# MEMORY CARD IS FULL (????)



## whit~foto (May 31, 2009)

I went on a shoot the other day and I have a 4GB memory card.  We started shooting...(keep in mind that my quality setting is set at M) and I seriously only took about 300 pictures and the card was FULL.  Why?

I need help.  It there a setting on the camera to get more pictures on the card?  I should definately be getting more pictures on there.

Thanks:meh:


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## Chris of Arabia (May 31, 2009)

What camera are you shooting with and what is the estimated file size with that camera for the 'M' quality setting? With that information, we may be able to determine whether there is a problem or not.


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## RJohnston (May 31, 2009)

The numbers of shots on a card are controlled by variations.  The camera can give you an estimate, then either allow more or less according to variations in each shot.  Lighting, how much sky, closeups with lots of detail, etc..  I use 4 gb cards in a Nikon D200 using L Raw without JPGs and expect about 200-219 to a card.  Sometimes I get more, other times less, so 300 does not seem like too few to me.  If you use both Raw and JPG settings that could also limit the number of shots.  If you have it set to fine setting, that could also mean fewer shots.

Various cameras will also produce different sizes in M settings, so knowing what camera would help.


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## Garbz (May 31, 2009)

What is M? If you're shooting RAW the file size will be the same regardless of your quality setting. Typically around 12-20MB depending on the camera you have, which nets you around 200-400 photos on a 4GB card.

If you're shooting in Medium compressed JPEG then you should get upwards of 1500 photos on a 4GB card.

Also check if there's something else on the card. Maybe format it in camera and see if that changes things.


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## farmerj (May 31, 2009)

I use a Nikon D90 with an 8GB card.  On RAW, I get about 530 pictures on it.

So about 300 on a 4 GB, sounds like you did really good.


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## itznfb (May 31, 2009)

Garbz said:


> What is M? If you're shooting RAW the file size will be the same regardless of your quality setting. Typically around 12-20MB depending on the camera you have, which nets you around 200-400 photos on a 4GB card.


 
I've never seen a RAW format that allows quality settings. it's either RAW or JPEG with quality and size options.

either way, the size of each file will be dependant on the quality settings, and the size which we know to be (M)edium on the camera, but we dont' the MP rading of M on this particular camera.

so, accurate answers can't be provided without more input from the OP.


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## AlexColeman (Jun 1, 2009)

Well, raw can change but only w/ canon and their Sraw settings.

Sounds like something else is on the card, reformat and see.


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## bigtwinky (Jun 1, 2009)

I'm pretty sure the M is the Medium quality JPEG setting, which should net you over 1000 pictures.

As suggested, definatly check to see if there is something else on the card.
Just because you uploaded your pictures to your PC doesn't mean they auto-erase from the card.


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## Munky (Jun 1, 2009)

*I'm pretty sure By M she means Manual Mode lol*


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## bhop (Jun 1, 2009)

farmerj said:


> I use a Nikon D90 with an 8GB card.  On RAW, I get about 530 pictures on it.
> 
> So about 300 on a 4 GB, sounds like you did really good.



I don't even get that many on my 8gb/d200 combo..


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## farmerj (Jun 1, 2009)

D90 has the SDHC cards.

I sit here and look at the camera.  It's set to RAW.  I have room for "536" pictures.  There are 6 pictures in the camera.

I can pull out the Sony and take a picture for you to see if you'd like.


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## mrodgers (Jun 1, 2009)

Munky said:


> *I'm pretty sure By M she means Manual Mode lol*





whit~foto said:


> (keep in mind that my quality setting is set at M)


I'm pretty sure she is using medium quality JPEG setting....

It's narrowed down to she has a 50 mm 1.4 and a 28-105mm 3.5-4.5 from another thread.  Flickr site is marked private, so you can't check the exif data to see the camera.

I have a 7.1 mp superzoom and I get roughly 500 shots on a 4 gig.  If the camera is 12-15 mp, medium setting could be 10 mp which I would think that 300 shots would be a good estimate.  All depends on what "medium" means for the camera.

Upon further investigation, she has shots from a "Canon EOS D30" posted.

