Memory Cards...

I wanted to title this post, "Memory Cards...Is Bigger Better or do Great Things Come in Small Packages?" but the length of that would've been lost on the page. But seriously, is it better to use larger capacity (32GB and up), smaller capacity (8GB or less), or in between (16GB)?

First off...there are some common sense things you should do when using memory cards:

• If the card is new, format it in the device it is going to be used in BEFORE you use it for the first time.
• Even if it is not new, format the card with the device you are going to use it in. Don't erase the card and slap it back into a device for use.
• If you are going to use a card in multiple devices, format WITH the device it is going to be used in.
• Don't reuse a card if you've had problems with it.
• Copy, don't "move" your images from the card to your hard drive.

Those are just some basics, there are more and if you're interested simply do a Google search for "memory card best practices".  That brings me to the debate...larger capacity cards, smaller capacity cards, or somewhere in the middle?

The vast majority of "best practice" tips say to use a smaller capacity card, such as an 8GB or 4GB card. If you're like me, you're asking "If that's the best practice, then why do cameras have the capability to read cards larger than 8GB?"  That's a valid question.  The reasoning behind this best practice is insurance. If you fill an 8GB, switch the card out, and the second card fails, you still have the images on the first card. However, if you use one 16GB card and it fails, you've lost ALL your images.  That is a valid point.  So what to do?

Well, do you want to know what I do? (If you don't, I'm going to tell you anyway and wonder why you're still reading at this point!) I use a 32GB card in each of my cameras AND I keep 32GB cards waiting just in case they fill up.  Yeah, I know this flies in the face of what "experts" say, but let me explain why.

1. I have used "flash" memory (The technology behind memory cards) longer than most people have. Being that my background is in information technology I've had access to it when it was cost prohibitive for the average consumer to own. I've used memory cards/thumb drives since large capacity was considered 64MB (not 64GB) and guess what???? I've NEVER had a failure! Not one failure since the early 2000s. The cards I  own from then STILL work, it's just I don't use them.
2. Memory card technology is BETTER than it ever has been in the past.  Yes, if you're a photographer you've depended on memory cards to work when the technology was less reliable, even at lower capacities. Think about that and let it sink in...
3.  The main reason I like the higher capacity cards...I don't have to change them out as often and the camera can write to them at the maximum speed the camera can write. Two bottle necks that eat time are eliminated.

Now, there are a couple of things I do to ensure this decision doesn't come back to haunt me.  When I get home from a shoot I IMMEDIATELY transfer the images to my hard drive and copy to an external hard drive. Secondly, I don't reuse the cards more than a few times. When you think about it, those are good ideas for any size memory card.  In fact, I've even thought about purchasing brand new memory cards for each and every shoot.  Why not build it in to your pricing?



Those are my thoughts on the matter. I make no guarantees and want to make sure you know that any decision you make regarding the use of memory cards/flash memory is your own decision and I'm not liable. I just want to make my opinion known that flash memory is more reliable now than ever and stressing about it's dependability is not necessary.