Cheap SD cards... OK?

I was thinking of buying a number of cheap SD cards for my camera, which
I've seen on offer... is this a good idea or not?

I appreciate that "you get what you pay for" but what I'm getting at is
if you buy cheapo memory is it inherently less reliable than expensive
branded stuff, ie, might it fail later?

Or is it the case that if when tested thoroughly immediately after
purchase, it's more likely that a cheap card will not work, but that if
it *does* work OK, then it's no more likely to fail in service than a
branded card?

Comments please!

Thanks
David

Lobster wrote:
I was thinking of buying a number of cheap SD cards for my camera,
which I've seen on offer... is this a good idea or not?

I appreciate that "you get what you pay for" but what I'm getting at
is if you buy cheapo memory is it inherently less reliable than
expensive branded stuff, ie, might it fail later?

Or is it the case that if when tested thoroughly immediately after
purchase, it's more likely that a cheap card will not work, but that
if it *does* work OK, then it's no more likely to fail in service
than a branded card?

Comments please!

Thanks
David

Card prices are coming down. Chances are good those are the same cards
that were expensive a few months ago.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Lobster wrote:
I was thinking of buying a number of cheap SD cards for my camera,
which I've seen on offer... is this a good idea or not?

I appreciate that "you get what you pay for" but what I'm getting at
is if you buy cheapo memory is it inherently less reliable than
expensive branded stuff, ie, might it fail later?

Or is it the case that if when tested thoroughly immediately after
purchase, it's more likely that a cheap card will not work, but that
if it *does* work OK, then it's no more likely to fail in service
than a branded card?

Comments please!

Thanks
David

Card prices are coming down. Chances are good those are the same cards
that were expensive a few months ago.

Especially if they are "smaller" cards.

I got burned with cheap cards!

1. They are usually Real Slow at reading, writing, and erasing. Beware!

2. The plastic case is of poor quality and can break inside your camera! I
had one separate near the contacts and catch on the contacts inside the
camera. It was hard to remove and when I pulled it out it ruined the
contacts inside the camera. Camera had to go to the factory for repair.

BEWARE!

I'll never buy an off-brand card again.

NM



"Lobster" wrote in message
...
I was thinking of buying a number of cheap SD cards for my camera, which
I've seen on offer... is this a good idea or not?

I appreciate that "you get what you pay for" but what I'm getting at is if
you buy cheapo memory is it inherently less reliable than expensive
branded stuff, ie, might it fail later?

Or is it the case that if when tested thoroughly immediately after
purchase, it's more likely that a cheap card will not work, but that if it
*does* work OK, then it's no more likely to fail in service than a branded
card?

Comments please!

Thanks
David

~~NoMad~~ wrote:
I got burned with cheap cards!

1. They are usually Real Slow at reading, writing, and erasing. Beware!

2. The plastic case is of poor quality and can break inside your camera! I
had one separate near the contacts and catch on the contacts inside the
camera. It was hard to remove and when I pulled it out it ruined the
contacts inside the camera. Camera had to go to the factory for repair.

BEWARE!

I'll never buy an off-brand card again.

NM



"Lobster" wrote in message
...
I was thinking of buying a number of cheap SD cards for my camera, which
I've seen on offer... is this a good idea or not?

I appreciate that "you get what you pay for" but what I'm getting at is if
you buy cheapo memory is it inherently less reliable than expensive
branded stuff, ie, might it fail later?

Or is it the case that if when tested thoroughly immediately after
purchase, it's more likely that a cheap card will not work, but that if it
*does* work OK, then it's no more likely to fail in service than a branded
card?

Comments please!

Thanks
David


This type of failure is no respecter of brand name or price.
I had a pricey 1GB Corsair 133X SD Card and it came apart at the
seams.It was hard to fish out of its slot just as you described.. I
stuck it back together with a dot of Krazy Glue and is has worked fine
ever since. Fast 1GBs now are so cheap that I'll probably just keep the
Corsair for use on my computers as a Removable H.D.
Bob Williams

Lobster wrote:
I was thinking of buying a number of cheap SD cards for my camera, which
I've seen on offer... is this a good idea or not?

I appreciate that "you get what you pay for" but what I'm getting at is
if you buy cheapo memory is it inherently less reliable than expensive
branded stuff, ie, might it fail later?

Or is it the case that if when tested thoroughly immediately after
purchase, it's more likely that a cheap card will not work, but that if
it *does* work OK, then it's no more likely to fail in service than a
branded card?

Comments please!

