Seagate 8GB Compact Flash II Microdrive

I just wanted to bring to your attention that Seagate have a $40 rebate on their 8GB microdrive which runs from 01/18/06 to 01/23/06, so the window for the rebate is small. The drive must be purchased from Amazon.com to qualify for the rebate.

Currently the Seagate 8GB microdrive is on sale at Amazon for $196.64, so with the $40 rebate the final cost is only $156.64 - and that includes free shipping!

Given that premium CF cards sell for around $100 for a 1GB card and even the low end 1GB cards sell for around $60, $156.64 for 8GB of storage is a pretty good deal.

Note Added 02/15/06: The price on this drive has been bouncing around all over the place. In fact today (Feb 15th 2006) it's down to $150.09 at Amazon.com and that includes free shipping and doesn't require any mail-in rebate. Tomorow it could be back up to $200. I don't know why the price shifts around so much, but if you want one, check the price and grab it if it's still cheap!

You can find a full compatibility list on the Seagate Website. The Seagate 8GB drive is compatible with most Canon EOS DLSRs (but see the link for detailed information), as well as many digicams and DLSRs from Nikon, Konica-Minolta, Olympus and Pentax. Note that there are some speed issues with certain combinations of camera and drive firmware which are detailed on the linked Seagate page, so make sure you read it carefully.

Here's what Seagate say about the 8GB microdrive:

• Ultra-fast 3600-RPM drives with 2-Mbyte cache.

• Built to last, inside and out, so the drive and data are protected.

• Designed for digital cameras with a CF+ Type II media slot.

• Compatible with a wide and growing range of FAT32-formatted digital cameras.

• 3600-RPM drives with 2-Mbyte cache consistently deliver the high performance you need.

• Worry-free, one-year warranty covers all parts and labor.

There's also a 4GB version, but the rebate is only applies to the 8GB model.