Are large capacity camera cards over rated? I say yes

[CameraNewbie]

Why yes?

1. Most cams (if not all) today arent able to snap as many pics as the card allows on one charge. Say the cam allows 400pics, what good is it owning a cam that only puts out 200shots on 1 full charge?

2. More errors and corruptions with bigger cards.

3. Just a waste of money. Most people dont need big cards like 1gig, 2gigs unless they have an SLR. Say your cam allows 600pics, how many people will actually store that many on the card without even transfering? Most people, transfer almost right away and delete.

[kimnkk]

I disagree.

I originally got a 512MB card for my Canon IXUS 700 and on more than a few occasions, i filled it up only to want more pictures. Learning from this, i went out and bought a 1GB card thinking, like you, it would last be more than enough.

Well, on a few occasions, i have filled it up and, suprisingly, the battery still kept going after 310 or so shots (some with flash, most without) - exceeding Canon's specified battery life by 100%. That said, it was on very low battery when i filled the card (the warning symbol lit up). But still, my memory card was full and i wasn't happy.

I am planning to get another 1GB or a 2GB card - i already have a spare battery and it is not a hassle to carry around. I think that high capacity cards will forever be useful - even to those with ultra-compacts.

[Risky Business]

Um, no.

7+ minutes of video takes up my full 1GB card. When going away for the weekend, I don't want to have to worry about dumping my images on another storage device. Between lots of photos and a few vids, I couldn't imagine having a 512 or less.

I'm not sure what the motivation is to your post but I suspect that while a smaller card may be right for you, your assumptions on the capacity requirements for other users are flawed.

[David Metsky]

I've easily filled up a 512M card on a dayhike or backcountry ski with only a single battery. This year I'm getting a backup battery, so a 1G card is essential. I shoot and shoot, often using burst mode to get dozens of shots at a time.

While this may not be typical usage, I don't believe it's far out of line for people who travel, ski, bike, etc. The great thing about digital is that I can shoot as much as I want, and not spend time during the day worrying about running out of film. Why should I worry about running out of memory?

What is your evidence for greater error rates on larger cards?

-dave-

[hef]

Bigger is always better. Or at least what you can afford.

I have a 2gb CF card and my Canon 5d in RAW/JPG mode makes it less than 100 shots. However, on my S500 point and shoot, WOW! Your right, I'd never take that many pictures.

ciao, hef

[Brady]

High capacity cards are a lifesaver. I went to a wedding a few weekends ago and easily filled up a 1Gb card. I have a spare battery too, and yes, I had to change the battery before I had to change the card, but it's not a hassle at all if you just keep an extra charged battery with you all the time.

[timmciglobal]

1) You should always carry a spare battery.
2) Higher capacity doesn't = problems.
3) You can easily shoot 1,000 images on a vacation to somewhere with alot of photo ops. Running out of film in middle of disney = bad.

Tim

[Rex914]

It depends on the person. You can't just say that something's bad and overrated just because it doesn't work out for you. SLR or not, there are people who shoot lots of pictures and need the capacity.

[Vich]

It depends on the person. You can't just say that something's bad and overrated just because it doesn't work out for you. SLR or not, there are people who shoot lots of pictures and need the capacity.
Well said.

Many P&S people use the theory "saftey in numbers" and take 20 shots hoping one will be OK, others go 3 months before havng to empty their card.

A few thousand vacations shots is a nice option for an extra $40.

It's a waste for some - but that doesn't make it hype.

[JTL]

I recently filled up a 2GB card on a hike in Arizona...there was no turning back...at least 3 hours back and two hours in front of me. So I found myself on the side of a cliff dumping pictures that I thought weren't keepers. That's an experience I don't want to repeat. I guess I could have brought another 2GB card with me, but the less changes the better...taking and changing batteries was bad enough. So, now I have a 4GB card. Do I worry about having all of my eggs in one basket? Sure. But I also worry every time that I drive or fly or I'm in a large crowd, etc., etc., etc.....

[Rex914]

Well said.

Many P&S people use the theory "saftey in numbers" and take 20 shots hoping one will be OK, others go 3 months before havng to empty their card.

A few thousand vacations shots is a nice option for an extra $40.

It's a waste for some - but that doesn't make it hype.
Yikes! I was under the impression that everybody loaded in their shots the same day they took them. No wonder they have that mentality...