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Digital Camera Buying Guide
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Storing Digital Photos
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Storing Digital Photos
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Digital Photo Storage
Most digital cameras come with an 8 - 16 MB memory card. A typical memory card can store 10 to 200 pictures. This depends on the resolution and compression setting you use. So, if you don't want to constantly have to download pictures to your computer you'll need to buy additional memory. This is always a consideration when planning to take your digital camera on a trip. The two most popular forms of digital camera memory are CompactFlash and SmartMedia Flash RAM cards. SmartMedia cards are about the size of a matchbook. These cards are available in 3.3 Volt and 5 Volt with up to 128 MB of memory. CompactFlash cards are more durable and can store up to 512 MB.
SmartMedia cards fit into a FlashPath adapter shaped like a floppy disk. The adapter then fits into your PC floppy disk drive to read the card. You can also buy external adapters that will read both SmartMedia and CompactFlash cards. In addition, there are adapters that let you plug both types of cards into a PC Card slot. Some digital cameras support both types of cards.
The Sony Mavica uses standard floppy disks for storage. It's a low-tech solution that makes the camera heavier and bulkier. Floppy disk are cheap but they only hold 1.44 MB.
Sony has also created the Memory Stick. Memory Sticks can store from 4 - 128 MB. This type of memory is used in a variety of Sony digital products. Various kinds of adapters allow you to transfer information from the sticks to your computer through your floppy disk drive, parallel port, PC card port or USB port.
Other high capacity digital storage products include the PC Card. A PC card is about the size of a credit card, aka PCMCIA cards. PCMCIA cards have storage capacities from 5MB to 1 GB.
If more memory is required, consider the IBM Microdrive. The IBM Microdrive is a mini hard disk drive that has storage capabilities from 340 MB to 1 GB. PC cards and microdrives connect to your computer through the PC Card slot.
Compression and File Format
Another factor affecting image quality is compression. Compression is the process that shrinks a photo's file size. Most cameras take photos as compressed JPEG files, which allows you to store more images on a memory card. Compression also makes it faster to save and download photos and easier to e-mail photos or download them as part of a Web site. But, compression causes a small amount of data loss. On most digital cameras you can choose the compression setting or the resolution. If you are looking for a digital camera with the best possible image quality, look for a digital camera that allows you to save pictures in CCD raw mode which means no compression at all.
Many digital cameras have their own unique file formats. This means you have to use manufacturer's software to download files. Two common formats are EXIF, (Kodak and Fuji) and CIFF (Canon, Nikon, Pentax and several other brands).
Cameras that use CompactFlash memory are saved as CIFF while SmartMedia card cameras save as EXIF. Both of these image formats use JPEG image compression, but they are not compatible with each other because they store information in differnet ways.
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