Digital camera memory card selector

Memory Stick

Memory Stick media are the only game in town if you have a Sony digital camera or camcorder, though Samsung uses Memory Stick (MS) as its media as well. Ironically, for a format used by the fewest digital camera and camcorder manufacturers, there is a surprising array of variations. The original Memory Stick, which is the only format many older devices can work with, hit a capacity ceiling at 128MB; adding a mechanical switch allowed manufacturers to boost that to 256MB, a model known as Memory Stick Select. The Select card functions like two completely separate 128MB cards rather than a continuous 256MB partition, however. Newer devices use one of two types of Memory Stick: the full-size Memory Stick Pro, or the miniature Memory Stick Duo Pro. The latter comes with an adapter that allows it to function like a full-size stick, so if you're not sure which devices you'll be plugging into, a Duo seems the better bet. As if that wasn't enough, these two types of Memory Sticks come in several speeds, and now we're seeing colorful variants of the Duo aimed specifically at Sony PSP owners.

Memory Stick Pro
Product	Rated write speed (1X = 150KB per second)	Available capacities (part number)	The scoop
SanDisk Extreme III Memory Stick Pro	133X	1GB (SDMSPX-1024) Check prices 2GB (SDMSPX-2048) Check prices	The current flagship of SanDisk's flash media lineup should be your choice if you're planning on capturing large, uncompressed images or a long series of burst-mode photographs. With their 20MB-per-second rated write speed, not to mention enhanced durability specs, Extreme III cards can handle either situation with aplomb. Until we see a pro digital camera that uses Memory Stick, however, the Extreme III's speed might be overkill for most products.
SanDisk Extreme Memory Stick Pro	120X	256MB (SDMSPX256786) Check prices 512MB (SDMSPX-512-786) Check prices 1GB (SDMSPX1024786) Check prices	SanDisk's Extreme line has been superceded by the Extreme III, but you can still find them all over the Web. They're perfect for the explorer who shoots with cameras that take compressed JPG images or raw--not TIFF--and its lower prices match those of the high-resolution enthusiast cameras that would benefit.
Lexar Professional Memory Stick Pro	80X	512MB (MS512-80-331) Check prices 1GB (MS1GB-80-331) Check prices	Unless you're planning a photo trek through severe climates, these cards should get you through most photographic situations--unless you need higher capacities than Lexar provides.
Sony High-Speed Memory Stick Pro	67X	256MB (MSX256N) Check prices 512MB (MSX512N) Check prices 1GB (MSX1GN) Check prices 2GB (MSX2GN) Check prices 4GB (MSX4GN) Check prices	Sony quotes only maximum write speed for its High Speed media rather than sustained; we suspect that its actual rating should be closer to 60X. In fact, given its advertised operating temperature range of -13 to 185 degrees--sound familiar?--it's likely just a variant of SanDisk's Extreme line. But for 2GB or 4GB capacities, Sony High Speed and SanDisk Ultra II are currently your only fast options.
SanDisk Ultra II Memory Stick Pro	60X	256MB (SDMSPH-256-901) Check prices 512MB (SDMSPH-512-901) Check prices 1GB (SDMSPH-1024-901) Check prices 2GB (SDMSPH-2048-901) Check prices 4GB (SDMSPH-4096-901) Check prices	If the weather's fine and you can find 'em cheap, the Ultra II line is a sensible choice for high-resolution snapshooters.
Lexar Platinum Memory Stick Pro	40X	256MB (MS256-40-331) Check prices 512MB (MS512-40-331) Check prices 1GB (MS1GB-40-331) Check prices	For 4- or 5-megapixel snapshot cameras, the Lexar Platinum's performance should be fine, especially if the price is decent.
SanDisk Memory Stick Pro	10X	128MB (SDMSV-128-A10) Check prices 256MB (SDMSV-256-A10) Check prices 512MB (SDMSV-512-A10) Check prices 1GB (SDMSV-1024-A10) Check prices 2GB (SDMSV-2048-A10) Check prices 4GB (SDMSV-4096-A10) Check prices	We expect that the Sony, Lexar, and SanDisk versions of the Memory Stick Pro are virtually identical. Go for the best deal you can find.
Sony Memory Stick Pro	10X (estimated; Sony does not release relevant speed information)	256MB (MSX256S) Check prices 512MB (MSX512S) Check prices 1GB (MSX1GS) Check prices	We expect that the Sony, Lexar, and SanDisk versions of the Memory Stick Pro are virtually identical. Go for the best deal you can find.
