Micro SD Card Size

[Mr Catnip]

M1P has bad exFAT driver implementation which causes the entire camera module to restart when recording in quick succession on exFAT (>32GB). Use max 32GB FAT32 cards with M1P.

 

[crlmjohnson]

View attachment 68763

I did have issue with this one in the Mavic Pro 2.

 

[DanMan32]

M1P has bad exFAT driver implementation which causes the entire camera module to restart when recording in quick succession on exFAT (>32GB). Use max 32GB FAT32 cards with M1P.

Or use third party tool and format FAT32.
It was mentioned elsewhere that the 4GB limitation is also in the AVI specs, which would explain why the split even with ExFAT.

 

[Sunshynff]

Interestingly enough and skewed topic, Mini specs state a U3 is needed yet the transfer speed is 40Mbs.

Do you mean megabits or bytes? Small b is bits, capitalized B is bytes. There’s 8 megabits in one megabyte.

The U rating just states the speed won’t drop below that number, it’s the exact same rating as the class rating (C) except there’s only 1 and 3, 1(10MB/s) and 3(30MB/s). So it makes sense that if the Mini specs state it’s speed is 40MB/s that a U3 would be the best card because it won’t drop below 30MB/s. I see a lot of freestyle quad guys on YouTube saying get a U3 card their the best for our set ups. It’s really not. The best for high speed action filming are the cards that print their top read/write speed or a V rating of like 60+.
EDIT--{I made a mistake, the V rating also states the MINIMUM read/write speed, same as the U and C rating}

I don’t think you need a third party to re- format FAT32 or exFAT with Windows 10. On my laptop if you put a card in, go to windows explorer and right click on the drive the card is in, it gives you a choice to format. Click it and it ask you if u want a quick format or full. If you choose full, it gives you choice between exFAT, FAT32 or NTFS.

 

[Thomas B]

Do you mean megabits or bytes? Small b is bits, capitalized B is bytes. There’s 8 megabits in one megabyte.

The U rating just states the speed won’t drop below that number, it’s the exact same rating as the class rating (C) except there’s only 1 and 3, 1(10MB/s) and 3(30MB/s). So it makes sense that if the Mini specs state it’s speed is 40MB/s that a U3 would be the best card because it won’t drop below 30MB/s. I see a lot of freestyle quad guys on YouTube saying get a U3 card their the best for our set ups. It’s really not. The best for high speed action filming are the cards that print their top read/write speed or a V rating of like 60+.

I don’t think you need a third party to re- format FAT32 or exFAT with Windows 10. On my laptop if you put a card in, go to windows explorer and right click on the drive the card is in, it gives you a choice to format. Click it and it ask you if u want a quick format or full. If you choose full, it gives you choice between exFAT, FAT32 or NTFS.

As FYI... My M2P with current software doesn’t require formatting of SD card, at least not SanDisk. The one time I tried doing it, and in the drone, the card became unreadable to my computer and currently working with a recovery company as SanDisk’s recovery produced a few files, but unreadable.
Just FYI... maybe avoid the extra work and go flying.

 

[DanMan32]

I understood the speed rating to be in bits but perhaps I'm wrong. Then again, an SD card isn't expected to go as fast as a HD, and mechanical HDs usually won't go faster than average 100MBs, often less than that, which would approx be 1Gbs.

Windows will not let you format cards greater than 32GB as FAT32. If the option is there, you'll get an error when you follow through.
Also tried command line format and Diskpart with various cluster sizes.

Googled all over the place, all led to third party applications.

 

[DanMan32]

OK, it's bits.

From Mini specs:
Max Video Bitrate

40 Mbps

 

[Sunshynff]

As FYI... My M2P with current software doesn’t require formatting of SD card, at least not SanDisk. The one time I tried doing it, and in the drone, the card became unreadable to my computer and currently working with a recovery company as SanDisk’s recovery produced a few files, but unreadable.
Just FYI... maybe avoid the extra work and go flying.

Yeah, exact same thing happened to me, Luckily they were just "messing around" pictures and nothing important. I didn't change formats protocols either, I left as it as it came from the factory. I did a quick format "opposed to full" on it, like I do with all my new SD cards, through the Mavic, but now, as you said, the general consensus is don't format unless you have an issue, I think that's maybe why my one became unreadable.
FYI, I didn't do any extra work, I haven't formatted new cards for a while now, I was just mentioning it because a previous post said you need a third party application to change protocols from exFAT to FAT32, or vice versa. I simply was stating that you can do it in Win 10.

 

[The_Knight_Who_Says_Ni]

Plenty of people are using 128Gb cards without issue.

As the other people who replied have said the issue of whether it is a good idea for you to use a larger card is another matter. A lot of people like the convenience of not having to swap out their card all day so they go for a larger card.

From my perspective as a commercial operator it is as follows and I know a lot of professional or dedicated hobby videographers feel the same way.

For me the footage on my card is often of more value than the aircraft I am flying. Were I to go out on a big job and fly for 4 hours and on the last flight lose the aircraft I'd be as bummed over the footage as the aircraft. It would mean I'd have to reschedule and re fly the job, maybe have to reschedule any jobs I might have on following days causing a lot of hassle and unhappy clients which is never good.

For that reason I use 32Gb cards. A battery on my Mavic 2 or Phantom 4 P is good for 30 Min (give or take) and a 32Gb card is good for about 40min of 4K footage. I have as many cards as I have batteries and it has become part of my routine to swap out my card at the same time as I swap out the battery.

Of course everyone's needs are different.

Regards
Ari

Personally, i use 64gb sandisk extreme pro, but that is pretty sound advice. Very useful.

 

[Sunshynff]

OK, it's bits.
From Mini specs:
Max Video Bitrate
40 Mbps

From my understanding though, Bitrate is not the same as read/write speed. Bitrate refers more to the size of a file and how the camera can make or read a certain size of a file. Where the sd cards labeling refers more directly to how fast the card can read or right. I attached a clip from a photog site I took a snapshot of.

Windows will not let you format cards greater than 32GB as FAT32. If the option is there, you'll get an error when you follow through.
Also tried command line format and Diskpart with various cluster sizes.

My bad, I kinda messed up what I meant to say, I know that </=32GB is FAT32 and 32GB< is exFAT, I was thinking you meant you had to use 3rd party to change those protocols no matter what. Just now I was like duh, why would you change a 16GB card to exFAT when it wouldn't accept it, and there in would be why you need a 3rd party app to try and force the change, sorry about that.

I understood the speed rating to be in bits but perhaps I'm wrong. Then again, an SD card isn't expected to go as fast as a HD, and mechanical HDs usually won't go faster than average 100MBs, often less than that, which would approx be 1Gbs.

I would think an HD could go way faster than that, currently there are SDcards that have minimum rates as high as 90MB/s, and the SDUC (ultra capacity) are coming out next year sometime, and they're saying those will do appx. 624MB/s and have a capacity up to 128TB!!

 

[DanMan32]

There have been reports of M1's acting up with cards 64GB and above, particularly gimbal resets. Forcing format as FAT32 seemed to solve the problem.