Author: Andrew Smith
Memory Cards
- Cards / CompactFlash Microdrives: cameras typically higher-end professional. Microdrives are actual hard drives in the CompactFlash form factor. The adapters allow the use of SD cards in a CompactFlash device.
- Memory Stick: a proprietary flash memory type manufactured by Sony.
- SD / MMC flash memory card is small in size gradually supplanting CompactFlash. The original storage limit was 2 GB, which is being supplanted by 4 GB cards. 4 GB cards are not recognized in all cameras as a revision was made to the standard SD and SDHC (high capacity SD). The cards also have to be formatted in FAT32 file format while many older cameras use FAT16 which has a partition limit of 2 GB.
- New HDSC-SD ~ 4GB SD format: just some new cameras are compatible with this system ensures a higher speed data transfer.
- MiniSD card (a little less than half) of a smaller card used in devices such as cameras in mobile phones.
- MicroSD card: even smaller than mini SD (less than one fourth) version of the SD card. Used in mobile phones that incorporate features like camera, MP3, etc.
- XD Card: created by Fuji and Olympus in 2002, a format smaller than an SD card.
- SmartMedia: A now-obsolete format that competed with CompactFlash, and was limited to 128MB of capacity. One of the main differences was that SmartMedia had the memory controller integrated into the reading device, while he was in the CompactFlash card. The xD card was developed as a replacement for SmartMedia.
- FP Report: A serial flash memory of 2-4MB, used in low-end cameras from Mustek / Relisys Dimer.