What number of photos can my SD card maintain? That is the query I’m requested usually when readers of my weblog attempt to determine the dimensions of the SD reminiscence card they should complement the digital camera they only bought.
On this article,
- I will provide you with a fast estimate of what number of photos completely different SD reminiscence card holds.
- Plus, I’ll present with you a extra exact methodology you possibly can apply to your particular digital camera and get higher estimates.
- And at last, I’ll share what’s the optimum reminiscence card dimension immediately and the dimensions of reminiscence playing cards I’m utilizing in my images.
However the easiest methodology to determine what number of photos a reminiscence card can maintain is to divide the dimensions of the reminiscence card by the typical picture dimension your digital camera produces.
To simplify the method of calculating what number of can SD card maintain, I precalculated the most typical eventualities and provide you with a transparent reply.Â
The Method I Calculated What number of Images Every SD Card Can Maintain
I used 3 eventualities for calculating what number of images you possibly can retailer on a SD card.
State of affairs #1: You Use a DSLR or Mirrorless Digital camera
At this level, the 2 hottest DSLR traces of cameras are the Nikon D3xxx and the Canon Insurgent sequence.
Nikon D3xxx cameras, when taking pictures in JPEG format, produce file sizes between 10MB and 13MB.Â
Canon Insurgent cameras produce JPEG photos between 7MB and 11MB.
For my calculations, I used the typical file dimension of 10MB for DSLR and mirrorless cameras when taking pictures JPEG.
When taking pictures RAW, relying on ISO settings, Nikon cameras create file sizes between 22MB and 26MB.
Canon Insurgent fashions generate RAW photos between 32MB and 38MB.
State of affairs 2: You Use the Smartphone.
Should you test the JPEG file dimension produced by numerous smartphones you possibly can see that dimension can fluctuate between 4MB and 6MB
State of affairs 3: You Use GoPro or One other Motion Digital camera
GoPro cameras, relying on the mannequin, when taking pictures at full decision produce JPEG photos between 6MB and 10Mb.
To estimate the variety of images you possibly can retailer on a SD reminiscence card, I divided the dimensions of the cardboard by the typical dimension of the digital camera photos
That easy.
However please keep in mind, it’s only an estimation as a result of we deal we averages and the ultimate results of the variety of photos every card can maintain is an approximation solely.
How Many Images Can a 16GB SD Card Maintain?
| DSLR (JPEG) | DSLR (RAW) | Good Telephone | GoPro Hero 8-11 |
| 1,638 | 468-682 | 3,276 | 2,048 |
On DSLR and mirrorless cameras the JPEG file dimension varies from 7MB to 13MB. It signifies that a 16GB reminiscence card will maintain between 2,340 and 1,260 images, with a mean of 1,638 photos. When taking pictures RAW the picture dimension is larger (between 22MB and 38MB), and the 16GB can retailer between 468 and 682 images.
With an approximate picture dimension between 4MB and 6MB on a smartphone, the 16GB SD reminiscence card can maintain between 4,096 and a couple of,730 images with a mean of 3,276 JPEG images.
On the GoPro motion digital camera, an 16GB reminiscence card will retailer between 2730 (6MB per photograph) and 1638 images (10MB per photograph) with a mean of 2048.
Finest 16GB SD Reminiscence Playing cards
How Many Images Can a 32GB SD Card Maintain?
| DSLR (JPEG) | DSLR (RAW) | Good Telephone | GoPro Hero 8-11 |
| 3,276 | 936-1,364 | 6,553 | 4,096 |
With the typical JPEG picture dimension on DSLR cameras round 10MB, the 32GB reminiscence card will maintain about 3,276 images. When taking pictures in a RAW format, the file sizes fluctuate from 22MB to 38MB, and a 32GB reminiscence card can retailer between 936 and 1,364 photos.
On a smartphone, the approximate picture dimension is between 4MB and 6MB, and the 32GB SD reminiscence card can maintain between 8,192 and 5,460 images with a mean of 6553 JPEG photos.
GoPro motion cameras, at full decision, produce JPEG picture sizes round 6MB and 10MB. The 32GB reminiscence card will can help you retailer roughly between 5,462 (6MB per photograph) and three,276 images (10MB per photograph).
Finest 32 GB SD Reminiscence Playing cards
How Many Images Can a 64GB SD Card Maintain?
| DSLR (JPEG) | DSLR (RAW) | Good Telephone | GoPro Hero 8-11 |
| 6,552 | 1,872-2,728 | 1,3106 | 8,192 |
The typical JPEG picture dimension on most DSLR cameras is round 10 MB. With a 64GB reminiscence card, you’ll be capable to maintain within the neighborhood of 6,552 photos. When taking pictures in RAW format, the file dimension can vary from 22MB to 38MB. With a 64GB reminiscence card, you can retailer about 1,872 to 2,728 photos.
