Capturing and Storing Images

 
Overview

Users really should choose a camera first, which determines the storage format, but in some cases it may make sense to make the storage format part of the camera selection process. Many users have chosen the Sony Mavica line primarily on the basis that these models use floppy disks. The two most common forms of storage for digital cameras are CompactFlash and SmartMedia or SSFDC (Solid State Floppy Disk Card).

More of the logic is included in the CompactFlash format, so the cards originally were more expensive but the reader is less expensive. Competition in the CompactFlash market has eliminated most of the price advantage for SmartMedia, and CF still has a distinct advantage in price for PCCard adapters.

While the SmartMedia proponents claim a 3:1 market advantage for their cards, the CompactFlash Association points to International Data Corp research that shows a 3:1 market advantage for CompactFlash (1997 data for both). The SM group forecasts a (shrinking) 2:1 advantage for their cards in 1998 while IDC sees the CF advantage growing to 4:1 for this year. While Olympus seems committed to SmartMedia (despite their membership in the CompactFlash Association), an Agfa spokesman hinted that the ePhoto 1680 would be the last model to use it. This was supported by the news that Agfa would announce a new camera using CompactFlash at the 1999 CES. With Canon, Kodak, and Nikon all clearly in the CF camp it seems clear that the market is moving to CompactFlash. To the casual user this means nothing at all, to the aggressive user who plans to invest a significant amount in storage cards it would be wise to avoid buying a camera that uses SmartMedia. Those shooting rapidly might logically prefer the CompactFlash format for the availability of larger capacities.

Because the CompactFlash standard is basically a connector standard to the common ATA/IDE interface, there is little reason to expect that the current maximum capacity will stand. (Even the original IDE specification allowed 504 MB hard drives.) If a product supports the standard it should support all new capacities in the future. The SmartMedia interface had an 8 MB limit, now expanded to 16 MB, but the camera needs to be changed to support larger sizes should they become available.

Compact Flash

Uses standard ATA/IDE interface for ease of use, but are smaller and lighter than a Type II PC-Card: 1.433" (36 mm) x 1.685" (43 mm) x 0.130" (3.3 mm). Available in sizes from 4 to 96 MB, the 4 MB size seems to have disappeared.. Requires a frame to use in standard PC-Card slots, which costs about $15. Standard supervised by the CompactFlash Association.

Typical pricing (Feb 2000 - very rough average mailorder): 8 MB $40,16 MB $65, 24 MB $18, 32 MB $100, 48 MB $130, 64 MB $190, 96 MB $250, 128 MB $300, PC-Card adapter $15.

SmartMedia or SSFDC flash

Can be used in PC-Card slots with an adapter, but the adapter must have the ATA controller chip in it, so the price is much higher. Slower read and write than CompactFlash. Two voltages, 3.3 and 5, are available, which are not interchangeable, with the 3.3-volt dominating for current production.. SmartMedia cards are available in 2, 4, 8,16, and 32 MB sizes, although the 2 MB cards are hard to find.

The original standard only supported sizes through 8 MB, 16 MB cards were introduced in the Fall of 1998. The new cards were not backward compatible. When Olympus introduced this size they offered an upgrade to two models for about $70 which required a one-week trip to the factory. The standard has been extended and some are now claiming compatibility to 128 MB.

A unique option for reading SmartMedia cards is the FlashPath adapter which can be read in a standard floppy disk drive. The product normally ships with Windows drivers, but Fuji has a Macintosh utility that allows the FlashPath to be used on most PowerMacs. The FlashPath option gives SmartMedia most of the portability of floppy disks, but at floppy-disk speed and the driver or utility must be installed on every system. Fuji maintains current drivers for Windows 3.1/95/98/NT4, and Olympus has three versions on their European site.

Typical pricing (Feb 2000): 4MB $30, 8MB $30, 16 MB $60, 32 MB $110, PC-Card adapter $60, FlashPath floppy adapter $80.

Floppy Disk

Everyone is familiar with the standard floppy disk. They're light and cheap. They can be read on just about any computer in existence. They are also slow and less reliable than other forms of storage. Attempting to store several images on floppies also suggests a level of compression that may well prevent satisfactory results. But there isn't anything more convenient for casual use.

The only manufacturer pursuing this is Sony, possibly because they are one of the largest manufacturers of floppy disks. Sony has developed a double-speed mechanism for use in the cameras. They have also distributed millions of images showing the floppy being inserted into the camera backwards!

Card Readers

Having a way to quickly move camera data to your computer makes a huge difference in the digital camera experience. To be able to pop the card out of the camera, slide it into a reader, and copy your files will make you wonder how you lived without it - using a serial cable will quickly make you wonder if you shouldn't just go back to dropping film off at the one-hour lab.

There are readers for most most formats for Windows and Macintosh users. These connect to the computer via USB, SCSI, or parallel port. The ScnaDisk ImageMate USB supports both Windows and Macintosh but reads only CompactFlash, the ActionTec CameraConnect Pro supports Windows only but supports CompactFlash, SmartMedia, and PCMCIA cards.

Lexar Media

Lexar Media, a developer of "digital film" and other memory products, offers a patented and proprietary CompactFlash technology for up to 100% faster file processing, allowing faster digital camera picture-taking, according to the company. The development engineers were formerly at Cirrus Logic, known for high-density integrated components for video cards and disk controllers.

Through patented Space ManagerTM technology, Lexar Media claims to deliver the industry's fastest sustainable write performance for CompactFlash -- 750KB per second. On many digital cameras, this increase in performance results in the ability to take more photographs significantly faster, even when in the highest resolution picture-taking mode.

Flash memory must be erased before data can be written, and is generally written linearly like the data on a backup tape. The Space Manager firmware maps the total storage on the CompactFlash card like a disk drive, allowing the next image to be immediately saved to a location that is already erased.