Here We Go Again... One Year In Asia 2014-2015

[davidc]

Most modern cards will have built-in load spreading to avoid writing to the same locations constantly but I do think it's still a good practice doing what you're doing.

For the physical fails, I have to stress that the first one that failed and left shards in the camera might have been partly my fault - it looked a bit wobbly but I tried anyway and then it snapped. I learned my lesson though and didn't try with the second one in camera, just in a card reader.

The only real disagreement I have is on the size of card. I'm definitely shifting from 8 to 16 cards. The cons you alluded to - a bigger card means a fail could see more images lost (something I'm pretty sure I haven't experienced) vs a smaller card meaning images never being taken because it's full. The latter is increasingly likely to occur as raw files get bigger and the other stumbling block for larger cards, cost, is even less of a factor these days as you suggest too.

While it is definitely annoying, for the 16gb cards at least, I absolutely got my money's worth out of them. Here's hoping the same is true for Lexar & Samsung!

[Mike Farley]

Most modern cards will have built-in load spreading to avoid writing to the same locations constantly but I do think it's still a good practice doing what you're doing.

Having done a quick trawl on the Internet, it looks as though wear leveling is standard for SD cards. I came across a Sandisk document dated 2007 which said it was applied by the the card's onboard microcontroller. That goes back to the days when SDHC had just been introduced and SDXC before came along. As cards without wear levelling could wear out quite quickly, I would imagine most prudent manufacturers include it. Being a software based function, it's not as if it costs any more to put it in.

Mind you, Sandisk only mention it as a feature on their top level pro spec cards and only have error correction in the specification from the mid-range cards upwards.

The only real disagreement I have is on the size of card. I'm definitely shifting from 8 to 16 cards. The cons you alluded to - a bigger card means a fail could see more images lost (something I'm pretty sure I haven't experienced) vs a smaller card meaning images never being taken because it's full. The latter is increasingly likely to occur as raw files get bigger and the other stumbling block for larger cards, cost, is even less of a factor these days as you suggest too.

Well no surprise that we have different approaches.

Generally I am not shooting so much in a single burst of activity that having to switch cards mid-way is an issue. I just have to watch how much is left on the card before I start. The closest I got recently was the members' evening at the British Wildlife Centre when I got the harvest mouse shot and I all but filled a 8 GB card over a period of 45 minutes or so when the session concluded. During the remainder of the event I went on to fill a second 8 GB card and started on a third, but I was able to time the switching of the cards when there was not much going on. Had one of the cards failed, I would still have come away with some shots from the occasion. Either way there is a risk, it just depends on which one to choose.

[davidc]

Finally got some time to process some images. I have definitely lost a couple and definitely know some days I've missed so I'll be using other images to "fill gaps". I reason that I've proven that I can keep up the "one a day even if it sucks" thing so this time around I'm more interested in having images that appeal to me somehow.

I think I enjoyed shooting this more than the end product. Still, I like how the colours have come out. One of the last few days where I was taking photos for the sake of it.


16. White Flowers by cedarsphoto, on Flickr

[davidc]

Another example of a time that was great fun to shoot with the X100s but the end result might be slightly wooden


17. Barking by cedarsphoto, on Flickr

[davidc]

An attempt at a photographer's image

18. Convergence by cedarsphoto, on Flickr

[davidc]

Durians are known as the King of Fruits.

They have an exceptionally pungent smell that lingers for weeks (hence that guy is wearing thick gloves) and the smell is different for everyone. Many people say it tastes of almondy custard but to me it was like faintly rotten flesh in texture and and an overly sweet, cloying taste.

And it gave me windy-pops.


19. Durian Seller by cedarsphoto, on Flickr

[davidc]

I liked this location, taken on a massive walk around central Singapore & followed by Gardens by the Bay.


20. Shaded by cedarsphoto, on Flickr

[Mike Farley]

Finally got some time to process some images. I have definitely lost a couple and definitely know some days I've missed so I'll be using other images to "fill gaps". I reason that I've proven that I can keep up the "one a day even if it sucks" thing so this time around I'm more interested in having images that appeal to me somehow.

Good to see you posting again and I definitely concur with your comments. Posting images which would not normally see the light of day was definitely one of the downsides for me last year.

[Mike Farley]

Another example of a time that was great fun to shoot with the X100s but the end result might be slightly wooden

Just where is that groan emoticon when you need it?

[davidc]

Almost a month since my last post and I can confirm it has simply not been possible to take a photo every day. This new job is requiring absurd hours leaving nothing at all for anything else, let alone photography

Anyway - I promised 365 photos and have delivered 20, here we go with more...