digital camera questions.. re: memory chips

[Vickie46]

Has anyone ever purchased and used the Staples brand of memory?? do you think it would make a difference in the quality? They have a great sale this week for memory..

512 around 30

1 GB around 60 both are plus tax


What do you think?

 

[WDWOKW92]

I use SD Memory in my Kodak DX-7440 camera. I have never used "Staple" brand memory but I have used Kingston and Kodak (came free with the camera). I got the Kingston (256Mb chips) for $7 each after rebates off www.techbargains.com several months ago. They work great! Also check www.newegg.com and www.ecost.com for specials on memory chips. I have seen a 1Gb SD Memory for $44 recently plus $1.99 shipping. If you have the time, shop around at the sites I mentioned. Otherwise the "Staple" brand chips are probably just fine.

 

[Vickie46]

thanks.. and does anyone know how many pics will go on with great quality the 512 and or the 1 gb thanks again

 

[safetymom]

I would not get the 1 gig card but several smaller ones. That way if some thing happens to a card or you lose it you haven't lost all your images.

 

[almacdonald]

Memory cards don't deteriorate after being used (properly). They can however get damaged from improper handling (ie getting wet, sticky fingers etc). If you want to try the Staples memory I would reccomend doing so BEFORE your trip. Buy it and take a few pictures and download them just to make sure everything is working alright. If you have any problems with the card you can return it with no hassles (Staples is pretty good that way.) Now, as far as how many pictures you can fit on a card, this depend on the MegaPixel rating of your camera. Just as an example, I have a 4 MP camera and a 1Gig CF card. I took about 800 pictures at fairly high quality (though not the best). These pictures look great printed. On our 3MP camera with a 512MB card, we can take about 500 pictures. Personally I prefer the larger cards. That way you're not carrying around a bunch of smaller cards. Kind of the equivalent of changing rolls of film! Also, as i said earlier, the primary reason that memory cards stop working is from improper handling which is minimized if you have one card kept in your camera at all times. Hope this helps, have lots of fun and take LOTS of pictures. Remember you don't have to print all the picturs but they're nice to have!

 

[safetymom]

You should think about what you plan on doing with the photos before you start taking pictures. It is better to take the photo at a higher resolution and you can always downsize them on the computer. But if you take them at a low resolution and try to blow them up they won't look good.

Cards fail for many reasons. A 512 mb card will hold lots of images but things can happen. An extra card or two in your pocket isn't going to take up that much room.

When you get home you need to back up the images. Be sure to save them in two places. If you one save them to one place and something happens again you have lost your images. I burn 2 cd's of every image and keep one in a different place so I don't lose the images.

 

[jerbroni]

That is great advice, safetymom! It is imperative to keep backup copies of the pics on CD or DVD because PC hard drives do fail, and you don't want to be without those memories because of a hardware failure!

I also like to carry a couple of cards (1 1 GB card and 1 512 MB card) just in case. You don't want to be in the middle of photographing a parade only to get the dreaded 'write error' on your only memory card! Same rules apply with batteries!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Being a newcomer to digital cameras I opted for the 'all my eggs in one basket" as I got a great deal on a Sandisk 512 card for about $17 from Amazon. (someone on the DIS boards told me about it. Thank you!!) I just keep the card in the camera and figure that way I am not likely to lose or damage the card.

Maybe I should invest in another card to keep in my purse just in case??

Slightly Goofy

 

[safetymom]

Yes you should have another card. Things can happen to the card.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Safety Mom, I totally agree. I am just waiting for another good sale to come along. LOL

Slightly Goofy

 

[oogieboogie]

I would check the following places online, they usually have really good prices. Particularly Ecost, check their bargain countdown section. I bought a 256mb CF card for $6 after MIR from Ecost and they work perfectly.

www.ecost.com
www.newegg.com
www.meritline.com
www.mydigitaldiscount.com

 

[aspcamhreditor2]

On a related matter ....

Isn't there a place in Epcot where you can get your pics transferred off your memory card and onto CD?

We are debating more cards for our trip, too, but are wondering about our options for clearing off & re-using some of our cards.

 

[Carol1973]

I just got back from Staples. I went to get the card that was on sale. It wasn't "Staples" brand but PNY which is exactly the card that I bought from Best Buy when I bought the camera. Anyway, it was a 512 SD card for $30.

 

[Vickie46]

sorry I got the brand confused.. I just don't know my stuff.. so sorry... did you think it was a good deal?

 

[Yellow_Stitch]

I wouldn't worry about getting "name brand" cards. The same 2 or 3 companies manufacture the cards for everyone else. I know Sandisk makes sony's cards.

 

[SueM in MN]

I would not get the 1 gig card but several smaller ones. That way if some thing happens to a card or you lose it you haven't lost all your images.

Even if you handle them carefully, things can happen (for the same reason that people's hard drives sometimes just fail).

 

[Vickie46]

the last day for the STaples sale is the 24th!

 

[joellyn23]

I just bought a 1G Secure digital card made by PNY at buy.com. It was $59.99 (free shipping) with a $20 mail in rebate. So, 1 gig for $39.99 -- seemed like a good deal to me!

(I also have three 256 MB cards -- but I wanted 1 big one because I just discovered my burst mode and I think I'll be taking way more pictures at my kids soccer games -- easier to not have to keep changing cards in that situation).

Joellyn

 

[goofy4tink]

Even if you handle them carefully, things can happen (for the same reason that people's hard drives sometimes just fail).

So true!!! Twice now my camera has told me that 'memory card need reformatting'....Uh, why?? I have never taken that card out since it was put in and formatted. It will come up with that message, not work for a bit, then all of a sudden it works!! Go figure. I was told that if I just deleted the photos from the card it still had bits and pieces of those deleted shots on it...so it could't discern what it was looking at..hence the need to be reformatted. So, I guess I'll reformat the card. I assume I just do whatever I did originally to format it?? I love my digital camera and I'm looking forward to buying one with an optical zoom but I have to tell you...the thing can drive me crazy at times.

 

[almacdonald]

Most SanDisk (and i believe Lexar) memory has a fairly long manufacturer's waranty (3 years, maybe 5). Check with them if you are having problems with it. They may exchange it for you!