How much memory is too much?

[graygables]

I have a Nikon Coolpix 3200 with 2 128 cards (I know, I know ) and I've always taken my laptop along and downloaded/cleared cards every day. This trip is 10 days, 3 of which are a first time cruise, and I'm not taking my laptop. I am, however, taking a 60g video iPod to download to. I ordered a couple of 512 cards, but am now rethinking that expense. I am concerned (OK, paranoid) that the iPod will somehow lose my photos (never had one before), but I hate having $125 tied up in memory cards that I will only need every few years for a vacation (and am paranoid about corruption or loss). I've been thinking that as a back up plan, I could burn select photos to CDs, so if anything happened, I'd at least have good scrapbooking material without "blowing a burn" on a bad shot.

Any thoughts? TIA!

 

[safetymom]

You should burn all your images to CD. I wouldn't just have them on your IPod. You can never have enough memory. You should also use several cards when you are out taking pictures in case a card has problems at least you haven't lost all your images.

 

[ndelaware]

The iPod should certainly be able to handle your storage needs. At 60 gigs you would be able to store 5 years of pictures on it. I have never used one but I wouldn't use it for anyting else until I got my pictures home safe and sound. And I would get familiar with how it works with pictures before I went on vacation.

As to your paranoia, if you format your cards in your camera before each use you will greatly reduce the risk of corruption. Also when the camera is connected to the computer or iPod only upload your pictures. I won't even rotate them til they are on my computer. We have owned 8 different digital cameras with 4 different types of memory cards and have never lost a picture. The only thing I will do in the camera is delete anything I can easily see is a bad pic.

 

[WillCAD]

I certainly think that a 60gb iPod is more than enough portable storage for your vacation pics. But don't worry, you can never have enough memory; just when you think, "I've got enough storage space to last me for years!", some new technology comes along that increases your storage needs.

Reminds me of George Carlin's old "Stuff" routine. You have too much stuff, so you get more space... then you have too much space, so you get more stuff... then you have too much stuff...

I also agree with Safetymom that having just one memory card is begging for trouble - you shoulf have two, and carry the spare with you whenever you carry the camera.

I am not familiar with iPods, since I don't have one, but they have been around for a few years and seem to be pretty reliable technology. Those with iPods of their own can chime in to tell me how reliable their hard drives are when it comes to storing music or image files, but I would say that if an iPod is as reliable as your laptop, then simply transfering your pics to the iPod each night will be enough.

If a few people chime in here and say that iPods sometimes lose data, then I would recommend burning your pics to CD every other day or so as a backup to the iPod.

 

[Space Ranger]

I agree that you can never have enough memory. You can always get good deals on memory either online or in the Sunday papers.

I am paranoid as well so when we travel I always bring a laptop and copy my pictures every night to the laptop. Before we leave to go home I burn two copies of all the pictures to either CD or DVD.

Better safe then sorry!!!!!

 

[SJC1984]

I think you can never have enough memory! We are taking at least a 1GB memory card and the laptop to dump daily, so I hope I will have enough memory!

 

[clh2]

Graygables - are you going on a Disney Cruise? If so, you can have Shutters (the photo shop on board) burn a CD. I believe this is about $15.

 

[graygables]

Graygables - are you going on a Disney Cruise? If so, you can have Shutters (the photo shop on board) burn a CD. I believe this is about $15.

Yes, I was wondering about that...anyone know how many photos they can put on each CD?

 

[ndelaware]

Yes, I was wondering about that...anyone know how many photos they can put on each CD?

That depends on your camera and the settings. Should be 400 - 500 easy.

 

[MICKEY88]

That depends on your camera and the settings. Should be 400 - 500 easy.

depends on the camera and settings...

I can only get 125-150 per cd...

 

[WillCAD]

Yes, I was wondering about that...anyone know how many photos they can put on each CD?

Depends on their policy.

At the WDW camera shops, you are limited to 120 pics per CD, even if the CD would hold 1,000 pics from your camera.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

basically it's 600 Mb of data per CD (I know the CD may have up to 700 Mb of data space, but the most stable burning area is the first 600 Mb).

 

[BeautyLLM]

I'd be very skeptical about saving my photos to an ipod. We have 4 ipods in our family. Three of them have totally died within 16 months of purchase. That's basically $1000 of cost down the drain. I wouldn't put anything on an ipod that you value. Just my 2 cents....

 

[handicap18]

The iPod should certainly be able to handle your storage needs. At 60 gigs you would be able to store 5 years of pictures on it.

5 years if you take 3000 pictures a year with a 6 megapixel camera. That is unless you shoot everything in RAW then only about 600 pics a year.

I will also state that you can never have enough memory. For my p&s digital I have 3 cards. 16mb that came with the camera as well as a 128mg and a 512.

I just got the 1gig for my dSLR but will be getting another one soon. On the jpg normal setting I can hold almost 550 pic's taken with the 6.1megapixel dSLR. jpg fine will hold about 290 and RAW will hold about 135.

It all depends on what your subject is and how big you thing you eventually want the picture to be. (4x6, 5x7, 8x10, 11x17, etc...) the bigger the final print the larger the file will be when you take the picture. This will give a sharper picture.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

It all depends on what your subject is and how big you thing you eventually want the picture to be. (4x6, 5x7, 8x10, 11x17, etc...) the bigger the final print the larger the file will be when you take the picture. This will give a sharper picture.

You're mistaken. It has nothing to do with "sharper picture".

The higher compression level will affect:

1. color rendition
2. details
3. contrast level
4. digital noise level

Things that can also be seen even if you're printing 4x6. Just because some people can't see items 1-4 on a 4x6 doesn't mean the rest of the population can't see them.

 

[handicap18]

Techincalities. I guess I was trying to simplify it too much.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

handicap18,

I don't mean to be on your case, but we should be specific in what we write so every forum member can learn from each other without any misinterpretation and/or misunderstanding.

Cheers,
Kelly

 

[handicap18]

I will work on that.