John Hudson wrote:
> I use 2GB compact flash cards with my E500. I shoot in RAW mode.
>
> I use a Verbatim MicroDrive and Windows Explorer to download the images to
> my PC and then use the Olympus software to process the images. I delete all
> images from the card excepting only the last one.
>
> Does the compact flash card have a finite life in terms of the number of
> images that can be written by the camera? If there is a finite life how many
> images can be written by the camera before the card dies?
>
Yes, they can wear out
No, it won't happen in practical use.
The individual bits in flash memory have a limited life. In fact, the on
card controller distributes writes across the whole card, so the bottom
part won't wear out first.
However, the number of cycles is so high that the chances of any heavily
working pro wearing one out before it becomes technologically obsolete
is nil.
From the Wikipedia entry. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_memory
"With these mechanisms in place, some industry analysts have calculated
that flash memory can be written to at full speed continuously for 51
years before exceeding its write endurance, even if such writes
frequently cause the /entire/ disk to be overwritten. This figure (51
years) involved a worst-case scenario using specific data parameters and
should not be confused with a particular "shelf life" for a flash memory
device. The bottom line is that a typical user using a commercial
device, such as a camera, with a flash drive will probably not wear out
the memory for the effective life of the camera."
Moose
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