MagicStor 2.4GB Microdrive

[offspring]

Any 10D users using the above memory. Thiniking of getting at COMDEX.

Please comment on:

1) Performance (inclusing continuous shooting)
2) Heat
3) Reviews of photos (is it slower like some claimed)

Else I'll fall back to getting 2x 1GB CF card (but costs 2x) for my upcoming travel

 

[Noir]

Any 10D users using the above memory. Thiniking of getting at COMDEX.

Please comment on:

1) Performance (inclusing continuous shooting)
2) Heat
3) Reviews of photos (is it slower like some claimed)

Else I'll fall back to getting 2x 1GB CF card (but costs 2x) for my upcoming travel

Although I have not had used this particular brand and make, I am rather skeptical of the ruggedness of a microdive compared to a solid state CF card, especially for travel use. Hope this helps in your decision-making as well.

 

[Wai]

did a quick test today against my Transcend 1GB CF

with EOS 10D, Tv mode @ 1/4000s, with lens covered and set to MF, continous shooting mode

i press and hold the shutter until 3 shots were taken then i let go

from the time i press shutter till the red LED completely turned off....

1GB CF - 16s
2.2GB MD - 19s

never do read test....but from the way that the red LED blinks, seems that it is slightly slower than CF

but the cost/MB for the 2.2GB MD is attractive!

$379 and comes with a PCMCIA adapter OR USB adapter OR a mini scanner

who dun need the PCMCIA adapter? sell me ok

 

[offspring]

I have used IBM Microdrive with my G1/G2 some years back. Never had any problems with travelling. Just keep the MD in the camera all the time.

But I sold the IBM off when I sold my G2 away.

Anyway, I bought the MagicStor 2.2 GB at Comex and got the USB reader free - all for a lowly price of 379. Eastgear was selling at 399. I have to pay 2x for CF cards of equivalent capacity.

My quick impression so far:

1) Performance - Good esp for a 2GB MD (I did 9 continuous shots - about 30 seconds before LED goes off - not worse off my 512 MB CF card)

2) Heat - slightly hot - but so is CF card

3) Reviewing photos, not much difference from my CF card (note I shoot RAW - so it is slow anyway)

Summary, my overall feel is that the MagicStor has similar performance to my Ridata CF card. I have prior experience with MDs, so I'm not too worried about shocks and mechanical parts of the MD. Just do not press the MD in between!!! Value for money, however your mileage may differ

Though my tests are non-statistical, I like my purchase thus far. I can now store 400+ RAW images for my trips

Worth buying. (A bit OT, the boss of the reseller for Magicstor at COMEX is rude and arrogant when I tried to change my free gift - I had problem installing the scanner on my laptop - TMD :bsmilie: :bsmilie: )

 

[kalimango]

Hi All,

The magicstor is FCC and CE approved and a number has been done to ensure it approval. A fragility test has prove the drive capability to withstand a few drop from 36-inch onto non-cushioning vinyl-tile surface. And also during the show I have demonstrated this many times (About 50).

I have also demonstrated while playing the a video from the a Pocket PC (Toshiba e740, HP 5450) and shaking the whole Pocket PC. The video continue to play with the same quality as not shaken.

However, I would like to point out that the best use of the drive with cameras would be on the Canon G series and S series and the Minolta Dimage 5 series and above. These cameras when used with the Magicstor are faster and more stable as compared to other cameras with the Magicstor. I am still searching for answers if the Big camera player would stop ignoring me.

Other than cameras, the drive is generally faster as a thumbdrive even as compared to conventional solid-state thumbdrive.

Thanks.

 

[solomon76]

HI, btw how long can it last as in how many shots can it take b4 the batt goes flat ?? lets say on a 10 D?

 

[Jack_Ryan]

Hi ,... I just got one last tuesday froom eastgear .. DON'T BUY IT ...it sucks....
Went to test it on wednesday ..in sungai buloh nature reserve ..took abt 100+ pic no problem... but went today for the freezbee compertition in marina bay .. the weather was hot ..... My camera was under the hot sun from 8:00am till 1pm... MY camera was hot HOT ...HOT ... donno because of the microdrive or the sun... anyway took abt 600 mb of pic then gor err 20 .... ok maybe battery flat... replace it.... took abt 10 mb more ...then same error ... reset it also cannot ... plug it out & in ..also cannot ,,,,,, then got error 02 .............. WHAT THE F>>>>>> ..... .. the camera would not take pic lio.... then reach home ..cannot transfer to my pc also ..... almost formated it... but then go buy a cf card reader/writer......... luckly can transfer it ...... Bad experience with this drive ... Worst thing is tomoro moring got the finals to cover ... got only my trusty sandisk 256 mb cf..................

maybe going for replacement this monday ..... Do east gear do one to one exchange ???

Don't buy this card ..... IT's sucks.... IT's hot.... IT'S SLOW....... :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:

 

[offspring]

Bad copy perhaps? I've got one copy from COMEX. Shot with it since using RAW. Completed one cycle - full 2gb. No problems except:

1) Once got error 20 due to 1 cycle 9 burst frames followed by 4 frames immediately after (press continuosly)

Yes - it is significantly hotter than my CF. I shoot under hot sun for big walk and sheares bridge run - seemed ok.

Slow - did not seemed to be slower than my Ridata 512.....

