How many photos can my SD card maintain? This is the query I’m requested typically when readers of my weblog strive to determine the dimensions of the SD reminiscence card they should complement the digital camera they simply bought.
In this text,
- I provides you with a fast estimate of what number of photos completely different SD reminiscence card holds.
- Plus, I’ll present with you a extra exact methodology you possibly can apply to your particular digital camera and get higher estimates.
- And lastly, I’ll share what’s the optimum reminiscence card dimension as we speak and the dimensions of reminiscence playing cards I’m utilizing in my images.
But the best methodology to determine what number of pictures a reminiscence card can maintain is to divide the dimensions of the reminiscence card by the common picture dimension your digital camera produces.
To simplify the method of calculating what number of can SD card maintain, I precalculated the commonest eventualities and offer you a transparent reply.
The Way I Calculated How many Photos Each SD Card Can Hold
I used 3 eventualities for calculating what number of photographs you possibly can retailer on a SD card.
Scenario #1: You use a DSLR or mirrorless digital camera
At this level, the 2 hottest DSLR traces of cameras are the Nikon D3xxx and the Canon Rebel sequence.
Nikon D3xxx cameras, when taking pictures in JPEG format, produce file sizes between 10MB and 13MB.
Canon Rebel cameras produce JPEG pictures between 7MB and 11MB.
For my calculations, I used the common file dimension of 10MB for DSLR and mirrorless cameras when taking pictures JPEG.
When taking pictures RAW, relying on ISO settings, Nikon cameras create file sizes between 22MB and 26MB.
Canon Rebel fashions generate RAW pictures between 32MB and 38MB.
Scenario 2: You use the smartphone.
If you verify the JPEG file dimension produced by varied smartphones you possibly can see that dimension can differ between 4MB and 6MB
Scenario 3: You use GoPro or one other motion digital camera
GoPro cameras, relying on the mannequin, when taking pictures at full decision produce JPEG pictures between 6MB and 10Mb.
To estimate the variety of photographs you possibly can retailer on a SD reminiscence card, I divided the dimensions of the cardboard by the common dimension of the digital camera pictures
That easy.
But 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 pictures every card can maintain is an approximation solely.
How many photographs can a 16GB SD card maintain?
DSLR (JPEG) | DSLR (RAW) | Smart Phone | GoPro Hero 8-11 |
1,638 | 468-682 | 3,276 | 2,048 |
On DSLR and mirrorless cameras the JPEG file dimension 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 pictures. When taking pictures RAW the picture dimension is greater (between 22MB and 38MB), and the 16GB can retailer between 468 and 682 photographs.
With an approximate picture dimension 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 digital camera, an 16GB reminiscence card will retailer between 2730 (6MB per photograph) and 1638 photographs (10MB per photograph) with a mean of 2048.
How many photographs can a 32GB SD card maintain?
DSLR (JPEG) | DSLR (RAW) | Smart Phone | GoPro Hero 8-11 |
3,276 | 936-1,364 | 6,553 | 4,096 |
With the common JPEG picture dimension on DSLR cameras round 10MB, the 32GB reminiscence card will maintain about 3,276 photographs. When taking pictures in a RAW format, the file sizes differ from 22MB to 38MB, and a 32GB reminiscence card can retailer between 936 and 1,364 pictures.
On a smartphone, the approximate picture dimension 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 pictures.
GoPro motion cameras, at full decision, produce JPEG picture sizes round 6MB and 10MB. The 32GB reminiscence card will permit you to retailer roughly between 5,462 (6MB per photograph) and three,276 photographs (10MB per photograph).
How many photographs can a 64GB SD card maintain?
DSLR (JPEG) | DSLR (RAW) | Smart Phone | GoPro Hero 8-11 |
6,552 | 1,872-2,728 | 1,3106 | 8,192 |
The common JPEG picture dimension 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 pictures. When taking pictures in RAW format, the file dimension can vary from 22MB to 38MB. With a 64GB reminiscence card, you can retailer about 1,872 to 2,728 photos.
Images on a smartphone usually have a dimension 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 pictures.
GoPro motion cameras, at full decision, produce JPEG pictures with file sizes starting from 6MB to 10MB. The 64GB reminiscence card will permit you to retailer between 10,922 (6MB per photograph) and 6,554 photographs (10MB per photograph).
How many photographs can a 128GB SD card maintain?
DSLR (JPEG) | DSLR (RAW) | Smart Phone | GoPro Hero 8-11 |
1,3107 | 3,744-5,456 | 26,212 | 16,384 |
The common JPEG picture dimension 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 pictures. When taking pictures in RAW format, the file dimension can vary from 22MB to 38MB. With a 128GB reminiscence card, you possibly can retailer about 3,744 to five,456 photos.
Images on a smartphone usually have a dimension 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 pictures.
GoPro motion cameras, at full decision, produce JPEG pictures with picture sizes starting from 6MB to 10MB. The 128GB reminiscence card will permit you to retailer between 21,845 (6MB per photograph) and 32,76 photographs (10MB per photograph).
