|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Storage in digital cameras is usually done
on some type of removable media. However some digital cameras come with
internal memory while others leave the option to purchase extra memory
to the purchaser. The most popular type of storage media in digital
cameras are flash memory cards. These come in various capacities, sizes
and shapes. The working of individual cameras as in terms of compression
determines the quantity of pictures to be stored in a camera. This also
depends on the type of compression setting chosen when saving a file. It
is possible to save more compressions in a card by choosing higher
compressions. But the image quality of the picture suffers a little with
higher compressions.
It is very important to study the media, which a camera takes before
going in for a purchase. Little foresight can go a long way as one may
own or plan to own a PDA, an MP3 player or some such device which takes
a similar card. Compact flash type one and two are very fast and priced
competitively. They also have large storage capacities and are supported
by manufacturers like Canon, Olympus, Nikon and Fujifilm. These are
mostly used in digital SLRs. SD and MMC are also multimedia cards, which
have comparatively large flash memory formats. These are also supported
by big players like Nikon, HP, Canon, Kodak, Panasonic, Pentax, Casio
and Samsung. MMCs are very popular consumer devices because they are
small, fast, dynamic, well priced and compact.
Memory sticks are also a popular form of storage option in digital
cameras. They are constrained by a limit of 256MB and thus enjoy the
support of only one camera manufacturer namely Sony. Memory stick select
is also supposed to be inappropriately designed. Samsung and Sony also
support another memory stick option called memory stick duo. These are
smaller than the above and require bundled adapters to be put to use.
Memory stick-pro is incompatible with most devices and is supported by
Sony only. The smallest memory storage device is xD - Picture Card.
These are comparatively new to the market and haven’t yet ramped up to
the capacities of memory sticks, Compact Flash or SD. These are
supported by manufacturers like Fujifilm and Olympus.
The vast choice of camera storage options in the form of memory is
extremely confusing for the average consumer. For the average user it is
usually difficult to figure out the memory options of different cameras.
The vast choice in memory types creates further problems. Different
memory options like multi media cards, memory sticks, smart media,
compact flash, secure digital, micro drive, extreme digital etc have
flooded the market. Moreover-none of the above are compatible with each
other.
Secure Digital Memory Stick and xD have crossed the barrier of one
gigabyte recently. CF or Compact Flash devices are now coming with
capacities up to twelve gigabytes also. SD cards are also very popular
flash media type. These are also getting bigger and faster by the day.
Bigger - up to 4GB and faster - up to 150x speed. Floppy discs and
oddball media days are long gone from the world of digital cameras
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
