I have just bought my first digital camera a Kodak Z740 and need to buy a memroy card either SD or MM. Which is best and should I stick to buying a Kodak brand or is there a better quality card available. Don't want cheap and cheerful/nasty. want min 256mb or 512mb max. ps what is the difference between SD and MM??

SD and MMC are the same physical format if I remember correctly. MMC is the older and you see less of it around these days.

As to what 'is best', I'd go for whatever cheapest. There is no value add possible with a memory card.

£26.61 for Kingston (actually a reasonable brand) from dabs (http://www.dabs.com/uk/Search2/Product+Details.htm?quicklinx=37R7&searchphrase=sd%20512MB) for 512MB.

SD has the ability to store Digital Rights Management (DRM) info with the files I believe. SD is newer than MMC and I think is probably capable of greater transfer speeds. The transfer speed isn't going to be an issue in a camera - either will be fast enough.
You should be OK with MMC, but I'd go with SD - more popular than MMC and so may be able to be used in any other future purchases. The price differential between SD and MMC was minimal last time I looked.
I wouldn't worry about any particular brand loyalty.

someone told me that the cheaper brands were slower with the data transfer speed.

Possibly. But I would be surprised if you noticed it in a camera, it'd be milliseconds we're talking here at most.
The "the transfer rate's faster" is something I've seen as a reason for the continuing (and imo, ridiculous) expansion in the number of memory card formats (better not get started on this, I could go on for a while!). If I can stream video off it, it's fast enough in my opinion.

so do you think that sticking to the same brand SD card (Kodak) as the camera (Kodak) is worthwhile. maybe it would read its chip better??

If you stick with Kodak you can be reasonably assured it will work with your camera and that it will be a quality card. I've encountered some problems with certain devices not working with certain manufacturer's cards, sticking with Kodak should hopefully eliminate any such issues.There's nothing worse than losing your memories because of a cheap card. However, you may find other brands cheaper. We're probably only talking a couple of quid though.

Thank you for your help.i shall buy a kodak sd card.

Originally posted by Natane
so do you think that sticking to the same brand SD card (Kodak) as the camera (Kodak) is worthwhile. maybe it would read its chip better??

I doubt it. Kodak don't manufacture memory. So all you're buying is a generic chip with Kodak stamped on it.

Your money though.

£35 for a kodak branded card, and it's most likely the same inside as the £26 Kingston card.

I'd go for a Kingston or Sandisk card. One or the other carries a five year warranty.