For a digital camera how many photos can I take with a 28MB?

Question

I'm going to get a digital camera but I want one with a big memory so I was just wondering how many photos a 28MBcan take?

And what cameras do you recommend that is easy to carry around and has a large memory?

Answer 1

Some cameras come with built in (internal memory) so make sure your camera can take added (external) memory. Internal memory is something you want to have in case you run out of external memory. I have never heard of 28mb memory unless the camera you are eyeing has that much internal memory. All of the memory cards correspond with multiples of 8, ie 8,16,32,64,128,256, and 512 and then you get into the gigabytes of memory (1000mb) -- 1gb, 2 gb, 4 gb...

A camera recommendation would be almost anything that is greater than 3megapixels. 4MP seems to be the standard starting point these days. If you are new to digital photography, make sure it has a viewfinder because not only will you be more comfortable getting used to it, there are situations (bright daylight) where you can't see the screen to compose your picture. You will want to be able to see it through the viewfinder. Some newer cameras have brightness features to help you see the screen better but I still like to have the option of viewing it the old-fashioned way, not having to reset the screen options and missing the shot.


The number of pictures corresponds inversely to the number of megapixels you have your camera set at -- the larger the megapixel setting, the better your resolution (you can enlarge your prints) but the fewer pictures you will be able to take. All of the memory card packages have charts to let you know approximately how many shots you can take at various camera settings. Here is my rule of thumb for shooting at my camera's "normal" setting (not "fine" or "basic"):

At 6MPixel setting, multiply the MB on the memory by 0.85 to get the number of pictures.

At 4MP, multiply the MB on the memory by 1 to get the number of pictures.

At 3MP, multiply the MB on the memory by 1.73 to get the number of pictures.

At 1MP, multiply the MB on the memory by 3.2 to get the number of pictures.

With a 256MB card, this comes out to :
218 pictures at 6MP
256 pictures at 4MP
443 pictures at 3MP
819 pictures at 1MP (lots of pictures, but only good enough for online auctions, emailing, and 3.5 x 5 inch prints.)
The actual memory card that your camera takes is the same size, no matter what the MB capacity is -- a 512MB card will take up the same amount of space as a 256MB. There are about 6 different types of memory cards available -- the camera box will specify what type your camera requires. When you purchase the memory cards, some record faster than others (stay away from the really generic cards).

Keep in mind it is better to take a picture at a higher MP and have fewer pictures than wanting to enlarge a small MP picture later because it was such a great shot and not being able to because it looks "pixelated" (the little boxes that make up the digital picture become larger, thus blurring your photo-- similar to zooming in on something on your computer.) You can always make your large pictures smaller for emailing, so it is better to shoot at the higher resolution in case you have captured that "once in a lifetime" award-winning shot!

As far as choosing a camera, look for the features I mentioned. Picking a camera with a larger lens will yield better results as well. Think of the size of a lens on a disposable camera -- the lens is so small it doesn't capture a very good image, the prints are never as good as using my larger lensed film camera. Also, look at optical zoom and pay no attention to the digital zoom. The optical zoom is real, just like on a regular camera. The digital zoom is useless, all it does it blows up the picture -- again, similar to zooming in on an image on the computer screen. Go for a camera size that feels good in your hands or one that will fit into the size bag in which you want to carry it around .

Another good feature is a camera that has less of a lag time -- that means the amount of time it takes from when you press the shutter to the actual recording of the photo. Sometimes what you get and what you hoped to get do not match because the camera takes too long to record it. I was reminded of this inconvenience while using my son's camera at the zoo today -- that jaquar was just not walking slow enough and I kept getting his tail not his face! The only camera that doesn't have this gap is a single lens reflex (SLR) because it captures the shot instantaneously, just as a film SLR would. A SLR camera will be pricier, bulkier, and heavier to carry so you might want to stay with a point-and-shoot.

I have used different cameras by Sony, Fuji, Olympus, and Nikon. The only camera I didn't like was the camera without the eyepiece feature and the ones with a long lag time. The newer Kodaks are nicer now than they were when digitals first came out.

On a final note, if your camera takes video, it will not be the high quality footage you would get with a camcorder AND video takes up quite a bit of the memory on the memory card so if you plan on using it for videos, make sure you purchase more than a 512mb card and it is always good to have more than one memory card with you, in case you haven't had a chance to transfer your pictures and videos to a CD or hard drive.

And now for the real beauty of digital photography: You can delete and never have to print the bad shots. Whatever camera you choose, it will pay for itself by not paying for the unneccessary printing of bad photos. I have already shot over 4000 photos on my Nikon -- had this been film, it would equal 166 rolls of film. At $4.00 for a roll of 24 pictures and $7.00 for processing, I would have spent over $1800 in the past year. Yes, my camera has paid for itself and more!

Before you head off to buy your new camera, print this and take it along because I realize no one would ever remember this much information when looking over all of the "candy" behind the counter at the store. So many decisions...So many options...

Answer 2

It depends on how many megapixels there are, the shutter speed, and the lens. A little coolpix isn't going to take quality photos the way a rebel might, for example. I have an old (a few years old anyway, with the way cameras are being produced now it's considered old) kodak, easy share 12 mp, and 10x optical zoom. It's not that great, i actually traded it and i wish i had kept my original camera. I never use it, though. I usually use my phone, although the quality isn't as good its always with me. Unlike my camera.

Answer 3

WEll it all depends how many mega pixels the camera has. My camera has 3.2 megapixels and with a 28 MB i can take about 20 pics. the higher the megapixels the less pics you can take. I also suggest u use either a 128 or 256 MB. Those are the new standards. Also the Kodak Easy Share is a very good basic camera.

Answer 4

Not very many. It definitely depends on your camera and the settings but I'm gonna guess around 10 to 20. You can get a larger memory card for pretty cheap. A 128 mb SD card goes for around 20 bucks.

Answer 5

They usually have a very small built in memory & you have to buy a memory card for them. Both my Kodak easy shares have a 1 g card that I purchased for them, which hold several hundred photos.

Answer 6

anywhere from 1 to probaly 150 depending on the settings. 28 mb is small, i would go for at least 256mb, maybe more

Answer 7

Depends on the camera's megapixels.