• Sony Cameras

  SxS Capacities

  Posted by Chris Dolan on December 27, 2010 at 6:33 am

  Searched for the title of this post but the results were all about the differeince in actual bytes vs. advertised capacity.

  My question is this: why would one 16gb card show 51 minutes available while another shows 57? One card is mine, (51 min) formatted on my camera when new, and the other (57 min) was borrowed. Both cards are original Sony SxS cards, not imitations, and both were empty at the time.

  Is this a fluke? What capacity (in minutes) does everyone else have on their formatted 16gb cards? Seems like it should be 57 minutes, because the 32gb card I just bought shows 115 minutes (roughly 57×2.)

  Chris Dolan

  Brent Dunn replied 15 years, 7 months ago 4 Members · 4 Replies
• 4 Replies

• 

  Craig Seeman

  December 27, 2010 at 3:18 pm

  Newer firmware versions on the camera will show a slightly shorter run time. I believe it’s something like 2 minutes less for 32GB. I believe this is why SDHC handling has improved since I suspect the camera is using the card as a buffer of sorts.

  I’m not sure of the impact of a card formatted in one camera with a version of firmware being loaded into a camera with another firmware though. Just to be safe it may be worthwhile to reformat the card in the camera you’re about to use and then check the duration. Also note the durations are approximate as the XDCAM EX codec is VBR.
• 

  Michael Palmer

  December 27, 2010 at 3:27 pm

  I’m not sure this is your issue, but I made a human error pulling an adapter (with an SDHC card inside) before the camera completed the writing to the card and it only shows 42 mins available on this SDHC card now.

  Originally my 16gig SxS cards showed 57 mins and now they show 55 mins due to firmware updates.

  Perhaps you can run a diagnostic on the card and clear some memory then reformat it in the camera????

  Good Luck
  Michael Palmer
• 

  Chris Dolan

  December 28, 2010 at 8:34 am

  Thanks for the replies! I formatted the card again and also updated it, so I’m not sure which one fixed it, but it is now showing 57 minutes remaining.

  Chris Dolan
• 

  Brent Dunn

  January 6, 2011 at 3:38 pm

  3 minutes may not sound like much, but I remember when panasonic came out with the 63 minute tapes. They were a savior when filming Catholic Weddings, which lasted exactly 60 minutes and then I had the bridal party coming down the isle with the 60 minute tape running out.

  Brent Dunn
  Owner / Director / Editor
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