# Class 10 flash memory necessary for a Canon Rebel T2i?



## Club105 (Feb 15, 2011)

Hi everyone,

I just got a Canon Rebel T2i as a gift and it's my first digital SLR camera. I needed to pick up some Flash memory, but since I'm off to Florida on Thursday, I didn't have time to do any homework. 

I went to Future Shop (like Best Buy) and was pursuaded to buy a "class 10" Panasonic 8GB card. The sales guy said it's the best bet for SLRs and for shooting HD video. 

My question to the forum is, is Class 10 flash memory necessary? Is a lower (and cheaper!) class ok to use? I'd rather save the money and get a lower class 16 GB card if it would be good enough. 

Thanks!


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## DisasterDan (Feb 16, 2011)

That was a good choice, but maybe not needed. Class 10 cards have a Higher write speed, so your pictures will go on the card faster. This helps taking video, as well as increasing your fps very slightly. You could of gotten a class 6 card but they will be slower.

"Canon specifically states that with anything less than a _Class 6_ memory card, you will see problems with video recording and playback."

"A Class 10 memory card which is above the Class 6 requirement for  shooting HD video. There have been reports that the T2i needs a class 10  card in order to record video without any hiccups. The manual states  that a class 6 card is required, but it may be a good idea to go ahead  and get the class 10 if you plan on recording lots of video."

I do realize this is mostly for video, about the only thing it helps for pictures is how fast it will write the pictures to the card, leading to a slightly higher fps. (To my understanding)

Read on this page, it should answer most questions.

Canon Rebel T2i Memory Card Advice


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## Biggs88 (Feb 16, 2011)

While I like to use Class 10's, I can get away with class 6's.

For your application, a class 10 would be the best option. That Rebel's buffer is slow from what I hear. So the quicker the images get off the buffer the better if your going to be doing a lot of fast shooting.

If your taking 2-3 shots at a time or just taking one shot at a time, the class ten is not needed.

I have learned tho it is better to just get the better epuipment. That way you do not grow out of it as quickly.


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## Novux (Feb 18, 2011)

I found a class 10 16GB on Amazon for a softer price than what you'd normally find at any photo retail or even big-box store. Check around, flash is dirt cheap no matter what class.


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## e.rose (Feb 18, 2011)

Biggs88 said:


> While I like to use Class 10's, I can get away with class 6's.
> 
> *For your application, a class 10 would be the best option. That Rebel's buffer is slow from what I hear. So the quicker the images get off the buffer the better if your going to be doing a lot of fast shooting.
> 
> ...


 
^^^^ Yep.

When I first got my T2i I was shooting with the slowest card in the world.  Video recording was next to impossible and forget about burst shooting.  I mean you can shoot in bursts, but it slows down quickly because of the buffer and then took a full minute to finish processing before it would let me actually start to shoot again.

I bought 2 class 10 cards (there was a deal) and i have none of those problems.

I still have the other cards as back up just in case I fill up the 2 fast cards or what have you... and as long as I'm not trying to shoot quickly with the slow cards, or trying to shoot video I'm fine... but in reality, you really kinda wanna stick with a class 10 if you can.


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## fsquare (Feb 18, 2011)

DO NOT BUY AT EITHER OF THOSE TWO STORES! Freaking ripoff artists. 

Example
Future Shop Panasonic 8GB Class 10 - $70+ taxes
B&H Panasonic 8GB Class 10 - $45 SHIPPED...includes duty/taxes so no surprises when it gets to your door

God this country and their ridiculous prices sometimes.


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## KmH (Feb 18, 2011)

So the T2i's slow buffer write speed is the limiting factor. Regardless how fast a card you use, the speed the camera buffer can write - is the upper speed limit.

Flash memory card speeds are usually referring to upload to the computer speeds.

Canon is saying the maximum buffer write speed of the T2i is at class 6.