From dpreview:

 *Image storage*
 Storage media CompactFlash Type I or II (Microdrive              compatible)  Image sizes 2,160 x 1,440
            1,440 x 960 Images on a 16MB              CF 
 Large / Fine ~12
              Large / Normal ~ 22
              Small / Fine ~ 22
              Small / Normal ~ 40
              RAW ~ 4
Recording formats JPEG (Fine / Normal)
            CCD RAW (12-bits per pixel - about 4 MB per image)


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## itznfb (Jun 1, 2009)

farmerj said:


> D90 has the SDHC cards.
> 
> I sit here and look at the camera. It's set to RAW. I have room for "536" pictures. There are 6 pictures in the camera.
> 
> I can pull out the Sony and take a picture for you to see if you'd like.


 
yep, i get about 540 for the initial estimate when using Extreme III 8GB cards, when using Transcend 8GB cards it estimates about 500 though. However, with either card, i usually end up with about 700 shots.


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## farmerj (Jun 1, 2009)

itznfb said:


> farmerj said:
> 
> 
> > D90 has the SDHC cards.
> ...



For the SDHC cards, I won't run anything other than a Class 6.  Write rate and buffer is killer for small sized jpg's on the auto shutter.  More than the 4.5 frames / sec I feel.


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## photogincollege (Jun 1, 2009)

How old is the card?  Have you ever formatted the card?  When you just delete a picture off the card it still leaves some trace data if I remember correctly.  Though not much, so its a long shot but if you load the pictures on the computer, you might then want to consider formatting the card.


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## musicaleCA (Jun 1, 2009)

Formatting the card rather than just erasing is a good part of any workflow. Once you've got the images off the card, formatting it in the camera will return the card to a stable state. After a while, it's good to test the integrity of cards, and do low-level formats thereafter if the card has bad sectors. A "low-level" format will essentially cordon-off the bad sectors, so they aren't used, so that you never risk any part of an image being corrupted.


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## AlexColeman (Jun 1, 2009)

Make sure you format in camera.


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## Garbz (Jun 2, 2009)

itznfb said:


> [I've never seen a RAW format that allows quality settings. it's either RAW or JPEG with quality and size options.



Neither have I. I was trying to say more along the lines of if the camera is set to Medium size (which on a Nikon is a different menu option than selecting JPEG or RAW), but the camera is set to shoot RAW you will end up with full sized files anyway.


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## itznfb (Jun 2, 2009)

Garbz said:


> itznfb said:
> 
> 
> > [I've never seen a RAW format that allows quality settings. it's either RAW or JPEG with quality and size options.
> ...


 
right. when you switch to RAW (on nikon) the only selection that show up in the quality display is RAW. unless you have RAW + JPEG.

also, good idea about making sure you do a format from the camera.


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## ann (Jun 2, 2009)

just another thought. have you used this card in a different camera? i.e. fuji vs nikon? 
it will only show the files in the same camera in use


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## bigtwinky (Jun 2, 2009)

ann said:


> just another thought. have you used this card in a different camera? i.e. fuji vs nikon?
> it will only show the files in the same camera in use


 
Interesting, I had no idea.

Same camera or same brand?  Will a card used in a Canon XSI be seen in a Canon 5d MkII?


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## PhotoXopher (Jun 2, 2009)

I've had photos on a card from a Nikon D200 that didn't show up on my D90.


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## itznfb (Jun 2, 2009)

N0YZE said:


> I've had photos on a card from a Nikon D200 that didn't show up on my D90.


 
yea, i've noticed that between my D50 and D90


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## whit~foto (Jun 2, 2009)

I am using a Canon 40D. The memory card is a Lentox 4GB.  I am shooting is MEDIUM quality and all of my pictures were completely erased from the memory card. Nothing on it.  I wasn't shooting in JPEG and not RAW.  I'll try reformating the card... but I thought I even did that already.  It's just that my second shooting had the same settings for the most part and was getting 400+ photos on her one 4GB card.

Very strange.


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## Jaszek (Jun 2, 2009)

whit~foto said:


> I wasn't shooting in JPEG and not RAW.


Wait, what? I think u mean you were shooting in JPEG lol


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## Garbz (Jun 3, 2009)

itznfb said:


> right. when you switch to RAW (on nikon) the only selection that show up in the quality display is RAW. unless you have RAW + JPEG.



In the top LCD yeah, but that is under the assumption that that was checked. Meh no matter, the op uses a Canon. 

This could also explain the amount of photos that fitted on the card. RAW+JPEG (medium) would still only fit a few hundred.


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## itznfb (Jun 3, 2009)

Garbz said:


> itznfb said:
> 
> 
> > right. when you switch to RAW (on nikon) the only selection that show up in the quality display is RAW. unless you have RAW + JPEG.
> ...


 
true... i would say the most likely case is the card wasn't formated properly and may have had other data not visible to the card. that would be my guess.


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