what kind of memory card?

[dumbo_buddy]

i'm going cross-eyed looking at the different memory cards.

what type, brand, size, etc of memory card should i be getting for my canon xsi?

i want to be able to hold alot of pictures on one card if possible - thinking about when i go to disney - i won't be taking along a laptop to take pics off.

thanks all for your help

 

[mom2rtk]

My first rule I have posted here before, which applies to memory cards, and how much mulch to buy when landscaping: Guess how much you'll need then DOUBLE it!

Many have pointed out here, and I think it makes sense, that it would be better to have several smaller cards than one really big one. That way if the card has problems, or if you lose it, you don't have your entire trip invested in that one card.

Also, memory is cheap, but not at Disney. It's WAY cheaper to shop for a deal on memory at home than to buy more or have images downloaded to discs at Disney.

 

[ThurlFan]

I always avoid having all my pictures on one card...all your eggs in one basket and all that. I like to carry several 2 and 4 GB cards. For the Canon XSi (which I also have) you'll need SD or SDHC cards. Either of those will work, but Micro SD will not. I've had good luck with Kingston and SanDisk. Don't get hung up on the speed of the card - that will make more of a difference in the speed of copying images to the computer than it will for performance in your camera.

 

[dumbo_buddy]

LOL! great advice! thanks!

i read something on amazon.com about needing a certain speed when buying a memory card with a dSLR camera. is that correct?

can't i just use the memory card that i have for my point and shoot camera? or do i need a different type of card?

what kind of cards do you have?

by the way, your daughter is adorable! i LOVE your flickr pictures!

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

The amount of memory will also depend if you shoot in RAW or JPEG or both. I use 8gb cards shooting in RAW + JPEG with a 10mp camera. That gives me about 370 images per card. If I shoot just JPEG its about 1600 images per card. RAW is in between. The only reason I shoot the both category is because there are members of my DF that need the instant gratification of seeing the 'finished product'. I will PP the RAW when I return home. Also I will not use less than a Class 4 chip. I prefer Class 6 and I do have a couple of Class 10's, but I think those are overkill. When at WDW, I have DW and myself using a DSLR and I bring six 8gb cards. I do download the pictures each day to my computer and a portable hard drive. Then I re-format the cards to start fresh each day. It takes a little time but I would rather do that than risk losing some of my vacation memories.

 

[dumbo_buddy]

thanks! do you have any links to the cards you're talking about? when i do a search for them, i can't figure out what half of them are talking about

maybe getting a few "smaller" cards would be a good idea.

 

[dumbo_buddy]

i see alot of the Transcend brand on amazon. thoughts on this brand?

 

[My2Girls66]

Here is a link to a very good deal on memory. I have a 10mp Nikon set on fine/large and use 2,4and 8GB SD cards. I have a whole collection going, Sandisk, Kingston, Transcend. Most are regular speed but I do have 2 Sandisk Ultra 2's, a 2 and 4GB, for softball and cheer in case I need something a little faster.
http://www.buy.com/prod/kingston-4g...class-4-kingston-4gb/q/loc/101/204035107.html

 

[dumbo_buddy]

The amount of memory will also depend if you shoot in RAW or JPEG or both. I use 8gb cards shooting in RAW + JPEG with a 10mp camera. That gives me about 370 images per card. If I shoot just JPEG its about 1600 images per card. RAW is in between. The only reason I shoot the both category is because there are members of my DF that need the instant gratification of seeing the 'finished product'. I will PP the RAW when I return home. Also I will not use less than a Class 4 chip. I prefer Class 6 and I do have a couple of Class 10's, but I think those are overkill. When at WDW, I have DW and myself using a DSLR and I bring six 8gb cards. I do download the pictures each day to my computer and a portable hard drive. Then I re-format the cards to start fresh each day. It takes a little time but I would rather do that than risk losing some of my vacation memories.

what is the difference between the classes?

 

[dumbo_buddy]

Here is a link to a very good deal on memory. I have a 10mp Nikon and use 2,4and 8GB SD cards. I have a whole collection going, Sandisk, Kingston, Transcend. Most are regular speed but I do have 2 Sandisk Ultra 2's, a 2 and 4GB, for softball and cheer in case I need something a little faster.
http://www.buy.com/prod/kingston-4g...class-4-kingston-4gb/q/loc/101/204035107.html

it seems like these cards are perfectly fine for someone like me who just wants to take pictures of my 9 month old son, my bulldog, and vacations. we don't have any fast moving things around us that we need to take pics of....yet!

thanks!!

