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 digicam they simply bought.
On this article,
- I offers you a fast estimate of what number of photos completely different SD reminiscence card holds.
- Plus, I’ll present with you a extra exact technique you may apply to your particular digicam and get higher estimates.
- And eventually, I’ll share what’s the optimum reminiscence card measurement right this moment and the dimensions of reminiscence playing cards I’m utilizing in my pictures.
However the easiest technique to determine what number of photos a reminiscence card can maintain is to divide the dimensions of the reminiscence card by the common picture measurement your digicam produces.
To simplify the method of calculating what number of can SD card maintain, I precalculated the most typical situations and provide you with a transparent reply.
The Approach I Calculated What number of Pictures Every SD Card Can Maintain
I used 3 situations for calculating what number of photographs you may retailer on a SD card.
Situation #1: You Use a DSLR or Mirrorless Digital camera
At this level, the 2 hottest DSLR strains of cameras are the Nikon D3xxx and the Canon Insurgent collection.
Nikon D3xxx cameras, when capturing in JPEG format, produce file sizes between 10MB and 13MB.
Canon Insurgent cameras produce JPEG photos between 7MB and 11MB.
For my calculations, I used the common file measurement of 10MB for DSLR and mirrorless cameras when capturing JPEG.
When capturing RAW, relying on ISO settings, Nikon cameras create file sizes between 22MB and 26MB.
Canon Insurgent fashions generate RAW photos between 32MB and 38MB.
Situation 2: You Use the Smartphone.
In case you examine the JPEG file measurement produced by numerous smartphones you may see that measurement can differ between 4MB and 6MB
Situation 3: You Use GoPro or One other Motion Digital camera
GoPro cameras, relying on the mannequin, when capturing at full decision produce JPEG photos between 6MB and 10Mb.
To estimate the variety of photographs you may retailer on a SD reminiscence card, I divided the dimensions of the cardboard by the common measurement of the digicam photos
That straightforward.
However please bear 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 Pictures 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 measurement varies from 7MB to 13MB. It signifies that a 16GB reminiscence card will maintain between 2,340 and 1,260 photographs, with a mean of 1,638 photos. When capturing RAW the picture measurement is larger (between 22MB and 38MB), and the 16GB can retailer between 468 and 682 photographs.
With an approximate picture measurement between 4MB and 6MB on a smartphone, the 16GB SD reminiscence card can maintain between 4,096 and a couple of,730 photographs with a mean of 3,276 JPEG photographs.
On the GoPro motion digicam, an 16GB reminiscence card will retailer between 2730 (6MB per photograph) and 1638 photographs (10MB per photograph) with a mean of 2048.
Greatest 16GB SD Reminiscence Playing cards
How Many Pictures 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 common JPEG picture measurement on DSLR cameras round 10MB, the 32GB reminiscence card will maintain about 3,276 photographs. When capturing in a RAW format, the file sizes differ from 22MB to 38MB, and a 32GB reminiscence card can retailer between 936 and 1,364 photos.
On a smartphone, the approximate picture measurement is between 4MB and 6MB, and the 32GB SD reminiscence card can maintain between 8,192 and 5,460 photographs 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 mean you can retailer roughly between 5,462 (6MB per photograph) and three,276 photographs (10MB per photograph).
Greatest 32 GB SD Reminiscence Playing cards
How Many Pictures 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 common JPEG picture measurement 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 capturing in RAW format, the file measurement can vary from 22MB to 38MB. With a 64GB reminiscence card, you can retailer about 1,872 to 2,728 photos.
Photos on a smartphone usually have a measurement between 4MB and 6MB, and SD playing cards with 64GB capability can maintain as much as between 16384 and 10922 photographs, 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 mean you can retailer between 10,922 (6MB per photograph) and 6,554 photographs (10MB per photograph).
Greatest 64 GB SD Reminiscence Playing cards
How Many Pictures 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 common JPEG picture measurement 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 capturing in RAW format, the file measurement can vary from 22MB to 38MB. With a 128GB reminiscence card, you may retailer about 3,744 to five,456 photos.
Photos on a smartphone usually have a measurement between 4MB and 6MB, and SD playing cards with 128GB capability can maintain as much as between 32,768 and 21,840 photographs, 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 mean you can retailer between 21,845 (6MB per photograph) and 32,76 photographs (10MB per photograph).
Greatest 128GB SD Reminiscence Playing cards
How Many Pictures 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 common JPEG picture measurement 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 capturing in RAW format, the file measurement can vary from 22MB to 38MB. With a 256GB reminiscence card, you can retailer about 8,628 to 10,560 photos.
Photos on a smartphone usually have a measurement between 4MB and 6MB, and SD playing cards with 256GB capability can maintain as much as between 65,536 and 43,690 photographs, 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 mean you can retailer between 43,690 (6MB per photograph) and 26,214 photographs (10MB per photograph).
