XD memory Cards, other latest Memory Card Reviews in this website.

Olympus 2GB XD M+ card - Technical Specifications, Features

Manufacturer	Olympus
Model Name	Olympus 2GB XD M+ Memory Card
Model Number	M-XD2GMP
Memroy Card Type	XD- picture card (XD)
Width	20 mm
Depth	1.7 mm
Height	25 mm
Weight	2 grams
Internal Memory	2048 MB
Form Factor	NAND Flash
Volume	850 mm3
Pin number	18
ID protection function	Yes
Panorama function	Yes
Write protectection	No
Controller	No
Input Voltage	3.3 V
Write Speed	Up to 3.75 MB per sec
Read Speed	Up to 6 MB per sec
Operating Temperature	0-55° C operating temperature/ -20-65° C
Humidity	<95%
Package Particulars	Olympus XD M+ 2GB Card, Instruction manual and XD picture card holder.
Manufacture Warranty	2 years

Sandisk 8GB SDHC Secure Digital Card

The SanDisk is lofty in heralding their most novel format into the SanDisk SD Memory cards family and is making Secure Digital High Capacity(SDHC) now available in 8GB capacity. The new memory card’s speed and performance are rated as Class 2 based on SD 2.0 specifications. The SDHC memory card can be named as extremely secure stamp sized flash memory card. It can be utilised in an assortment of digital products that abide by with SD 2.00 specifications, such as digital music players, mobile phones, hand-held PCs, digital cameras, digital video camcorders, smartphones, car navigation systems and electronic books.

What is SDHC?

For the protection of copy righted information the SDHC card holds a security feature. Now SD Memory cards are calling for a different design, to sustain the higher capacity demands. The novel SD 2.0 specifications which supports 8GB is called as Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC).

To help the user identify speed and performance capabilities/minimum prerequisites of SDHC cards and their SDHC host products the SD association has made and specified three speed classes.

Dimensions of the Memory Card:

The SanDisk SDSDB-8192-E11 8GB SDHC Card measures 1.26 inches Width, 0.8 inches Height, 0.94 inches length. It weighs upto 0.22 pounds.

Compatibility:

The key features of SanDisk 8GB SDHC memory card can be listed as follows: it can be used in a variety of digital products like digital music players, mobile phones, hand held PCs, digital camera, digital video camcorders, smart phones, car navigation systems and electronic books.

Key Features of SanDisk 8GB SDHC Card:

Since the card does not have any moving parts, it maximizes battery power. Data will not be lost when power is turned off, low battery consumption to maximise battery life in small portable devices, built to last, with an operating shock rating of 2,000Gs, equivalent to a ten foot drop and high storage capacity (8GB) for storing essential digital content such as high quality photos, videos, music, and more.

Fast and Built To Last:

SanDisk Standard SDHC cards provide you with plenty of room to capture and store all your precious moments in the form of photos safely and securely. You can also count on SanDisk 8GB Memory Card to be ready when you are, everyday, because of its Fast and Built to last feature.

SanDisk 8GB rated as Class2:

The new memory card is rated ad Class 2 in speed and performance depending on SD 2.0 specifications. It means that it have minimum writing speed of 2 megabytes per second. Though the other cards are rated at Class 4(4 Mb/s Min) and Class 6(6 Mb/s Min) which mentions that SanDisk 8GB is not very fast, but it will be extremely good and suitable for videos.

Results of Card In Kodak Z1015 HD video Digicam:

Tests were performed by inserting memory card in Kodak Z1015 HD Video capable Digicam, and it was found that the digital card is quick enough to manage HD video which is continuously streamed to the card. A video footage shot continuously for 29 minutes without any problems made the new model great. You should just make sure that the device you are going to insert this card is SD HC compatible, as some older devices does not recognise this card.

100% Fine with Nikon D80:

Tests performed on the memory card by slotting it into Nikon D80 proved that it is a great card which is 100% fine with the device. Though the Memory card is not exceedingly fast, it can be said as quite fast compared to other third party cards or low cost cards.

Card Partners Well with Canon 450D:

When the memory card is partnered with Canon 450D it performs extremely very well and is also competitive in price. The tests also resulted that the SDHC memory card works with digital photo frames. You will be very pleased to have one of this memory card with you.

