XQD's Expresscard Adapter from Sony

[Jack Zhang]

Sony Global - Memory Media & External Hard Drive Portal - Sony XQD™ Memory Card

Originally Posted by Sony Press Release

...Also, an XQD ExpressCard Adapter (QDA-EX1) will be available for use with computers with an ExpressCard™ 34 card slot.

Don't let the EX1 in the model name fool you, Sony may still have to make a specific XDCAM EX card to use with XQD. But this could mean that XQD cards can fit inside an SxS slot.

[Marcus Durham]

XQD might be a bit more of a standard than SxS as it's been picked up by the Compact Flash association. SxS is rather a dead duck like a lot of Sony formats end up being with only Sony producing the media and the kit to work with it. With no competition in manufacturing and low sales volumes we end up with high prices. Suits Sony, doesn't suit us.

The XQD spec looks fast and will be the successor to Compact Flash. Hopefully our next gen of cameras will be able to use it instead of SxS.

[Les Wilson]

Even still. SxS on xdcam is far less expensive per minute than P2 on Panny which is the only other professional format out there. I much rather trust my video on sxs and schlepping the sxs around than flimsy cf any day.

[Luc De Wandel]

I have used the word 'flimsy' very often on this forum myself when I had to describe SD(HC) cards, because that's what they are: flimsy and very vulnerable, plus not intended at all for any professional use.

I wouldn't use the same term for CF-cards, though, as these have been designed for professional use in harsh circumstances. I've been using CF cards for over ten years now in all my hi-end still camera's as a professional photographer, and they have never let me down. As I mainly shoot concerts, I use the cards in a hot, humid environment and I even dropped and trampled on a few during all these years with no negative effects whatsoever. I doubt if the SxS cards that I use for my hobby will stand such a treatment, being longer and therefor more vulnerable to cracking and bending... But I must admit: I'm more careful with my videostuff, as it is just a favorite passtime, not a job.

[Les Wilson]

I agree flimsy isn't the best word for CF but in using both types for video and schlepping them all over the world, I feel much better about the SxS holding up to the inevitable knocks, drops and other things that happen. And in fairness to Sony, they came out with a durable, reliable and professional media at a time (3-4 years ago) when there was no such media and the big concern was loss of data from solid state media versus tape. Also, if memory serves me right, pro video rated, reliable and quality built CF cards are a relatively recent development and not all that inexpensive.

[Luc De Wandel]

In my Sony Z7 I used the same inexpensive Transcend cards that I also used in my Canon DSLR's and they performed flawlessly. That said, I agree with you that Sony has done a good job in choosing a sturdy, reliable card, but I cannot help wondering why they didn't choose CF-cards, when devices like the Aja Ki Pro Mini deliver 4:2:2 video at extremely high bitrates on these very same cards? Especially because any CF-card of a reliable brand still costs a fraction of even the cheapest SxS card...

[Jack Zhang]

Just clarifying: XQD might fit inside an adapter for SxS, not the card itself will fit inside a SxS slot without adapters.

[Vincent Oliver]

Originally Posted by Luc De Wandel

I have used the word 'flimsy' very often on this forum myself when I had to describe SD(HC) cards, because that's what they are: flimsy and very vulnerable, plus not intended at all for any professional use.

Last year I attended the Samsung launch of their class 10 SDHC cards. Samsung invited us to take away a 16gb card for review. The sample cards were laying unprotected at the bottom of a large salt water fish tank (with fish), and had been there for over 24 hours. To date I have not had any failure with the cards.

I also asked why Samsung had not developed any CF cards, the reply was that they are too vulnerable to dust and moisture getting in the connection holes - I take that with a pinch of salt!

The new XQD cards sound interesting, I look forward to seeing these in action, and I am sure an adaptor for the EX cameras will be available very soon.

[Jack Zhang]

Bumping thread because the PMW-100 is said to support XQD cards. Does that mean an adapter is coming for SxS to XQD? Firmware updates could soon be coming to the EX series if that is the case.

[Matt Sharp]

Originally Posted by Jack Zhang

Bumping thread because the PMW-100 is said to support XQD cards. Does that mean an adapter is coming for SxS to XQD?

Looking at the brochure for the PMW-100 (http://www.sony.de/res/attachment/fi...7485121040.pdf page 5) it looks like the adapter is the QDA-EX1. It's already up at Adorama: Sony QDA-EX1 XQD ExpressCard 34 Adapter QDA-EX1

[Jack Zhang]

Nice. Now if only we could get a firmware update so that the QDA-EX1 works with current EX cameras.

Edit: Wait, USB is the catch. It works with the current firmware, but I still wouldn't know about overcranking with a USB interface... Throughput is key.

What's needed is a dedicated XDCAM EX PCI-E interface XQD adapter card to take advantage of the full speed. I know the MEAD adapters are limited to 12MB/s nominally when reading.

[David Heath]

Originally Posted by Les Wilson

I much rather trust my video on sxs and schlepping the sxs around than flimsy cf any day.

I've heard many stories which tend to show that SDHC and (especially) CF cards are anything but "flimsy" in reality. Best I've ever come across was this - Google+ helps camera find its owner: Markus Thompson British Columbia Canon EOS 1000D | Mail Online .

But I've also heard firsthand of CF cards being left in pockets in the washing machine and card and photos being fine afterwards.

I don't doubt that SxS and P2 cards are a bit better, but nowhere near as big a difference as may be popularly believed.

I would only ever trust good branded makes, though.

As far as SxS goes, I thought they were also made by Sandisk? (Hence the "SxS" - Sony and Sandisk.) They are also used by people other than Sony - such as in the Alexa. See - http://www.arri.de/camera/digital_ca...tml?no_cache=1 - section 10.

[Dave Morrison]

<snip>

Originally Posted by David Heath

As far as SxS goes, I thought they were also made by Sandisk? (Hence the "SxS" - Sony and Sandisk.) They are also used by people other than Sony - such as in the Alexa. See - ARRI Group: ALEXA FAQ - section 10.

<snip>

You're right David. Sandisk DID make these cards. I'd read somewhere that they were actually making all the cards for Sony and Sony would slap their label on the cards. I own 2 or 3 of the SanDisk labeled cards and they are fine performers.

[Kevin Spahr]

Set your memory card on top of a ten foot high ladder and then push it off and let it drop on a concrete floor.

Check it for physical damage and then test its operation.

Then put your camera on top of the ladder and repeat test...

[Vincent Oliver]

Good Advice Kevin, let us know how your test is progressing.