Can a A610 use a 2GB card?

[cattails]

When I last checked Canon's site, they had only tested the A610 with cards up to one GB. Has anyone tried a 2 GB card in this camera successfullly?

Is this something I need to worry about, or should I assume that when they build bigger cards that they will just work?

Thanks

[truflip]

i dont see why not..the only restrictions I see are with the 4GB as the camera's will need a firmware upgrade because 4GB ones like some special high capacity stuff.. :confused:

[David Metsky]

The problem with 4GB cards is the file system format (FAT16) that the camera understands can't address a 4GB address space for formatting. Otherwise, it'll work just fine.

-dave-

[BowerR64]

Is there a limit to Fat 16 file size? what is the largest size fat16 can work with?

[David Metsky]

Is there a limit to Fat 16 file size? what is the largest size fat16 can work with?
All about FAT filesystems (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_Allocation_Table)

FAT16 is limited to 2G. FAT32 allows 2TB, so we're safe there for a while.

-dave-

[ben7337]

wait you can get a firmware update for the camera so it can use 4 gb cards?

[David Metsky]

wait you can get a firmware update for the camera so it can use 4 gb cards?
The cameras in question seem to work fine with 4G cards, but the word is that you can't do a low level format if the cards get corrupted. I've never used the combination so I can't say for sure. Search this site; it's been discussed several times.

I haven't heard of any firmware update, nor do I think one is needed to just shoot and download with the card. High-level formatting supposedly still works.

-dave-

[BowerR64]

Is there a list of canon cameras that are 8 bit, 16 bit and 32 bit? I didnt know they were still 16 bit. I always thought the higher the bit the better the quality.

So the S2 is 16 bit and the S3 is 32?

[David Metsky]

Is there a list of canon cameras that are 8 bit, 16 bit and 32 bit? I didnt know they were still 16 bit. I always thought the higher the bit the better the quality.

So the S2 is 16 bit and the S3 is 32?
This is all file system related, it has nothing to do with image quality. It merely refers to how much memory space can be addressed by the camera operating system. It has nothing to do with the bits being written, or the speed, or any camera features.

The S3 may have FAT32 (I don't think it is), but it only would affect very large memory cards. In an earlier thread you said you only have small memory cards, so it should have no impact on you (or most people).

-dave-

[BowerR64]

This is all file system related, it has nothing to do with image quality. It merely refers to how much memory space can be addressed by the camera operating system. It has nothing to do with the bits being written, or the speed, or any camera features.

The S3 may have FAT32 (I don't think it is), but it only would affect very large memory cards. In an earlier thread you said you only have small memory cards, so it should have no impact on you (or most people).

-dave-

Yeah because i read an e-mail from a tech with canon who sugested to use 512 meg cards and under. I said if you wanted more then 512 meg to use more then one card but he never went into any details why or the reasons. I was trying to figure it out, i thought there was some high tech reasons he didnt want to get into because most wouldnt understand so i thought since we were on the issue ide ask a little about it.

So on my video card in windows there are settings i can change from 1024X769 and 1600X824 and i can chose 16bit and 32bit that has nothing to do with the resolution quality? its just a file type?

[David Metsky]

No, that is completely different. :)

I believe that 16 vs 32 bit relates to color mapping, and that does affect the image quality and file size. It relates to how many distinct colors you wish to use to create the image.

The FAT16 and FAT32 stuff is not something you have control over. It simply relates to how big a memory card your camera can fully address. Two separate uses of similar terminology.

As to using 512M cards, that ship has sailed. I take Gigs worth of pictures and video on trips, I can't be bothered with 20 different memory cards.

-dave-

[BowerR64]

No, that is completely different. :)
As to using 512M cards, that ship has sailed. I take Gigs worth of pictures and video on trips, I can't be bothered with 20 different memory cards.

-dave-

This is just with the A610? how many canon cameras have you tested this with fully?

[David Metsky]

I've used a 1 Gig card with my SD300 since I bought it 20 months ago. I now have two 2-Gig cards, no problems. Most heavy users on this site have 1 and 2 gig cards. There's absolutely no problem using 1 and 2 gig SD cards on any recent camera.

Have you heard of any problems other than the email from Canon support? Ask around here, people use them all the time with absolutely no problems.

The only reason people sometimes give not to use large cards is that in the rare event of a card failure you'll lose more images. But there's no technical reason. This doesn't include the 4G card issues with low-level formatting.

-dave-

[cattails]

Reading through the replies, this is what I think I've learned. Since posting the question, I have gravitated to a 4 GB card, so

With a Canon A610, I should expect to
--fully access the 4 GB of storage
--be unable to reformat if the card gets corrupted.

Right?

What do high and low level reformat mean?

If I can't reformat in the camera, are there other options?

Thanks

[wutske]

All about FAT filesystems (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_Allocation_Table)

FAT16 is limited to 2G. FAT32 allows 2TB, so we're safe there for a while.

-dave-

You should take it with a grain of salt. M$ has limited the maximum FAT32 partition size to 32Gb. In general, bigger partition won't give any problems, but you should always be aware.
But 32Gb flash memory (commercialy wise) is probably out of the question for this year :D .

[cattails]

Canon Support sent the following reply, which seems to indicate that anything under 2 TB (NOT GB) is OK:

Due to the ever-increasing number of companies manufacturing and
selling
Secure Digital and MultiMedia cards, we cannot test and evaluate all
the
different brands, sizes, and speeds of cards available in the retail
market. Any card with a capacity up to 2048GB that adheres to the
Secure Digital and MultiMedia card standards, and is formatted with
either a 16 bit (cards up to 2GB) or 32 bit (for cards larger than 2GB)
file addressing system, should work in your camera.

Unfortunately, because we have not tested the camera with all speeds,
sizes, and brands of Secure Digital and MultiMedia cards, we are unable
to speculate as to the performance of the camera with a particular card
installed, or to recommend a specific type of card.

Based on that, I'm cutting the 4 GB card I just got out of its package.

Thanks