Need gift help for memory card for DMC-FZ18K

[LisaAS36]

Hi,

My sister is giving her husband a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18K camera for Christmas this year. I have drawn his name in the family gift exchange and she suggested I get him a memory card for the camera. I have no idea of the kinds of memory cards that cameras use. Can someone suggest a specific brand and model number for a card suitable for this camera? I would hope to keep the price no more than $60 and I know the camera will be used for general family type pictures and some outdoor nature type shots.

Thanks for anyone that can help.

Lisa

[K1W1]

The FZ-18 uses Secure Digital (SD) memory.
There are lots of brands but if you go into a retailer and ask for a "2GB San Disk SD card" you will be getting one of the best available.
All SD is compatible so as long as it's SD even if it is not San Disk brand it will work.
The minimum size to buy is 2GB but for $60 you will be able to buy several 2GB cards so you might want to think about getting a couple rather than one larger one.

[genece]

I take a litttle different approach.....I have no loyalty to Sandisk and do not believe they are any better than most any other card, but if you are going to do this at a local store.......that may be one of the few choices you have.

You do not want to get a slow card ...you want a card rated at 66X or faster....133 or 150X is a good choice and are not much more expensive....also You can choose a SDHC card and if that is what you find they come in 3 classes 2 - 4 and 6......once again 4 would be good and class 6 would be better......and with some careful shopping 50 bucks should be do-able.
Some of the big stores are having good sales this week.
I have a couple of these
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820183048
While I do not have this card its a good deal and I do have a couple Transcend cards only mine are smaller.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820208293

[Mike63]

I also suggest a SD card reader to read the cards. Here is an example of one, there are cheaper models out there but some seemed slow by the reviews.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/SanDisk-MobileMate-SD-Plus-5-in-1-Reader-SDDR-104/sem/rpsm/oid/181055/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

[genece]

I would avoid that reader as it does not seem to handle SDHC cards......no reason to buy a reader that will not do that anymore.
I just got this one but it was much cheaper at my local store.
http://www.amazon.com/Bonzai-Mobile-Card-Reader-Sdhc/dp/B000MN9ZRO