Hi

I just went out to take advantage of some boxing week sales here, and I wanted to grab a few good deals on SD cards for the Inspire.

My question is, which type of SD does this thing take? The DJI tech specs page for Inspire One says:

SD/SDHC/SDXC Micro SD
Max capacity: 64 GB. Speed: Class 10 or higher


So does that mean it supports SD AND Micro SD? Apparently it comes with a 16GB Micro SD (which gets, what, 5 minutes of 4K?), but the spec above looks rather vague. Can anyone enlighten me on this?


P.S. Thay also fail to mention that to do real 4K you need UHC 3.


Thanks

I believe there have been a few posts that have already covered this topic but I picked up a couple 32gb Sandisk Extreme PRO MicroSDHC UHS-1. Read Up To 95 MB/s 633X and Write Up To 90 MB/s 600X. Probably over kill but better safe than sorry. That's my approach!

So does it take both SD and Micro SD? Or do I need to take back the SD cards I bought?

Looking at some photos of the camera, it seems to be a Micro SD card used with the Inspire 1.

YES, MIRCO SD card is what it takes.

Also regarding the file sizes - DJI state the maximum bitrate is 60 Mbps, which is actually 7.5 Megabytes a second, so any class 10 card should be fine.

A beta tester on another forum (RCGroups) stated that 5 minutes of uncompressed 4K video takes app. 1.84 GB on the microSD card. 32 or 64 GB will give you plenty of space for recording all the video you want, including even multiple flights, if you have the batteries.

Micro SD only.  See Inspire 1 Specs

A basic Class 10 card will work (barely) for HD video.  If you wish to shoot 4K video, you need a minimum of UHC3 (30 MB/s).  Maximum video output of the Inspire is 60 MB/s (their published 60 Mb/s spec is a typo - 7.5 MB/s cannot handle 4K video).  

Tahoe Ed published a couple of very large files on one of these forums of 4 sec and 7 sec downloaded directly from the camera that averaged 70 MB/s, even higher than the published DJI spec.

The only cards of which I am aware that can handle this speed are the SanDisk Extreme Pro Micro SD cards that svencool mentioned above.

Just to add a little more confusion to the mix, Sandisk refers to them as UHC-1 on the website, but you can clearly see that the UHC-3 logo on  the card itself.  They are actually capable of 3 times the speed of the UHC-3 spec - 90 MB/s write speed.

ultraturtle Posted at 2014-12-28 08:49
Micro SD only.  See Inspire 1 Specs

A basic Class 10 card will work (barely) for HD video.  If you  ...

Sometimes it's best to check your facts before posting. The spec sheet on the Inspire camera lists 60 Mbps (mega bits per second) as the max output speed of the processor, which would require a card with a minimum write speed of at least that much. 60 Mbps, as you know, equals 7.5 MBps (mega Bytes per second), as there are 8 bits per Byte. If, in fact the Inspire camera processor wrote at 60 MBps (equal to 480 Mbps), there is not a card in the world made today that could write that fast.
For comparison, the Panasonic GH4 writes at 200 Mbps (25 MBps) and it's recommended to use a Sandisk Extreme ProUHC-1 card, capable of writing at sustained write speeds of 30 MBps.
My point is this: The Inspire specs are correct. The camera writes at 60 megabits/sec, not megaBytes/sec. That's 7.5 MB/sec, which any Class 10 UHC-1 card can handle with ease.

Well, thanks folks. I guess I have to return the SanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB cards I bought today.

The specs on the site are not that clear. Even the guy at the store where I bought it thought it said it could take a standard SD size, looking at the DJI Specs page.

Ok, one more question: A UHC1 card definitely won't do 4K? The ones I saw today showed a 48MB/S  speed. And some of the Micros I'm looking at right now are UHC1, and they say 80MB/S

http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/p ... 77f59a5a428875een02

Confusing...

And some of the Micros I'm looking at right now are UHC1, and they say 80MB/S

http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/p ... 77f59a5a428875een02

The Sandisk Extreme cards in this link are capable of writing at 40 MB/s to 45 MB/s, which is fast enough for 4K video at its highest compression (30 MB/s minimum).  They are not as fast as the 60 MB/s max bit rate of the Inspire 1.

Disregard the typically faster read speeds most advertisers pitch.  Read speed is meaningless when writing video files.  Go to the manufacurers' web sites to determine the actual write speeds.

Thanks for that info ultraturtle.

ultraturtle Posted at 2014-12-28 08:49
Micro SD only.  See Inspire 1 Specs

A basic Class 10 card will work (barely) for HD video.  If you  ...

