Your 30MB/s should not be getting 12.48 MB/s, even if it's been used and even on a USB 2.0 reader (unless the reader is absolutely screwy). Chances are you have a counterfeit. Where exactly did you purchase the card from? I've heard that about 1 out of 3 Sandisks is fake.
I haven't used the RX100 enough to post a review, maybe after I go out with it some, but I was sick last weekend and have been busy during the workweek. I took a few shots of my gf cooking and reading and a few test shots to gauge how much bokeh I can get out of it and if there is too much distortion or decentering. So far I'm impressed enough to know I will keep it. I ordered a Carryspeed MagFilter to go with it so I can use my polarizer and ND filters with it.
According to other benchmarks posted on Amazon, my numbers are exactly on par with USB 2.0 readers. If you move to a USB 3.0 reader, you jump to 46 MB/s which is over double.
The question is, why is 20MB/s not sufficient for the LX7. Why does it write so slow?
Edit: Sorry, not sure why I quoted myself.
Here's the exact card on Amazon. It seems like my results are exactly on par with other customers. I should have heeded the reviews but I didn't pay them any attention since I am a fan of SanDisk. Now, I have to determine who has a faster writing card ...
You fell for it. I'm so sorry I wasn't here for you when you made that purchase. I feel like I should post a PSA, and demand a sticky.
I warn people about it on SD, but most people don't listen, or don't use it at its max anyway.
The SanDisk Ultra 30MB/s is the worst misleading advertised card I've ever seen.
You see SanDisk. Good! You see 30MB/s. Good!
Technically, the Ultra 30MB/s isn't a bad card, but it depends what you use it for.
What happens?
Let me do a comparison to the card that you should get, the SanDisk Extreme 45MB/s.
SanDisk Ultra 30MB/s vs Extreme 45MB/s:
- In a USB 2.0 card reader in USB 2.0 port
------------------- Read | Write
Ultra 30MB/s ---- 20MB/s | 13MB/s
Extreme 45MB/s - 20MB/s | 20MB/s
** note: most USB 2.0 card readers are bottlenecked @ ~20-22MB/s
- In a USB 2.0 card reader in USB 3.0 port
------------------- Read | Write
Ultra 30MB/s ---- 20MB/s | 13MB/s
Extreme 45MB/s - 20MB/s | 20MB/s
** note: here, the USB 3.0 port will work in USB 2.0 backwards compatibility mode, no difference
- In a USB 3.0 card reader in USB 2.0 port
------------------- Read | Write
Ultra 30MB/s ---- 36MB/s | 13MB/s
Extreme 45MB/s - 36MB/s | 30MB/s
** note: USB 3.0 don't have that bottleneck, and will perform much better.
** However, there is still overhead w/ the USB 2.0 bus.
- In a USB 3.0 card reader in USB 3.0 port
------------------- Read | Write
Ultra 30MB/s ---- 44MB/s | 13MB/s
Extreme 45MB/s - 46MB/s | 44MB/s
** note: here's the max that the Extreme 45MB/s can do. I've tested faster SD cards.
** I've also tested a SATA3 SSD, and I was able to pull around 200MB/s write w/ a USB 3.0 SATA adapter.
I'm so sorry you fell for it. I hate SanDisk for that.
However, that doesn't mean the Ultra 30MB/s is a bad card.
Technically @ $18 for 32GB, its reliable, and "fast".
It can (mostly) record 1080p video in a Canon DSLR (which requires ridiculously high bitrates).
Sony makes a C10 card that's barely C10 (barely does 10MB/s write), and can't record 1080p video for Canon
It's just that the Ultra's card is misleading w/ its advertisement of 30MB/s.
They should emphasize:
"Up to 30MB/s*, WRITE SPEED WILL BE MUCH, MUCH LOWER BUT CLASS 10 STILL"
Lastly, I want to talk about where SD cards make a difference -
Your Camera's Max Write Buffer from Camera-to-Card speed.
In a Canon T2i / T3i / T4i / 60D / 6D / 5DM3, the write buffer's max speed is only around 21-23MB/s.
That means even if you had your SanDisk Extreme 45MB/s, the camera is the limiting factor, not the card.
However, the Ultra 30MB/s card will be the limiting factor, since it only has a top write speed of 13MB/s.
The question is, what is your Camera? And what is it's Max Write Buffer speed from Camera-to-Card?
Here's a video of the NEX5N write buffer flushing, with the crappy Sony C10 card, vs. a High Speed MSPD
(roughly the same speeds as an Extreme 45MB/s)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkgNgXqYbqk
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