Lexar Memory Stick Pro	10X	256MB (MS256-331) Check prices 512MB (MS512-331) Check prices 1GB (MS1GB-331) Check prices	We expect that the Sony, Lexar, and SanDisk versions of the Memory Stick Pro are virtually identical. Go for the best deal you can find.
SanDisk Shoot & Store Memory Stick Pro	N/A	64MB (SDMSS-64-A10) Check prices	Unless your digital camera is old and low resolution, or it doesn't support the Pro version, or you can find these really cheap, we suggest you opt for one of the slightly faster cards. You probably won't notice any difference, but it'll come in handy if you get a better camera.
Delkin eFilm Memory Stick	N/A	128MB (DDMSFLS1-128) Check prices	Unless your digital camera is old and low resolution, or it doesn't support the Pro version, or you can find these really cheap, we suggest you opt for one of the slightly faster cards. You probably won't notice any difference, but it'll come in handy if you get a better camera.
Memory Stick Duo
Sony High Speed Memory Stick Pro Duo	67X	256MB (MSXM256N) Check prices 512MB (MSXM512N) Check prices 1GB (MSXM1GN) Check prices 2GB (MSXM2GN) Check prices	Sony quotes only maximum write speed for its High Speed media rather than sustained; we suspect that its actual rating should be closer to 60X. In fact, given its advertised operating temperature range of minus-13 to 185 degrees--sound familiar?--it's likely just a rebranded version of SanDisk's Extreme line. But for 2GB capacities, Sony High Speed and SanDisk Ultra II are currently your only fast options.
SanDisk Ultra II Memory Stick Pro Duo	60X	512MB (SDMSPDH-512-901) Check prices 1GB (SDMSPDH-1024-901) Check prices 2GB (SDMSPDH-2048-901) Check prices	If the weather's fine and you can find 'em cheap, the Ultra II line is a sensible choice for high-resolution snapshooters.
SanDisk Memory Stick Pro Duo	N/A	128MB (SDMSPD-128-A10) Check prices 256MB (SDMSPD-256-A10) Check prices 512MB (SDMSPD-512-A10) Check prices 1GB (SDMSPD-1024-A10) Check prices	We expect that the Sony, Lexar, and SanDisk versions of the Memory Stick Pro are virtually identical. Go for the best deal you can find. Memory Stick Pro Duo has become an increasingly common standard on Sony's smaller cameras and also provides the solid-state storage for their PlayStation Portable gaming system, so you'll likely see the Duos in flashy colors.
Lexar Memory Stick Pro Duo	N/A	256MB (MSDP256-331) Check prices 512MB (MSDP512-331) Check prices	We expect that the Sony, Lexar, and SanDisk versions of the Memory Stick Pro are virtually identical. Go for the best deal you can find. Memory Stick Pro Duo has become an increasingly common standard on Sony's smaller cameras and also provides the solid-state storage for its PlayStation Portable gaming system, so you'll likely see the Duos in flashy colors.
Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo	N/A	256MB (MSXM256S) Check prices 512MB (MSXM512S) Check prices 1GB (MSXM1GS) Check prices	We expect that the Sony, Lexar, and SanDisk versions of the Memory Stick Pro are virtually identical. Go for the best deal you can find. Memory Stick Pro Duo has become an increasingly common standard on Sony's smaller cameras and also provides the solid-state storage for its PlayStation Portable gaming system, so you'll likely see the Duos in flashy colors.
SanDisk Memory Stick Duo	N/A	64MB (SDMSH-64-A10) Check prices 128MB (SDMSH-128-A10) Check prices	Unless your digital camera is old and low resolution, or it doesn't support the Pro version, or you can find these really cheap, we suggest you opt for one of the slightly faster cards. You probably won't notice any difference, but it'll come in handy if you get a better camera.
Lexar Memory Stick Duo	N/A	32MB (MSD032-281) Check prices 64MB (MSD064-281) Check prices 128MB (MSD128-281) Check prices	Unless your digital camera is old and low resolution, or it doesn't support the Pro version, or you can find these really cheap, we suggest you opt for one of the slightly faster cards. You probably won't notice any difference, but it'll come in handy if you get a better camera.
Sony Memory Stick Duo	N/A	64MB (MSHM64A) Check prices 128MB (MSHM128A) Check prices	Unless your digital camera is old and low resolution, or it doesn't support the Pro version, or you can find these really cheap, we suggest you opt for one of the slightly faster cards. You probably won't notice any difference, but it'll come in handy if you get a better camera.