Question about Panasonic Micro P2

svp

Well-known member
Our station has purchased the P2 adapters so we can use micro P2 in our cameras, thereby eliminating the need for a P2 reader in the field with the laptops since the laptops SD card slot will read the micro P2 cards. We have a couple of 64GB Micro P2 cards. The micro P2 cards are essentially a SDXC UHS-II card. What I want to know is will the less expensive cards such as the SanDisk Pro Extreme SDXC UHS-II cards work instead of the much more expensive Micro P2 cards? I found a notice on Panasonic's site saying some cards will work but recording can't be guaranteed. We purchased a Lexmar 64GB SDXC UHS-II card to experiment but it doesn't work. When you try to format the card in the camera it gives a "Warning: Can Not Format" message. I'm ordering a SanDisk card to try that. In the mean time, have any of you used a card other than Micro P2 that's worked? The company wants to equip all photogs with 4 cards. The 64GB P2 cards are $300 each where as the SanDisk 64GB cards are $130.
 
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At the scene

Well-known member
Our station has purchased the P2 adapters so we can use micro P2 in our cameras, thereby eliminating the need for a P2 reader in the field with the laptops since the laptops SD card slot will read the micro P2 cards. We have a couple of 64GB Micro P2 cards. The micro P2 cards are essentially a SDXC UHS-II card. What I want to know is will the less expensive cards such as the SanDisk Pro Extreme SDXC UHS-II cards work instead of the much more expensive Micro P2 cards? I found a notice on Panasonic's site saying some cards will work but recording can't be guaranteed. We purchased a Lexmar 64GB SDXC UHS-II card to experiment but it doesn't work. When you try to format the card in the camera it gives a "Warning: Can Not Format" message. I'm ordering a SanDisk card to try that. In the mean time, have any of you used a card other than Micro P2 that's worked? The company wants to equip all photogs with 4 cards. The 64GB P2 cards are $300 each where as the SanDisk 64GB cards are $130.
Yes SVP the SanDisk will work. However 2 minor problems 1) when you hit the record button the record light in the viewfinder flashes for about a second or two which is really distracting but you do get used to it. 2) the download speed is quit slower than the micro p2 cards especially When you have a lot of clips. Other than that I have never had a problem ( Knock on wood) but still prefer to use the P2 micro cards.
 
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Run&Gun

Well-known member
I do not use any memory card in any device I use professionally unless it is specifically approved by the manufacturer. Period. But I'm a freelancer and not a staffer using gear that my employer gives me. I'm responsible if something goes wrong with my gear and I'm not willing to risk my reputation and livelihood on "non-guaranteed" media.
 

Land Rover

Well-known member
I don't understand the math I guess. Assuming you already have full-size P2 cards, why buy a bunch of additional $300 SD cards when the Panasonic card reader for the full-size cards only costs around $300? Is this being done for cost or just not to have another piece of equipment in the field? Personally, I prefer the larger cards.
 

svp

Well-known member
I don't understand the math I guess. Assuming you already have full-size P2 cards, why buy a bunch of additional $300 SD cards when the Panasonic card reader for the full-size cards only costs around $300? Is this being done for cost or just not to have another piece of equipment in the field? Personally, I prefer the larger cards.
For reference, there are about 32 photogs between the two stations. Each has four 32GB P2 cards. All of our laptop editors have AVID and there is a five card P2 reader with each laptop BUT those readers need external AC power and are just another thing to lug around. Since the laptops have SD card slots, we want to eliminate having to carry around a separate card reader. Even the new single slot P2 reader that is powered by USB takes up two USB slots on the laptop. We all carry around 32GB flash drives that we often keep file video on for use in the field. We don't want two of the three USB slots taken up by an external card reader.

For the past six months, I was given an adapter and a 64GB MicroP2 card to use and test. Its been much more convenient than the full size P2 cards. So the decision was made to get cards for all photogs since our next camera upgrade will likely be to Panasonic cameras that only have MicroP2 slots. However, cost is being considered as it is at any station. So it comes down to 32 photogs x 4 cards = 128 cards. The SanDisk is $130 where the MicroP2 is $300 each. That's $16,640 for SanDisk cards vs $38,300 for MicroP2 cards. That's a big difference.

