What size is your preferred memory card: An ad I just saw for a 128GB SDXC Class 10 card for about $50 prompts me to re-visit this subject. In the last go around, most comments...

bgl Loc: Brooklyn,New York

An ad I just saw for a 128GB SDXC Class 10 card for about $50 prompts me to re-visit this subject. In the last go around, most comments indicated a preference for carrying a number of smaller cards. Since prices for cards keeps dropping, I'm curious about current thinking about using larger cards, understanding that having backup cards is essential. For the record, I have a 128gb card regularly in the camera with a 64gb back up card. I'm tempted to get another 128gb high speed card.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

I use 32g cards with a 36 megapixel camera. gives me around 350 images per card. I find that I rarely have to switch out cards in a day.

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

I'm tempted to get another 128gb high speed card.[/quote]

The question I ask myself when I am buying new memory cards, is how many pics am I willing to lose of the card goes bad (infrequent) or gets lost (more frequent) or if I delete the pics before I save them (even more frequent)? I don't have anything bigger than 16 gb. I would rather have fast cards then big cards.

Alaska Dave Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

bgl:
I wonder the same thing sometimes, but I have stuck with one size now for sometime and probably will stick to it. I use Sandisk 16 GB cards and shoot in RAW so I can get about 590 shots per card. I just took 20 16GB cards to Africa and used up all but 200 photo spots on my 20th card, worked out great. I think about what happens if I lose a card or if it fails I don't want to have every photo I took for weeks and weeks to be on that single card. I also had a pro photographer tell me he always leaves a few open spaces (no photos) at the end of a card without filling it to the end, had something to do with the card working right or not working, didn't understand it then but I do leave a couple empty shot spaces at the end of each card just in case it does matter??? Dave

bgl Loc: Brooklyn,New York

MikeMcK wrote:

I'm tempted to get another 128gb high speed card.

The question I ask myself when I am buying new memory cards, is how many pics am I willing to lose of the card goes bad (infrequent) or gets lost (more frequent) or if I delete the pics before I save them (even more frequent)? I don't have anything bigger than 16 gb. I would rather have fast cards then big cards.[/quote]

I guess the point is that with prices where they are, you can have both. I rarely use more than a third of the capacity of the 128gb card before downloading to the computer. I may never need the full capacity but it is reassuring to me to know it's there. It is bad enough to have to fumble to change batteries in the middle of something.

bgl Loc: Brooklyn,New York

Thanks for your comments Dave. 16gb would never do for my purposes (I often shoot in continuous mode and intersperse HD video with still shots so I "waste" a lot of storage). I'm jealous of your travels!

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

for my cameras...16gb works well.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

bgl wrote:

An ad I just saw for a 128GB SDXC Class 10 card for about $50 prompts me to re-visit this subject. In the last go around, most comments indicated a preference for carrying a number of smaller cards. Since prices for cards keeps dropping, I'm curious about current thinking about using larger cards, understanding that having backup cards is essential. For the record, I have a 128gb card regularly in the camera with a 64gb back up card. I'm tempted to get another 128gb high speed card.

Jeez, that's a lot of memory. I'm sure there are a lot of people using cards that size though. Bigger always seems to be a goal.
For me, the ideal size would be about 16 gigs. That would be 600 shots. Enough to put most shoots on one card, and that would be an event, not regular shooting.
I use six 8 gig cards that I've had since about 09. I'm due for a couple of 16's.
Except when traveling, I download daily. But at $50, just having one for emergencies, like when traveling would be worth it, you don't have to fill it. Also if you have dual slots would give a lot more fexibility. ;-)
SS

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

I like 2-32GB cards. I have never come close to using the capacity. I only shoot RAW and I have never gone to the second card.

Jim216 Loc: South Carolina

I have 2 32GB Sandisk Extreme cards and 1 16 GB that I rarely use. This way the most I could lose is 32GB.
Never been close to capacity and generally format between shoots.

GTinSoCal Loc: Palmdale, CA

That's a really good idea, having a large one for "special" occasions.
I use 16gig cards with a few 8gig from way back (2009) :-)

Next time I find a great deal on a mega size, I might just get one for those once-in-a-while situations.

GT

SharpShooter wrote:

Jeez, that's a lot of memory. I'm sure there are a... (show quote)

Chris F. Loc: San Francisco

2 - 32 gig cards for me and a couple smaller back ups in case I have a problem which I have have had. I usually pull the pictures off the card at the end of each day (when travelling) onto my laptop backed up to a usb external drive. I was just in Hawaii last month and took about 80 gigs of shots (jpg and raw together) over a week and then scaled down to a little less than half that amount as keepers. My cards are quite fast, so I would keep that in mind with the 128 gb card...seems like a deal.

Chris

bgl wrote:

An ad I just saw for a 128GB SDXC Class 10 card for about $50 prompts me to re-visit this subject. In the last go around, most comments indicated a preference for carrying a number of smaller cards. Since prices for cards keeps dropping, I'm curious about current thinking about using larger cards, understanding that having backup cards is essential. For the record, I have a 128gb card regularly in the camera with a 64gb back up card. I'm tempted to get another 128gb high speed card.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

8 gigs for my DSLR. I never fill it up in one day, and I usually have a spare with me anyway in case something goes wrong with the first card. I don't shoot video. For my pocket camera, 4 gigs is sufficient. 4-gig cards are cheap, especially when you buy them in bulk.

crimesc324 Loc: West Palm Beach, Florida

bgl wrote:

An ad I just saw for a 128GB SDXC Class 10 card for about $50 prompts me to re-visit this subject. In the last go around, most comments indicated a preference for carrying a number of smaller cards. Since prices for cards keeps dropping, I'm curious about current thinking about using larger cards, understanding that having backup cards is essential. For the record, I have a 128gb card regularly in the camera with a 64gb back up card. I'm tempted to get another 128gb high speed card.

I have 2 32 gig cards in my D7000

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

bgl wrote:

An ad I just saw for a 128GB SDXC Class 10 card for about $50 prompts me to re-visit this subject. In the last go around, most comments indicated a preference for carrying a number of smaller cards. Since prices for cards keeps dropping, I'm curious about current thinking about using larger cards, understanding that having backup cards is essential. For the record, I have a 128gb card regularly in the camera with a 64gb back up card. I'm tempted to get another 128gb high speed card.

My D600 has two card slots and I use a 16GB card in each slot. My Df has only one card slot and I use a 32GB card in it. Of course I always carry extra cards too.