Choosing The Right Memory Card For Your Digital Camera

It's Monday evening, you've made it through the first day back into your routine after a much needed and memorable vacation. You pull out the memory card from your digital camera thinking you'll download the photographs that record the spectacular sights, reunions with seldom seen loved ones, and memorable events that you experienced in the previous days.

But then the unthinkable happens. With your digital camera in hand you connect to the PC but the photographs can not be retrieved; they are lost. What could cause such a catastrophic failure and more importantly, how could a repeat of this scenario be avoided?

The way that memory cards for your digital camera are handled, used, and stored can greatly influence the length of their useful life and dependability. Observing a few precautions can be the difference between the disappointment of lost images and the pleasure of having pictures with which to reminisce.

Avoid physically damaging memory cards:

• avoid exposure to direct sunlight and temperature extremes

• protect memory cards from exposure to moisture and store in a low humidity environment

• do not write or put stickers on the cards

• store cards in a protective case or leave them in the camera to avoid accidentally breaking them or getting dirt or dust on them

Protect memory cards through proper use:

• keep the batteries of the digital camera fully charged to assure they don't fail while shooting pictures as a failure may result in lost images and permanent damage to the card

• be sure data has been saved, the process completed, before removing the card from the camera or card reader; it's best to turn the digital camera off before removing the card

• move images to the computer to edit rather than editing photos on the card itself

• delete images and re-format the card in the digital camera after downloading on a regular basis

Although the failure of a digital camera's memory card is a rare occurrence, the results can feel tragic nonetheless. Observing manufacturer's guidelines and some of the precautions reviewed above can help to circumvent the unnecessary loss of photographs.

Digital camera memory cards (and memory sticks) are the life-blood of digital photography! Without them you would not be able to take a photo and save it for editing or printing later! As the recorder of images, memory cards are expected to last without end.

But what if they fail? Why does this happen and can you prevent it?

Yes! Follow these simple tips and you can extend your memory card's life today!

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~*~ Turn off your digital camera when inserting or removing your memory card.

~*~ Never remove a memory card whilst your camera is writing (saving the image) to it! Most digital cameras use a light that indicates recording to the memory card.

~*~ Ditto - Never remove a memory card when your camera is formatting the card!

~*~ Place the memory card into your digital camera on a straight angle. Don't force it into your camera - ever! If it won't go in there will be a reason. Forcing it will damage the card or your camera or both!

~*~ Keep your memory cards clean. Never insert a dirty or dusty card into your camera.

~*~ To clean a memory card you should use a soft clean dry cloth. Hold the card by the edges and wipe over carefully. Never use a cleaning agent or water to clean the card!

~*~ Always handle your memory card by the very edges. Don't touch the contact points on the card.

~*~ Store your memory cards in the protective cover you bought them in. Never leave cards loose in your camera bag or sitting on a desktop with no cover. Dust and damage are rife in both situations.

~*~ Memory cards are not flexible! Don't bend or twist them! And try not to drop them, especially onto a hard surface. The cards are durable to a point but they can be damaged.

~*~ Don't load your memory card into your digital camera in an dusty environment! Dust can enter your camera easily and cause havoc!

~*~ Memory cards are not waterproof! Don't get them wet! Keep them away from rain, snow and water splashes.

~*~ Condensation can be a killer! For your memory card that is! A cold memory card will form condensation on it if you expose it to a warm humid room. Don't get your cards wet - keep them away from condensation.

~*~ Just as memory cards don't like getting wet, they also resent heat! Keep your cards out of direct sunlight, especially on a hot summer day. And don't leave them in a car on a hot day or put them on top of a heater (radiator).

~*~ Magnetic fields are bad news for memory cards. They can corrupt or even erase images on the card. Keep you memory cards away from TV's, strong speakers and magnets - even if it is in the camera.

~*~ Only use your memory card in your digital camera - don't use it with multiple devices such as MP3's etc.

~*~ Re-formatting your memory card will keep it healthy. If it starts to act weird or appears to malfunction, try to re-format the card as often this can fix the problem - don't throw it away too soon!

~*~ Always re-format your memory card with your camera, not your computer.

~*~ Ditto - Always delete your images from the memory card with the camera - not your computer!

~*~ Your memory card does not need to be full for you to remove it from your camera! Unlike film, taking photos with a digital camera allows you to remove the card after 100 photos, 10 photos or even just one photo, and it won't cost a thing!