Pictures on a smartphone usually have a dimension between 4MB and 6MB, and SD playing cards with 64GB capability can maintain as much as between 16384 and 10922 images, with a mean of 13106 JPEG photos.
GoPro motion cameras, at full decision, produce JPEG photos with file sizes starting from 6MB to 10MB. The 64GB reminiscence card will can help you retailer between 10,922 (6MB per photograph) and 6,554 images (10MB per photograph).
Finest 64 GB SD Reminiscence Playing cards
How Many Images Can a 128GB SD Card Maintain?
| DSLR (JPEG) | DSLR (RAW) | Good Telephone | GoPro Hero 8-11 |
| 1,3107 | 3,744-5,456 | 26,212 | 16,384 |
The typical JPEG picture dimension on most DSLR cameras is round 10 MB. With a 128GB reminiscence card, you’ll be capable to maintain within the neighborhood of 13,107 photos. When taking pictures in RAW format, the file dimension can vary from 22MB to 38MB. With a 128GB reminiscence card, you possibly can retailer about 3,744 to five,456 photos.
Pictures on a smartphone usually have a dimension between 4MB and 6MB, and SD playing cards with 128GB capability can maintain as much as between 32,768 and 21,840 images, with a mean of 26,212 JPEG photos.
GoPro motion cameras, at full decision, produce JPEG photos with picture sizes starting from 6MB to 10MB. The 128GB reminiscence card will can help you retailer between 21,845 (6MB per photograph) and 32,76 images (10MB per photograph).
Finest 128GB SD Reminiscence Playing cards
How Many Images Can a 256GB SD Card Maintain?
| DSLR (JPEG) | DSLR (RAW) | Good Telephone | GoPro Hero 8-11 |
| 26,214 | 8,628-10,560 | 52,428 | 32,768 |
The typical JPEG picture dimension on most DSLR cameras is round 10 MB. With a 256GB reminiscence card, you’ll be capable to maintain within the neighborhood of 26,214 photos. When taking pictures in RAW format, the file dimension can vary from 22MB to 38MB. With a 256GB reminiscence card, you can retailer about 8,628 to 10,560 photos.
Pictures on a smartphone usually have a dimension between 4MB and 6MB, and SD playing cards with 256GB capability can maintain as much as between 65,536 and 43,690 images, with a mean of 52,428 JPEG photos.
GoPro motion cameras, at full decision, produce JPEG photos with file sizes starting from 6MB to 10MB. The 32GB reminiscence card will can help you retailer between 43,690 (6MB per photograph) and 26,214 images (10MB per photograph).
Finest 256GB SD Reminiscence Playing cards
How Many Images Can a 512GB SD Card Maintain?
| DSLR (JPEG) | DSLR (RAW) | Good Telephone | GoPro Hero 8-11 |
| 52,428 | 17,256-21,120 | 104,856 | 65,536 |
The typical JPEG picture dimension on most DSLR cameras is round 10 MB. With a 512GB reminiscence card, you’ll be capable to maintain within the neighborhood of 52,428 photos. When taking pictures in RAW format, the file dimension can vary from 22MB to 38MB. With a 512GB reminiscence card, you possibly can retailer about 17,256 to 21,120 photos.
Pictures on a smartphone usually have a dimension between 4MB and 6MB, and SD playing cards with 512GB capability can maintain as much as between 131,072 and 87,381 photographs, with a mean of 104,856 JPEG photos.
GoPro motion cameras, at full decision, produce JPEG photos with picture sizes starting from 6MB to 10MB. The 512GB reminiscence card will can help you retailer between 87,381 (6MB per photograph) and 51,428 images (10MB per photograph).
Finest 512GB SD Reminiscence Playing cards
What Components Decide Picture File Dimension?
JPEG File Dimension
The principle mistake that photographers make once they attempt to estimate what number of images can match on a reminiscence card is once they use the variety of megapixels on the digital camera sensor as a main issue of their calculations. Though there’s a direct correlation between the megapixel depend and the dimensions of the photograph it produces (the upper the megapixel depend, the bigger the photograph), it’s virtually unattainable to estimate the precise file dimension.
Should you shoot in JPEG format, you should use a number of high quality choices—like an additional wonderful, wonderful and commonplace—that produce completely different file sizes.
Plus, completely different digital camera settings and taking pictures situations have an effect on the dimensions of the JPEG file. For instance, excessive ISO images usually characteristic a big quantity of digital noise, which ends up in a lot bigger JPEG recordsdata. Images with wide-open skies may have a a lot smaller file dimension than a picture with a forest that’s stuffed with element.
