Does anyone know what is the mode of PIO transfer for E-500?

cyuxiang · 17th March 2007

Hi, I'm actually looking to buy a high-speed card & I'm actually curious how much of that speed will be utilised by E-500. Does any kind soul here knows what is the mode of transfer on the E-500? Whether it is PIO mode 3 or 4... thanks

Mikefellh · 17th March 2007

I don't know, or care about what PIO mode the camera operates at...for me it's knowing what card operates the fastest on the camera, and for the E-500 it's the Sandisk Extreme III that's the fastest card. There are some cards that have faster ratings but they are actually SLOWER on the E-500. Even the Extreme IV is also slower on the E-500:
http://myolympus.org/E500/writetime/

Be aware though about buying an Extreme III card on eBay...95% of the Extreme III cards sold on there are COUNTERFEIT!!!

OlyFlyer · 17th March 2007

I have to agree with Mike. PIO tranfer rate is not very interesting here. I have both the Sandisk Ultra II and Extreme III CF cards and also a Sandisk Type H (High speed) xD. The order of speed is Extreme III and than Ultra II and lastly way back is the xD. However, I think it is mostly noticable in RAW. I am using the xD for low res jpeg product photo and I do not notice much difference there.

I have no knowledge of Extreme IV, I don't understand how it could be slower than Extreme III, I do however understand if it is not faster. The E-500 may have hit the roof with Extreme III.

cyuxiang · 17th March 2007

Originally Posted by Mikefellh

I don't know, or care about what PIO mode the camera operates at...for me it's knowing what card operates the fastest on the camera, and for the E-500 it's the Sandisk Extreme III that's the fastest card. There are some cards that have faster ratings but they are actually SLOWER on the E-500. Even the Extreme IV is also slower on the E-500:
http://myolympus.org/E500/writetime/

Be aware though about buying an Extreme III card on eBay...95% of the Extreme III cards sold on there are COUNTERFEIT!!!

Well actually I was wondering precisely if Extreme III already exceeded the needs of E-500, because I'm trying to justify the need to buy it. For many cameras the Ultra II already hits the fastest spot (http://terrychay.com/blog/article/co...-madness.shtml) so there isn't really any need to go into more expensive media.

I did read up on some of the benchmarking tests available online, but since real-life performance can be relative at times due to quality & conditions of the test, it would be good to dig up some technical information to substantiate too. So just wanted to find out if anyone knows about the technical details behind the mode of data transfer.

On a much much simpler note, I guess my question can be translated into: Extreme III, worth it?

Mikefellh · 18th March 2007

Well, when the E-300 came out it didn't take advantage of the ExtremeIII's high speed, but this ability was added in a firmware upgrade! If it's a special encoding that does the speed increase, that could explain why the ExtremeIV is slightly slower.

Regarding benchmarking, refer to the link I posted above...it has tests on the E-500 with the ExtremeIII and other cards, including cards rated faster. Everyone doing that test should be measuring times using the same instructions that are posted there.

As for whether it is worth it, do you plan to burst shoot RAWs (that's what takes the longest). I have to admit though that when I go back to a slower card I do notice the difference even for single shots (when I want to have a look at them when the short after shot review isn't long enough).

OlyFlyer · 18th March 2007

Originally Posted by cyuxiang

On a much much simpler note, I guess my question can be translated into: Extreme III, worth it?

...and the very simple answer to that is YES and NO.

If you intend to shoot RAW, definitely a YES. If you intend to shoot low res jpeg, NO. But for everything inbetween, the answer is clearly a YES. Especially today when the Extreme III is much cheaper than it was when I bought mine. The advantage of the card's speed is handled not only by conversion encoding algorytms but also by the fact that the arrival of E-500 also introduced the world's fastest processors used in dSLRs at that time. When the E-500 was introduced it was the fastest camera on this earth when it came to data to card transfer speed, due to the CPUs used in it. That statement includes also the professional cameras and even the E-1. I have no idea how it is with E-410 and 510, but they do not necesarily have to be faster since they have much more pixel data to transfer also.

The advantage of using the Extreme III is explained in the E-500 tech spec pages (click to get there), where it says:

Max. frame number on sequential shooting: RAW / TIFF 4 frames, JPEG (HQ, SQ) up to card capacity with high speed media (for example SanDisk Extreme III).

