Nikon E-series memory cards - please report your findings

Discuss Nikon E2, E3 (incl. Fujix DS-505, 515 and 56x models), the original Nikon D1 and other discontinued Nikon DSLRs. Ask questions, post general comments, anecdotes, reviews and user tips.
sfpeter
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Re: Nikon E-series memory cards - please report your findings

Post by sfpeter »

I regret to report an IBM 80MB "Solid State File," part number 36H1757 from 1996, will not work in a DS-505.
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Re: Nikon E-series memory cards - please report your findings

Post by NikonWeb »

sfpeter wrote:I regret to report an IBM 80MB "Solid State File," part number 36H1757 from 1996, will not work in a DS-505.
Did you try the card in another camera/device? There's always a risk that it's physically damaged.

Jarle
sfpeter
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Re: Nikon E-series memory cards - please report your findings

Post by sfpeter »

I tried it in my laptop, detected and recognized as a "Solid State File" with a FAT file system. I tried deleting the partition in case the camera for whatever reason needed to write it's own; in all cases I get the same results; the flashing "Change" icon. If anyone out there has on that works, drop me a line.
Stan Disbrow
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Re: Nikon E-series memory cards - please report your findings

Post by Stan Disbrow »

Hi,

Since I passed on my E-series DSLRs a few years ago, I can no longer check on what they need, or do.

I think the E-series needs their cards formatted FAT-12, and they can't do that themselves.

I'm referring to a low-level format where the number of bits per entry in the file allocation table, and the sector size (which in the case of a solid-state card would be the basic storage block size, corresponding to the magnetic sectors on a disk) are set-up.

I recall that the E-series can only perform a high-level format, where the data is wiped in each existing sector and also all the entries in the existing FAT.

In the case of putting the card into a computer, they all default to 16-bits per entry in the FAT. You have to specifically change that in the formatting program if you want FAT-12.

I think you need to give that a try.

Oh, one other thing. At the time these things were designed, FAT-12 was the standard, so this issue would never have come up at the time. Right after these things hit the market, there was a shift in the standard from 12 to 16 bits in the FAT. This was to support hard drives that were becoming so large that the sector size was also growing to be too large.

This FAT-12 vs. 16 subject was something that users of older FAT-12 things needed to handle once FAT-16 became the norm. These days, this sort of knowledge is becoming rather arcane. It's only when we try to use something ancient with something modern that we need to recall any of this....

Later!

Stan
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sfpeter
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Re: Nikon E-series memory cards - please report your findings

Post by sfpeter »

If it's FAT-12 with a 32MB limit, how are some of the larger cards like a Microtech able to work? Regardless, I did use mkdosfs to format the card with a 28MB primary partition, no luck. I think this card has the "high speed" pin not being asserted problem as the camera has rejected it in every circumstance; no partition, FAT 16, and FAT 12.

My last test was to put it with a FAT 16 partition in a Fuji DS-300, which has the same sensor and a lot of chassis similarities to a later "E" series, and it worked fine, so back to square on.
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Re: Nikon E-series memory cards - please report your findings

Post by NikonWeb »

sfpeter wrote:My last test was to put it with a FAT 16 partition in a Fuji DS-300, which has the same sensor and a lot of chassis similarities to a later "E" series, and it worked fine, so back to square on.
I've added your 80 MB IBM card to the first generation list (not working). Not sure who reported this, but the exact same card should work with a second generation body (E2N, etc).

Jarle
Stan Disbrow
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Re: Nikon E-series memory cards - please report your findings

Post by Stan Disbrow »

Hi,

Right. I mis-spoke there. FAT-16 it ought to be. Perhaps it needs a low-level format, which the camera cannot do (that part I said correctly).

Use a PC and low-level format it FAT-16 and not NTFS (which is what I should have said originally instead of FAT-12 vs FAT-16). Windows refers to the High Performance File System as their NTFS, which is actually the same thing. NTFS is the default low-level format for Windows.

If I remember this correctly, that IBM card does have the hi-speed pin asserted. Of course, it could just be that that card is toast, too.

It's too bad that there aren't any PCMCIA memory card analysis programs out there any longer. This would be a perfect time to use one. It would show if that pin was asserted or not as well as tell us what the memory was configured as (ATA vs. Flash, etc).

Later!

Stan
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nausee
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Re: Nikon E-series memory cards - please report your findings

Post by nausee »

Webmaster wrote:I've added your 80 MB IBM card to the first generation list (not working). Not sure who reported this, but the exact same card should work with a second generation body (E2N, etc).

Jarle
It is me who reported the IBM card (36H1757, 1996) working on E2N. In fact I bought an extra one and both works on my E2N.
joachim
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Re: Nikon E-series memory cards - please report your finding

Post by joachim »

Mostly Working:
HAMA CF-Card 64MB,96MB - the red and blue ones - withmthe fitting Nikon CF-Card Adapter
atlas
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Re: Nikon E-series memory cards - please report your findings

Post by atlas »

The Fujifilm manual for the "DS-505/515" claims its standard memory card is the Fujix HG-15
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