My thought: Always have a backup - even for CF...

Ryan: Your mileage may differ.

Hi ,... I just got one last tuesday froom eastgear .. DON'T BUY IT ...it sucks....
Went to test it on wednesday ..in sungai buloh nature reserve ..took abt 100+ pic no problem... but went today for the freezbee compertition in marina bay .. the weather was hot ..... My camera was under the hot sun from 8:00am till 1pm... MY camera was hot HOT ...HOT ... donno because of the microdrive or the sun... anyway took abt 600 mb of pic then gor err 20 .... ok maybe battery flat... replace it.... took abt 10 mb more ...then same error ... reset it also cannot ... plug it out & in ..also cannot ,,,,,, then got error 02 .............. WHAT THE F>>>>>> ..... .. the camera would not take pic lio.... then reach home ..cannot transfer to my pc also ..... almost formated it... but then go buy a cf card reader/writer......... luckly can transfer it ...... Bad experience with this drive ... Worst thing is tomoro moring got the finals to cover ... got only my trusty sandisk 256 mb cf..................

maybe going for replacement this monday ..... Do east gear do one to one exchange ???

Don't buy this card ..... IT's sucks.... IT's hot.... IT'S SLOW....... :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:

 

[kalimango]

HI All,

I am working to improve the Magicstor. I see that some are very distress with their problems with the Magicstor, I am sorry about that.

You can email here for technical enquiries.

http://www.mobilestor.com.sg/support/email.htm

 

[SianZronG]

Bad copy perhaps? I've got one copy from COMEX. Shot with it since using RAW. Completed one cycle - full 2gb. No problems except:

1) Once got error 20 due to 1 cycle 9 burst frames followed by 4 frames immediately after (press continuosly)

Yes - it is significantly hotter than my CF. I shoot under hot sun for big walk and sheares bridge run - seemed ok.

Slow - did not seemed to be slower than my Ridata 512.....

My thought: Always have a backup - even for CF...

Ryan: Your mileage may differ.

agreeded on the bad copy. after so many nice comments heard i can see that there is always one or 2 spoilt devices out there, and i think i can trust wat the rest of the fellow clubsnappers say about it.

so for Jack_Ryan just go exchange it... should be ok as long it's not been too long. cause it's faulty definatly!

 

[ST1100]

These comments are meant to be constructive.

i tried 2 Magicstors on my 10D, one from Eastgear (2.4GB), one at Comex (2.2GB). i've also used/owned 3 IBM 1GB microdrives.

10D users, try this: put on continuous mode, squeeze off 9 shots. Half the time, i don't get past this stage. If there's no error, continue holding down the shutter until the camera says 'busy' and will not let you take another shot. At this point, my 10D will hang with the Magicstor - 100% of the time. If you can wait until the LED stops and the camera writes all the data to the drive, then it's a pass.

The above routine has never hanged with my IBM microdrive, so i can only conclude it's the Magicstor. You can try this in manual or Tv mode without any lens, to rule out lens issues. Also use a fresh battery, preferably the original Canon, to rule out power supply problems. Pls let me know if anyone manages to complete/pass this test with the magicstors.

i've also tried copying 2Gb of data to the card using a card reader on the PC. This was ok. Then copy to a laptop via a PCMCIA adaptor - will hang halfway, i suspect, from overheat.

i would really love to love this item, but i think there are still quite a few issues to iron out.

 

[offspring]

Tried the 9 shots one - the LED blinking will go off after around 30 seconds (for 9 RAW = 50+ MB). If the LED is not blinking - you got a faulty one.

These comments are meant to be constructive.

i tried 2 Magicstors on my 10D, one from Eastgear (2.4GB), one at Comex (2.2GB). i've also used/owned 3 IBM 1GB microdrives.

10D users, try this: put on continuous mode, squeeze off 9 shots. Half the time, i don't get past this stage. If there's no error, continue holding down the shutter until the camera says 'busy' and will not let you take another shot. At this point, my 10D will hang with the Magicstor - 100% of the time. If you can wait until the LED stops and the camera writes all the data to the drive, then it's a pass.

The above routine has never hanged with my IBM microdrive, so i can only conclude it's the Magicstor. You can try this in manual or Tv mode without any lens, to rule out lens issues. Also use a fresh battery, preferably the original Canon, to rule out power supply problems. Pls let me know if anyone manages to complete/pass this test with the magicstors.

i've also tried copying 2Gb of data to the card using a card reader on the PC. This was ok. Then copy to a laptop via a PCMCIA adaptor - will hang halfway, i suspect, from overheat.

i would really love to love this item, but i think there are still quite a few issues to iron out.

 

[cyrilng]

Looks like really mixed reviews on this product but another point to note that being a microdrive, it will drain your camera battery faster.

No user reviews on Nikon DSLRs?

 

[Jack_Ryan]

Went to east gear just now , they agree to change to CF ... stock only comes in tomorrow .. Anyway it's better then Microdrive.. would not trust microdrive any more... Especially last week was my first paid Assignment

 

[cyrilng]

Went to east gear just now , they agree to change to CF ... stock only comes in tomorrow .. Anyway it's better then Microdrive.. would not trust microdrive any more... Especially last week was my first paid Assignment

Lucky for you that they allow you to exchange it for CF!