Digital cameras are used by both consumers who want to capture family photos and memories and professional photographers who are using the photos that they take to make their living. All digital cameras save the pictures taken on them onto some sort of memory. While a few digital cameras just save pictures to an internal built-in memory in the camera, most digital cameras save pictures to a memory card that can be removed from the camera for processing or replaced with a different card while on the go. Typically, a digital camera will only be able to use one particular type of memory card, making the type of camera you have determine the type of memory you need to purchase.
SD Cards
Secure Digital (SD) cards are one of the most common types of memory cards found in digital cameras. The flash memory cards are 32-by-24-by-2.1 millimeters and come in capacities ranging from just a few megabytes up to 2 gigabytes. In addition to digital cameras, SD cards are often used to save data in video game systems, digital camcorders, MP3 players, PDAs and GPS units. SD cards are also available in a high-capacity version (SDHC) with capacities ranging from 4 gigabytes to 32 gigabytes, and an extended capacity version (SDXC) with a capacity from 32 gigabytes to 2 terabytes. SD cards are used in cameras made by Canon, Nikon, Samsung and Kodak.
microSD
microSD cards are miniature versions of standard secure digital cards. The smaller cards are designed specifically to be used in exceptionally compact devices and are typically used only in digital cameras found built into mobile phones. microSD is the standard memory card of choice for all major cell phone manufacturers.
xD
xD is type of flash memory that was developed by Olympus and Fujifilm. xD cards measure 20-by-25-by-1.78 millimeters and come in capacities ranging from 512 megabytes to 2 gigabytes. The memory cards are used exclusively in cameras made by Olympus and Fujifilm and are also used in MP3 players and other portable electronics created by the two companies.
Memory Stick
A memory stick is a type of flash memory created by Sony for use in its devices. Memory sticks are only used in electronic devices created by Sony and are also used in other portable electronics created by the company. The traditional memory stick comes in sizes ranging up to 128 megabytes, with a larger "Memory Stick Pro" offering capacities up to 2 terabytes. Sony also offers a smaller version of the card for more compact cameras called "Duo" and a micro version to be used in Sony mobile phones.
Compact Flash
Compact flash cards were used heavily in digital cameras in the beginning. As cameras have gotten smaller, manufacturers have transitioned away from the large memory card in favor of smaller cards, such as the compact SD and xD. Compact flash cards measure 43-by-36-by-3.3 millimeters and come in capacities ranging from 2 megabytes to 137 gigabytes. Compact flash cards are typically found in higher-end professional quality cameras, as well as larger cameras that have the space to handle a larger memory card.
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