With 10 mega pixel camera:

The memory card got huge capacity for photo storage. With the 10 mega pixel camera the new SanDisk 8GB memory card (SDSDB-8192-E11) can store more than 2900 photos which is plenty for personal uses.

With Olympus LS-10:

The 8GB Memory card works very fine with Olympus LS-10 recorder to expand its memory.

Better output from Flash Based HD Camcorder:

As the high performance SanDisk SDHC Memory cards are optimised with fast speed and high capacity to record HD videos, you will be provided with the most excellent results from your flash based HD camcorders. And also you can keep your HD videos memories safe and well organised because of the incorporated labels and jewel case.

It sports you to capture and organise treasured memories in HD with SanDisk Video HD Card, for recording high quality HD videos it features high capacity memory cards and the high performance card is optimised to record HD video or you can also do it at highest setting of the Camcorder. The approximate recording time for the 8GB Memory card is, 80 minutes for 13 Mbps HD High, 120 minutes for 9Mbps HD Standard, 180 minutes for 6Mbps HD Extended. These are the approximate recording times for HD which may vary depending upon the model, resolution, compression and content.

Warranty Information:

The new SanDisk 8GB SDHC Secure Digital Card is provided with limited warranty of up to 5 years.

Package Particulars:

The SanDisk SDHC Memory Card weighs 0.075 kg after packing in a box.

Verdict:

We are sure that the price offered for the card online is a great, where the other high street retailers often charge three or four times of this price, and also SanDisk is a well known brand name and is of great value too. There is no problem in storing the pictures and there are no errors in it. It provides good results for the price it is purchased and it is worth buying it.

Sandisk SDSDB-8192-E11 8GB SDHC Memory Card - Specification Details

Manufacturer	SanDisk
Model Name	8GB SDHC Secure Digital Card
Model Number	SDSDB-8192-E11
Product type	Flash Memory Card
Card Type	SDHC Memory Card
Memory Capacity	8GB
Speed Performance Rating	Class 2
Size (W x H x L )in	1.26 x 0.8 x 0.94
Weight	0.22 pounds
Compatible Slots	1x SDHC Memory Card
Features	Write protection switch, Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI)
Warranty	5 years

FujiFilm, a Japanese company is the world’s largest photographic and imaging company that is well known for its quality photographic film and cameras. Being involved with photography, it is very hard for any company to be idle without manufacturing any Memory Cards as they are currently the major format of storage. Hence, Fuji also manufactures memory cards and this company proudly announced the introduction of their new 2GB version xD picture card digital camera storage media in the year 2006. The 1GB version was available since 2002 and this type of memory card earned a popular following called as a compact digital camera storage media. Since the need of a larger storage space increased, the 2GB version of xD Picture Card was introduced.

The MLC technology employed:

xD Picture Card Type M is based on a Multi Level Cell (MLC) technology, which is a high density flash memory technology. This technology makes sure that the card remains to be compact even with a larger capacity and hence the memory card maintains its dimensions to be a compact (H x W x D) 20mm x 25mm x 1.7mm and weighs less than one tenth of an ounce. Fuji boasts that its xD card is currently one of the smallest and the lightest flash memory cards that are available. The MLC technology has a potential storage capacity of up to 16GB.

Capacity:
As the title indicates, here we are discussing about the 2GB version of the xD card. At 2GB capacity, the card will be capable of holding approximately 2600 images of 3 megapixel resolution, 1200 of 6 megapixel and 800 images of 12megapixels.

Efficient storage space usage:

FujiFilm continues to upgrade and boost the performance of its xD picture cards in order to meet the latest trends and the increasing resolutions of digital cameras and the diversification of shooting styles too. “xD” originally stands for Extreme Digital and you might be wondering what the “Type M” in the model name stands for. The Type M denotes the Multi Level Cell Technology that we had previously discussed. The MLC technology makes sure that the xD card gets the maximum photographic storage space with minimal space or cost for this day’s most advanced and compact digital cameras.

Compatibility:

Fuji 2GB xD Picture Card Type M Flash Memory Card is compatible with most of the digital cameras and most USB card readers or writers, allowing the digital images on the card to be read directly via a computer USB port without having to involve the digital camera. The card can also be used to transfer and copy data, video and voice files. Using new, compressed methods of digital data storage, higher capacities are achievable with minimal impact on read and write times.

