Digital Camera Memory Question

[Svenson]

Okay, this is a silly question, but hopefully somebody here is more of a digital camera expert than me.

Do digital camera memory cards EVER wear out? We have an Olympus camera, and we've been using the same xD memory card for almost two years. We take lots of pictures (1,000 on our trip to WDW last year!) We upload our pictures to our laptop every night when we are on vacation. We have never had any problems with the memory card, but in preparation for this year's trip, I wondered if I should buy a new one. I'm afraid if something happens while we are there, we will panic and have to buy one immediately at a ridiculous price. Is it foolish to buy a new card when our other one is working fine, or are we working on borrowed time and the current card could "kick the bucket" any minute now?

Thanks for your help!

 

[oogieboogie]

Whenever you have the opportunity to buy a new memory card, I would buy it. One, for insurance against losses, damage, etc but also with another memory card handy, you can take more pictures!

I always carry 1 memory card back up with me all the time. It sure came in handy one day when we went to Epcot during Flower and Garden Festival and in one afternoon, I took 158 pictures and was only 3/4 way around WS. That back up memory card came in handy because I was able to take another 70+ pictures to complete my tour around WS.

 

[canwegosoon]

Always have a 2nd card...unless you are like me, and you loose your extra card at AK!!!

 

[mickeymadman]

It is ALWAYS a good idea to have extra memory cards. As far as wearing out? I am not sure, I have one Compact Flash Card that I use all the time and have logged over 150,000 pictures on it, with no sign of slowing down.

 

[WillCAD]

They don't "wear" out but like any magnetic media they sometimes develop bad sectors.

Always have a second card to use in case anything happens to the primary. And every 6 months or so, after you have gotten your pics off the card, put it into the camera and re-format it to clear any bad sectors.

 

[Svenson]

Okay, you guys convinced me -- I'm buying a second card today. Thanks!

The amazing thing is that when I just went to order online, I discovered that now I can buy the same size card that I bought two years ago for a 70% lower price! (Or I could buy a card with FOUR TIMES the memory for the SAME price we paid for our original card!) Technology is amazing.

Thanks again for all the help!

 

[RoyalCanadian]

When I bought my first xD cards a year ago, I despaired at the price -- $140 for 256 mb. I was able to get them on special 2-for-1 sale then, however I just bought an Olympus 256 mb xD picture card at www.futureshop.ca for $49.99 CDN. Lovely!

 

[MrsPete]

Your memory cards should outlast your camera! However, they do need to have a hard-delete done occasionally to "completely cleanse" them (I use digital images at work, so I take way more pictures than most people, and I learned this the hard way). Your owner's manual will show you how to do this.

Ebay is a good source for (brand new) digital media.

 

[GoofyGirlnPrincessV]

and offload them to my laptop every night on vacation. I do completely format them each time. As far as I know they don't wear our and I have easily taken over 100,000 pictures with my "new" camera.

Good luck

 

[Svenson]

Wow, Lynn, over 100,000 pictures! Sounds like someone actually takes more photos than me!

Thanks for the advice!

 

[GoofyGirlnPrincessV]

and so happy I don't have to pay CVS or Ritz Camera for developing anymore..LOL

 

[brack]

You can never go wrong having extra memory cards. I have 8 Compact Flash cards ranging from 256MB to 1GB for my Digital Rebel.

 

[GoofyGirlnPrincessV]

You can never go wrong having extra memory cards. I have 8 Compact Flash cards ranging from 256MB to 1GB for my Digital Rebel.

How do you like your rebel? Definitely the best $$$ ever spent on a camera. I had the film version of it and many lenses and doodads so it made finding a digital slr so much easier...I even sold the film body on ebay for over $100.00.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

when you say "hard delete", you mean "in-camera card format", right?

 

[CarolA]

How do you like your rebel? Definitely the best $$$ ever spent on a camera. I had the film version of it and many lenses and doodads so it made finding a digital slr so much easier...I even sold the film body on ebay for over $100.00.

Well, I love mine! I sold my film version at a yard sale for $50 so I didn't do as good as you. (I just don't want to deal with EBAY and since I despise PAYPAL, I guess that option is gone for me now anyway!)