why is xD still around?

[Romphotog]

Why is Olympus still using xD? I just dont get it!?
Even the new Olympus SP-570UZ uses it. I was considering it for the huge zoom, and the fact that in manual mode, if you in/decrease aperture/shutter speed, or in/decrease the ISO, the LCD gets darker/brighter. Only the Canon seems to do that as well. But not if I have to get that lousy xD card!
Even Fuji has gotten out of the xD biz; Olympus what's the deal here?
Why not just bury this useless unwanted format?!

 

[Dubious Drewski]

I think you've got that a bit mixed up. The type of memory card has nothing to do with what you see on the LCD when you adjust aperture or shutter.

There are only four things that differentiate any type of memory card from any other type of memory card:
1. Size
2. speed/transfer rate
3. physical shape (SD, Xd, CF, ProDuo, smartmedia, Floppy, whatever)
4. Physical build quality (quality of materials used)

Ignoring these differences, for all intents and purposes, all memory cards from all eras act like any other card from any other era or manufacturer. They're all the same. None of these four listed qualities affect the quality of the photograph in any way whatsoever or affect what you see on the LCD.

Anyway, to respond to your topic: I can't wait until XD finally completely dies out. It lost in the format wars and now has to gracefully bow out.

 

[mrodgers]

I think you've got that a bit mixed up. The type of memory card has nothing to do with what you see on the LCD when you adjust aperture or shutter.

When considering a certain camera with a certain feature not found elsewhere when you adjust A or S that only uses a card type that costs about twice the price of an SD card (guessing), it has everything to do with adjusting aperture or shutter on that particular camera. If you don't buy the camera because of the proprietory memory card, it's difficult to adjust anything on the camera.

I'm very happy that my Fuji takes both. Gives me cheap memory and allows me to use my old cards from my P&S as backup, though they are only good for a handful of shots at 16mb and 64mb.

Wow, I remember when that 64mb card was large quantity.

 

[Romphotog]

I think you've got that a bit mixed up. The type of memory card has nothing to do with what you see on the LCD when you adjust aperture or shutter.

I was a bit confused on that issue, but thanks for clearing it up for me.

 

[Dubious Drewski]

When considering a certain camera with a certain feature not found elsewhere when you adjust A or S that only uses a card type that costs about twice the price of an SD card (guessing), it has everything to do with adjusting aperture or shutter on that particular camera. If you don't buy the camera because of the proprietory memory card, it's difficult to adjust anything on the camera.

I'm sorry, but I can't make sense out of any of that. Could you reword it?

 

[mrodgers]

OP states a function of Olympus cameras that you don't see on any other brand and says it's a feature that happens when changing the aperture and shutter. Olympus uses xD cards exclusively and is the only brand that uses xD cards exclusively (Fuji uses both xD and SD) thus if the OP wants that feature, he must use xD cards because that's the only camera that has this feature.

 

[Garbz]

I ask why does it really matter? My $15 11in1 card reader reads anything except memory stick, including SD CF and xD.

In the end the actual storage format is entirely inconsequential unless you need some robustness where CF cards have shown to work after being run over by trucks, washed, tumble dried, etc.

 

[mrodgers]

The problem is, xD cards are about twice the cost of SD or CF cards, or at least they use to be.

They are also quite tiny and easy to lose. I have 2 laying around somewhere, but have no idea where.

 

[Garbz]

I never really thought the cost of a memory card was of concern with a P&S. Heck a 512mb card can fit more than 100 jpgs on it. It's not like P&S cameras make 16mb images.

 

[mrodgers]

My kids use my superzoom (it's not a P&S...) and take video on it. That can fill up a 2 gig card quite rapidly.

And, sure, you can fit a lot of jpeg shots on a 512 mb card, but you're not going to find a 512 mb card very easily. They follow along with size along with the SD equivelants and last I saw was I bought my 2 gig SD for $10 while the 2 gig xD card on the rack above it was $49. Big difference.

 

[Garbz]

*facepalm* I totally forgot about video.

 

[AlexColeman]

It really all should be reduced to the SD and CF standards. They are the best, and most common cards, at the best price, and compatibility levels. All the other formats need to go to the card reader in the sky.