Lexar 512 MB Secure Digital (SD) Memory Card (SD512-231)
Written: Sep 02 '05 (Updated Sep 09 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Low price, 5-year warranty, reputable manufacturer, large capacity
Cons: No protective case included, relatively slow writing for large files
The Bottom Line: The Lexar 512 MB SD Card provides decent speed and is inexpensive. It also comes from a reputable manufacturer. I recommend it if you do not need...
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| dkozin's Full Review: Lexar 512 MB SD memory card 1x (SD512-231) |
I am buying and selling quite a few digital cameras regularly. Sometimes they come as a package with a memory card or getting them with a memory card lets me apply a coupon and get a camera for less. This is how I got the SanDisk 512 MB Secure Digital card.
And sometimes, I find such a good deal on a memory card that I cannot resist getting it. The Lexar 512 MB Secure Digital Card (the subject of this review) was selling for a rather low price, which was even lower combined with mail-in rebates. Although the card does not sell as a premium high-speed card, I was not so sure anymore that it would be slow.
After all, the speed-unrated SanDisk 512 MB Secure Digital card turned out to be a good performer and Lexar is a reputable manufacturer. So I bought this card for, what should be about $20 if I get my mail-in rebates.
I prefer cards that are fast because I use TIFF mode of my Panasonic FZ5 digital camera, which produces 14-Megabyte files. My previous card (standard speed Kingston 512 MB SD Card (sd/512)) took about 15 seconds to write a 14-MB TIFF files from my Panasonic FZ5 5-Megapixel digital camera, whereas it only takes 3-4 seconds using my other card - a Kigston Elite Pro 512 MB SD card. So how does this Lexar card perform? Let's find out.
Pricing
The card sells for about $20-50, depending on the store and rebates/promotions.
Packaging
The card came in a "blister" pack, which was relatively difficult to open. Although the pack probably looked nice on a store shelf, I didn't enjoy opening it using a knife. But this is not unusual. What was unusual about this card is that, unlike my previous SD cards, it came with no plastic protective case (semi-transparent case made of plastic - a useful item for card storage). I don't like this.
Construction
The SD card seems to be well-built, but, as with any electronic device, I would not recommend to put it in extreme weather conditions or apply strong bending forces to it. The lack of protective case was a bit concerning.
The card has size that is standard for SD cards - 24mm x 32mm x 2.1mm.
Speed
Just as with my previous purchase (SanDisk card) I did not know what kind of speed to expect from this card. The information I found about its speed was contradictive at best, absent at worst. I was unable to find the definitive information about its speed on the Lexar's web site or in product descriptions on web sites that sell them. The Lexar web site is rather vague about performance.
To try out, I put this card to a test in my Panasonic DMC-FZ5. For comparison purposes, I used both the standard SanDisk 512 MB SD card and the faster Kingston Elite Pro.
When shooting JPEG files (1-2.5 MB each), there was no difference if I was shooting at intervals of about 2 seconds or in burst mode. But in TIFF more with file size of 14 MB, the Lexar card took 5-6 seconds, the Elite Pro 3-4 and the SanDisk 4-5 seconds per image.
This means that the Lexar card it is slightly slower than both the standard SanDisk SD card and the Kingston Elite Pro (rated at 7-8 MB/sec).
I recently got a card reader (Dazzle 8-in-1 USB 2.0 Hi-Speed) and did some speed tests with this card. The results are by no means very accurate, but they are accurate enough for my purpose. It was able to write a 151 MB of files on this Lexar card in 90 seconds, which amounts to almost 1.7 MB/s. For comparison, the SanDisk took only 55 seconds, which is almost 3 MB/s.
The read speed was faster (I removed and reinserted the card to make sure the files were not cached). I was able to read 151 MB in 35 seconds, which amounts to almost 5 MB/s! This is pretty close to the SanDisk (30 seconds). Pretty good for a non-speed rated card.
Capacity
At 512 MB, the card is not the capacity champion, but it fits about 550 2-Megapixel pictures in Fine mode or 190-200 5-Megapixel pictures in Fine mode. And using TIFF, I can store about 36 14-Megabyte photos.
There is an advantage to having two 512-MB cards as opposed to having one 1-GB card. If one card breaks (unlikely, but possible), you will still have pictures from the other card and will only loose half of your pictures (on average). You can store the card that is not currently loaded in your camera somewhere more safe, making it less prone to being stolen with your camera. It is also a little easier to copy files from a card when it has less files.
Write Protection
The card has a mechanical switch that provides write protection. I never use since it is pretty difficult to erase all pictures at once or format the card in my camera accidentally. Also, after I fill one card with photos, I remove it and store in the aforementioned translucent case thereby avoiding the danger of deleting images unintentionally.
While the card is in use, I keep it in my camera most of the time. I use the camera's USB port to transfer the photos to my computer. I also transfer pictures to my computer as soon as feasible.
Warranty
The card came with 5-year warranty. Although it is good to have this kind of warranty, I am sure than you will be able to buy 8 Gb card for peanuts in a couple of years from now. And the warranty will not help you if your valuable photos are lost. Therefore, backup is essential. As soon as feasible, I copy my photos to my computer and burn them on CDs or DVD.
Durability
Since the card has no moving parts, I expect high reliability and durability, especially taking into account the fact that I don't remove it from the camera often. My previous cards, for instance, have no signs of use on the exterior and worked as well as new when I sold them.
I have used this card for a month and had no problems.
Uses
The card can be used in devises that accept Secure Digital cards (e.g. digital still cameras, Panasonic e-wear cameras, MP3 players, PDAs, etc.) Currently, more manufacturers are switching to Secure Digital cards, thereby indicating that SD is superior technology. Even Canon is switching to SD in their PowerShot line (their SD line or Digital Elph cameras and upcoming Canon S2 IS). And Nikon D50 (their new digital SLR camera) uses SD cards as well.
Am I Keeping It?
I am selling this card because I have enough SD cards for the foreseeable future and because I dislike the lack of the protective case and the fact that the write speed of this card is slower than my other cards. Weather I need it or not. If you don't shoot RAW/RIFF and don't need a fast-speed card, this card may be a good choice.
Bottom Line
The Lexar 512 MB SD Card provides decent speed and is inexpensive. It also comes from a reputable manufacturer. I recommend it if you do not need high speed. But if you do, you might want to check out a faster card (e.g. Kigston Elite Pro 512 MB SD card).
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
dkozin
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 in Electronics |
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Location: California
Reviews written: 838
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About Me:
I love to push buttons on electronic (audio and video) equipment. It makes me happy.
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