 

[mom2rtk]

LOL! great advice! thanks!

i read something on amazon.com about needing a certain speed when buying a memory card with a dSLR camera. is that correct?

can't i just use the memory card that i have for my point and shoot camera? or do i need a different type of card?

what kind of cards do you have?

by the way, your daughter is adorable! i LOVE your flickr pictures!

Many thanks!

I have 5 or 6 eight GB cards. Some people say they like to have one for each day of the trip. I like that idea and might add a couple more for our next trip, so would like to see links too if anyone finds a great deal.

I usually bring a laptop and download them to an external hard drive too. I like having them backed up. I don't erase unless I have to until I get home and make sure everything is in order.

As long as you have the right format of card you can use it for any device. I have a P & S my daughter likes to use and I can interchange that card with my others if needed. I don't remember if I had to reformat the card when I moved from one camera to the other.

It's just really nice to have memory be affordable now. I remember when I got my first DSLR in 04 and got a great deal on a 1 GB memory card for $75!!!

 

[My2Girls66]

Many thanks!


It's just really nice to have memory be affordable now. I remember when I got my first DSLR in 04 and got a great deal on a 1 GB memory card for $75!!!

When I got my D50 in 2006 I got a great deal on 2, 1GB Sandisk Ultra 2's, $120
Thats why I think now when I see a 4GB for $10 or 2, 2GB cards for $14 on Buy.com I order them! My DD has my D50 and is going to be studying in France next school year so I've been collecting 2GB cards for her.

 

[mom2rtk]

When I got my D50 in 2006 I got a great deal on 2, 1GB Sandisk Ultra 2's, $120
Thats why I think now when I see a 4GB for $10 or 2, 2GB cards for $14 on Buy.com I order them! My DD has my D50 and is going to be studying in France next school year so I've been collecting 2GB cards for her.

What an awesome opportunity (and photo op!) for her!

At least "back in the day" my fancy DSLR was only 6 MP, so that 1GB card held a LOT more photos! Never had a complaint with the photo quality though.

 

[My2Girls66]

it seems like these cards are perfectly fine for someone like me who just wants to take pictures of my 9 month old son, my bulldog, and vacations. we don't have any fast moving things around us that we need to take pics of....yet!

thanks!!

I think they are perfectly fine for everyday shooting. I don't think there is a need for a really fast card if you aren't firing off shots in rapid succession as you would in keeping up with sports action.
Kids grow up VERY fast. Keep that camera out and shoot away
My girls are 20 & 16. Seems like they were just babies not so long ago.

 

[My2Girls66]

What an awesome opportunity (and photo op!) for her!

At least "back in the day" my fancy DSLR was only 6 MP, so that 1GB card held a LOT more photos! Never had a complaint with the photo quality though.

The D50 is 6mp's, too, and it doesn't take more than 2GB cards. My D80 is 10mp and I will still use 2GB cards sometimes. I will send her with my 1 & 2 GB cards. I expect she will be taking lots of photos. She will be in Grenoble 1st semester and Paris 2nd semester plus they travel all over on the weekends on the train. Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany.....Boy, maybe I should grab a few more cards!

 

[photo_chick]

LOL! great advice! thanks!

i read something on amazon.com about needing a certain speed when buying a memory card with a dSLR camera. is that correct?

can't i just use the memory card that i have for my point and shoot camera? or do i need a different type of card?

what kind of cards do you have?

by the way, your daughter is adorable! i LOVE your flickr pictures!

Here is a chart for the Xsi and how memory cards performed on one test. If you search online you can find more charts like this, but they are all pretty similar in results.

The tests I have seen show that the larger 8 GB cards tend to write lightly slower than, say a 4 GB card. Not with every card, but enough to take notice. But the difference is very slight. Drop down to a 2 GB card and you see the speeds get even faster.

http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/camera_multi_page.asp?cid=6007-9424

 

[dumbo_buddy]

I think they are perfectly fine for everyday shooting. I don't think there is a need for a really fast card if you aren't firing off shots in rapid succession as you would in keeping up with sports action.
Kids grow up VERY fast. Keep that camera out and shoot away
My girls are 20 & 16. Seems like they were just babies not so long ago.

just bought 5 cards! i had a gift certificate and the price was great! i can carry a few with me at all times. yay!

i got the lens to my new camera today. now i just have to wait for the camera to come!

 

[mom2rtk]

So where was the deal? I'm still thinking of adding 1 or 2 more.....

 

[dumbo_buddy]

So where was the deal? I'm still thinking of adding 1 or 2 more.....

from a previous poster: http://www.buy.com/prod/kingston-4g...class-4-kingston-4gb/q/loc/101/204035107.html