Memory Cards
The challenge I’ve faced is that often on holiday I fill up one card and then switch to another and then another. But after a few days of shooting I may put an already used card in the camera thinking its free but then realise that its full, as the camera will tell me. So I try another and hope I’ve picked the correct one.
I don’t want to sit there and label my cards 1, 2 and 3 etc and then use them in order. Because then you end up working one or two cards more than others as you may not always use all the cards you have and so never get to the last number in your card labels.
There has to be an easier solution!!
The Solution
Here is a simple yet effective solution which helps me avoid this hassle. I simply keep all my cards in facing up (Brand Label side) when they are Free and ready for use. As soon as a card fills up, I will put it back in the card wallet/case but flip it around so that the brand label is at the bottom. This way whenever I need a new card, I know which one to get and which one to avoid.
I then use up the biggest cards first (always in random order) and eventually get to the smaller ones, this way I know when I need to start being conservative..usually towards the end of the holiday. Only once I get home or have downloaded the photos on my computer as well as backed up a second copy on external Hard disk will I erase the card and put it back in the wallet/case facing up again.
Hope you found this tip useful. Please leave us your comments and share this post on your favourite social network.
Bonus Tip
I read somewhere that you should always stop taking pictures on a card when you have one or two shots capacity left. Never go up to the point where the camera says Zero (0) shots left. Doing so can avoid accidental corruption when the camera takes a picture and tries to fit it on the card but runs out of the room.