Compact flash card for EOS Rebel XTi

[Gfarina]

What is the fastest and largest memory compact flash card I can use with the EOS Rebel XTi

[7D5D]

Don't own an XTi but I would buy something like a Sandisk Extreme. Likely the bottle neck will be the camera's processor but at least the card will not be holding you back. Make sure you format the card with your camera.

If you check the spec list on Canon's website it should list card specs. Go to EOS cameras and scroll to the bottom to access discontinued products.

[Richard]

Hi Gfarina,

7D5D is correct in that you really can't go too fast.  Faster memory cards should be backward compatible with your camera.

The largest memory card this camera will accept is 64GB.

I hope this helps,

Richard

[BLeister11]

So this card;

SanDisk 64GB Extreme Pro CompactFlash Memory Card (160MB/s)

should work in the Rebel XTi?

[Peter]

What I found:

If you stick a udma CF card into a non-udma camera like 400d/XTi, then the camera will default back to much slower PIO (programmed input/output) mode 2 or 4. It will still work, you just don't get the blazing speed that your udma card is designed for.

PIO mode 4 is around 16 MB/s.

Canon 350D, the one before 400D, can use 6 MB/s.

[BLeister11]

Thanks!!

[RobertTheFat]

---

@Peter wrote:

What I found:

If you stick a udma CF card into a non-udma camera like 400d/XTi, then the camera will default back to much slower PIO (programmed input/output) mode 2 or 4. It will still work, you just don't get the blazing speed that your udma card is designed for.

PIO mode 4 is around 16 MB/s.

Canon 350D, the one before 400D, can use 6 MB/s.

---

That makes perfect sense and is fully consistent with what Richard of Canon said three years ago. Backwards compatibility just means that it works, not that you'll necessarily get all the benefits of the newer device.

Frankly, I'm a bit surprised that the XTi will accept a 64GB card, Ten years ago when my wife and I bought our XTi's, 4GB and 8GB cards were the norm. (Actually, I think our cameras came with a 16MB card!) I suspect the original firmware would have choked on a card that large.

[ebiggs1]

A SanDisk 64GB Extreme Pro CompactFlash Memory Card is probaly worth more than the camera!  

[BLeister11]

The camera works well for my needs!

[ebiggs1]

Yes, I had five of them.  They are great cameras.