Which means, relying on JPEG high quality, completely different digital camera settings, and numerous taking pictures situations, the file dimension can fluctuate anyplace from 1MB to 20MB for a similar digital camera mannequin.
RAW File Dimension
When taking pictures RAW, the scenario turns into much more complicated. RAW recordsdata fluctuate in bit depth from 12-bit to 14-bit. The upper the bit depth, the larger the file dimension. It’s doable to calculate the file dimension when you recognize the megapixel depend and the bit depth, however just for uncompressed RAW recordsdata. Nevertheless, many producers use RAW compression which varies from lossless to lossy.
Instance. A Sony a6000 24-megapixel sensor produces 25MB RAW recordsdata. A Fujifilm X-T2 24-megapixel sensor produces 48MB RAW recordsdata. Sony’s RAW recordsdata are compressed however Fuji’s are uncompressed.
On high of every part, some digital camera producers have their very own smaller variations of RAW recordsdata akin to sRAW and mRAW.
As I mentioned, it is rather sophisticated and complicated.
So, What’s the Extra Correct Technique to Estimate How Many Images a Reminiscence Card Can Maintain?
Let me present you the simplest method of discovering the reply!
Let’s say that I shoot with my Sony a6000 and I need to estimate what number of photos I can retailer on a 32GB and a 64GB SD card earlier than I determine which to purchase.
I dive into my grasp library listing the place I hold all of my unprocessed images.
Within the file browser (Explorer or Finder), I see that each one my RAW images are sized between 24MB and 25MB.
Subsequent, I take advantage of the desk beneath to find out that I can retailer 1,100 RAW recordsdata on a 32GB SD reminiscence card and 2,200 RAW recordsdata on the 64GB model.
If I test the JPEG model of the photographs produced by the Sony a6000, I see that the dimensions varies between 5MB and 13MB. I take advantage of a mean worth of 8MB for my calculation. This tells me that I can retailer 3,432 JPEG photos on a 32GB SD card and 6,864 photos on the 64GB model.
Reminiscence Card Desk Calculator
You should utilize my methodology with the reminiscence dimension calculator desk beneath to estimate what number of images a 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB SD reminiscence card can maintain.
| Picture Dimension (MB) | SD Card 16GB | SD Card 32GB | SD Card 64GB | SD Card 128GB | SD Card 256GB | SD Card 512GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 MB | 16,384 | 32,768 | 65,536 | 131,072 | 262,144 | 524,288 |
| 2.0 MB | 8,192 | 16,384 | 32,768 | 65,536 | 131,072 | 262,144 |
| 3.0 MB | 5,461 | 10,922 | 21,845 | 43,690 | 87,381 | 174,762 |
| 4.0 MB | 4,096 | 8,192 | 16,384 | 32,768 | 65,536 | 131,072 |
| 5.0 MB | 3,276 | 6,553 | 13,107 | 26,214 | 52,428 | 104,857 |
| 6.0 MB | 2,730 | 5,461 | 10,922 | 21,845 | 43,690 | 87,381 |
| 7.0 MB | 2,340 | 4,681 | 9,362 | 18,724 | 37,449 | 74,898 |
| 8.0 MB | 2,048 | 4,096 | 8,192 | 16,384 | 32,768 | 65,536 |
| 9.0 MB | 1,820 | 3,640 | 7,281 | 14,563 | 29,127 | 58,254 |
| 10.0 MB | 1,638 | 3,276 | 6,553 | 13,107 | 26,214 | 52,428 |
| 11.0 MB | 1,489 | 2,978 | 5,957 | 11,915 | 23,831 | 47,662 |
| 12.0 MB | 1,365 | 2,730 | 5,461 | 10,922 | 21,845 | 43,690 |
| 13.0 MB | 1,260 | 2,520 | 5,041 | 10,082 | 20,164 | 40,329 |
| 15.0 MB | 1,092 | 2,184 | 4,369 | 8,738 | 17,476 | 34,952 |
| 16.0 MB | 1,024 | 2,048 | 4,096 | 8,192 | 16,384 | 32,768 |
| 17.0 MB | 963 | 1,927 | 3,855 | 7,710 | 15,420 | 30,840 |
| 18.0 MB | 910 | 1,820 | 3,640 | 7,281 | 14,563 | 29,127 |
| 19.0 MB | 862 | 1,724 | 3,449 | 6,898 | 13,797 | 27,594 |
| 20.0 MB | 819 | 1,638 | 3,276 | 6,553 | 13,107 | 26,214 |
| 21.0 MB | 780 | 1,560 | 3,120 | 6,241 | 12,483 | 24,966 |
| 22.0 MB | 744 | 1,489 | 2,978 | 5,957 | 11,915 | 23,831 |
| 23.0 MB | 712 | 1,424 | 2,849 | 5,698 | 11,397 | 22,795 |
| 24.0 MB | 682 | 1,365 | 2,730 | 5,461 | 10,922 | 21,845 |