Samsung and Transend make fast cards. Both in micro and standard

2001guns Posted at 2014-12-31 11:25
Samsung and Transend make fast cards. Both in micro and standard

Good to know Samsung is in the game.  They make quality storage media.  You might be able to rely on their claim of 50 MB/s write speed for their top tier card.  Troubling however, is that it is rated as UHS Speed Class 1 (U1) as evidenced by the logo on the face of the card.  A U1 rating only guarantees a minimum write speed of 10 MB/s.

Trascend tends to be the bargain leader in media, which typically is a trade-off.  I've not had a positive experience with their cards in the past.  The 90 MB/s "transfer rate" posted on their website for their fastest card is largely meaningless, as it is most likely a read speed, which has nothing whatsoever to do with write speed for cheap cards.  Their top tier card is also not available in a 64 GB capacity. What is again telling is the U1 logo on the card itself, which (at 10 MB/s) cannot guarantee the UHS Speed Class 3 (U3) performance of 30 MB/s - required to record 4K video in its most compressed form.

The Sandisk top line cards carry the U3 logo, and can therefore guarantee the 30 MB/s minimum performance capable of recording 4K video.  They also make 64 GB U3 cards, and offer write speeds as high as 90 MB/s.
Lexar used to compete strongly with Sandisk in this market, but they seem to have given up lately.  Delkin and Silicon Power offer U3 cards, but they top out at 32 GB and 50 MB/s (the Inspire 1's max video bit rate is 60 MB/s), and actually cost more than equivalent Sandisk cards.

Bottom line is that if you want to be absolutely sure that your micro SD card can capture 4K video in its most compressed form, look for the UHS-3 logo on the card itself.  It looks like this:

Edited to reduce size of graphic

This should help. First I believe that there is no card included. That is if things are the same as originally announced. Second, when it is stated ""SD" / "MicroSD" you will be using a "Micro SD" Card, the same as all os the Phantom Series. When you buy a "Micro SD" Card it usually comes with a "SD" Card Adapter. The "Micro SD" is placed in the Camera. To view or download the Video or Photo(s) you remove the Micr from the Quad Camera and insert it in the "SD" Card Adapter and then the "SD" Card with the "Micro" in it into your Card Reader which is connected to your Computer, usually via the USB Port. It is all very simple and not that expensive. You need the "SD" Adapter because the "Micro" SD Card is just that, tiny.

rodger Posted at 2014-12-31 23:23
This should help. First I believe that there is no card included. That is if things are the same as  ...

There is a 16 GB card included.  See this link: Inspire 1 FAQ

ultraturtle Posted at 2014-12-31 16:10
Good to know Samsung is in the game.  They make quality storage media.  You might be able to rely o ...

O.K. You guys obviously have done your home work on this matter. Please help me here. I want to buy the best/fastest micro SD card for my Inspire 1, so when I get it in my hands it I will know that I have done the best I could so far as my hardware. If Transend and Samsung are not up there what card should I buy?

...what card should I buy?

Either the Sandisk Extreme Pro (90 MB/s write speed) or the Sandisk Extreme Plus (50 MB/s write speed).

Keep in mind that the Inspire 1 max video bit rate is 60 MB/s, but we do not yet know if we can tweak compression to use the full output.

I bought 1 Extreme Pro 64 GB card and will see if the Inspire 1 can take advantage of its greater speed before purchasing another.

ultraturtle Posted at 2015-1-1 00:20
Either the Sandisk Extreme Pro (90 MB/s write speed) or the Sandisk Extreme Plus (50 MB/s write sp ...

Thanks for the guidance! I did a quick look on the net and could only find one seller in the continental U.S. $199.00 with free shipping. There were many cheaper in Japan and Tiawan but shipping takes too long with them.

...I did a quick look on the net and could only find one seller in the continental U.S. $199.00 with free shipping. There were many cheaper in Japan and Tiawan but shipping takes too long with them.

I got mine on Amazon for $100.14 including shipping, but it took 10 days to arrive.  Check prices daily.  They fluctuate all over the place.

You can get a 32 GB card directly from Amazon for $49.99, which should get you at least three battery charges worth of video.

...I did a quick look on the net and could only find one seller in the continental U.S. $199.00 with free shipping. There were many cheaper in Japan and Tiawan but shipping takes too long with them.

Sandisk Extreme Pro 64 GB is $99.99 at Newegg

Just wanted to update this thread on account of the proper copy of the PDF manual being released on the DJI site.

It specifically recommends a UHS-1 spec card. Of course you could go for a UHS-3 card, but you may not see a huge benefit unless you plan on taking multiple bracketed shots in burst mode, in quick succession.

I just flew the Inspire 1, took pics and videos, and looked briefly at the results.  

Sadly, the video output does in fact top out at 7.5 MB/s (60 Mb/s).  Any UHS 1 (10 MB/s) card will suffice for video after all.  $30 or less for a name brand 64 GB card.

Buying a High Speed/Capacity card can get pretty $$. Glad they are adding it in with it