So, speed is continuous 2.5fps non stop if you use the right card and shoot jpeg. The speed difference is noticable whenever I use the camera and while I agree that tests and reviews are subjective, the difference is very clearly seen and does not have to be measured to notice it. I never measured the time but since I have both types of CF and one type of xD, it is enough to look at the flashing red led to see the difference.

cyuxiang · 18th March 2007

Originally Posted by OlyFlyer

The advantage of the card's speed is handled not only by conversion encoding algorytms but also by the fact that the arrival of E-500 also introduced the world's fastest processors used in dSLRs at that time. When the E-500 was introduced it was the fastest camera on this earth when it came to data to card transfer speed, due to the CPUs used in it. That statement includes also the professional cameras and even the E-1. I have no idea how it is with E-410 and 510, but they do not necesarily have to be faster since they have much more pixel data to transfer also.

Ah yes, that also reminds me of how fast long exposure shots seem to process on the E-500 too.

& thanks Mikefellh, for the E-500 resource page. That's a very useful website for me too. & it also reminds me that maybe I need to update my firmware (I just bought the camera & it's at version 1.0 I think).

Ok guys I'm going to go ahead & get an Extreme III. Well actually I was having some hesitance because I also have 2x 2GB cards free from my camera purchase, but they're just those unknown brands. & now I guess I'll either give them away or just use as a backup.

selamatlzh · 19th March 2007

I do agree extreme 3 is fast it also relates to how fast you are going to fill up the card. Therefore even if you get a 4 gb card it will not be enough for long duration. It really depends on your need.

Blu-By-U · 19th March 2007

Here is my input...

Was at Langkawi and I ran out of memory space. So I bought a Pendrive 133X CF 4.0GB card. This card is SLOW!!!. I have a Sandisk Extreme III and a brandless HighSpeed CF. The brandless HighSpeed is noticeably faster the the Pendrive 133X. The fastest is still the Sandisk Extreme III. When I bought the Extreme III, I also tested the Extreme IV at the same time. The Extreme IV is slower then the Extreme III. Shooting condition was the same when I tested them. Hence I settled on the Extreme III.

BTW, I am using the E-330 with the latest firmware.

aleksandr · 20th March 2007

Sorry to hijack thread but...
Bought my E-500 at the IT fair and it came with 2 x 2GB CF but they are as good as brandless... "Silicon Power".
Wondering if it's worth buying a higher speed CF card (Thinking of 4GB Ultra II) or just keep the ones I already have?

OlyFlyer · 20th March 2007

Ultra II is not high speed. I would not spend money on Ultra II today. Exterme III and Extreme IV are the high speed ones. If it is worth or not is really up to your needs. Since you already have 2x2GB, if I were you I would start using the camera and see how I like it. I would certainly say it is worth it if I would think the transfer is too slow. But, I guess even brandless CF can be of high speed type, so just that the name is not Sandisk may not say equal to not high speed. Watch out for Extreme IV. Some say it is slower in some cameras than Extreme III. I don't know if that is true and I don't understand how it could technically be slower if tested under equal conditions. There is also an eBay warning out there, saying there are a lot of fake Sandisks on eBay.

Best would be to borrow, that way you could test.

Mikefellh · 21st March 2007

Originally Posted by aleksandr

Sorry to hijack thread but...
Bought my E-500 at the IT fair and it came with 2 x 2GB CF but they are as good as brandless... "Silicon Power".
Wondering if it's worth buying a higher speed CF card (Thinking of 4GB Ultra II) or just keep the ones I already have?

Do the test yourself at the following link to see how long it takes to write four images:
http://myolympus.org/E500/writetime/

Then after finding out how fast your cards are in normal use, decide if the speed difference is worth it, or if you even care about the speed difference. Just remember to set the shutter speed to a fast speed (1/1000 or faster) so the shutter speed doesn't influence the timings.

OlyFlyer · 21st March 2007

Yes, I agree. I forgot to mention that speed matters if you shoot RAW. Shooting jpeg should not be a problem since it is not a problem with xD cards which are always slower than CF. At least for normal shooting. If you intend to take hundreds of images in a row than even for jpeg the card speed must be taken into account. The camera buffer holds only four images and if those can not be flashed to memory than the CF may become a bottleneck.

