Technology X Tomorrow's Technology Today!
Yesterday’s advanced camera and video realm has become the norm of today and with that, the consumer needs to carry a bit more knowledge on their shoulders. Where any SD card might suffice for newer consumer media recorders of just a short time ago, today’s equipment shoots in 1080P video, over 40 megapixels and has brought such advanced features as multi-exposure and HDR (high dynamic range) to the fingertips of the typical camera buff. With this comes the need for a faster performing and larger capacity SD card, as well as an understanding of what newer storage media is capable of.
The Kingston Class 10 UHS-I (U1) SDXC 64GB Ultimate Card fills just that void. It is a simple solution to a typically confusing scenario and we are going to analyze the Kingston Card in a very simple format, allowing you to understand the terms that confuse us so and arming you with the knowledge to understand why a quality card is so important in today’s camera world. As a bonus, we are also going to report on the new Kingston MobileLite G3 Card Reader, and I will be the first to admit, this is one of the handiest things available for the camera enthusiast.
KINGSTON CLASS 10 UHS-I (U1) SDXC ULTIMATE CARD
Let’s refer to this card as the ‘Kingston Ultimate’ and explore it just abit. First off, it is a Class 10 device which is also UHS-I (Ultra High Speed). UHS-I refers to the cards interface and the fact that it is capable of transferring data up to 104MB/s between compatible devices. The fact that it is capable of write transfer speeds in excess of 10MB/s earns it the ‘U1’ designation and confirms that this card is capable of recording HD video in real time. It is an SDXC (secure digital extended capacity), vice the former SDHC (high capacity), which is a category reserved for newer cards between 64GB and 2TB. The key here is that you need to ensure that your media device, along with your card reader, are SDXC compatible and specifically that the card reader is USB 3. Without, a severe bottleneck is created in file transfer.
The Kingston Ultimate is available in capacities of 16 and 32GB (SDHX format) as well as the 64GB sample that we are reporting on today which is of the SDXC format. Specifications list this card as capable of 65MB/s read and 35MB/s write and all have a limited lifetime warranty which is definitely a plus. For those thinking that these speeds are restricted to file transfer, think again. Unlike typical SD cards that will fail, this card is capable of shooting full 1080P HD and 3D video in real time and it will also visibly improve camera speed when shooting such things as continuous shots, multiple exposure and HDR.
Pricing is key to media storage and Kingston Technology understood that when creating the biggest and baddest of their SD card family. A quick check of Amazon
KINGSTON MOBILELITE G3 CARD READER
The Kingston MobileLite G3 Card Reader is compatible with all SD and microSD cards right up to SDXC, including MSPD. It is a USB 3.0 device that is fully backwards compatible with USB 2.0, has a two year warranty and fits into your pocket or camera bag easily. It’s about the size (not weight) of a camera battery.
IN our opinion, the G3 is a must have as investing in a quality card such as the Kingston Ultimate SDXC just doesn’t make sense if your not going to utilize the performance it is capable of.Perhaps one of it’s most attractive features is the sliding casing that pulls out to protect the USB 3.0 port or SD card.
A quick check of Amazon