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## e.rose (Feb 18, 2011)

KmH said:


> So the T2i's slow buffer write speed is the limiting factor. Regardless how fast a card you use, the speed the camera buffer can write - is the upper speed limit.
> 
> *Flash memory card speeds are usually referring to upload to the computer speeds.*
> 
> Canon is saying the maximum buffer write speed of the T2i is at class 6.


 
If that's the case, then why does my manual say "When shooting movies, use a large-capacity SD card rated SD Speed Class 6 or higher.  If you use a slow-writing card when shooting movies, the movie might not be recorded properly.  And if you playback a movie on a card having a slow reading speed, the movie might not playback properly.  To check the card's read/write speed, refer to the card manufacturer's website."

So it's obviously not just an issue of how fast things upload to your computer... it's also how fast they can be recorded.

Obviously the camera itself has a buffer limit, but the card plays a part too... before I had my class 10 cards, when I shot in RAW I couldn't shoot in bursts unless I wanted to have to wait for a full minute for the camera to get finished processing before shooting again.  Even when not shooting in burst mode, it took some time for the camera to process each image.  With the class 10 cards I'm only limited by my camera's burst rate and buffer.  When shooting in burst mode, I don't have to wait more than a second for the camera to process the images and when shooting single shots the images are processed by the camera almost immediately.

Maybe I mis-understood what you said, but the speed on the card has a lot to do with how fast your camera can process the recorded images as well...

You're right though, that the minimum card one would need for proper use of the T2i is a class 6.  I got mixed up because I have class 10 cards, but the only reason I have class 10 rather than class 6 is because they are larger than the class 6 that I was looking at and there was a "buy one, get one" deal with the 10s...

TO THE OP:

To make a long story short, you only need a 6, but a 10 ain't gonna kill ya if you already have it.


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## xjoewhitex (Feb 18, 2011)

Honestly, ive been shooting with class (4) cards since ive started, never had a buffer problem. I saw some video the other day testing different class cards shooting in burst mode, the higher class card actually took longer after the buffer filled to allow shooting again. But seriously I don't shoot in full burst, Ive been shooting in CL @ 2 fps just encase but normally one shot does it. Maybe im just stuck in my ways but I really don't think its really something to put so much thought into. The Class on the card identify the speed it can be transferred. If you shoot giant photos, and many of them it might be a good idea to upgrade so you do not have to wait an hour to unload them.


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## e.rose (Feb 18, 2011)

xjoewhitex said:


> Honestly, ive been shooting with class (4) cards since ive started, never had a buffer problem.


 
You're shooting with a D40... not a T2i... so how do you know your D40 just isn't faster than the T2i with a class 4 card? 

The cards I was using before that I was having issues with were a class 2, I believe, so a class 4 *will* obviously be *better* than a class 2... but if you want your camera to work at it's full potential, I'd at least go with what the manual says... which is a class 6.


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## xjoewhitex (Feb 18, 2011)

e.rose said:


> xjoewhitex said:
> 
> 
> > Honestly, ive been shooting with class (4) cards since ive started, never had a buffer problem.
> ...


Actually a D7000. And I was just saying in general, never and problems ever. Just sayin.. LOL


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## e.rose (Feb 18, 2011)

xjoewhitex said:


> e.rose said:
> 
> 
> > xjoewhitex said:
> ...


 
I was just using context clues.  Apparently they are inaccurate.  :lmao:


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## dnavarrojr (Feb 19, 2011)

I got a ProMaster class 10 card with my T2i when I bought it and it kept timing out when I was recording video.  So I took it back and got an extra battery instead.

I put a "SanDisk Video" class 4 card from my HF11 camcorder in my T2i and never had a single problem recording video with it.  So I think it's highly dependent on the card and manufacturer is my guess.... That said, my "working cards" that I use regularly for shooting footage are all Transcend 16 GB Class 6 cards I got on Amazon.  Never had an issue with any of them and their cheap.


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