Thanks
David

Unless it has changed, there are only a few places that actually
manufacture flash memory chips. All the companies marketing these cards
buy their chips from these few places, and there is little difference
between the cards of similar capacity and speed. The only significant
difference between an expensive and cheap SD card is the capacity and
speed. Unless you have a top of the line DSLR or Pro-sumer type of
camera, you probably will get no great benefit from the faster cards, so
don't bother spending a lot of money on a fast card, or one from a more
expensive brand. And DON'T fall for buying a card from the camera
manufacturer as they ALWAYS are overpriced.

~~NoMad~~ wrote:
I got burned with cheap cards!

1. They are usually Real Slow at reading, writing, and erasing. Beware!

2. The plastic case is of poor quality and can break inside your camera! I
had one separate near the contacts and catch on the contacts inside the
camera. It was hard to remove and when I pulled it out it ruined the
contacts inside the camera. Camera had to go to the factory for repair.

BEWARE!

I'll never buy an off-brand card again.

NM






what did you do to the card to cause the plastic to break? Leave it in
the sun to bake, or force it into the camera? This is the first I have
ever heard of such a thing happening to anyone. I can't credit it as
being at all common, for any card.

On Fri, 25 May 2007 19:14:00 GMT, Lobster
wrote the following to uk.comp.misc:

I was thinking of buying a number of cheap SD cards for my camera, which
I've seen on offer... is this a good idea or not?

I appreciate that "you get what you pay for" but what I'm getting at is
if you buy cheapo memory is it inherently less reliable than expensive
branded stuff, ie, might it fail later?

At work we've had expensive Kingston USB flash drives fail pretty quickly
and cheap no brand ones be pretty indestructible. I think most flash chips
are made by Samsung regardless of which company's name is on the outside
casing. Also worth remembering that if it *does* fail, you can use the sale
& supply of goods to consumers act to get a replacement on the grounds that
it's faulty.

mh.
--
http://www.nukesoft.co.uk
http://personal.nukesoft.co.uk

From address is a blackhole. Reply-to address is valid.

Marcus Houlden wrote:
On Fri, 25 May 2007 19:14:00 GMT, Lobster
wrote the following to uk.comp.misc:

I was thinking of buying a number of cheap SD cards for my camera, which
I've seen on offer... is this a good idea or not?

I appreciate that "you get what you pay for" but what I'm getting at is
if you buy cheapo memory is it inherently less reliable than expensive
branded stuff, ie, might it fail later?

At work we've had expensive Kingston USB flash drives fail pretty quickly
and cheap no brand ones be pretty indestructible. I think most flash chips
are made by Samsung regardless of which company's name is on the outside
casing. Also worth remembering that if it *does* fail, you can use the sale
& supply of goods to consumers act to get a replacement on the grounds that
it's faulty.

Thanks for the replies.

My query was brought about by seeing this promo - 6 GBP for a 1Gb SD
card, which sounded a good deal:
http://uk.aldi.com/sunday_special_buys/productnl_224.html

However, just been on Amazon and found Kingston-branded cards on sale
for a mere 1.83 GBP. Is that really right or am I missing something? I
was expecting these to be about 10 GBP a go?. See:

http://tinyurl.com/2yw3k8 (or
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kingston-Technology-1GB-Digital-SD/dp/B00070QI1I/ref=sr_1_7/026-5345353-7024418?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1180189086&sr=1-7

Thanks
David

"Lobster" wrote in message
...
Marcus Houlden wrote:
On Fri, 25 May 2007 19:14:00 GMT, Lobster

wrote the following to uk.comp.misc:

I was thinking of buying a number of cheap SD cards for my camera, which
I've seen on offer... is this a good idea or not?

I appreciate that "you get what you pay for" but what I'm getting at is
if you buy cheapo memory is it inherently less reliable than expensive
branded stuff, ie, might it fail later?

At work we've had expensive Kingston USB flash drives fail pretty quickly
and cheap no brand ones be pretty indestructible. I think most flash
chips
are made by Samsung regardless of which company's name is on the outside
casing. Also worth remembering that if it *does* fail, you can use the
sale
& supply of goods to consumers act to get a replacement on the grounds
that
it's faulty.

Thanks for the replies.

My query was brought about by seeing this promo - 6 GBP for a 1Gb SD card,
which sounded a good deal:
http://uk.aldi.com/sunday_special_buys/productnl_224.html

However, just been on Amazon and found Kingston-branded cards on sale for
a mere 1.83 GBP. Is that really right or am I missing something? I was
expecting these to be about 10 GBP a go?. See:

http://tinyurl.com/2yw3k8 (or
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kingston-Technology-1GB-Digital-SD/dp/B00070QI1I/ref=sr_1_7/026-5345353-7024418?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1180189086&sr=1-7

Thanks
David

But its sold from Amazon not by Amazon so postage will be at £4,99 plus per
item cost plus 1.83


I would try the Aldi If it fails you can just pop back in the store for
replacement or refund