Disadvantages of xD cards:

We feel that it is our responsibility to point out the disadvantages of the xD format when compared to the other rival formats like Secure Digital, Compact Flash and Sony’s memory stick. The xD cards have a small maximum capacity relative to other memory card formats. These cards have not kept up with the transfer rate, or speed, of other cards, notably Compact Flash and SD but also the later versions of the Memory Stick. The fastest xD card offers less than 10% of the speed of current Compact Flash cards. Usually xD cards are much expensive than the cards of other formats. Since these types of cards have no wear levelling controller, they are likely to have shorter life then the other types of cards. Yet, when storage space alone is considered, it is the xD cards that make efficient use of the available space and hence, as far as picture storage is considered, the xD cards are the ideal ones.

Warranty:

FujiFilm offers 2GB xD Picture Card Type M a warranty of 5 years. This is quite insufficient as the other manufacturers offer lifetime warranty for their cards.

Verdict:

The Fuji 2GB xD Digital Camera Memory Card does a decent job as a memory card for the digital cameras. But xD cards have lost their market to SD cards because of their higher cost and limited usage in products other than digital cameras. However, if you do not care about the price and very small differences in transfer speeds, the Fuji xD card gives you the best value for its efficient usage of storage space.

Fuji 2GB xD Picture Card Type M - Technical Specifications, Features

Manufacturer	FujiFilm
Model Name	Fuji 2GB xD Picture Card Type M
Dimensions	20mm x 25mm x 1.7mm
Weight	2 grams
Capacity	2GB
Memory type	NAND flash
Volume	850 mm3
Technology used	Multi Level Cell (MLC) technology
Pin number	18
Write protect	No
Controller	No
Operating environment	Temperature: 0 - 55°C (operation); -20 - 65°C (storage). Humidity: less than 95% (operation); less than 95% (storage).
Voltage	3.3 V
Warranty	5 years

SDC/2GB - 2GB microSD Flash Card from Kingston

Kingston Technology is an American producer of memory products. Being the largest independent producer of DRAM memory modules, it is arguably the second largest supplier of flash memory. In the following review, we are to see in detail about Kingston’s 2GB MicroSD Card.

MicroSD flash memory cards:

MicroSD flash memory cards are commonly used in mobile phones but also in some of the other popular day to day gadgets like GPS, portable media players, expandable flash memory drives, gaming consoles and digital cameras. MicroSD flash memory cards are the smallest memory cards that are available commercially, having its dimensions to be just 15 mm × 11 mm × 1 mm  ( H x W x D) and quarter the size of a Secure Digital card.

Capacities:

Apart from the reviewed 2GB capacity, the Kingston MicroSD card is also available in 256MB, 512MB and 1GB capacities.

Specially for mobile phones:

With Kingston’s 2GB MicroSD Card (Model No: SDC/2GB) you will be able to share the content in your mobile phone with the world. This removable storage solution has been designed specifically for the mobile phones with expansion slots. With this storage, you will be able to move data between phones, in case you are upgrading your handset.

SD adaptor:

Each of the cards come with an SD adaptor that gives you the ultimate convenience to use the card even as a full sized SD card in the Secure Digital enabled gadgets. With the help of SanDisk adaptors, the microSD cards can be stepped up to be used with a variety of other electronic devices having mini SD and SD slots.

Compatibility:

Kingston MicroSD 2gb Phone Memory card is developed using industry leading quality processes, that ensures superior quality, performance and compatibility with the device the module is designed for.

Performance:

Coming to the performance, when compared to the industry lead Sandisk, the read speed of Kingston is 20% faster. But in the case of the write speed, Kingston SDC/2GB 2GB MicroSD Card lags behind being a little slower, but is not awfully slow.

Standard and operability:

The Kingston 2 GB MicroSD Flash Memory Card complies with SD Card Association version 1.10 specification standard. The operating temperature of this durable card is, -25 degree C to 85 degree C and the storage temperature being -40 degree C to 85 degree C. These values make sure that you need not worry about the harsh weather conditions, and still your memory card will continue to full fill your mobile’s storage needs.

Battery efficient:

Having an ultra small size, the Kingston MicroSD card consumes very little battery from your handset and gives a longer life to your phone.

Package:

The package is a tiny plastic carry case which includes the Kingston 2GB microSD card, two adaptors, one micro to standard SD and one micro to mini SD.

Warranty and support:

Kingston MicroSD 2GB Digital Memory Card comes with a lifetime warranty and 24 x 7 technical support.

