4 of 5

Write now Article Tools

My first digital camera came with a 16 megabyte (MB) memory card. This card could hold approximately 12 to 30 pictures at a 1600X1200 pixel resolution depending on the setting. I had three children and I knew that this would not be enough memory, so when we bought he camera we bought an additional 128MG memory card. The 128 MB memory card could hold about 100 to 240 pictures at the 1600X1200 pixel resolution. I choose to take pictures at this resolution since it is the recommended for pictures up to the 8X10 size.

When I purchased my most recent digital camera we bought a 2.0 gigabyte (GB) memory card. On average, this card can hold 1700 to 4000 pictures at 1600X1200 pixel resolution depending on the setting. We probably would not have bought a card with such a large memory except that it was on sale and with the additional rebate the card ended up costing less than the 512 MG and 1 GB cards that they had in stock.

Technically any memory card over 512 MB is classified as a mega memory card. I thought that a 2 GB memory card was big. However, memory cards also come in 4GB, 8GB, 16 GB, and a soon-to-be-released 32 GB. I cannot begin to imagine how many pictures a 32 GB card could hold.

Pros for the use of a mega memory card include:

1. Mega memory cards are small so they do not take up a lot of space. This is a pro for all memory cards and digital cameras as compared to cameras that use film. Their size allows for digital cameras to be smaller than film cameras.
2. Mega memory cards can hold many pictures. You do not need to worry about running out of space. This is great for Christmas morning. You can take as many pictures as you want without having to worry about saving room to take pictures of the kids opening their special gifts from Great-Grandma Rose.

Cons for the use of a mega memory card include:

1. Mega memory cards are small so they can be easily misplaced or lost. However, with mega memory cars there is very little reason to remove them from the camera since it is unlikely you will need to switch cards because you run out of space.
2. Mega memory cards can be expensive. Any card over 4GB can be more than a typical family can afford.
3. Mega memory cards can hold so many pictures that if you don not download them until the memory card is full that it can take a long time for the download and even longer to go through them all.

I do like having a 2 GB memory card. I like that I don't have to worry about running out of memory during special events and vacations. The biggest downfall of a mega memory card for me is that I do not download my pictures often enough. I start out with good intentions to download pictures after each major picture taking event, but somehow it never happens that way.

Learn more about this author, Jennifer Flood.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Pros and cons of mega memory cards?
We want to hear your view. Write now!