Will this work?

[Steve_BB2]

Hi everyone,
I just got my new F717 and, although I have not used it a great deal as yet, what I see so far is making me fall in love all over again. The only snag is the memory cards. I can use Memory stick and memory stick pro. I understand that I can also use Memory stick Pro Duo memory cards, up to 2gb, if I use an adapter such as eBay item number 140415987258. That is a completed auction.
This is where it gets complicated.
If I can use a Memory stick Pro Duo memory card in my Sony DSC-F717, what is stopping me from sticking another adapter into the Pro Duo adapter that will allow me to use a mini SD card (of which I have loads already that I used on my last camera) in a Pro Duo card? One of these .... eBay item number 170489719399

Would it work or am I stuck with having to buy more expensive memory?
Cheers,
Steve

[Anbesol]

I am not positive on this one, but I believe the microSD high capacity file system (Fat32) begins at 1GB instead of 2, so your max memory cap will be lower with a MicroSD.

I'm not sure what your intention or purpose here is though, what is wrong with using a bona fide memory stick pro duo? Or, just plain memory stick? Which would be faster than the MicroSD's anyway, a 5 megapixel image doesn't take up much space, with 2 2gb cards you could cover a lot of shooting. So I am curious why you ask?

[Steve_BB2]

Why do I ask?
Simple economics really.
I would probably need about 8 memory cards for a day's use with mostly video and a few still images. There would be times also when just one or two cards would be enough. So my choice is to go out and buy 8 x 1gb MS Pro Duo at about £8 each (I am in England) or 4 x 2gb Pro Duo cards @ about £10 each. An alternative is to buy between 10 and 16 @ 512 mb MS pro cards for about the same total cost.

Balance that with buying 2 x mini SD cards @ 1gb and £4 each to go with the 6 that I already own.
The saving of about £30 = 17 beer tokens.

[Anbesol]

Ah, video, didn't think of video. I guess thats a purpose, and I can see why the 2GB cap is a problem for you then.

Well, im afraid that trial and error is going to have to be your friend here. The problem is that often times, recording video on a digital still camera can be limited to the cameras buffer, which is subsequently limited to the speed of the memory card, which would be even slower on a microSD than a sony memory stick. And doing this on a trial basis would require the purchase of the adapter... hmmm...

Also - have you verified the 2GB capacity max? Is an 8GB card for sure incompatible? You could probably buy one, and if it doesn't work return it. I understand the need to be frugal, and personally, thats what I would do.

[Steve_BB2]

Yeah, video is the killer for an amateur using amateur kit.
I want to be able to take loads of fairly short videos of birds taking off, both from the ground and from a perch of some kind. It will also be good to try out this 16 frame burst that this camera appears to have. The 2gb cap or even the 1gb cap isn't really a problem for me with these short clips just as long as I have more memory cards to fall back on. It ain't like I need a seamless 2 hour movie.

I have NOT personally verified that 2 gb is the max size of Pro Duo card that can be used but I have been told that this is the case. I believe it is something to do with the file system used. Maybe a trip to a camera shop is about due. Maybe they will have an 8 or 16 gb Pro Duo card in the back that they use themselves that they will allow me to try before buying.

Oh look, there goes another flying porker, lol

Cheers,
Steve

[Steve_BB2]

UPDATE ..... For those that want one.

The adapter gizmo that converts a micro SD HC memory card into a Sony memory stick Pro Duo card (eBay item # 220622342782) arrived this morning.
I am happy to confirm that if you stick a 2gb SD HC card into one of these adapters and then stick the whole thing into a standard Pro Duo card to common or garden Memory stick card adapter. You then have a Sony DSC-F717 that can use 2gb Micro SD cards.
When you first switch on, you get a message on screen about a duff memory card but once you have formatted the card it works perfectly.
That has just knocked about £30 off my photography costs for the next year. Magic.

Cheers m'dears.

[Anbesol]

Nice! Can you try it out with a 4 or 8?:idea:

[Steve_BB2]

Mmmmmm, Tricky.
I don't have either of those on hand to give them a try and it seems a bit silly to risk buying one just to see if it will work.
I don't need a card that big and I don't have anything else that could use it if it didn't work in this camera.