I'm getting a Nikon D3100, any suggestions on memory? Hey everyone, I'm getting a Nikon D3100 for Christmas, and I am just learning that the size of the memory card is not the only...

Perry Loc: Washington Michigan

Hey everyone, I'm getting a Nikon D3100 for Christmas, and I am just learning that the size of the memory card is not the only thing that's important, but the data transfer rate/second is more important if you want quality shots.

What disk is a good idea for this camera? I have the starter lense 18mm-55mm now, and it's probably going to be at least until summer before I will be able to even think about a 55mm-200mm lense for it.

Is a 32G with a 15mg/sec disk overkill for this setup? Best Buy had this bundle that had an 8G and class 6 disk, and I already know that it's going to be minimally adequate.

traveler90712 Loc: Lake Worth, Fl.

A class 6 or class 10 is adequate for you. I use (2) class 10, 16 gig SDs in my D7000

robduncanphotography Loc: SF Bay Area

I use 8GB cards. I have a pile of them. The reason for this instead of 16GB or higher is that memory fails (although it's rare for an SD) and the less information that I loose the better. I have also see memory card get damaged. But the faster the better especially if you are shooting video....

Perry Loc: Washington Michigan

traveler90712 wrote:

A class 6 or class 10 is adequate for you. I use (2) class 10, 16 gig SDs in my D7000

Thanks for the info... I was worried I was going to have to get off $50 more for a higher quality card. I was using a class 4 16 gig card for my Coolpix L110, and I had a class 4 8 gig in it before but I noticed a huge difference in the camera's overal performance by raising the gigs. Will I need to bump it up any once I get a 55-200 lense?

Perry Loc: Washington Michigan

robduncanphotography wrote:

I use 8GB cards. I have a pile of them. The reason for this instead of 16GB or higher is that memory fails (although it's rare for an SD) and the less information that I loose the better. I have also see memory card get damaged. But the faster the better especially if you are shooting video....

Thanks, I will have to see how well it does with the video mode when the camera gets in to Best Buy.

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

Perry wrote:

Hey everyone, I'm getting a Nikon D3100 for Christ... (show quote)

First, it's 15mb/sec transfer rate, not 15mg/sec. - and that's about Class 6 transfer rate anyway. Class 10 is 20mb/s. So don't say the included disk is going to be minimally adequate because it is more than adequate.

With the lower resolution of the D3100 compared to the D5100 and D7000, 8GB Class 6 is fine. They're also cheap enough that you can carry several. That's better than having one 32GB where if you have a card problem, everything is lost. Actually I doubt that you'll even fill an 8GB on an outing unless you're taking RAW files and shooting an event. With a JPG file size of let's say 4MB, you could put 2,000 highest resolution shots on an 8GB card. Even with RAW files you could put more than 500. That's a whole vacation's worth of photos.

Data transfer rate also has nothing to do with shot quality - it has to do with how long the camera takes to record the photo onto the card as a file. The camera will feel sluggish with a low Class slow card. It will feel sprite and like a sports car with a Class 6 or 10.

MarkH Loc: Cape Coral, FL

robduncanphotography wrote:

I use 8GB cards. I have a pile of them. The reason for this instead of 16GB or higher is that memory fails (although it's rare for an SD) and the less information that I loose the better. I have also see memory card get damaged. But the faster the better especially if you are shooting video....

Agreed, class 6 or 10, 8gb is plenty even if shooting raw.
I like Scandisk Extreme.

debbyg Loc: Nebraska

I have the D3100 and two 8's and have never had any problems with them. ALWAYS have plenty of room no matter if I am shooting RAW or RAW + Jpeg....I am definetly an entry level shooter, but love the camera! Great pictures of the grandkids :).....OK for me right now anyway. I have not bought any other lens, still only the 18-55 but one day know I will have more...as I grow with what I want to do. Good luck and remember to post some of your pictures!

Perry Loc: Washington Michigan

marcomarks wrote:

quote=Perry Hey everyone, I'm getting a Nikon D31... (show quote)

Oops, I meant Mb....LOL Thanks for the info, this is good to know. I thought a class 6 meant that it is 6 Mb per second transfer. I will have to look on line to see more of what these values mean.

Thanks for the info, I am glad to know I won't have to pony up for another card this soon.

Perry Loc: Washington Michigan

Thanks Debby, how good is your lense with landscapes and getting pics of birds in trees?

My Nikon Coolpix L110 would get decent shots of swans out on the lake out to about 200 yards, (it has 15x optical zoom) but I understand that dslr lenses call their zoom differently.

Perry Loc: Washington Michigan

MarkH wrote:

robduncanphotography wrote:

I use 8GB cards. I have a pile of them. The reason for this instead of 16GB or higher is that memory fails (although it's rare for an SD) and the less information that I loose the better. I have also see memory card get damaged. But the faster the better especially if you are shooting video....

Agreed, class 6 or 10, 8gb is plenty even if shooting raw.
I like Scandisk Extreme.

That's good to know too, as I want to shoot some raw pics as well. I can't wait until this camera gets here.

ricupg Loc: Northern New Jersey

Hi, not sure how much you paid for the camera and the area you live in,but here in NJ, Costco sells the d3100 for $689 and it comes with 2 lenses, 18-55 and 55-200. Figured you ought to know, just in case

melphoto60

memory has nothing to do with the performance of the lens only the quality of the glass in said lens will affect its performance....also I think (and this is just my 2c worth) 32 gig card is a bit over kill. For the price how many 4gig cards can you buy for that 32gig price???

English_Wolf Loc: Near Pensacola, FL

Fast memory or not?
I am a penny pincher and I say no.
Why?
Unless you plan to do fast shooting (in pictures) for a long period of time, the camera buffer will just and takes it time writing while you prepare something else. If you do videos? I still say no, the buffer does its job quite well.

Why pay $150 or much more for something you don't need?

DO NOT BUY a kit. You will be disappointed very quickly, purchase a 18~200 DX VR II lens instead, it cost about $800.00 but the quality will let you breathless compared to the cheap kit lenses.

I purchased a kit for my wife, as she did not want to spend the money for a good lens. One day she borrowed mine and never let it go, I purchased a new one for myself. The cheap lenses? I gave them away. I was ashamed to even ask a penny for them.

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

Perry wrote:

marcomarks wrote:

quote=Perry Hey everyone, I'm getting a Nikon D31... (show quote)

Oops, I meant Mb....LOL Thanks for the info, this is good to know. I thought a class 6 meant that it is 6 Mb per second transfer. I will have to look on line to see more of what these values mean.

Thanks for the info, I am glad to know I won't have to pony up for another card this soon.

quote=marcomarks quote=Perry Hey everyone, I'm g... (show quote)