Digital camera storage media

From what I understand the XD is used primarily with Olympus cameras (I bought some for my kids point and shoot). It does tie you to Olympus.

Compact Flash is used on many SLR cameras and therefore more flexible as far as I am concerned. As the camera is new to you you will no doubt be using it for a while I would not worry too much.

With digital and ever increasing file sizes you can never have enough memory. I would get both types of card and load them into your camera so you walk around with max storage capacity assuming the camera is not either/or.

My camera has two slots and I have a 8GB Compact Flash and then a 2GB SD card. It does not take too long to fill both when shooting RAW and away for a long weekend.

Looks like a nice piece of kit. Enjoy.

Adrian

Hi Bruce, I had a 510 until it was nicked in December. I had an 8GB CF card and, if I recall correctly, a 2GB xD card in it. The CF card will be much faster in terms of reading and writing and also supports much larger capacities. There are lots of choices on the market. The xF world is much more restrictive with only Olympus themselves and Fuji producing product, as far as I know. Transfer speeds are slower and not all card readers support the xD format.

If you intend to do panoramics in camera Olympus would have you believe that you must have their own xD card installed but I have seen this disputed elsewhere.

Enjoy the 510. It is an excellent camera and the kit Zuiko lenses are very good value.

Bruce

Welcome to the 4/3rds world

If you want to get involved with forums etc there are several including E-Sytem Talk UK


4/3 Photo
Four Thirds User

The first two are UK based, the last one is US but world based

Another consideration in your choice of card might be availability of card readers while away from home. CF readers are very common, except on those LCD picture frames....

Tony

Thanks all. I've bought a big CF card and a small XD one-I do occasionally like to do panorama pics from the top of big hills. Now I just need the camera to arrive....

I dug out my old Olympus OM4Ti last night and fiddled with it wistfully. I'd never sell it-it has the feeling of an old and favourite pair of shoes, nicely worn and immediately comfy. I wish I could buy a digital camera that had that same feeling of stripped down quality and simplicity but there you go.

Bruce

quote:

I dug out my old Olympus OM4Ti last night and fiddled with it wistfully. I'd never sell it-it has the feeling of an old and favourite pair of shoes, nicely worn and immediately comfy. I wish I could buy a digital camera that had that same feeling of stripped down quality and simplicity but there you go.

I feel your loss, I feel the same about my OM2n and glass and don't get me started on files full of Kodachrome

I'm bottom of the pile, but I still play with my OM1n and 50mm f1.4 every now and then. I love the sound the clockwork mechanism makes on a 1 second exposure.
I long for a digi slr with mechanical aperture and shutter controls. I'd forsake silly settings like 1/320th at f6.2 just for the ease and feel.

Tony

You can get adapters that allow various film SLR lenses to be fitted to Olympus DSLRs

I have been playing with some of my old Minolta lenses on the 4/3rds bodies - the 300mm f5.6 appears to be promising - reminding me of the old craft skills like stop down metering and manual focusing.

potentially useful bits and pieces

quote:

Originally posted by Derek Wright:
You can get adapters that allow various film SLR lenses to be fitted to Olympus DSLRs

I have been playing with some of my old Minolta lenses on the 4/3rds bodies - the 300mm f5.6 appears to be promising - reminding me of the old craft skills like stop down metering and manual focusing.

potentially useful bits and pieces

Thanks Derek. I've a lovely old Zuiko 135mm that might be good to use but the E 510 is coming with a 14-42 and 40-150mm which might make it a bit pointless. I suspect the new lenses are lighter and better balanced with the lighter body.

I'm not a great one for buying loads of camera kit. I've tended to buy something and use it for ages-changing it only when I break it as a rule. I think I've only owned four or five decent cameras. The best of these were the OM 4 and a Canon A1 (which I bought secondhand for a steal if my memory serves). That was a lovely camera to use. Unfortunately it did not work as well after I'd reversed the car over it. I recall it actually switched on and the LED viewfinder display showed ***HELP*** before it gave up the ghost. I thought that was wonderful!

Bruce