| A digital camera accessory you should purchase is a | | | | camera's fastest transfer speed (see your camera's |
| spare memory card. Most cameras are sold with a | | | | manual) and the memory card's speed. If your camera |
| 'starter' memory card that is usually a low capacity | | | | can transfer at 40X speed, but your memory card |
| card that's enough to take a few sample photos on, | | | | can only handle 12X, 12X will be the actual transfer |
| but not enough for day-to-day use.What is a memory | | | | speed. Note that some cameras ignore the card's |
| card?A memory card is the little removable piece of | | | | speed and write as fast as possible all the time.How |
| plastic that your camera uses to store your photos. | | | | many memory cards do I need?I recommend you |
| Memory cards come in different sizes and names | | | | have at least two memory cards for your camera. |
| such as Compact Flash (CF), Secure Digital (SD), | | | | The professionals usually carry 4-6 memory cards |
| Memory Stick (MS), Smart Media (SM) and xD.Running | | | | and when they run out of memory on one they swap |
| out of memory on your card is a little like running out of | | | | to the next, but unless you're taking LOTS of photos, |
| film in a traditional camera. Rather than purchasing a | | | | that's overkill. With two cards, you can normally work |
| new film to take more shots though, you move your | | | | with one but you have a spare just in case you run |
| images to your computer or a CD and re-use the | | | | out of the first, or you go on a long vacation and need |
| same memory card.Purchasing extra memory cards is | | | | to store more images than you normally |
| a good idea is you're on a vacation and want to | | | | would.MicrodrivesA recent invention that's gaining a lot |
| ensure you can store all your photos. Fortunately, | | | | of popularity is the Microdrive. These are for the Type |
| prices of memory cards have come down | | | | II Compact Flash cards, and instead of memory inside |
| dramatically in recent times.Purchasing - what do I | | | | the card, there's a tiny hard drive. Their advantage is |
| need to know?There are two pieces of information | | | | they can store an enormous amount of data (over 6 |
| you need to know when purchasing a new memory | | | | Gigabytes), but the problem is they are a little more |
| card. What type of card your camera takes, and how | | | | expensive than a traditional memory card, and can |
| large a memory card you wish to buy.What memory | | | | take longer to save your image. They also aren't as |
| card type does my camera use?The simplest way to | | | | shock resistant as standard cards.Care of |
| find out the type of memory card your camera uses, | | | | cardsMemory cards, although they seem to be small |
| is to take your existing card out of the camera and | | | | and flimsy, can be quite robust. I've dropped one of my |
| look on it for one of the types listed above. If you're still | | | | cards in a glass of coke and it has survived - although |
| not sure, take your existing card into the camera store | | | | I don't recommend you do this! It will also depend on |
| and ask the staff for a new card with the same type | | | | the brand of card you purchase. More expensive |
| as what you have.The size of memory card you | | | | cards tend to withstand more pounding. Most memory |
| purchase will depend on your photography needs as | | | | cards will withstand a small amount of misuse, but like |
| well as your budget. Memory cards come in sizes | | | | any electronic components, take good care of them |
| between 16 Megabytes (and will fit between 4 and 32 | | | | and they will serve you well.Other Memory Card Tips- |
| images depending on your camera capabilities and | | | | If you transfer lots of images to your computer, |
| image quality) and 4 Gigabytes (4,000 megabytes - | | | | purchase a card reader. These will allow you to |
| store thousands of images on one of these cards).My | | | | transfer the images to your computer at a much |
| advice is to purchase the largest sized card you can | | | | faster rate than using your camera's connection.- |
| afford. This will allow you to take as many pictures as | | | | Contrary to popular opinion, airport x-ray machines will |
| possible before needing to transfer to a computer or | | | | not damage your camera's memory cards. If you're |
| CD. On my last holiday, I took along 1 Gigabyte of | | | | really worried, remove them from your bag and ask |
| memory card storage allowing me to take about 500 | | | | the screeners to inspect manually.- Turn off your |
| images without needing to take my computer along | | | | camera when inserting or removing memory cards. |
| with me to download the images to.Memory Card | | | | Taking the memory card out while the camera is |
| SpeedAnother feature to keep in the back of your | | | | writing to the card could wreck both your card and |
| mind when purchasing a new memory card is the | | | | camera.David Peterson has a great love of |
| card's speed. The faster your memory card speed, | | | | photography and has created a series of free tips at |
| the faster your camera can write it's image to the | | | | to help digital photography users everywhere take |
| card, and the quicker you can take another photo. The | | | | better photos. |
| actual speed will be the LOWEST of either your | | | | |