The Difference Between a Compact Flash & an SD Card
Compact Flash and Secure Digital are two popular types of digital memory cards currently available in the consumer electronics market. Both are versatile yet affordable memory solutions for many different electronic products.
Memory Capacity
Compact Flash memory cards most commonly run from 1GB of memory capacity to a high end of 16GB. Secure Digital cards run a bit higher--up to 32GB.
Speed
While Secure Digital cards have higher capacity, Compact Flash cards have a much faster data transfer speed. SD cards are capable of moving up to 20MB of data per second, while CF cards can transfer a significantly higher 45MB per second.
Uses
Due to their large storage capacity, SD cards are most commonly used in MP3 players to store high-quality music files. Compact Flash cards are preferred by photographers due to their memory speed; this memory allows for fast capturing and storage of photos.
Memory Card Dimensions
SD cards are physically very small and compact, measuring in at 32-by-24-by-2.1 mm. Compact Flash cards are significantly larger, and vary in size depending on the memory type. Generally, they measure around 36-by-42 mm and range in thickness from 3 to 5 mm.
Price Range
The price range for both Compact Flash and Secure Digital cards is very wide. Factors such as memory speed and capacity dramatically affect the pricing of the card. SD cards can be found from as low as $5 for a 1GB card, to well over $100 for high-capacity cards that are 16GB and up. Compact Flash is similarly cheap on the low end. The most expensive, professional-grade, high capacity CF cards, however, are dramatically more expensive--in the $300 range.
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