On inserting the SDHC card into the camera, the card was immediately recognized and quickly formatted. The camera takes 7.1-megapixel images; this card has the capacity to store 5107 of the highest-quality photos or two-and-a-quarter hours of the highest-quality movies (according to the camera display).

Regarding data-transfer speed, I attached the card to my Dell Inspiron E1705 desktop and timed how long it took to load the empty card with several files that totaled about 14.9 GB. When plugged into the SD/MMC slot, the transfer rate was 3.37 MB per second; when attached to a USB port (through the neat adapter that was shipped with the card), the transfer rate was 6.63 MB per second. As I understand the SDHC rating system, the USB transfer rate makes this a Class 6 card with a 40x rating – the lowest Class 6 rating. The card can be used for the Microsoft “Vista” Ready-Boost feature, if you are so inclined.

The SDHC card I received was manufactured in Taiwan and shipped mounted on a factory-sealed display card, on which the USB adapter was also mounted.

Before ordering this SDHC card, I read most of the comments sent in by other purchasers – particularly the negative comments. Considering the price of the card, I felt the benefit-to-risk ratio was great enough to make the gamble of purchasing this card worthwhile.

From the manufacturer

The SD Memory Card is a high-capacity, high-speed storage medium for the digital age. Incredibly small yet durable, the SD Memory Card is about the size of a postage stamp. It can store all kinds of digital content, like video, still images, music and more! So you can transfer data easily between products with an SD Card slot. The increasing data volume and expanding range of digital contents require high data reading and writing speeds. Panasonic SD Memory Cards offer reliable, rigorously tested solutions that meet your digital storage needs. Its slim, compact design promotes easy handling—an important factor for moving between different SD-compatible products. Panasonic’s SD Memory Cards are small enough to be used in select mobile phones and PDAs, as well as many other compact or multi-functional products.

Amazon.com Product Description

Lexar Media’s high-speed digital film helps your camera capture images faster, so you spend more time taking pictures and less time waiting on your camera. Lexar’s CompactFlash cards are individually speed rated so you know the minimum capability of the card. Lexar uses the same rating system used by the CD-ROM industry, where a data transfer rate of 1x equals 150 kilobytes per second (KBps). The higher the speed rating, the faster your camera will be able to write images to the memory card.

For professional shooters who need immediate confirmation they’ve captured the shot or who want to identify accurate exposure levels or bracketing range, Lexar’s patented 12X speed (1.8 MBps) transfer rate makes the card ideal for fast-paced applications such as photojournalism, sports, and fashion. And Lexar’s solid-state design provides reliability in harsh shooting environments, mandated by professionals throughout the world.

The Digital Film Compliance seal assures you that your Lexar Media digital film is 100 percent compatible with your CompactFlash digital camera. It can also be used in all other digital devices that support the CompactFlash format, such as PDAs, video recorders, and MP3 players. All Lexar Media CompactFlash cards meet the CompactFlash Association’s specifications and are marked with the CF+ symbol.

This card lets me take about a dozen or more before that happens, which is great.

So, it’s definitely faster. I don’t know what 60x speed is versus my old card, but I’d guess it’s at least 10 times faster.

I’ve shot about 200 pictures with it, and only filled it up about 30% at a time. I’ve written about 2 gigs to it total, just not at once. I’ve had zero problems with it so far.

So, for a little over half as much as the high speed 2 gig name brand cards, I’d recommend trying one.

Remember, all manufacturers have a failure rate, and we don’t know what these guy’s failure rate is yet.