Product Description

SanDisk's 4GB Extreme IV CompactFlash Memory Card meets the critical speed and performance needs of professional photographers. The Extreme IV are some of the fastest flash memory cards available - and it operates with greater workflow efficiency when capturing, viewing, upload and transferring large image files. It provides the durability, high-speed, and quality required for serious photography. Lifetime limited warranty

Product Details

• Brand: SanDisk
• Model: SDCFX4-4096-901
• Dimensions: .30 pounds

Features

• Large 4GB Capacity
• Read and write performance of 40MB/sec with ESP Technology
• Built to perform in the most extreme environments and temperatures—from -13º F to 185º F
• Durable, reliable and thoroughly tested—temperature tested (heat and cold); shock and vibration tested (industrial-grade RTV included for CompactFlash)
• Priority toll-free technical support

From the Manufacturer

As the leader in high-performance flash technology, SanDisk introduces the newest flagship products – The Extreme IV line of CompactFlash. The Extreme IV line of CompactFlash is our newest digital film cards for the high-end professional photographers, who require the highest possible performance and the largest capacities for their medium format and high-end digital single lens reflex (SLR) cameras. It has extremely fast read/write speeds. (Up to 40MB/sec) It provides the highest durability, speed, and quality demands on the market today for serious photography.

The reason for the extreme fast read/write speeds is that the Extreme IV memory cards feature innovative ESP ("Enhanced Super-Parallel Processing") technology for the fastest speeds and highest performance. You get the fastest read/write speeds available today – up to 40MB/sec sequential read and write speed.

SanDisk also introduces the new SanDisk Extreme FireWire reader. Combined with our new Extreme CompactFlash cards, images can transfer from the SanDisk Extreme IV cards to a computer, at up to 40MB/sec, for significantly improved workflow efficiency.

Every SanDisk Extreme IV CompactFlash card comes with RescuePRO Deluxe so you can recover images, documents, mail, video, music – just about any digital file, with ease. Built with leading-edge media recovery algorithms, RescuePro Deluxe lets you preview recoverable data before you try to retrieve it. With RescuePRO's unique recovery algorithm for MPEG audio and MPEG video recovery (MPEG-1/2/3) what you see, and what you hear, is what you can recover.

Extreme IV is the new industry leader in the best-in-class solution for high profile professional photographers. As the elite flash memory cards available on the market, Extreme IV has extremely fast read/write speeds. This line provides the durability, high-speed, and quality demands for serious photography. SanDisk's award-winning technology solidifies the strength of the Extreme IV family of high-performance flash cards.

Advanced Features:

• Designed to meet the critical speed and performance needs of serious professional photographers. Significantly improved workflow efficiency for capturing, viewing, upload and transferring large image files
• Ideal for demanding photo shoots under severe weather conditions—heat, cold, wind, rain, snow, etc.
• Built to perform in the most extreme environments and temperatures—from -13º F to 185º F
• Up to 40MB/sec sequential read and write (leveraging the new Extreme FireWire Reader)
• Durable, reliable and thoroughly tested—temperature tested (heat and cold); shock and vibration tested
• Data recovery software—ensures your photos will always be there (even if you delete them accidentally)
• Dedicated, priority technical support hotline for direct customers of SanDisk Extreme products
• Included travel case keeps your memory cards organized
• Lifetime limited warranty

Customer Reviews

Great Performance
I debated between these and the III cards and decided to spend a bit more on the IV.

I have three of these cards so I can shoot all day if I am out and about (though usually shoot about 1-1/2 cards usually).

Each card has performed flawlessly and the speed is well worth it. I have some slower cards and they do not perform as well, which is especially noticable when shooting a sequence of shots, I can get more with these cards.

Of course the burst may not be something you need/require, but I prefer having it just in case. Also the download speeds to the computer does save time. Again it reallly depends if it is important to you. Usually it is not that important, just put any card in and walk away for a bit, but on the times when you are in a bit of a rush it is worthwhile.

Overall the little "would be nice to have" speed at certain times makes this card a good one.

Fast Card but Worth the Extra Cost?
I purchased this card in the hope that it would allow more shots to be taken in burst mode. I set up a Nikon D300 to shoot continuous mode, raw format, 12 bit depth, 1/500 second, f4 with auto ISO off, manual focus and made shots with Extreme IV, Extreme II 8 GB and Ultra II 4 GB cards. I made shots until the camera buffer filled and the shot rate paused. The Extreme IV allowed 19 shots, the Extreme III 18 and the Ultra II 16. I repeated the test 5 times with each card and got the same results. The only thing I found that affected the number of shots was file size. Dark subjects can be compressed more and as a consequence the buffer can hold more shots before the shot rate slows.

I used a SanDisk imagemate card reader to upload 200 shots to my computer from each of the cards. The Ultra II took 5 minutes 20 sec, the Extreme II took 4 minutes 5 seconds and the Extreme IV took 3 minutes 50 seconds. My card reader may not be fast enough to take full advantage of the Extreme IV read rate.

For me the additional one shot in continuous mode is not worth the price differential between Extreme III and IV. For ordinary shooting that doesn't involve continuous shooting in RAW mode, the Ultra II is good enough for me.

I have never had a problem with SanDisk cards the Extreme IV does come with recovery software. In my opinion it comes down to a question of whether or not the extra performance is worth the price differential.

The Best
When I first went to digital I tried several different cards, after about a year Every card besides SanDisk had errored. I have the Cannon EOS family of cameras that shoots between 8 and 21 megapixels, and have used the cards in all conditions from sand to extreme cold and have never had a problem. But they may all blow up tomorrow.SanDisk 4 GB Extreme IV CompactFlash Card ( SDCFX4-4096-901 )