17th March 2007	#1
cyuxiang Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 62	Does anyone know what is the mode of PIO transfer for E-500? Hi, I'm actually looking to buy a high-speed card & I'm actually curious how much of that speed will be utilised by E-500. Does any kind soul here knows what is the mode of transfer on the E-500? Whether it is PIO mode 3 or 4... thanks

17th March 2007	#2
Mikefellh Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,460	Re: Does anyone know what is the mode of PIO transfer for E-500? I don't know, or care about what PIO mode the camera operates at...for me it's knowing what card operates the fastest on the camera, and for the E-500 it's the Sandisk Extreme III that's the fastest card. There are some cards that have faster ratings but they are actually SLOWER on the E-500. Even the Extreme IV is also slower on the E-500: http://myolympus.org/E500/writetime/ Be aware though about buying an Extreme III card on eBay...95% of the Extreme III cards sold on there are COUNTERFEIT!!! Last edited by Mikefellh; 17th March 2007 at 07:06 PM.

17th March 2007	#3
OlyFlyer Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Europe, Sweden, outside Lund Posts: 2,038	Re: Does anyone know what is the mode of PIO transfer for E-500? I have to agree with Mike. PIO tranfer rate is not very interesting here. I have both the Sandisk Ultra II and Extreme III CF cards and also a Sandisk Type H (High speed) xD. The order of speed is Extreme III and than Ultra II and lastly way back is the xD. However, I think it is mostly noticable in RAW. I am using the xD for low res jpeg product photo and I do not notice much difference there. I have no knowledge of Extreme IV, I don't understand how it could be slower than Extreme III, I do however understand if it is not faster. The E-500 may have hit the roof with Extreme III.

18th March 2007	#5
Mikefellh Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,460	Re: Does anyone know what is the mode of PIO transfer for E-500? Well, when the E-300 came out it didn't take advantage of the ExtremeIII's high speed, but this ability was added in a firmware upgrade! If it's a special encoding that does the speed increase, that could explain why the ExtremeIV is slightly slower. Regarding benchmarking, refer to the link I posted above...it has tests on the E-500 with the ExtremeIII and other cards, including cards rated faster. Everyone doing that test should be measuring times using the same instructions that are posted there. As for whether it is worth it, do you plan to burst shoot RAWs (that's what takes the longest). I have to admit though that when I go back to a slower card I do notice the difference even for single shots (when I want to have a look at them when the short after shot review isn't long enough).

19th March 2007	#8
selamatlzh Gallery Subscriber Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Sinagpore Posts: 849	Re: Does anyone know what is the mode of PIO transfer for E-500? I do agree extreme 3 is fast it also relates to how fast you are going to fill up the card. Therefore even if you get a 4 gb card it will not be enough for long duration. It really depends on your need.

19th March 2007	#9
Blu-By-U Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Selangor D.E. Posts: 1,417	Re: Does anyone know what is the mode of PIO transfer for E-500? Here is my input... Was at Langkawi and I ran out of memory space. So I bought a Pendrive 133X CF 4.0GB card. This card is SLOW!!!. I have a Sandisk Extreme III and a brandless HighSpeed CF. The brandless HighSpeed is noticeably faster the the Pendrive 133X. The fastest is still the Sandisk Extreme III. When I bought the Extreme III, I also tested the Extreme IV at the same time. The Extreme IV is slower then the Extreme III. Shooting condition was the same when I tested them. Hence I settled on the Extreme III. BTW, I am using the E-330 with the latest firmware. __________________ World thru my lens

20th March 2007	#10
aleksandr New Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 21	Re: Does anyone know what is the mode of PIO transfer for E-500? Sorry to hijack thread but... Bought my E-500 at the IT fair and it came with 2 x 2GB CF but they are as good as brandless... "Silicon Power". Wondering if it's worth buying a higher speed CF card (Thinking of 4GB Ultra II) or just keep the ones I already have?

21st March 2007	#13
OlyFlyer Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Europe, Sweden, outside Lund Posts: 2,038	Re: Does anyone know what is the mode of PIO transfer for E-500? Yes, I agree. I forgot to mention that speed matters if you shoot RAW. Shooting jpeg should not be a problem since it is not a problem with xD cards which are always slower than CF. At least for normal shooting. If you intend to take hundreds of images in a row than even for jpeg the card speed must be taken into account. The camera buffer holds only four images and if those can not be flashed to memory than the CF may become a bottleneck.