I purchased the 16GB version (Transcend 16GB SDHC CARD with Compact Card Reader) of this package a few months ago. The card was meant to be used in my Canon S5 camera. But I soon discovered that it works extremely well with the included card reader as an USB flash drive (much larger and faster than my SanDisk 4GB Cruzer Micro). So I ended up using it mainly for data backup and transfer between my laptop and desktop computers. The card has proven to be fast and reliable in the past 2-3 months of daily usage.
As first I was skeptical about Transcend's speed rating of 'class 6', which means minimum 6MB/S when writing. But my own benchmark results (see Customer Images) showed that this card is capable of writing typical photo files at 10.5MB/S - nearly twice its specified minimum data transfer rate. Just for reference, the Sandisk 8GB EXTREME III claims a faster speed of 20MB/S, but it costs about twice as much.
Considering its low cost and respectable speed, this Transcend card is an excellent buy. But please make sure that you order it from a reputable vendor only. Several reviewers who ordered the 16GB version from TheMemStore complained that they received some no-name card reader (instead of the Transcend DRS5). This may explain why some people have encountered problems when using this card.
[update on June 8, 2009]
I have purchased a total of three Transcend SDHC cards (two 16GB + one 8GB) in the past 10 months. They all worked perfectly so far. The second 16GB card is for use in my new Canon Rebel T1i/500D. I have heard that some other brands of 'class-6' cards cannot keep up with the camera in video mode, and will cause buffer overflow within a few minutes. But the Transcend card has no problems at all. I'm going to purchase my 3rd 16GB card next.
[Update on Sep 14, 2009]
I have highly recommended Transcend SDHC cards in the past, becuase they were much cheaper than Sandisk Extreme III (class-6) cards, and worked just fine in my applications. But in light of many complaints about Transcend card failures, and my recent finding that SanDisk Ultra II (class-2/4) cards are just as fast as Transcend 'class-6' cards, I must now recommend Sandisk Ultra II as a better and safer choice. Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card with Card Reader TS16GSDHC6-S5W
Transcend 16GB SecureDigital SDHC Class 6 Card with Bonus SD Card Reader
Best thing about vacations is that they give you the perfect reason to go out and buy new toys!!! I'm heading to Costa Rica for 8 days of adventure and after looking fondly at my Canon SD850IS, the first thing I thought was, "I'm going to need more space". The one mistake I made when I purchased my 2GB SD card was underestimating how much video I'd take with this little camera (which this camera is surprisingly good at).
With the activities we have planned for CR, I needed to be certain that I'd have enough memory to capture all those crazy adventures (Volcano hikes, zip lines, canopy tours, white water rafting, scuba diving etc...)
* So how much does it store?
At max resolution here are the capacities:
Pictures: 8MP at Superfine resolution: 4,496 pictures
Video: 640x480, 30FPS, 127 minutes and 38 seconds!!!
30 seconds of continuous shooting with no flash at max res: 34 pictures (Canon claims 1.4 shots per second). Please note, I got identical results with the my Sandisk Extreme III 2GB SDHC
* Transfer Performance
Test Bed: 340MB Video File, USB hub, on my desktop (AMD X2)...Each test was repeated 5 times and the average taken (what can I say, I'm OCD :D)
Using the supplied SD card reader: 17 seconds (20 mb/sec)
Connecting directly to the camera: 50 seconds (6.8 mb/sec - i.e. in line with the Class 6 rating)
Using the SD card reader and going through my laptop (IBM T41P): 29 seconds (11.7 mb/sec)
In other words, depending on your hardware it meets and/or exceeds the speed rating.
I also own a Sandisk Extreme III 2GB SDHC card, which boasts a faster transfer rate. The only test above that it performed better in were transfers to my laptop (22 seconds vs 29). It would appear based on the transfer rates that the camera was the limiting factor, but with the supplied SD card reader, that limitation is a non issue.
I'm lucky - I found this card on a lark, and the day after I bought it, the price rose $30. Considering this product was announced Nov '07 and just released, not to mention the competitor's are priced about $50-$100 more, the price I paid for it was just too good to pass up.
So with all that said:
Pros:
- Price (~150mb/$)
- Performance is in line (and meets or exceeds) with its class rating
- 2 HOURS of VIDEO WOOO!!!!
Cons:
- It's new and unproven. The only question that remains is whether or not it will hold up over time...if anything changes in the next month...I'll let you know :)
Enjoy!!! - Transcend - Card Reader - 16gb - Sdhc'
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