At the Scene,

Thank you for the feedback. We already ordered one SanDisk card to test before ordering more. We weren't sure if it would work since the Lexmar cards won't work but essentially have the same specs as the SanDisk.
 

At the scene

Well-known member
SVP I'm not positive but if the SanDisk doesn't work. It might be a Camera setting or a download. I will check on that next week.
 

goodfoot

Well-known member
I'd prefer the micro if they have thunderbolt compatible readers. My P2 reader uses 2 usb 2 slots and takes forever compared to the newer usb3 and thunderbolt.
 

At the scene

Well-known member
SVP I'm not positive but if the SanDisk doesn't work. It might be a Camera setting or a download. I will check on that next week.
So I have been told that the ScanDisk should work and there is no download or setting required. Just make sure you format the card in the camera before use and all should be fine.
Let me know how you make out!!
 

svp

Well-known member
So I have been told that the ScanDisk should work and there is no download or setting required. Just make sure you format the card in the camera before use and all should be fine.
Let me know how you make out!!
Great! Thank you very much. If it doesn't work I can always use it in my NX5.
 

marstaton4

Well-known member
I just scanned the thread and don't know if I missed this part, but you can only do bit rates of up to 50mbps using SD cards. If you look at a microP2 card there is another row of pins. This is my understanding, and I haven't checked it personally.
 

svp

Well-known member
I just scanned the thread and don't know if I missed this part, but you can only do bit rates of up to 50mbps using SD cards. If you look at a microP2 card there is another row of pins. This is my understanding, and I haven't checked it personally.
You are right about 50Mbs. We shoot AVC Intra 50 here so its not an issue for us. Second, the SDXC cards also have that second row of pins. My understanding is the second row on MicroP2 is for shooting AVC Ultra 200Mbs. Again, not an issue for us. For those wondering why we shoot AVC Intro 50 instead of 100, that decision was made mainly based on storage space. We keep EVERYTHING we shoot for a week and we already push the storage limit shooting 50Mbs. 100 would double that and the cost of storage expansion with our new AVID system was just not justifiable to station management. Another reason is because our station in OKC & Tulsa have the AVID systems linked so that we can quickly share video back and forth without needing to feed things to each other. They can log into our storage and vice versa. The size of the files determines how long it takes to pull or send files and with AVC Intra 100 files being twice the size, its slows down that process. In news, you need things to operate as fast as possible.
 

xacque

Member
I just scanned the thread and don't know if I missed this part, but you can only do bit rates of up to 50mbps using SD cards. If you look at a microP2 card there is another row of pins. This is my understanding, and I haven't checked it personally.
SD cards that are UHS-II have a second row of contacts just like Panasonics microP2 card.
The SD cards that are UHS-II and are U3 rated, have manufacture speed ratings that are faster than Panasonic's and much cheaper.

Manufacturer’s Maximum Speed Ratings:
Panasonic microP2 UHS-II; Read Speed: 250MB/s, Write Speed: 200MB/s.
SanDisk Extreme PRO XC II, U3; Read Speed: 280MB/s, Write Speed: 250MB/s.
Transcend Ultimate UHS-II, U3; Read Speed: 285MB/s, Write Speed: 180MB/s.
Lexar PROFESSIONAL UHS-II, U3; Read Speed: 300MB/s, Write Speed: 260MB/s.


Hopefully they can be formatted in the Panasonic camera.
 

svp

Well-known member
SD cards that are UHS-II have a second row of contacts just like Panasonics microP2 card.
The SD cards that are UHS-II and are U3 rated, have manufacture speed ratings that are faster than Panasonic's and much cheaper.

Manufacturer’s Maximum Speed Ratings:
Panasonic microP2 UHS-II; Read Speed: 250MB/s, Write Speed: 200MB/s.
SanDisk Extreme PRO XC II, U3; Read Speed: 280MB/s, Write Speed: 250MB/s.
Transcend Ultimate UHS-II, U3; Read Speed: 285MB/s, Write Speed: 180MB/s.
Lexar PROFESSIONAL UHS-II, U3; Read Speed: 300MB/s, Write Speed: 260MB/s.


Hopefully they can be formatted in the Panasonic camera.
I can tell you from experience that the Lexar cards DO NOT WORK. So far, the only cards I've found that you can substitute for micro P2 are the SanDisk Extreme Pro
 
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