Olympus rolls out high-speed Type M+ xD-Picture Cards

Believe it or not, Olympus' original Type M xD-Picture Card crashed the scene over a year ago, so it's about time its successor showed up, don'tcha think? The revamped (and ever-so-slightly renamed) M+ card promises data transfer speeds of up to 1.5 times faster than the vanilla Type M, yet somehow still supports "virtually all digital cameras with xD-Picture Card slots" -- whatever that means. Unfortunately, these speedsters still cap out at 2GB, and while pricing deets remain undisclosed, they should be landing sometime in April for all to see.

[Andrew @ Jan 23rd 2008 11:32AM]

Another flash media format answering questions never asked.

[Geir E @ Jan 23rd 2008 1:38PM]

Sony begins to understand the lack of user acceptance for multiple formats. My Sony Alpha takes CF and MS, and my Sony Ericsson phone takes MS and SD. So I just hope that Olympus soon gives users choice to show them that they don't really want xD too.

[chadow @ Jan 23rd 2008 3:28PM]

@ Geir.

They do. CF and xD on the dSLRs

[paragraph @ Jan 23rd 2008 11:34AM]

*all three xD users rejoice and wait in anticipation*

They still make cameras that use these O.o

[dj-kenpo @ Jan 23rd 2008 7:40PM]

actually, as an xd user I don't rejoice. I want the thing dead and gone already. it's been a pain in the ass. my laptop only has sd reader, stores have sd cheaper.

it was so fuckign stupid of me to buy a dslr that had xd....

[STUD HUNK @ Jan 23rd 2008 11:34AM]

2GB is not so bad with pics as opposed to videos. But in the next year or so they will undoubtaly up it to 4 or 8 GB to stay competitive.

[GaryJS @ Jan 23rd 2008 11:46AM]

Anybody know how this compares to the other (now obsolete) high speed xD format, H? I thought they were faster than this!

[Ondra Soukup @ Jan 23rd 2008 11:46AM]

Epic fail...

[silverblackvoid @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:16PM]

well not really...

[Andrew @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:49PM]

Says the kid with the fail of a haircut.

[Magallanes @ Jan 23rd 2008 11:51AM]

XD is one (of many) reason why you must avoid Olympus cameras.

[thethirdmoose @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:05PM]

This reminds me of my old Olymus with SmartMedia cards...

[chadow @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:07PM]

What would be all the other reasons....is it because you like _________ better?

[Actaeon @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:30PM]

xD is a terrible format for many reasons. Confusing compatibility issues for most end users, low capacity, slow speeds, and the awesome ability to kill the card just by formatting it in a PC.

Slow x 1.5 = Still slow

End the silly format and avoid Olympus/Fuji cameras!

[chadow @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:47PM]

It is a somewhat crap format, just like SmartMedia was. It doesn't change that fact that this news is great for people that already own cameras that use xD and aren't in the market for a new camera and storage format. At least they are giving them an upgrade unlike SmartMedia.

On another note, whats your basis for saying avoid Olympus and Fuji? They both make some very high rated quality products. Tell us more....

[Magritte @ Jan 23rd 2008 1:25PM]

Actually, Fuji makes some decent cameras and all of their newer cameras have a xD/SDHC dual slot so there is no need to use xD. It's good to see Fuji see reason...

As for Olympus, while they do make some decent cameras the xD thing pretty much rules them out for me. Their camera's aren't worlds better than the competition so why deal with a proprietary and inferior storage format? Apart from some fairly serious reliability issues (or so I've read) the price/MB is just ridiculous. For the price of a 2 GB xD card you can easily get a much faster 8 GB SDHC card. I think Olympus would sell more cameras if they joined Fuji in embracing the defacto standard.

Sony is pretty much the same. Most of their products only take some variant of memory stick. At least the Sony media are technically better than xD and more widely accepted. But it still counts against them in my book. If I were looking at cameras (and I am) a Sony would have to be significantly better than the competition to overcome their choice of memory formats. Frankly, the current crop are not so Sony is ruled out just like Olympus purely because they choose to be stubborn and ignore what the consumer really wants.

[Actaeon @ Jan 23rd 2008 1:57PM]

You're right, its great for consumers who already have a camera from Olympus/Fuji and don't want to buy another. However, this M+ does not resolve the issues, limitations, and flaws that was in the previous cards. In the end, its still a junk format. Also with limited flexibility in other consumer devices (what else uses xD?) compared to SD, higher price point, this format is just silly.

It is not that Olympus makes bad devices with terrible build quality, it is just a matter of why recommend an Olympus which uses a silly proprietary format when better and more flexible Nikons and Canons are at the same price points? There is nothing exceptional from Olympus.

Also, several of the Olympus cameras (non DSLR) have image quality issues, and I know Fuji is taking a step in the right direction by using better sensors in the point and shoot market for image quality. Something I give much applaud to. I wish other manufacturers would also step up.

I wasn't aware Fuji was making dual slot devices, and I have no problems recommending a particular model if they have an SDHC slot available with decent image quality. I would say the same for the Olympus camera, but I am not aware of any of their point and shoots which meet the criteria above.

There is just no point in recommending an Olympus Camera over other manufacturers such as Nikon or Canon in the point and shoot market (and hell, even in the DSLR market too).

[chadow @ Jan 23rd 2008 3:34PM]

"There is just no point in recommending an Olympus Camera over other manufacturers such as Nikon or Canon in the point and shoot market (and hell, even in the DSLR market too)"

I disagree. All of the Evolt series dSLR Olympus cameras most definitely compete in comparison to other manufacturers. Brand loyalty is one thing, I was a Canon fanboy for 20 years, but Olympus has changed my tune with the E-510 and E-3.

[Actaeon @ Jan 23rd 2008 4:22PM]

There is nothing wrong with the Olympus DSLR Bodies (besides the funky 4:3 Sensor). Image quality and features are good, but its more about the lens lineup that is lacking compared to the competition is what makes it hard to recommend.

After some time, when more lenses come out, it may change my mind, but at this time, Canon and Nikon have an established lens lineup covering many different bases.

[Wwhat @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:44PM]

Anybody know why the hell olympus tries to hang on to xD? I mean there must be some reason, and it can't be profit, or technical reasons, so did the CEO made a promise at some deathbed that he would protect it at all and any cost? Or what?
Even sony isn't so stubborn (is it?).
The whole thing is beyond bizarre.

[chadow @ Jan 23rd 2008 5:18PM]

I appreciate that you are polite with your replies. Thanks.

I still must disagree. The 4/3s system is in many ways a benefit not a fault. I had to read a lot about this system, since a body purchase for me would mean being unable to use 6 of my canon lenses on a new body.

You do have a point that there isn't as large of a selection of 4/3s lenses, but what they have is of excellent quality. Its actually a selling point, not a deterrent. http://www.four-thirds.org/en/products/lense.html