5D Mark III -- Compact Flash (CF) or Secure Digital (SD / SDHC)?

[scrappydog]

I would just stick to the 45mb/s read/write Sandisks, they are pretty good value.

They are fast and reliable too.

[vWings]

Thanks for that option to consider.  Interesting how this plays out if firmware may later add support for USH-1 or if that is a hardware barrier.

I also purchased (got a pretty good deal) on eight SanDisk 8GB Extreme SDHC CLASS 10 (30MB/s), yes eight of them.  I plan primarily plan on using the CF for raw and dropping a L jpeg on the SD, mainly as a poor mans backup.  I figured those would be plenty fast enough to record the jpegs and video too for that matter.  Really, I suppose if all I ever used the SD slot for was jpeg backup, those SanDisk Extreme cards would be plenty fast enough.

The idea of buying that USH card was having very fast write speed to back up my raw from time to time when continuous shooting is likely.

Thanks again Bob and Scrappy

[kdsand]

SanDisk is dependable - unlike many other companies when they list info such as speed it has been accurate and most often on the  conservative side whereas most other brands end up slower than they advertise.
I have not lost a single picture to a failed card. On two different occasions overly helpful family members have machine washed my clothes and  a SanDisk  SD card    (For some people pockets seem to be decorative). The results - nice a clean card. No damage & still ticking.   
And no I do not keep my cards in my pockets - they go strait into my case. The 2 instances were just unusual flukes.

 I have to admit I definitely come across as a fanboy and it's a bit embarrassing . It feels quite weird cos I'm normally jaded and pessimistic. 

 Now I have to go knock on wood - no darn it I will go hug a tree just in case - better safe than sorry!

If you keep watch for sales you can find some awesome SD card deals.

[brattymesler]

And I've had transcend and lexar fail but never sandisk. Anecdata, no question...be sure to baby your cards because they are fragile! I do think Sandisk has earned a bit of a premium...better real performance I think...but I nearly never work in continuous shooting mode, and even the 5d3 ALL-I video apparently doesn't tax an old transcend class 6 SD card.

I put my Sandisk 16gb (in a case) through the washing machine by mistake.  No damage, still kicking ass.  I've (knock on wood) never had either a CF or SD card fail.

[PhilDrinkwater]

I shoot a lot of concerts.  So, I need to get pictures to my editor or the arena manager very quickly.  I am going to record RAW to my CF and JPEG to SD.  I can get the SD to them quicker than I can my RAW files.

That would be a slick setup.  For wedding shooters setting the SD card to mirror the CF so you have two copies would I think be the desired setup.   It would be scary to tell a bride her wedding photos were corrupted 

That's what I'll be doing for weddings. I've bought 15 sd cards so I can hold onto the photos for a while and have an extra backup (I should already have 3 but you can never be too sure )