16GB Red Cards don't work with other devices

[Rick Darge]

Why is it that the $300 Red 16GB card won't work in my Canon 5D but a cheap Sandisk will?

 

[Tom.Wong]

I believe it's because there is a custom firmware flash on the RED CF cards, which is the same reason why you can shoot past 2k on off the shelf cards on a RED...

 

[Rick Darge]

I have some gold Lexar 300x speeds that shoot 4k no problem. My issue is this.. if I'm going to spend $300 on a high speed 16GB card, I want it to work with all my devices, not just Red... Is there a way to hack it so it doesn't have protection?

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

It's not a protection issue, it's a customized firmware issue. Most cameras have their preferred way or mode of accessing a memory card. Off the shelf CF cards you buy will support multiple access modes, UDMA modes and non... AFAIK, the RED cards only support 32bit UDMA access at RED's preferred block sizes. Readers can typically adapt or use a card in its preferred mode. Whereas a camera may not.

FWIW, a buddy of mine swears his 16GB RED cards work in his Sony A900 DSLR. I have not seen it with my own eyes, though.

 

[Brent J. Craig]

If I recall, Red 16GB cards work in my 7D (with the latest firmware only) but not in any 5D I have tested.

 

[Rick Darge]

Thanks Jeff, makes sense now

 

[Shawn Nelson]

Why not just use the Red 8gb cards? They are going for way cheaper than $150 apiece

 

[Rick Darge]

Can't shoot the higher data rates on the 8GB cards.

When are the 64GB due out? I will take 3!

 

[Shawn Nelson]

I meant for your 5d mk2

 

[Rick Darge]

I do use my current 8GB cards on the 5D. There was a situation last weekend. I was shooting some stuff at Comic Con. We ran out of 8GB cards and the producer gave me some Red 16GB cards and we couldn't use them. We were shooting on a 5D and a 7D for practical reasons. I wish it was an Epic.....

 

[Shawn Nelson]

I do use my current 8GB cards on the 5D. There was a situation last weekend. I was shooting some stuff at Comic Con. We ran out of 8GB cards and the producer gave me some Red 16GB cards and we couldn't use them. We were shooting on a 5D and a 7D for practical reasons. I wish it was an Epic.....

Ah dude, you were at ComicCon?? I was there all day Fri and Sat, would have been awesome to meet up. There's this awesome Irish pub called Fields thats just a few blocks away

 

[Rick Darge]

DAMNIT MAN!!! I can't believe we missed eachother! I was there all 4 days... next time dude

 

[Gunleik Groven]

5D = No Go

Nikon D200 = just fine

(No video there, tho'...)