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Faster memory card for the coolpix 990 ? (1 Viewer)

nikovich

Well-known member
Hi guys - I bought a pretty generic brand of type 1 compact flash card from ebay for my coolpix 990 - I'm finding , even for one shot - it takes at least 4 seconds for the photo to be written to the card.
Are there any faster type 1 cards available anywhere online ?

Another question regarding the coolpix 990 - would the generic shutter release cable/bracket from Eagle Optics work with it ok ?

thanks very much !

Nick
 
The generic cable release arm should work with the 990, but to be safe ask at eagleeye site. Also in the USA, Photosolve have the eagleeye digiscoping accessory in store, by experience I know it's a bit less costly there and also faster for delivery (for CDN customer).
A faster card doens't mean faster writing in the camera. I have try a faster card with my 990... with no result. The processor are too slow in the camera. Also don't shoot in HI, this setting for the 990 are in TIFF and are very very long to record.
Good luck
 
avan said:
The generic cable release arm should work with the 990, but to be safe ask at eagleeye site. Also in the USA, Photosolve have the eagleeye digiscoping accessory in store, by experience I know it's a bit less costly there and also faster for delivery (for CDN customer).
A faster card doens't mean faster writing in the camera. I have try a faster card with my 990... with no result. The processor are too slow in the camera. Also don't shoot in HI, this setting for the 990 are in TIFF and are very very long to record.
Good luck


Thankyou for your help :)
 
Speedy 990?

Nick

Don't know if I am restating 'ancient' history here but, before trying faster memory cards in your 990 have you checked the firmware version yet? You do this by holding down the Menu button as you switch your 990 on. If it is version 1.0 then this will slow your camera down a lot. If so, you need to load in, via your memory card, Firmware Updater Version 1.1 which is available as a free download, with instructions, from Nikon:

http://support.nikontech.com/cgi-bi...hp?p_prods=1,8&p_pv=2.8&p_cats=186&p_cv=1.186

This almost seems to have a miraculous effect on the 990, as the write-up time to your card is much quicker, the focus much snappier, and several other things are much improved, and you can use the much maligned(I find it perfect if you just follow the correct procedure each time you connect it) Nikon cable release.

As regards memory cards, I find it best not to skimp on cheapos. I use Lexar Platinum and Sandisk Ultra. The 990 has an optimum in-built speed, and using modern day 133x speed, or whatever, won't make any difference as these fast cards are mainly aimed at the digital SLR market.

Also, I might be imagining it but, the fewer settings I have on Auto, it seems a tad quicker, perhaps with the camera not having to make so many decisions before actual image capture. It is also best, of course, to half depress the shutter button for each picture. I never use Programme setting, always Aperture Priority, with the aperture open to its widest to use maximum shutter speed....etc.

.....but I expect you knew all of this, anyway, and apologies if you did.

Steve
 
Steve , thanks a million for your response. I had no clue about the firmware upgrade. I just succesfully upgraded it using the instructions on the Nikon website and will have to test out the whole combo as soon as poss .

cheers mate !!! :)

Nick
 
Crake Dude said:
Nick

Don't know if I am restating 'ancient' history here but, before trying faster memory cards in your 990 have you checked the firmware version yet? You do this by holding down the Menu button as you switch your 990 on. If it is version 1.0 then this will slow your camera down a lot. If so, you need to load in, via your memory card, Firmware Updater Version 1.1 which is available as a free download, with instructions, from Nikon:

http://support.nikontech.com/cgi-bin/nikonusa.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?p_prods=1%2C8&p_pv=2.8&p_cats=186&p_cv=1.186

This almost seems to have a miraculous effect on the 990, as the write-up time to your card is much quicker, the focus much snappier, and several other things are much improved, and you can use the much maligned(I find it perfect if you just follow the correct procedure each time you connect it) Nikon cable release.

As regards memory cards, I find it best not to skimp on cheapos. I use Lexar Platinum and Sandisk Ultra. The 990 has an optimum in-built speed, and using modern day 133x speed, or whatever, won't make any difference as these fast cards are mainly aimed at the digital SLR market.

Also, I might be imagining it but, the fewer settings I have on Auto, it seems a tad quicker, perhaps with the camera not having to make so many decisions before actual image capture. It is also best, of course, to half depress the shutter button for each picture. I never use Programme setting, always Aperture Priority, with the aperture open to its widest to use maximum shutter speed....etc.

.....but I expect you knew all of this, anyway, and apologies if you did.

Steve
Nice One ... Just updated mine too ... Really appreciate this info, ;) ,
Have'nt tried it out to see if there's any improvement but i will ...
Here's the update's ...
  • Improved auto focus. Improvements have been made to focusing when auto AF-area selection is in effect. Improvements have also been made when focusing in a selected focus area with manual focus-area selection.
  • Improved continuous shooting. After a series of photographs has been shot in a continuous sequence the next photograph can be taken as soon as memory for a single photograph becomes available in the buffer.
  • Support for the remote release cable. The MC-EU1 remote cord (available separately) can be used to not only release the shutter but also to perform such operations as zoom and interval photography.
  • Improvements to Best Shot Selection (BSS). With BSS on you can now take up to ten shots at any image quality (except "Hi" quality) and size. Only the shot with the highest level of detail is recorded to the memory card.
  • Improvements to the review function. A reduction has been made in the amount of time photographs are displayed after shooting; this makes it possible to set up the next photograph immediately.
  • Improved playback speed. Improvements have been made to allow the rapid display of uncompressed photographs taken at the "HI" quality setting.
  • Improved white balance. The performance of the white balance function has been further improved.
  • Changes to menus. Corrections have been made to some of the English, French and German menus,
Again many Thank's for this,
Take care,
John,
 
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