How many photographs can a 256GB SD card maintain?
DSLR (JPEG) | DSLR (RAW) | Smart Phone | GoPro Hero 8-11 |
26,214 | 8,628-10,560 | 52,428 | 32,768 |
The common JPEG picture dimension 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 pictures. When taking pictures in RAW format, the file dimension can vary from 22MB to 38MB. With a 256GB reminiscence card, you can retailer about 8,628 to 10,560 photos.
Images on a smartphone usually have a dimension 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 pictures.
GoPro motion cameras, at full decision, produce JPEG pictures with file sizes starting from 6MB to 10MB. The 32GB reminiscence card will permit you to retailer between 43,690 (6MB per photograph) and 26,214 photographs (10MB per photograph).
How many photographs can a 512GB SD card maintain?
DSLR (JPEG) | DSLR (RAW) | Smart Phone | GoPro Hero 8-11 |
52,428 | 17,256-21,120 | 104,856 | 65,536 |
The common JPEG picture dimension 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 pictures. When taking pictures in RAW format, the file dimension can vary from 22MB to 38MB. With a 512GB reminiscence card, you possibly can retailer about 17,256 to 21,120 photos.
Images on a smartphone usually have a dimension 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 pictures.
GoPro motion cameras, at full decision, produce JPEG pictures with picture sizes starting from 6MB to 10MB. The 512GB reminiscence card will permit you to retailer between 87,381 (6MB per photograph) and 51,428 photographs (10MB per photograph).
What elements decide picture file dimension?
JPEG File Size
The predominant 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 digital camera sensor as a main issue of their calculations. Although there’s a direct correlation between the megapixel depend and the dimensions of the photograph it produces (the upper the megapixel depend, the bigger the photograph), it’s nearly unattainable to estimate the precise file dimension.
If you shoot in JPEG format, you should utilize a number of high quality choices—like an additional wonderful, wonderful and commonplace—that produce completely different file sizes.
Plus, completely different digital camera settings and taking pictures circumstances have an effect on the dimensions of the JPEG file. For instance, excessive ISO photographs typically function a big quantity of digital noise, which leads to a lot bigger JPEG recordsdata. Photos with wide-open skies may have a a lot smaller file dimension than a picture with a forest that’s crammed with element.
This signifies that, relying on JPEG high quality, completely different digital camera settings, and varied taking pictures circumstances, the file dimension can differ anyplace from 1MB to 20MB for a similar digital camera mannequin.
RAW File Size
When taking pictures RAW, the state of affairs turns into much more complicated. RAW recordsdata differ in bit depth from 12-bit to 14-bit. The greater the bit depth, the larger the file dimension. It is feasible to calculate the file dimension when you realize the megapixel depend and the bit depth, however just for uncompressed RAW recordsdata. However, many producers use RAW compression which varies from lossless to lossy.
Example. A Sony a6000 24-megapixel sensor produces 25MB RAW recordsdata. A Fujifilm X-T2 24-megapixel sensor produces 48MB RAW recordsdata. Sony’s RAW recordsdata are compressed however Fuji’s are uncompressed.
On prime of every little thing, some digital camera producers have their very own smaller variations of RAW recordsdata reminiscent of sRAW and mRAW.
As I mentioned, it is extremely sophisticated and complicated.
So, What is the More Accurate Way to Estimate How Many Photos a Memory Card Can Hold?
Let me present you the simplest means 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 resolve which to purchase.
I dive into my grasp library listing the place I hold all of my unprocessed photographs.
In the file browser (Explorer or Finder), I see that each one my RAW photographs are sized between 24MB and 25MB.
Next, I exploit the desk under to find out that I can retailer 1,100 RAW recordsdata on a 32GB SD reminiscence card and 2,200 RAW recordsdata on the 64GB model.
If I verify the JPEG model of the pictures produced by the Sony a6000, I see that the dimensions varies between 5MB and 13MB. I exploit a mean worth of 8MB for my calculation. This tells me that I can retailer 3,432 JPEG pictures on a 32GB SD card and 6,864 pictures on the 64GB model.
Memory Card Calculator Table
You can use my methodology with the reminiscence dimension calculator desk under to estimate what number of photographs a 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB SD reminiscence card can maintain.
Image Size (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 is Optimal SD Memory Card Size?
People typically ask me why we want reminiscence playing cards larger than 32GB if we will retailer 1000’s of high-resolution recordsdata.
Let me clarify.
I typically shoot in RAW+JPEG in order that I can seize the JPEG model with my telephone or pill for quick modifying on the highway. This will increase the file dimension for each shot to 33MB (25MB+8MB).
Next, I nearly all the time bracket my photographs, taking at the least three consecutive variations of every shot at completely different publicity values. This will increase the file dimension for every shot to almost 100MB.
This signifies that I can solely retailer 276 bracketed photographs on a 32GB SD card. That is solely not sufficient room for my commonplace taking pictures type.
For the final two years, I largely used SD reminiscence playing cards with a capability of 128GB however am now step by step upgrading them to the 256GB variations.