Why only Sony XQD Cards?

Nikon Shooter wrote:

Cristy Fields wrote: it's mainly only Sony that is offering these cards.  

It is their creation… so patent applies!

Cristy Fields wrote: why are some cameras using this card as the primary card?

Personally. I use a Sony 128GB XQD in my D850 and I'm very
happy with it… mind you, like Gary says, they may be hard to
come by, I got mine two weeks after I got the camera and I'm
seriously happy I ordered and got two of them.

I use an XQD only in the D850 because the files are bigger and
it is the best way to go to support the buffer. The Sony reader
is Thunderbolt III and the transfer rate is stunningly fast.

So, with your D850 slinging out 42MP files, you are able to fit about 1250 photos on each card then?  

What sort of video time are you seeing at 4K?

1250? I calculated more than 3000!
I don't do videos!

I don't intend to ever shoot on two cards but it is an
old reflex to backup everything… specially new things.

Nikon Shooter wrote: 1250? I calculated more than 3000!
I don't do videos!

I don't intend to ever shoot on two cards but it is an
old reflex to backup everything… specially new things.

I'm just winging some numbers, I'm driving my car right now.

Is that on EACH card shooting in RAW?

Street Shark wrote: Is that on EACH card shooting in RAW?

Yes, RAW on both but the second is a SDXC card.

Well this is interesting.  You see I remember seeing Lexar XQD cards, and just noticed they are discontinued now:  www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1186721-R...933x_xqd_memory.html

Anyone know what happened there?  Seems like these haven't been out long enough to be discontinued unless Lexar licensed the tech from Sony, and deal went bad?  

Street Shark wrote: So, with your D850 slinging out 42MP files, you are able to fit about 1250 photos on each card then?  

What sort of video time are you seeing at 4K?

Number of images depends upon the type of compression. The number you see in the display is worst case, and is recomputed as you go. Using lossless compress the files are about 60MB in size, so you'll get appr. 1000 or more on a 64GB card.

Video is limited by the license/codec. It's 30 minutes of HD, but I haven't bothered with 4k on that body, so can't say. Likely limited to between 10 and 20 minutes.

If you want unlimited 4k, you need to buy a dedicated video camera, or a body that can be hacked, like a Pany GH7.

Me, I think 4K quality is not good. I prefer HD.

Fess Walker wrote: Well this is interesting.  You see I remember seeing Lexar XQD cards, and just noticed they are discontinued now:  www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1186721-R...933x_xqd_memory.html

Anyone know what happened there?  Seems like these haven't been out long enough to be discontinued unless Lexar licensed the tech from Sony, and deal went bad?  

We know what happened; it's old news. Lexar went out of business, and some of the previous officers started up a new company. Hoping they decide to pick up this format and manufacture it.

Sony developed the format in league with Nikon and SanDIsk. Nikon should have known better. Or gotten a commitment from SanDisk to manufacture cards. Hoping they move to CFE by the end of the year and blow off XQD.

I'm just catching up on this.  Why did Sandisk not make these?  I don't suppose that is known?  These cards are pricey.  You would expect anyone else would see a market opportunity seeing that Sony seems to have this space all to themselves.  

Hey Gary, where are you finding details about this regarding  SanDisk?   I can only find an old article from 2012:  https://www.cnet.com/news/sandisk-on-new-xqd-memory-card-format-meh/  

I'd like to read more about this.  Kind of interesting! 

Ken Brun wrote: I'm just catching up on this.  Why did Sandisk not make these?  I don't suppose that is known?  These cards are pricey.  You would expect anyone else would see a market opportunity seeing that Sony seems to have this space all to themselves.  

You don't have a market opportunity until you have a market. And Nikon is the only company using them (so far).

SanDisk invented CF, and was involved in the XQD development. We probably have them to thank for a form factor that matches CFE, and they probably saw an opportunity to develop a format that wouldn't be controlled by Sony. Or that was part of their agreement with Sony and Nikon. Who knows?

The Canon EOS R uses SD-format and support UHS-II. Which is just fine for 4K @ 30fps. The Sony A7R uses SD-format and memory stick. You'd think they'd learned their lesson, but I guess not.

You can google a bit, but there's not much (yet) to find. It will take some time for XQD and/or CFE to get into new products. The one thing we can be sure of is that larger image sizes and greater video speeds will drive the adoption of faster storage technology. As I said above, I think CFE will win, and if Nikon and update firmware to accommodate it, we don't risk anything with their new bodies.

I could be wrong.

So would you advice NOT to buy a camera that has just XQD card slot in it?  

Sharna Lee wrote: So would you advice NOT to buy a camera that has just XQD card slot in it?  

Sure I would.

The card has performed intensively and flaw-
lessly for well over a year of daily usage.

Sharna Lee wrote: So would you advice NOT to buy a camera that has just XQD card slot in it?  

I don't offer advice. I share anecdotes and observations.

I will be acquiring a Nikon D850 in a few months, and will be forced to buy at least two XQD cards for it. I have lots of SD cards that I can continue to use, thanks to the buffering within the D850. I hope that Nikon implements firmware to support CFE at some point, and the cost of cards drops.

As for a single slot, I think the uproar is overdone. That said, two slots for pro-ish bodies should be a given, simply because it's possible. The cost, however, is greater, because XQD is a PCI device (think add-in card for a computer) so there's more required in hardware and software. Which would increase the price. So, it's complicated.

Cards and card slots rarely fail. And pros should have two bodies in critical situations. Because, you know, stuff happens.

True, but at least that D850 has one SD slot, which means you won't need to rush out and get a XQD card right away.  

Don Granger wrote: True, but at least that D850 has one SD slot, which means you won't need to rush out and get a XQD card right away.  

The SD is specifically a SDXC… but then again,
you'd use only one card.