Digital Camera Memory Card

How to Choose a Digital Camera Memory Card

The executive summary about Digital Camera Memory Card by Kristine Knight and Susan Chen

Selecting memory cards for digital cameras can be tough. The quality and number of images depends on the type and size of digital camera memory card you choose. Digital cameras store images on thin, stamp-size memory cards. Images are transferred to a computer via a cable or by removing the memory card and inserting it in a card reader that’s attached to a computer. How large a digital camera memory card you need depends on how many megapixels your camera has and whether you’re shooting RAW or JPEG. RAW files can commonly be 10-20 megabytes in size, while high-quality JPEG images will typically run 1-4 megabytes (always use high-quality JPEG settings).

You need a high-capacity digital camera memory card to store a reasonable number of images. Cards are relatively inexpensive. Small cards, such as 512 MB, should be used only for low megapixel cameras and JPEG files. For most cameras, get at least 1 MB, and if you have a high-megapixel camera and are shooting RAW, look for the largest-capacity card you can afford.

While there are several types of memory cards on the market, most cameras are designed to use only one type, with a few having two card slots. You need to buy the right type of card for your camera. If it did come with a card, that card is likely way too small. Cards do have speed ratings that indicate how fast they can store and retrieve data, but only the high-end pro cameras can really support the fastest cards.

Digital Camera Memory Card Buying Guide

With a digital camera you no longer have to deal with having to load the film, and develop the film etc. The actual device that holds these images is called the memory card. To put it simply, the memory card is an electronic and much more convenient alternative to films used in traditional cameras. The unique advantage of the memory card is that it is reusable as images on the memory card can be deleted, unlike films that are not useable anymore once developed, and thus discarded. Memory cards also allow you to easily view your pictures by simply transferring the images from the memory card to the computer, whereas films have to undergo a special process to develop the images on the film.

With all these versatile and innovative benefits memory card provides, digital camera has boomed in popularity. The digital camera memory card market has been flooded with a wide range of memory card brands. There are various types of memory cards available in the market today, including Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro media format, SmartMedia, XD Picture card, SD and MMC cards and the most time tested, CompactFlash.

Before deciding on your memory card, check which type of card is compatible with your brand of digital camera. For most digital cameras, your choice of memory card is likely to be limited to just one or two of the above-mentioned types. Consult the camera manual to learn about the compatibility.

Also, consider buying a memory card with higher capacity, so that you can store more images at a time.

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