SanDisk SDCFX3-4096-901 4 GB Extreme III CompactFlash Card (Retail Package) by SanDisk $39.43 Available from Amazon on 9-2-2008

Features: 4 GB capacity Lifetime warranty 20 MB/sec sequential read/write speed Temperature tested -13 to 185 degrees F. Includes RescuePro data recovery software Product Description: Legal Disclaimer Warranty does not cover misuse of product. Included in the Box: "SanDisk Extreme III CompactFlash is designed for serious professional photographers who demand one of the fastest, most rugged, and most durable memory cards avaliable", says the description. Unfortunately, while on a trip to Asia less than two months after buying this card, it died on me. I was downloading the card contents via a SanDisk card reader, and after getting about 60% of the photos off the card, my laptop said the card could not be read. I tried two different laptops, and two different card readers, and nothing could read the card. I tried three different software programs designed specifically to rescue card contents, and they all reported that they could not read the card. Even a low-level system format of the card failed both from the laptop and my Nikon D200. SanDisk tech support via email was responsive: they told me that there seemed to be some issues between this card and the Nikon D200 (despite the D200 manual specifically listing this card as tested and compatible) and that I should get a firmware update from Nikon. They also gave me instructions on how to format my card under Windows XP, despite having informed them that I am running a MacBook Pro. (Luckily I also run Windows XP on my MacBook, so I was able to test formatting using both operating systems, which both failed.) I politely pointed out that there is no firmware update for the Nikon D200, and even so, the problem with the card developed while reading images into my laptop, and that trying to format the disk from my laptop failed. Eventually SanDisk provided me with RMA details and when I return back to the USA I will be returning the card for a replacement. Searching the Web, there do seem to be intermittent issues between this card and the Nikon D200 - but I must have filled this card 20 times without incident prior to its failure. When it did work, it was VERY fast. If you are planning to use a SanDisk Exreme series CF card with a Nikon D200, you should do some Web homework to see what compatibility issues are being reported. You might want to restrict yourself to the 2GB cards until there is a Nikon firmware update; or perhaps the Extreme IV series just released might not exhibit the same issues. ----------- UPDATE: When I returned from Asia, I sent the drive to SanDisk for replacement using a 3-day UPS label they provided via a web link. The package was sent on September 4. UPS attempted to deliver it to SanDisk on Sept 7, but SanDisk asked them delay receipt until the following day for unknown reasons. So SanDisk received it on Sept 8. On September 12, I received two identical emails from SanDisk 15 minutes apart telling me my faulty disk was received. Two days later, I received another email telling me that my replacement disk was being sent -- by UPS Ground!!! From east coast to west coast, this means one week! UPS show that I will receive it on September 21 - Seventeen days after I originally sent it back. This just seems completely unacceptable and inefficient. For $4.05 SanDisk could have sent the replacement by USPS Priority Mail w/ delivery confirmation for less than half the price of UPS Ground, and I would have had in two days, instead of SanDisk SDCFX3-4096-901 4 GB Extreme III CompactFlash Card (Retail Package) $39.43 Available from Amazon on 9-2-2008

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