After releasing the extreme Digital (xD) memory cards back in 2002, Olympus and Fujifilm have struggled to keep up with the advantages of the competition's flash memory card, the Secure Digital.
Technology has continued to evolve, and both companies are finally beginning to slow down on xD card production in favor of the widespread and infinitely more flexible SD format.
Difficulty With Compatibility
One of the reasons SD cards are so popular is because they are supported by such a large number of electronic devices. The SD's are compatible with video games, PDA's, video recorders, and of course digital cameras.
On the other hand, the xD card is exclusive to Fujifilm and Olympus digital cameras. There are SD cards on the market now that can store up to 32 GB of space. The maximum for an xD card is 2 GB -- hardly enough for most higher end electronics.
On top of all this, the xD cards have garnered a bad reputation for compatibility issues with certain software and camera accessories. This can cause a lot of problems for some users, who end up with a drawn out mess instead of the simplicity promised by xD's advertising.
Image Trouble
Digital cameras are meant to record our important life moments so we can relive them after the fact. The most troubling problem that xD card users have experienced is data corruption, and it's happened so often that more than likely every xD card owner will lose their data at least one time in their use, if not more.
Some of the more common activities that will trash your stuff include buttons being pushed in the middle of a camera load, for instance, or removing your card without first turning off your camera.
An SD card isn't an exception to data corruption, but it's mentioned far less often than the xD. Corruption can screw up any camera's output, but the xD's number of complaints is bordering on the legendary.
Pricey Product
The strangest discrepancy among these memory cards has to do with the price of the limited xD versus the more efficient SD card. A 2 GB Olympus xD card is available through Amazon.com for $17.50, and the SD version of that same size card is priced at $8.49.
The quality differences are so extreme that it is not surprising that more and more consumers are buying devices with SD memory card compatibility rather than the xD.
Despite the fact that the SD originated in'99, it's still powered for expansion to fit in with many of the electrical devices being sold today and, featuring all that disk space, it's not hard to like them.
As customers continue to choose the SD over the xD, Olympus and Fujifilm are right to leave behind their xD cards and try something new. - 32363
Technology has continued to evolve, and both companies are finally beginning to slow down on xD card production in favor of the widespread and infinitely more flexible SD format.
Difficulty With Compatibility
One of the reasons SD cards are so popular is because they are supported by such a large number of electronic devices. The SD's are compatible with video games, PDA's, video recorders, and of course digital cameras.
On the other hand, the xD card is exclusive to Fujifilm and Olympus digital cameras. There are SD cards on the market now that can store up to 32 GB of space. The maximum for an xD card is 2 GB -- hardly enough for most higher end electronics.
On top of all this, the xD cards have garnered a bad reputation for compatibility issues with certain software and camera accessories. This can cause a lot of problems for some users, who end up with a drawn out mess instead of the simplicity promised by xD's advertising.
Image Trouble
Digital cameras are meant to record our important life moments so we can relive them after the fact. The most troubling problem that xD card users have experienced is data corruption, and it's happened so often that more than likely every xD card owner will lose their data at least one time in their use, if not more.
Some of the more common activities that will trash your stuff include buttons being pushed in the middle of a camera load, for instance, or removing your card without first turning off your camera.
An SD card isn't an exception to data corruption, but it's mentioned far less often than the xD. Corruption can screw up any camera's output, but the xD's number of complaints is bordering on the legendary.
Pricey Product
The strangest discrepancy among these memory cards has to do with the price of the limited xD versus the more efficient SD card. A 2 GB Olympus xD card is available through Amazon.com for $17.50, and the SD version of that same size card is priced at $8.49.
The quality differences are so extreme that it is not surprising that more and more consumers are buying devices with SD memory card compatibility rather than the xD.
Despite the fact that the SD originated in'99, it's still powered for expansion to fit in with many of the electrical devices being sold today and, featuring all that disk space, it's not hard to like them.
As customers continue to choose the SD over the xD, Olympus and Fujifilm are right to leave behind their xD cards and try something new. - 32363
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All xD memory cards are still available courtesy of Olympus and Fujifilm. If you are looking for another memory card, or perhaps you need new quality digital camera memory to start over with, be sure to purchase all your storage solutions from recommended retailers to ensure the best quality.
