External flashes

[Geoff_M]

If in-camera re-formatting doesn't stop the card from acting up, then the card is likely "toast". Is your card a Lexar, by chance? The Lexar brand has gotten a black eye in the last year or so because a lot of their cards (particularly the 80x "Write Accelerated" ones) are are dropping like flies. Lexar is replacing them for free, but that doesn't help with lost images.

See: http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=26161
http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=24661

 

[PhotobearSam]

No...it's a Sandisk...

I don't care if I can't use it ever again, I was just hoping to get some of the Photos off the card.

 

[SharonLowe]

Did your CF card come with data recovery software? Some of Sandisk's cards do and you can try that to get the images back. I've had good luck in some cases including my latest crash of a 4 gig card just last week. You can download a demo to see if it works:

http://www.lc-tech.com/software/rescueprodetail.html

They also offer a discount on file recovery services but those can be expensive.

I had 2 lexar 4 gig pro cards fail. Lexar replaced plus recovered the images at no cost for me. A pain but I learned that cards larger than 2 gigs frequently have problems so I now mostly stick to 2 gig cards. The 4 gig from last week was my last time using them unlesss I have an emergency and use up all my 2 gigs and don't want to delete the images from the cards.

 

[MICKEY88]

A pain but I learned that cards larger than 2 gigs frequently have problems so I now mostly stick to 2 gig cards. .

really ????

wow, where did you learn that.??

I guess I've been lucky I shoot with an 8 gig card all the time and have had no problems..

 

[PhotobearSam]

Sharon...I like your SMILIE...LOL

Thanks for the advice

 

[SharonLowe]

really ????

wow, where did you learn that.??

I guess I've been lucky I shoot with an 8 gig card all the time and have had no problems..

Long time ago so could have been addressed. Has to do with the FAT32 file system, which has to be used above 2 gig, not being as stable or as readily recognized by cameras as FAT16. All I know is that I have had 3 memory cards fail - all were 4GB cards - 2 Lexar Pro 80x (had to have them replaced and files recovered by Lexar) and 1 Sandisk UltraII (was able to get images and fix myself).

 

[MICKEY88]

Long time ago so could have been addressed. Has to do with the FAT32 file system, which has to be used above 2 gig, not being as stable or as readily recognized by cameras as FAT16. All I know is that I have had 3 memory cards fail - all were 4GB cards - 2 Lexar Pro 80x (had to have them replaced and files recovered by Lexar) and 1 Sandisk UltraII (was able to get images and fix myself).

hmmm the card I've been using is a Ridata 8 gig Supreme Series....

I actually thought I had a problem with it on several photo shoots, until I researched and discovered that it's a camera problem...
apparently the Minolta 7D has an FFB problem..

 

[PhotobearSam]

No, it did not work...I guess it's a lost cause.

 

[SharonLowe]

Call the manufacturer's tech support line - they might be able to help. Also, try formatting the card in camera, if it will, and then run the data recovery program again.

 

[AndrewWG]

All,

Does anyone have any flash recommendations for a Canon 30D? I see the 2 most popular Speedlite's, but boy are they expensive. I think they are the 430 and the 530 models. Are there any decent non-Canon models out there that would be just as good? I know nothing about using a flash other than simple bounce and diffusion techniques so I don't need anything fancy. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Andy

 

[Master Mason]

I think the canon models are the 430 and 580. I have the 430 and it does everything I need it to do. I think it was about $250 or so.

Sigma makes flashes that are less expensive, but I understand that ther are limitations to them. There is another company that Jan was talking about that supposedly gets good reviews, but I can't remember the name.

 

[jann1033]

metz is the name but the price is the same as the more expensive canon one.. i have heard and seen some decent reviews for sigma and there is a cheapish one promaster that is supposed to be good for the money ( there was something i didn't like about that one but don't remember what it was now,,,)...check out smart shooter article..you might have to register but it's free and so far i haven't gotten a lot of junk from them
http://www.shootsmarter.com/infocenter/wc050.html
edited cause....
i found this email that explains why i decided against the promaster
Janet:

The Promaster 7500DX flash does not offer high speed sync. It will sync
up to 1/200th sec. on the digital Rebel XT. The secondary fill flash that can
be turned on with the switch on the back right of the flash is to fill in shadows
under the eyes, nose and chin when bouncing the flash off a low white ceiling
in a group or portrait situation.

Flashexpert

i wanted high speed sync but other than that is was a nice flash for i think around $300

 

[blackjackdelta]

I use a Canon 580, does everything I need plus.

Jack

 

[jann1033]

the promaster was closer to 200 but now i am not sure if they have changed the model...maybe try a local camera shop and see ...don't know if dodd camera is local or national but their promaster was pretty close to what i would have paid online.

 

[left210]

Anyone use a mini USB drive for back up of your photos? I have approx 7000 photos on my computer and have been backing them up to CDs but am wondering if it would be better to use a flash drive. What are the chances of one of them failing and losing pics that way? Also, what size drive would I need for 7000+ pictures. I saw some in the ads for a 2 GB & a 4 GB. Would I need more than one for that many pictures? Thanks for your help.

 

[webshark3]

Use both. It's cheap enough. Flash is cheap and pretty reliable. CDs are even cheaper. With both, no real worries....

7000 photos? how large is the average photo?

 

[Master Mason]

How much storage you would need depends on how large the files are. If you open your my computer, and then go and right click on your picture folder, that will tell you how much storage you would need for what you have.

However that should NOT replace your cd or dvd back up, all drives will evenutally fail.

 

[left210]

Thanks for the quick responses. I do not know how large the photos are and am not at home right now to check but they are stored in Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 right now if that gives you any idea? I didnt realize all drives will eventually fail so it is good to know to use both sources for back up. Any idea on how many photos fit on 2 GB vs. 4 GB? I realize this depends on size of photos but are there any averages.

 

[Code]

Thanks for the quick responses. I do not know how large the photos are and am not at home right now to check but they are stored in Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 right now if that gives you any idea? I didnt realize all drives will eventually fail so it is good to know to use both sources for back up. Any idea on how many photos fit on 2 GB vs. 4 GB? I realize this depends on size of photos but are there any averages.

File size depends on megapixels and level of JPG compression, but also varies with picture content as pics with a lot of fine detail are less compressible. A wildly generalized rule would be about half a megabyte per megapixel.

I don't consider flash drives a good backup solution for digital pics because you'll pay about the same amount for an X-sized flash drive as you will for an X-sized memory card (memory cards are flash memory). I would recommend an external hard drive instead, in addition to your CD backups.

 

[webshark3]

There aren't any averages, since file sizes can range from 20k to 20MB. What model camera do you have? We can help from there....