Conclusion:

With its ultra small size, reliability and durability, the Kingston’s 2GB MicroSD Card will be a great choice for you mobile phones. But if you want better writing speeds, then you could go for SanDisk MicroSD 2GB card.
Check best selling Phone Memory Cards, MicroSD Memory Card Reviews in this website.

Kingston 2GB MicroSD Flash Card - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Kingston
Model Name	Kingston 2GB MicroSD Card
Memory card type	MicroSD Card
Model number	SDC/2GB
Dimensions (H X W X D)	11mm x 15mm x 1mm
Weight	1.4g
Ultra portable	Yes
Capacity	2GB
Storage capability	1800 3MP images, 380 MP3 songs, 200 audio books and 120 minutes of video
Other capacities available	256MB, 512MB and 1GB
Host transfer rate	8.8 MBytes/sec
Applications of use	Mobile phones
Operation temperature	-25 to 85 degrees C
Storage temperature	-40 to 85 degrees C
Warranty	Lifetime warranty

SDSDX3-002G-E21 - Extreme III 2GB Secured Digital Memory card from Sandisk

Serious photographers need memory cards that are a few steps ahead of the standard memory cards that you get in the market. Specialised imaging cards are currently available in the market and SandDisk again has proved to be the front runner with these cards too. The imaging cards give the power and performance that is necessary to capture the perfect shot of that special moment that never comes again. The following review is on one such imaging card, the SanDisk 2GB Extreme III SD Memory Card.

Ultra portable card:

Being a high tech memory card, the SanDisk 2GB Extreme III SD card has to be extremely light weighed and ultra portable and it does the same by having its dimensions to be just 24mm x 32mm x 2.1mm (H X W X D) and weighing only 1.5 grams. Since it is designed especially for professional photographers who work under the most rugged and extreme conditions, it is mandatory that the card is durable as well as reliable.

Unmatched reliability:

With the SanDisk Extreme III SD card 2GB (SDSDX3-002G-E21), you are assured of unmatched reliability as it has been built to work in the most extreme and challenging conditions. This is made possible with the help of their latest and innovative ESP technology that offers the fastest speed and the highest possible performance. The term ESP stands for ‘Enhanced Super-Parallel Processing’, that offers the fastest available sequential read/write speeds of 20MB/s. This speed will certainly be appreciated while shooting in harsh environments, extreme temperatures and high altitudes. An ultra-fast write speed of 20MB/sec means there’s faster capturing of large image files to the card.

The RescuePRO software:

The SanDisk Extreme III SD 2048MB Memory Card comes with the RescuePRO software that aids in recovering images, documents, mails, videos and all the digital files with a great deal of ease. This software is built with the most popular and leading media recovery algorithms. This software gives you a preview of the data that is recoverable before you could do it. With the help of RescuePRO’s unique recovery algorithm, you get what you anticipate to get.

Works under extreme conditions:

As we had mentioned earlier, the memory card has been built to work under extreme weather conditions and is having its operating temperatures to be 13º F to 185º F -25º C to 85º C. SanDisk Extreme III SD card is shock and vibration tested.

Service support and warranty:

Sandisk offers dedicated priority technical support hotline for direct customers of Sandisk Extreme memory cards. Sandisk backs Extreme III SD card with lifetime warranty of 10 years.

Package:

A small travel case has been included in the package and this allows the card to be kept organised.

Verdict:

The SanDisk 2GB capacity Extreme III SD Memory Card offers with excellent performance with its speed, reliability and durability. We have simply no hesitation in recommending this card for usage in any imaging device like digital cameras or camcorders.

Read other Sandisk Memory card Reviews, SD Memory Card Reviews in this website.

SanDisk Extreme III 2GB SD Memory Card - Technical Specification Details

Manufacturer	SanDisk
Model Name	SanDisk 2GB Extreme III SD Memory Card
Model number	SDSDX3-002G-E21
Memory card type	SD Memory Card
Dimensions (H X W X D)	24mm x 32mm x 2.1mm
Weight	1.5 grams
Ultra portable	Yes
Capacity	2GB
Other capacities available	4GB, 8GB and16GB
Read speed	20MB/sec
Write speed	20MB/sec
Applications of use	Imaging devices
Included accessories	Small travel case
Warranty	10 year warranty