Memory cards -
additional
tips & insights

Major formats

The world's three leading formats are:

Compact Flash

SmartMedia

Memory Stick (Sony)

The first two are memory cards. My comments on them also apply to Memory Sticks.

Some cameras use an alternative, a miniature hard drive. It is slower and less durable than the media mentioned above.

Fast cards

Buy high-speed memory cards. They shorten the time it takes your camera to read, calculate and save a photo. However, don't waste money on these higher-priced cards if your camera doesn't support the speed and you don't plan to buy a new camera that supports that card.

Formatting the card

Some cameras won't work properly if the  memory card isn't formatted by the camera's proprietary software. Check the manual.

Transferring

You have several options in transferring your photos from your memory card to your computer. They include:

Camera - Many digital cameras have internal software to do the job. Third-party software also exists for this task. This method normally requires a special USB cable.

Card reader - This has become a popular method because of its convenience and ease of use. Plus, it conserves your camera's batteries.

PCMIA card - No cables are necessary for this transfer method.

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It has memory card tips & insights on:

Airport x-rays

Spare memory card

Sharing cards

Removing/inserting cards

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