~*~ When loading your photos onto your computer it is best to use a card reader rather than your digital camera. It is faster and safer than connecting your digital camera directly to your computer.

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As an investment into your digital photography, a memory card should be looked after and it will have an extended useful life. Better care equals longer life.

Using these simple tips you can care for your memory card and increase its useable life, (some cards have record/delete cycles of up to 10,000 times and more)!

Look after your memory cards and they will continue on as a valuable asset to your digital photography!

Happy Snapping!

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Memory cards are now being fitted into almost every digital device. The memory or flash memory cards as they are called serve as the storage media for digital cameras, camcorders, mobile phones, television, printers etc. Photos, music, movies and games are all being saved onto the tiny memory cards. There is a whole range of memory cards available on the market today, such as PSP memory card, SD memory card, compact flash memory card, smart media memory card, digital camera memory card etc.

What Are Memory Cards?

The memory cards or rather flash memory cards are chips allowing users to write and rewrite data over and over. They come in small sizes and have the ability to retain data without a power supply. This makes them a convenient and useful device that can be fitted into a range of portable consumer electronic devices.

Different Types Of Memory Cards

The new PCs feature built in slots for a whole range of memory cards. The PSP memory card or memory stick, the digital camera memory card, the SD memory card - all can be suitably inserted in different slots on the PC.

The SD memory card is fast becoming the most popular. A great variety of devices use the SD memory card. This non-volatile flash memory format is used in portable devices such as digital cameras, handheld computers etc.

The PSP memory card is used with the PSP console and is the proprietary format as developed by Sony. Thus it is found primarily in devices developed by the Sony brand. The PSP memory card and the play station portable device by Sony are currently very popular.

The smart media memory cards though popular till few years ago is now becoming less sought after owing to its large physical size. This flash memory card is made by Toshiba. Initially named Solid State Floppy Disk Card or SSFDC, this was the successor to the floppy disk. However, this lacks a built in controller.

Using Memory Card Reader

An external memory card reader and writer can prove to be of immense help to your home desktop and to the laptop. This is the best accompaniment for digital media. Using the memory card reader and hooking the digital media and computer together does away with the hassle of moving photos, music, etc. between multiple media platforms. So, with the memory card reader at hand the digital camera USB cable can be put away while copying pictures through a card.

When you buy a digital camera, one important factor to consider is the memory card that you will use to store all of your pictures.

Most cameras come with a small amount of internal memory that can store just a few pictures. Then, it's up to the buyer to get a new memory card with a proper amount of storage. Your camera choice may change depending on what your needs are as far as storage goes. Some cameras have storage systems designed to keep thousands of pictures at a time, and some cameras just focus on quickly accessing a smaller amount of pictures.

When you find a potential camera, you need to do your research on it before you make the purchase. Some cameras accept several different formats, but most just have one type of card that will work with them. Find out what this is. Also, check to see if it has an upper limit.

Some cameras will only recognize 1 GB of space, and if you buy a 2 GB memory card then you will have wasted your money. You can find all of these details on web pages for the product that list all of its specifications. If those are unclear, then you can ask other people who have bought the same product.

Now that you know what kind of card to get, you can decide on the amount of space you need. With memory cards being so cheap these days, it is tempting to simply buy the largest card available, and never worry about running out of space. But, if you feel that there is no way you could fill up all that space, then you might as well stick with something smaller. The average high resolution picture takes up between 2 and 16 MB. Take the maximum number of pictures you would want to take, and multiply it by that, then round it up to the next memory card option available.

So maybe you decide you want a 2 GB SD card, or a 512 MB MMC card. Once you've decided, you can find sellers all over the internet. Usually if you are patient and watch for sales at retail sites, you can find memory cards for extremely cheap. You may also be able to find a camera bundle deal in which you buy the camera and it comes with the necessary memory card. Either way, you should definitely find a memory card if you plan on using your digital camera a lot.

Does it really make a difference what size memory card you use? To your camera, no; to you, however, it could mean the difference between getting the picture you want or running out of space on your memory card.

When choosing the most logical size, take into account how many pictures you usually take at a time. Your needs if you are a world traveler will be different from those of a person who only uses a camera for holiday get-togethers. You also need to decide how big the files are of the pictures you take. Smaller files such as pictures for online will take less space and enable you to fit more on a card. Larger files for printing will need more room.

