It doesn't seem like that long ago since memory cards of this size were just considered unnecessary. Back in the days where a 128Mb card would serve all your purposes it was hard to image the need for anything bigger. However since photographic and related technologies have developed giving rise to more complex and higher quality images, as well as the introduction of RAW files (like a digital negative), the need for such cards is clear.

This is the SanDisk Extreme III 4Gb SD Card. It's ideal for photographers who require the very best performance from their equipment, as it's designed to work even in the harshest conditions. This card also comes in different sizes ranging from 1Gb to 16Gb to meet everyone's needs. The first thing that you notice is that these Extreme 3 cards carry a higher price tag when compared to the same sized or even larger cards from different manufactures. In times like these where for some money seems to be going the way of the dinosaurs, is it worth paying the extra for these cards?

My answer - yes it definitely is.

The cards are really fast, they feature ESP (Enhanced Super-Parallel Processing) Technology, which ensures that you receive the fastest read and write speeds available. So fast it even helps the burst speed on my camera.

The cards look professional and come with decent recovery software in the form of RescuePRO data recovery. Also included in the packaging is a carry case and SD card reader. The biggest advantage to these memory cards is that they feature a life time guarantee. There's nothing worse than loosing photos because of a faulty memory card, but I doubt that anyone would have that problem with these SanDisk cards.

I've had two of these memory cards for a while, even since I got my new DSLR and wanted to take full advantage of shooting in RAW. I'm had no problems what so ever with them, and I plan to take advantage of their dropping price buy buying another two next week. These Extreme 3 SD cards are definitely superior to Sandisks own Ultra II SD range, and are by far the best cards I've used to date.

With all the advantages on offer from this SanDisk Extreme 3 range, it fair to pay a bit more, after all it gives you peace of mind knowing that your photographs are safe and sound, and knowing that your memory card won't let you down when you need it the most.

You can currently buy this card on Amazon.co.uk for £12.49. However I recommend that you do buy from Amazon themselves and not one of their marketplace sellers, simply because some of them are selling the card bare (i.e. Without recovery software, card reader etc.)

So, in conclusion. I couldn't be happier with these cards. They are without doubt the caviar of memory cards.

(I'm a reviewer on Amazon, and some my reviews are copied from there to dooyoo. Please feel free to check out my Amazon profile under my real name of Mr Andrew M Kerr.)