Camera Labs

Help me figure this out...
I'm looking around online at prices of the A300 and comparing reviews and sample images and that kind of stuff and something that keeps coming up is people complaining about using a "memory stick duo pro." Is this a problem that only Sony P&S users are running into? Or would I (assuming I get the A300 that I REALLY want) have to use this expensive memory stick thingy?

What the heck is the memory stick anyways?
I've always assumed that the Alpha series took regular run-o-the-mill compact flash cards.

Thanks in advance.

Regards.

Don't worry. The alpha cameras use compact flash cards.

The memory stick is Sony' own version of a memory card. But I believe only the a700 has a slot for these card. There are converters available, to use Memory sticks in a Compact Flash slot. So maybe these converters cause problems.

cheers.

This is a memory stick duo:




I'm 99% sure that all Sony cameras take Compact Flash.

When I bought my Sony A100, I also received a Memory Stick PRO DUO Adapter for Compact Flash in the package.

I have my memory stick duo in the adapter and I shoot away.

I do notice a long 'generating' time for the final image, but this has just started happening after a year, so I don't know..

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The A200 and A300 take only Compact Flash cards. You can use Memory Sticks if you buy a converter, but then why on earth would you? Compact Flash cards are cheaper and more ubiquitous (perhaps even faster and more reliable?).

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PhilipGoh.com

phew!... thanks. What a beautifully discrete way to trick people into spending more money.

I like the fact the A700 has two slots for memory cards, one CF and one MS. Means that if I run out of memory (8GB , takes a while), there's always a little extra on the MS card.
Don't understand why people would use the converter though, unless you have a high speed MS card, which is extremely expensive, compared to it's CF equivalents.

- Bjorn -

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Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

Instead of buying a MS card, you could just buy another CF card. It'll be cheaper and at least you'll have a back up .

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PhilipGoh.com

Well, I had a Sony Ericsson before I got my Nokia N95, and it used MS DUO so does many Sony point and shoots. So, maybe it's intended for people who already has a bunch of MS Duo's lying around? I have a 2 gig MS Duo currently collection dust for instance.

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D40 - Nikon 18-135mm - Nikkor 50mm f/1,8 - SB-600 flash
Nikon Coolpix L3

The advantage of having two different cards in different slots is that you can easily switch between the two. No need to get another card from your bag, just a quick change in the menu and you're done.
I have a MS Duo card for my Playstation Portable. Don't use it in my A700 unless I have too, which is rare. The 8GB is enough for most situations.

- Bjorn -

_________________
Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux