Customer Reviews

Lexar Media 256 MB Memory Stick (MS256-281)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I bought this 256 MB memory stick because I wanted the flexibility of traveling for more than a few days at a time with my Sony (DSC P-9) camera without bringing along my laptop or any of the cumbersome devices for downloading photos. I figured that where my 128 MB memory stick proved too limited, combining its capacity with this new 256 MB stick would be just what I needed.

In the end, I was only partially right.

I don't have a problem with having to flick a tiny switch to have access to the second memory partition on the stick, and I've long realized that using a Lexar stick didn't present any obvious difficulties or shortcomings compared to the more costly Sony stick the camera maker recommends. But I was unpleasantly surprised to discover that each of the two parts of the 256 MB device held significantly less than the 128 MB stick I used before.

This is something I can't figure out, and I am not the kind of technical whiz who could accurately theorize why this takes place. But the evidence is clear: my 128 MB stick holds around 68 or 70 full resolution photos before filling up and on separate occasions, the 256 MB stick held about 55 or 56 on each side before it topped out. Both are from Lexar, so the problem is not problem stemming from the memory stick maker. And the 128 MB stick is older, so the blame can't be placed on any unannounced technological advances. The only thing I can assume is that the partitioning of the stick or the cataloguing of so much information somehow uses up some of the memory built into the product.

Does that mean this product is a bad investment? Well, I'm not sad that I bought it. It more than doubles the total number of photos I can take without downloading, to around 190 from around 80 (counting the 16 MB stick that came with the camera) for what seems to me to be a reasonable price. But if you are buying this counting on having exactly twice as much space as you'd find on a 128 MB memory stick, I think you'll find this product comes up more than a little bit short.

I own two 256Mb Memory Sticks from Lexar. These sticks are, in fact, two 128Mb sticks in a single body; you must manually switch, via a micro DIP switch, which bank you wish to access. It also has a micro DIP switch for write-locking the media.

Now, manually switching banks is something to consider if you're looking for the latest and greatest: Sony has just released Memory Stick Pro media which can address up to 1GB of memory in a single stick. Is this a strong consideration? Probably not, since the 1Gb stick ends up costing more than your handheld.

In general use, these sticks are more than adequate. The minor incovenience of manually switching the banks is outweighed by the cost and backing of Lexar. Lexar makes good memory devices.

You could buy the Sony-branded sticks or Lexar-branded sticks, and you end up with identical media. Lexar's warranty on their Memory Stick media even surpasses Sony's, and it's the same item functionally. I recommend the Lexar sticks, withholding the final star because a soft-switch of the banks would have been perfect.

As with all Sony products, memory sticks are more expensive than they should be. Lexar does a good job of getting the price at par with other media like CF and xD cards. Its transparent body is nice looking, but useless because you can either look at it or use it. The green led looks nice when its being read on my Clie... except that also has no real use either because there's already a red led on my Clie next to the slot which glows when it reads the media. The alternating red and green looks cool though.
This is a 128x2 MB stick. So you will either love or hate that you have to flick a switch. This also means that the 2 modules are a little less than 128MB, so overall, you would get more storage if you took a Sony or Sandisk 256MB memory stick. The switching becomes a pain when you are shooting MPEG movies with your CyberShot camera. That apart, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't buy it.

As correctly described in another review, this is 2x128M (together 256Mb) memory stick. You have a little jumper on the back to switch between the banks.

For reference, there is no such thing as 256 Mb memory stick, that's a limitation of memory stick technology. To overcome this limitation, Sony came up with the Memory Stick Pro standard, which can be 256 Mb, 512 Mb, and even 1Gb+, but Memory Stick Pro is not compatible with many older devices.

So if you camera takes Memory Stick, this is an absolutely best value you can find. I have 256 Mb memory stick from Lexar and very happy about it -- actually I came here to buy another one.

The first thing you need to know is that a Memory Stick Pro stick won't work in a device designed for just the regular Memory Sticks. So you can stop drooling over the 1GB Pro sticks now.

That leaves regular Memory Sticks, which must have some memory-addressing issue that only allows 128 MB to be available at any one time. So, to have a larger Memory Stick, you need one with a switch so that you can switch between the two memory chips which each can be no larger that 128 MB. That's what this stick has. Of course, you have to take the stick out of the camera to flip the switch. And the switch is small, but it is surprisingly easy to operate with a fingernail.

Right now, I'm using it with a 2 megapixel camera, so I get over 100 shots per chip, or over 200 shots on the stick. For a photo geek like me, that's great. I've been very satisfied with this Memory Stick.

I bought two of the 256 MB memory sticks assuming they would work the same way as the 126's. They actually work very well in my Sony DSC-P10, and I love having the large capacity so that I don't have to change sticks so often if I'm taking a large number of pictures.

However...like the previous reviewer, I was extremely disappointed that the 256 MB doesn't work with our Sony television which displays wonderful slide shows by inserting a memory stick into a special slot at the front of the TV. The 126's work fine. As a result, I'm considering going back to all 126's so the family can enjoy the slide shows on the large TV screen.

If that's not a consideration for you, and you know from the information provided by other reviewers that the 256's will work in your camera, go for it.

After using this memory stick in my SONY DSC-V1 for a few months, it just stopped working. I took pictures with it and then transferred them into my SONY VAIO. The memory stick was sitting in my computer's slot for a few days, and when I put it in my camera to take pictures, my camera lcd screen blinked "format error." I tried formatting it with my computer, but my computer told me the disc was write protected, which it wasn't. It would not format in my camera either. I was only able to use one half of the stick. A few pictures later, both halves of the stick were not working. My camera shows each side as having a "format error," or a "system error."

I have 2 of Lexar's 256MB (128MBx2) memory sticks. Bought them a month ago and they work flawlessly with my Sony DSC-P72 camera and my SanDisk ImageMate card reader. Did not even require any drivers to be downloaded or installed. I just wish they made a 256MB memory stick without one having to manually switch from bank A to bank B. It's an inconvenience especially if you're shooting lots of pictures and pressed for time. But other than that, I like this product and would recommend it.

I bought this memory for my Sony TRV-50 camcoder, so that I can store more digital pics on the memory, before downloading them on my computer. Few days later, the memory stick stopped working. My camcorder gave memory error, and was unable to read it or reformat it. I tried in other devices too, and the same thing, unable to read the memory stick. All my pics got lost and I of course lost the memory stick too. Kinda waste of money for me. I think Sony's memory sticks are costly, but atleast they are reliable.

I admit that I chose Lexar over Sony because Lexar was offering a rebate at the time. I have also completed the rebate forms and sent it in but have never received the rebate. I know it takes 6 to 8 weeks, but its been 4 months and still nothing from Lexar. Lexar's customer service that I called to check on the rebate is a joke. You'll be better off buying a genuine Sony product for a few bucks more. Had the rebate check been sent, yes this would have been a good bargain. But, I see it as Bad Customer Relations that Lexar wants to promote. Why don't they honor completed Rebate forms and issue Rebates due the customer?