If you have a 2 mega-pixel camera, 128MB is usually enough. For a 3 or 4-megapixel

camera, a 128MB or 256MB memory card is usually plenty. For a 5-megapixel camera, start with a 256MB memory card.

Here's a rough guideline of how many pictures a flash memory card can hold:

* A 128MB flash memory card can store about 21-41 large, uncompressed images or up to 100 small, compressed images. This is good enough for most photographic needs.

* A 256MB card will store about twice that, 42-82 large pictures and nearly 200 smaller ones. Important events like weddings and once in a lifetime events might warrant this size just to make sure you don't miss that one special moment At http://www.review5.info .

A 1GB card has room for nearly 4 times as much as a 256MB card, If you are planning a long vacation with a lot of picture taking, this might be best with the capacity to hold 168-328 large images and a total of close to 800 smaller images.

Whatever you decide, remember you can always use several smaller cards and just change them when they are full. It only takes a few seconds to switch memory cards, so don't panic if you don't have a large memory card.

It's Monday evening, you've made it through the first day back into your routine after a much needed and memorable vacation. You pull out the memory card from your digital camera thinking you'll download the photographs that record the spectacular sights, reunions with seldom seen loved ones, and memorable events that you experienced in the previous days.

But then the unthinkable happens. With your digital camera in hand you connect to the PC but the photographs can not be retrieved; they are lost. What could cause such a catastrophic failure and more importantly, how could a repeat of this scenario be avoided?

The way that memory cards for your digital camera are handled, used, and stored can greatly influence the length of their useful life and dependability. Observing a few precautions can be the difference between the disappointment of lost images and the pleasure of having pictures with which to reminisce.

Avoid physically damaging memory cards:

• avoid exposure to direct sunlight and temperature extremes

• protect memory cards from exposure to moisture and store in a low humidity environment

• do not write or put stickers on the cards

• store cards in a protective case or leave them in the camera to avoid accidentally breaking them or getting dirt or dust on them

Protect memory cards through proper use:

• keep the batteries of the digital camera fully charged to assure they don't fail while shooting pictures as a failure may result in lost images and permanent damage to the card

• be sure data has been saved, the process completed, before removing the card from the camera or card reader; it's best to turn the digital camera off before removing the card

• move images to the computer to edit rather than editing photos on the card itself

• delete images and re-format the card in the digital camera after downloading on a regular basis

Although the failure of a digital camera's memory card is a rare occurrence, the results can feel tragic nonetheless. Observing manufacturer's guidelines and some of the precautions reviewed above can help to circumvent the unnecessary loss of photographs.

Gone are those days when you had to rush to and from the film laboratory shop to get your films developed to see the photographs you have taken. Add to that the trouble of having to constantly take out the used reel and loading a new one over and over again. Fortunately, the advent of the digital camera has brought an end to all these inconveniences and actually revolutionized the world of photography. And the device that ensures that you can take unlimited pictures with your digital camera of precious moments in your life is called the digital camera memory card.

Digital cameras are so convenient to use because they do not require the use of films. Digital camera memory cards store the images as electronic data files. These memory cards do not come with unlimited memory space in such a compact device as a digital camera. So the leading digital camera brands came up with a "removable memory" feature that can be expanded according to your photographic needs. This is precisely the facility provided by a memory card.

Memory cards are often referred to as the digital version of films. But unlike films, memory cards are so much more flexible in that they not only store images, they also allow you to transfer the images from the card to your PC. After the images have been transferred to the hard disk of the computer, you have the option of deleting the images from the memory card, thus clearing up memory space once again for you to reuse.

Using memory cards are so much more affordable than using traditional films. For the amateur photographer, one memory card is sufficient. If you plan to take a huge number of photographs at one go, even so two memory cards are more than sufficient. You can reuse them over and over again. Memory cards are also unlikely to be easily damaged. When you pass your digital camera and memory card through the X-ray machine at the airport, you can rest assured that the X-ray does not harm the memory card.

With the advancement in technologies, it is possible to make even greater use of the versatile memory card. Need more printouts? No problem, just go to the nearest photo kiosk where you simply insert your memory card to get more photo reprints. You can use special printers at home where you just insert the memory card into the printer to get more photo printouts. Then there is a device called the Digital Photo Viewer that enables you to view the images on the television screen by easily inserting the memory card into it.