Eye-Fi: why no CF format?

[wickerprints]

I've heard about the Eye-Fi SD cards for some time now, and they seem like a really nifty solution for wireless data transfer, geotagging, etc. What I haven't been able to figure out, though, is why this card is only available in the SD form factor. You would think that if they made a CF version, DSLR owners would be all over it. I know I would! I would gladly trade some capacity for the ability to seamlessly transfer photos over a wireless network, and/or have integrated GPS tagging.


So what gives? Anybody have an idea why such a thing does not yet exist? You would think it would actually be easier to do, given that SD is much, much smaller than CF.

[photosurfer]

I think the reason lies in what groups the eye-fi appeals to. It's really more targeted toward P+S owners, because not only is the transfer speed rather low, the read and write speed places it in something like speed class 3 or 4 (this is off the top of my head, so DQMOT). It's great if you're shooting a few pics here and there on a P+S or small DSLR but if you want to shoot even a modest 10-15 frame burst it won't be able to write fast enough. Also they can't handle raw except for the new pro version, which is something like $150. If you want serious wireless file capability, buy a WFT-1 for a 40D, although that's an expensive option it's far more capable. All of this is just my guess, but I think it's as likely as any other reason.

[Vantlor]

Might be because adapters exist.





http://www.amazon.com/Compact-Flash-Secure-Digital-Adapter/dp/B000165CBA





Why spend money develpoing something when a cheap adapter solves the whole problem for you.

[scalesusa]

CF is basically dying as a viable product. I use them and love them, but I'm also realistic. Onlyhigh end camerasuse them, and thats probably 5% of the market.


I noticed just recently that I can no longerget them at any of the Costco stores I've tried recently, so they did not sell enough to bother stocking them.


I'm expecting that pro cameras will use SD in the future. The Canon 1D cameras take both, but my 5D MK II only takes CF.

[wickerprints]

I'm gonna have to disagree with this one. CF is very much alive and well, because they are FAST and large.


The fastest available SDHC card is Class 6 (actually Class 10 but no presently available devices read these cards at that rate of sustained throughput so it's a moot point). That's several times slower than a CF UDMA card.


The next revision of SD, "SDXC" or "SD 3.0," should be fast and large enough to compare with current-generation CF, but by then we will soon see CF cards that are even faster, and have higher capacities, to meet the demands of faster frame rates and high-definition video. As it stands SDHC Class 6 is theoretically barely fast enough to write 1080p HD, whereas CF can handle it easily--and take intervening stills. Future CF standards would allow data transfer rates as fast as 300 MB/s, fast enough to record 21 MP stills @ 10fps. SDXC will top out at about 100 MB/s.


CF is still around because of three very important reasons: (1) unlike SD, it is intrinsically DRM-free. (2) its form factor is small enough to be convenient but not so small to impose significant constraints on capacity, speed, or durability. (3) it has always been the fastest and most robust flash memory format commercially available.


Don't get me wrong, I fully realize that the vast majority of the flash memory market is composed of SD. But that doesn't mean CF is dying--all it means is that SD has become the de facto choice for small portable devices. But for applications that require fast speed and high capacities, CF is still a necessity. In other words, the dominance of SD is not so much about its superiority over CF, but rather, a result of the fact that one format is designed for the mass consumer market, and the other has become the standard choice for the "pro" market, which is inherently smaller. Just imagine how they would react if CF were phased out with nothing to take its place technologically. How could photographers function? As long as we have cameras that need such speed and capacity, we will always have CF.

[crosbyharbison]

I like CF; its harder to loose (:

[FI-Photo]

I agree, size matters. The bigger card is harder to loose.


I spoke with the folks at Eye-Fi and they told me that the card will not work in a CF adapter. No sure it that is true. I did not want to go out and make the purchase just to find out they were right.

[FI-Photo]

Correction - the Eye-Fi Pro will not work in a CF adapter.