Storage Types for Digital Cameras

Unlike the 35mm film camera which differed only in the
number of shots and manufacturers, different digital
cameras use different storage media.

This is usually the case for different camera manufacturers
as some brands prefer to have a proprietary storage medium
for their cameras.

Aside from the different types of storage media, they also
differ in the amount of memory they can handle. Today's
cameras eat up more memory which is why bigger memory is
the order of the day especially for professionals.

Here are some of the most popular storage media used by
digital cameras today:

1. Compact flash

- this is perhaps the most common storage device for
digital cameras, especially high-end ones like digital
SLRs.

Compact flash memory comes in two flavors: Type I and II.
Most cameras accept Type I although the Type II varieties
have a higher capacity.

2. Memory Stick

- this is a proprietary storage media produced and
developed by Sony not only for their digital cameras but
also on their other products.

Early Memory Sticks were able to store only up to 256MB
although Sony has already come up with the Memory Stick Pro
which has capacities up to 1GB.

3. Secure Digital (SD) and MultiMedia Cards

- are yet other varieties of storage media. Aside from
digital cameras, they can also be used on a host of devices
such as mobile phones.

These varieties are the smallest among storage media
especially when the micro SD memory was introduced to the
public. The SD card and the MMC (MultiMedia Card) are
basically the same except for the fact that SD cards have a
write-protect switch to protect the data that is stored
inside.