Week 4 tip: Digital Memory
I'm like a Boy Scout when it comes to weddings. I always have a backup. OK, for total disclosure, I never was a Boy Scout, but I think I'm living up to the motto of always being prepared for anything.
You need to ask your photographer what they are bringing with them. I, as you can see, have gone a bit overboard with memory, but I know I'm prepared. The reason why I have so much is that in my main camera, the Canon MKIIN, accepts BOTH CF and SD cards, and it writes to both cards when I shoot! This way, there is redundancy, so if one fails, it's on the other card. It's really a brilliant concept that Canon came up with for anal-type photographers like me who don't want to leave anything to chance.
So while you may think I have enough memory here, (36.256 gigs) -- enough to nearly fill most basic laptops -- it is for safety. (For those of you adding it up, there is a 1 gb card in my camera that I used to shoot the image.)
Will I EVER shoot this much at a wedding is probably the next question? Honestly, I hope not. I know the SALES answer would be yes, but that's not me. For those who know me, you know I'm much for relaxed than that.
So, how many pictures is this? I really don't know, but here are a couple of factors, such as file size and ISO. Many of you understand film speed and how you need faster speeds, like 400 and 800 in lower light situations, but only 100 or 200 in sunlight. These speeds are also on our digitals cameras, except the professional bodies range from 50 to 3200, all in one camera. It's great! But the speeds actually changes the file size.
For example, a 1 gb card in my best camera, on the LARGE JPG setting, will give me 149 shots at 400 ISO. This is an 8.2 megapixel camera. But at 50 ISO, it will give me 166 shots. At 3200, 117. So, taking an average, between 400 and 800 ISO, which I'm typically at during a wedding, these 36.256 gigs could give me between 5,100 and 5,400 frames.
I mention the LARGE JPG setting, because on the low JPG setting, I will get 1,379 at 400 ISO on my 1 gb card. So in theory, I have as many as 50,000 shots with 36 gigs. They just aren't the best quality.
