Does it matter if you use a small or large memory card?
No, according to your camera. But for you, it could mean the difference between getting the picture you want or running out of space on your memory card.
Consider how many pictures you usually take at once when deciding which size is best. If you travel around the world, your needs will be different from someone who only uses a camera for holiday parties.
You also need to decide how big the files are for the pictures you take. Smaller files, like online pictures, will take up less space and let you put more on a card.
More space will be needed to print files that are bigger.
Most of the time, 128MB is enough if you have a 2-megapixel camera. Most of the time, a 128MB or 256MB memory card is enough for a 3MP or 4MP camera. Start with a 256MB memory card for a 5 MP camera.
Here's a rough idea of how many pictures a flash memory card can hold:
- A 256MB card can hold about twice as many pictures, between 42 and 82 large ones and almost 200 smaller ones. If you want to make sure you don't miss a once-in-a-lifetime event or an important event like a wedding, this size might be right for you.
- A 128MB flash memory card can hold about 21–41 large images that haven't been compressed or up to 100 small images that have been compressed. This is good enough for most kinds of photography.
A 1GB card can hold almost four times as much as a 256MB card. If you're going on a long trip where you'll be taking a lot of pictures, this might be the best choice, since it can hold between 168 and 328 large images and almost 800 smaller ones.
No matter what you choose, keep in mind that you can always use several smaller cards and just switch them out when they are full. Switching memory cards only takes a few seconds, so don't worry if you don't have a big one.