| 25.0 MB | 655 | 1,310 | 2,621 | 5,242 | 10,485 | 20,971 |
| 26.0 MB | 630 | 1,260 | 2,520 | 5,041 | 10,082 | 20,164 |
| 27.0 MB | 606 | 1,213 | 2,427 | 4,854 | 9,709 | 19,418 |
| 28.0 MB | 585 | 1,170 | 2,340 | 4,681 | 9,362 | 18,724 |
| 29.0 MB | 564 | 1,129 | 2,259 | 4,519 | 9,039 | 18,078 |
| 30.0 MB | 546 | 1,092 | 2,184 | 4,369 | 8,738 | 17,476 |
| 35.0 MB | 468 | 936 | 1,872 | 3,744 | 7,489 | 14,979 |
| 40.0 MB | 409 | 819 | 1,638 | 3,276 | 6,553 | 13,107 |
| 45.0 MB | 364 | 728 | 1,456 | 2,912 | 5,825 | 11,650 |
| 50.0 MB | 327 | 655 | 1,310 | 2,621 | 5,242 | 10,485 |
| 55.0 MB | 297 | 595 | 1,191 | 2,383 | 4,766 | 9,532 |
| 60.0 MB | 273 | 546 | 1,092 | 2,184 | 4,369 | 8,738 |
| 65.0 MB | 252 | 504 | 1,008 | 2,016 | 4,032 | 8,065 |
| 70.0 MB | 234 | 468 | 936 | 1,872 | 3,744 | 7,489 |
| 75.0 MB | 218 | 436 | 873 | 1,747 | 3,495 | 6,990 |
| 80.0 MB | 204 | 409 | 819 | 1,638 | 3,276 | 6,553 |
| 85.0 MB | 192 | 385 | 771 | 1,542 | 3,084 | 6,168 |
| 90.0 MB | 182 | 364 | 728 | 1,456 | 2,912 | 5,825 |
| 95.0 MB | 172 | 344 | 689 | 1,379 | 2,759 | 5,518 |
| 100.0 MB | 163 | 327 | 655 | 1,310 | 2,621 | 5,242 |
What’s Optimum SD Reminiscence Card Dimension?
Folks usually ask me why we’d like reminiscence playing cards greater than 32GB if we will retailer hundreds of high-resolution recordsdata.
Let me clarify.
I usually shoot in RAW+JPEG in order that I can seize the JPEG model with my telephone or pill for quick enhancing on the street. This will increase the file dimension for each shot to 33MB (25MB+8MB).
Subsequent, I virtually all the time bracket my pictures, taking at the least three consecutive variations of every shot at completely different publicity values. This will increase the file dimension for every shot to just about 100MB.
Which means I can solely retailer 276 bracketed pictures on a 32GB SD card. That’s merely not sufficient room for my commonplace taking pictures type.
For the final two years, I largely used SD reminiscence playing cards with a capability of 128GB however am now steadily upgrading them to the 256GB variations.
Essential Reminiscence Card Specs Past Storage Capability
When contemplating a reminiscence card, don’t simply concentrate on storage dimension. There are key points associated to reliability and velocity that deserve consideration.
Reliability: Keep away from unknown Chinese language manufacturers as they might lack the reliability wanted to guard your information. This might result in information corruption and the lack of your images. Go for trusted manufacturers like SanDisk.
On the identical time, train warning even inside well-known manufacturers to keep away from counterfeit playing cards. When buying from Amazon, choose respected resellers akin to Amazon itself, B&H, or Adorama.
Card Velocity: Card velocity is an important issue affecting how shortly your digital camera can write information, together with images and movies, to the cardboard.
Gradual playing cards may be irritating when taking pictures within the area. Avoid the SanDisk Extremely for optimum efficiency, as it might restrict your digital camera’s capabilities. Take into account investing a bit extra in fashions like SanDisk Excessive or SanDisk Excessive Professional for quicker information switch. This reduces the time your digital camera spends clearing its buffer, essential for avoiding missed photograph alternatives and sustaining a clean images workflow.
Conclusion: How Many Footage Can My SD Card Maintain?
Choosing the proper reminiscence card includes extra than simply dimension. Take into account your images wants, prioritize reliability and velocity, and purchase from respected sellers. Whether or not you’re a frequent or occasional photographer, understanding these particulars ensures a clean and safe expertise.
When choosing a reminiscence card, concentrate on what actually issues to your images, permitting you to seize moments with out worries about reminiscence card limitations.