August 18, 2011

Photography - understanding Memory Cards

Even more confusing than the process of choosing which model of digital camera to buy is the process of choosing a memory card for your camera. This is compounded by the fact that often your first digital camera will not come bundled with a memory card, and you will need to purchase it separately.

Important characteristics for a memory card, beyond whether or not it is compatible with a given digital camera model, are the file storage capacity (generally measured in gigabytes), and the file exchange rate (the higher the better). As an example of the numbers involved, a 6 megapixel resolution camera can store about 320 high resolution Jpeg images on a 1Gb memory card. A 2Gb memory card would hold 640 images, and so on. But note that if you store images in the camera's Raw image format as well, your memory card will accept a significantly smaller number. This is why high-capacity memory cards are favored when you can afford them.

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The wide collection of memory card types and makers reflects the relative immaturity of the field of digital photography. The dissimilar companies are still battling for store dominance, and no suitable has yet been established for memory cards.

However, there are presently two main types of memory card that seem to stand above the others. These two types are known as compact Flash (or Cf) and secure Digital (Sd). For the remainder of this description I shall restrict my seminar to these two card types. Most digital cameras will reserve only one memory card type, though the very high end digital Slr models, like the Canon Eos-1Ds Mark Iii and the Nikon D3 reserve both Cf and Sd memory cards for maximum flexibility.

Compact Flash, which is currently the most popular memory card type for digital cameras (due to its historically excellent capacity and reliability), was introduced by SanDisk in the mid nineties, so it has been colse to for a while. All the major digital camera brands employ Cf memory cards on at least some, if not most, of their models. SanDisk produces memory cards that can hold up to 8 Gb in file size.

For habitancy who need to reel off a great number of shots in order to get the one or two great ones (sports photographers come to mind here), the high capacity cards are very convenient. exchange rates are specified in term of the incremental "1x" rate of 150 Kb/s. A "12x" card would therefore be capable of a maximum file exchange rate of 1800 Kb/s. Cf memory cards come in one physical size only, though with two potential thicknesses, designated as Type I and Type Ii, with the second being the thicker. A Type Ii memory card will not fit into a Type I slot, so be sure to get the accurate Type when choosing Cf memory cards.

Because Cf memory cards are relatively large (1.43 inches by 1.68 inches) they are less likely to be found in use with smaller point-and-shoot digital camera models. Instead, their physical size makes them more convenient to the digital Slr models.

The secure Digital memory card name derives from the fact that it was originally introduced as a means to securely store music files. The idea was that music files would be copyright protected and minuscule entrance would be permitted to files stored on Sd disks. But the concept was short-lived when the safety protocol was cracked not long after its introduction. Because of the tight association with the music industry, slots that accept Sd cards also accept other devices like Bluetooth antenna, Pdas, mobile phones, and so on.

Sd memory cards are used by all the top digital camera brands, including Casio, Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Kodak, Panasonic, and Konica Minolta.

Like Cf memory cards, the Sd card exchange rate is measured in the same units of 150 Kb/s. Due to the smaller physical size of the Sd memory card (1.26 inches by 0.94 inches) the maximum file storage capacity has historically been a great deal lower than for Cf cards. Typically colse to 1 Gb. However, Sd has now targeted the high capacity market, and to do so it has had to shift to a new file format. Unfortunately this was done without a corresponding change in physical dimensions of the card, which has meant that older cards are often inserted into newer Sd card slots that cannot read them, and vice versa, causing some obscuring to consumers.

Once you have a memory card that is full of images, you are going to want to exchange the files to your computer, where you might process them with a software application like Photoshop, or you might send them on to man else for the editing. One base way to exchange images from your memory card is to use a card reader. This is a small device, almost of ipod size, which contains one or more memory card slots at one end, and a cable at the other end which connects to the Usb port of your computer. In this way, your card reader naturally becomes an additional one port from which to read data onto your hard drive.

If your digital camera does not ship with a card reader, it almost admittedly is accompanied by a cable which can be used to associate the Usb port of your Pc to the camera. In this way, your camera doubles as the card reader gismo that you might otherwise have used to read the memory card.

Other devices, such as photo printers, are likely to have memory card slots built right into them, so that they can accept a memory card directly. Some devices are even capable of receiving a WiFi signal sent from a camera so that files can be transferred "over the air".

No matter what the model of your digital camera may be, it is all the time a great idea to first consult the user hand-operated to see what your options are concerning memory cards. Never make the assumption that one memory card is likely to work for your camera naturally because a sister model, or immediate predecessor model, uses the same memory card. It is likely the case, but it pays to find out before you order new cards.

You can also visit the SanDisk site and check memory card / camera model compatibility. SanDisk lists all the major camera manufacturers and for most current camera models, gives the SanDisk cards that can be used with them.

Photography - understanding Memory Cards

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