At that time I only had a 2GB Sandisk Ultra II which I got for my Canon Powershot S3 IS. So I decided to get a memory card that had a faster speed class and at the same time have a bigger capacity. I browsed online and found one at Amazon.com, a SanDisk 8GB Extreme HD Video – SDHC Class 6 High Performance memory cardfor $36.

Product Photos:

The Sandisk 8GB Extreme SDHC HD Video memory card has a read/write speed of 20MB/sec, which is ideal for point & shoot cameras, DSLRs and video camcorders that have high-definition video recording capabilities. Also, the 8GB memory card can store up to 120 minutes or 2 hours of H.264 high-definition videos at 9Mbps.

The SanDisk 8GB Extreme SDHC HD Videomemory card was eligible for Amazon Prime so I got the 2-3 day shipping for free. I received the package on time and in perfect condition. The product was brand new and came in a retail packaging, not bulk packaging. As soon as I opened the package, I slipped the memory card on my camera, formatted it and started shooting pictures with it.

If you’re shopping for a memory card for your digital camera or video camcorder, I strongly recommend Amazon.com. They have some of the best deals online and have very cheap prices especially compared to retail stores like Walmart, Target or even BestBuy. Just make sure that you pick the right product and read the reviews first. It’s also advisable to get products that are sold by Amazon or sold by a certified store and delivery is fullfilled by Amazon.

DISCLOSURE: JaypeeOnline is an affiliate of Amazon.com

One of the things I don’t like about my Compaq Presario C714NR is that it doesn’t have any media card slots. I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal or an issue since I already have a generic card reader. Later on I found out that my cheap card reader doesn’t work with Vista and I couldn’t find the USB cable for my Canon Powershot S3 IS so I had no other way of transferring my photos to my laptop.

Because of that, I had to find and get myself a new card reader. I wanted it to be affordable yet reliable and of good quality. I don’t know if you’ve noticed this but I’m a bit brand conscious. When it comes to memory cards and flash drives, my brand of choice is Sandisk. So I looked around for an affordable Sandisk card reader that can accommodate multiple memory card types. The one that I decided to get was the Sandisk ImageMate 12-in-1 Reader/Writer and I the cheapest one I found was over at ANTonline which sells for $23.77. The Sandisk ImageMate 12-in-1 card reader usually retails for atleast $30 in other online stores.

Unit Dimensions:

• In docking: Outer dimensions (H x L x W): 150 x 100 x 52 mm
• Reader unit (H x L x W): 20.5 x 101 x 69 mm

Features:

• Transfer, print, email, and display images with the touch of a button
• Hi-Speed USB 2.0 certified for superior data transfer
• Backwards compatible with all USB 1.1 ports
• No additional card adapters needed
• Easy to install and use; no additional driver installation required for Windows ME, 2000, XP and OS X v10.1.2 plus. Driver included for Windows 98SE and Mac OS 9.2.x plus
• Separate reader and docking station for easy desktop/laptop connectivity
• Certified Windows XP and Mac OS X

The ImageMate 12-in-1 Reader/Writer is compatible with the following memory card formats :

• CompactFlash®
• CompactFlash® II
• SD™
• SDHC™
• miniSD™
• miniSDHC™
• MultiMediaCard™
• MMCplus™
• MMCmobile™
• RS-MMC™
• RS-MMC Dual Voltage™
• Memory Stick™
• Memory Stick Duo™
• Memory Stick PRO™
• Memory Stick PRO Duo™
• SmartMedia™
• xD
• xD Type M
• xD Type H

The Sandisk ImageMate 12-in-1 card reader worked out of the box. I didn’t have to use the CD and install the drivers. Transferring photos was fast and easy. It includes an optional stand (see photo above) which saves space and lets you access the card reader conveniently.

If you’re looking for a good external multimedia card reader, I highly recommend the Sandisk ImageMate 12-in-1 card reader. And if you do decide to get one, the one at ANTonline is still the cheapest I’ve seen so far.

Are you also using an external multimedia card reader like this? If so, what brand and model is it? What are your experiences with it?

Basic features:

• 12x optical zoom lens with USM and UD lens element
• Optical Image Stabilizer
• 6.0 Megapixel CCD
• Larger size 2.0” Vari-angle LCD
• 30fps VGA movies with stereo sound and Photo in Movie feature
• DIGIC II, iSAPS and Flexizone AF/AE for fast, precise results and 2.3 fps continuous shooting performance
• 20 shooting modes and My Colors photo effects
• High ISO Auto and ISO 800 for low light flexibility
• Widescreen (16:9) recording

Additional Photos:

Front View

Rear View

All Around View (click on image to view larger version)

It’s not as powerful and as nice as the Canon EOS 400D Digital Rebel XTi that I have on my wishlist but after giving it much thought, I decided that I would be better off with this camera since I’m still an amateur photographer and still have a lot to learn in photography. I thought that this would be a good camera to start with in honing my photography skills. Btw, I also got a SANDISK 2 GB Ultra II SD card, to go with it.

Friday afternoon, I bought a LowePro camera bag and then on Sunday, I went to BestBuy and got the Energizer 15-minute charger.

So far I’ve only taken pictures of my wife and kid but haven’t tried it on other stuff like scenery and objects. I’m still getting myself used to the controls and different settings of this camera so it might take a while before I get nice photos to share. I also plan to setup a separate photo album once I have enough photos to upload.

You can read a detailed review of the Canon Powershot S3 IS over at dpreview.com

[image source: dpreview.com]