Greatest 256GB SD Reminiscence Playing cards
How Many Pictures 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 common JPEG picture measurement 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 capturing in RAW format, the file measurement can vary from 22MB to 38MB. With a 512GB reminiscence card, you may retailer about 17,256 to 21,120 photos.
Photos on a smartphone usually have a measurement 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 mean you can retailer between 87,381 (6MB per photograph) and 51,428 photographs (10MB per photograph).
Greatest 512GB SD Reminiscence Playing cards
What Elements Decide Picture File Dimension?
JPEG File Dimension
The primary mistake that photographers make once they attempt to estimate what number of photographs can match on a reminiscence card is once they use the variety of megapixels on the digicam sensor as a main issue of their calculations. Though there’s a direct correlation between the megapixel rely and the dimensions of the photograph it produces (the upper the megapixel rely, the bigger the photograph), it’s nearly inconceivable to estimate the precise file measurement.
In case you shoot in JPEG format, you need to use a number of high quality choices—like an additional high-quality, high-quality and customary—that produce completely different file sizes.
Plus, completely different digicam settings and capturing circumstances have an effect on the dimensions of the JPEG file. For instance, excessive ISO photographs usually characteristic a big quantity of digital noise, which leads to a lot bigger JPEG information. Pictures with wide-open skies can have a a lot smaller file measurement than a picture with a forest that’s stuffed with element.
Because of this, relying on JPEG high quality, completely different digicam settings, and numerous capturing circumstances, the file measurement can differ wherever from 1MB to 20MB for a similar digicam mannequin.
RAW File Dimension
When capturing RAW, the scenario turns into much more complicated. RAW information differ in bit depth from 12-bit to 14-bit. The upper the bit depth, the larger the file measurement. It’s potential to calculate the file measurement when the megapixel rely and the bit depth, however just for uncompressed RAW information. Nevertheless, many producers use RAW compression which varies from lossless to lossy.
Instance. A Sony a6000 24-megapixel sensor produces 25MB RAW information. A Fujifilm X-T2 24-megapixel sensor produces 48MB RAW information. Sony’s RAW information are compressed however Fuji’s are uncompressed.
On high of every part, some digicam producers have their very own smaller variations of RAW information similar to sRAW and mRAW.
As I stated, it is vitally sophisticated and complicated.
So, What’s the Extra Correct Option to Estimate How Many Pictures a Reminiscence Card Can Maintain?
Let me present you the simplest manner 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 maintain all of my unprocessed photographs.
Within the file browser (Explorer or Finder), I see that each one my RAW photographs are sized between 24MB and 25MB.
Subsequent, I take advantage of the desk under to find out that I can retailer 1,100 RAW information on a 32GB SD reminiscence card and 2,200 RAW information on the 64GB model.
If I examine the JPEG model of the pictures 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 technique with the reminiscence measurement calculator desk under to estimate what number of photographs 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?
Individuals usually ask me why we’d like reminiscence playing cards greater than 32GB if we will retailer hundreds of high-resolution information.
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 measurement for each shot to 33MB (25MB+8MB).
Subsequent, I nearly at all times bracket my pictures, taking a minimum of three consecutive variations of every shot at completely different publicity values. This will increase the file measurement for every shot to almost 100MB.
Because of this I can solely retailer 276 bracketed pictures on a 32GB SD card. That’s merely not sufficient room for my customary capturing fashion.
For the final two years, I principally 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 deal with storage measurement. There are key features associated to reliability and pace that deserve consideration.
Reliability: Keep away from unknown Chinese language manufacturers as they might lack the reliability wanted to guard your knowledge. This might result in knowledge corruption and the lack of your photographs. Go for trusted manufacturers like SanDisk.
On the similar time, train warning even inside well-known manufacturers to keep away from counterfeit playing cards. When buying from Amazon, choose respected resellers similar to Amazon itself, B&H, or Adorama.
Card Velocity: Card pace is a vital issue affecting how rapidly your digicam can write knowledge, together with photographs and movies, to the cardboard.
Sluggish playing cards may be irritating when capturing within the discipline. Keep away from the SanDisk Extremely for optimum efficiency, as it could restrict your digicam’s capabilities. Contemplate investing a bit extra in fashions like SanDisk Excessive or SanDisk Excessive Professional for quicker knowledge switch. This reduces the time your digicam spends clearing its buffer, essential for avoiding missed photograph alternatives and sustaining a easy pictures workflow.
Conclusion: How Many Footage Can My SD Card Maintain?
Selecting the best reminiscence card includes extra than simply measurement. Contemplate your pictures wants, prioritize reliability and pace, and purchase from respected sellers. Whether or not you’re a frequent or occasional photographer, understanding these particulars ensures a easy and safe expertise.
When choosing a reminiscence card, deal with what really issues on your pictures, permitting you to seize moments with out worries about reminiscence card limitations.