CF Card Compatibility - EOS 30D (2006)

[trossit]

I recently purchased a used EOS 30D from ebay and was interested iin CF card compatibilty. The camera came with a SanDisk Exteme III, 30 mb/s, 8GB.  I want to see if a larger newer card is still compatible.  Would a San Disk Extreme, 120 mb/s, 32GB work in this 2006 camera?  

[Lotus7 · Accepted solution]

As I recall, the 30D uses Canon File System 2.0.  If your camera is an early production model which has not had its firmware updated and is still running the Firmware V 1.0, and you format the CF card in the camera, it may only recognize 8GB of the card's capacity.  If the firmware has been updated to V. 1.06 (or possibly V. 1.05), it should be able to recognize the full 32 GB capacity of the CF card you mention.  In fact it should be able to accept a CF card of up to 64 GB. 

If you format the card in the camera and it only shows a capacity of "888 RAW" images (or less) the work around is to externally format the card in a computer using FAT 32 to realize the full card capacity. Ideally, updating the firmware and formatting in the camera is better.

Additionally, the newer, faster card will greatly speed up image transfers to your computer if you use an external USB-2 or USB-3 CF card reader.

[Waddizzle]

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@trossit wrote:

I recently purchased a used EOS 30D from ebay and was interested iin CF card compatibilty. The camera came with a SanDisk Exteme III, 30 mb/s, 8GB.  I want to see if a larger newer card is still compatible.  Would a San Disk Extreme, 120 mb/s, 32GB work in this 2006 camera?  

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It might.  If the 8GB card works, stick with that.  The more expensive card will not cause the camera to read/write faster.

[Lotus7 · Accepted solution]

As I recall, the 30D uses Canon File System 2.0.  If your camera is an early production model which has not had its firmware updated and is still running the Firmware V 1.0, and you format the CF card in the camera, it may only recognize 8GB of the card's capacity.  If the firmware has been updated to V. 1.06 (or possibly V. 1.05), it should be able to recognize the full 32 GB capacity of the CF card you mention.  In fact it should be able to accept a CF card of up to 64 GB. 

If you format the card in the camera and it only shows a capacity of "888 RAW" images (or less) the work around is to externally format the card in a computer using FAT 32 to realize the full card capacity. Ideally, updating the firmware and formatting in the camera is better.

Additionally, the newer, faster card will greatly speed up image transfers to your computer if you use an external USB-2 or USB-3 CF card reader.

[trossit]

Thanks Lotus.  Do you know of a way to determine which version of Firmware is in my 30D?

[kvbarkley · Accepted solution]

Especially note the shaded box at the bottom

[trossit]

Thanks KV....this room is such a big help.

It looks like I have version 1.06

[kvbarkley]

You too, could download the manual and search it for "Firmware".

[trossit]

Looks like I have Version 1.06...great!! Thanks.