CF Card question - DPChallenge Forums

Canon PowerShot Pro 90 IS

10/19/2004 11:00:31 PM · #1

This should be easy for someone to answer, but I'm still lost. I bought a 1GB CF card. On my camera's highest setting ( Raw) the file size is between 5 and 6MB, closer to 5. I thought that I would be able to fit about 165 pics on one card, but when I put it in the camera, I've only got space for about 90 or so.

The uncompressed TIFF size is 17 MB so that would give me like 60 shots on the card if it shot in that format, so why am I only getting 90 something shots on a card if the file size is only about 5 MB? Thanks much to anyone who knows.

coolhar

10/19/2004 11:10:15 PM · #2

Have you formatted it? Try shooting with it until you get a Card Full message and see how many it will take.

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

10/19/2004 11:17:20 PM · #3

Yeah, I formatted it when I first put it in, and I have shot through to the end to fill the card once. I got 90-some photos, just like the display said I would. If the card is 1000 MB, seems I'm not getting as many pics as I should.

faidoi

Pentax K10D

10/19/2004 11:19:42 PM · #4

New?

Moose101

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS for Canon

10/19/2004 11:20:09 PM · #5

You might also want to check your Camera Firmware. Sometimes new memory cards are not recognized at full size until firmware upgrade. I've provided some info below from Nikon Website. Be careful when upgrading firmware, read all instructions. Also, you usually need to copy a file to the memory card to do the upgrade. I would use your old memory card to do this if you are planning on upgrading. Check your firmware first, instructions are in the below link.

I had to do the same with my friends camera. Just something else to try.
________________________________________________________________
D70 Firmware Update 1.0.1 / 1.0.2 - Windows

Below are things fixed in this new version.

Issues addressed with B firmware version 1.02.

- The camera now supports CompactFlashâ�¢ memory cards with a capacity greater than 4GB.
- When images were captured in Continuous mode at an Image size setting of M and an Image quality setting of FINE, the memory card access lamp sometimes glowed continuously and the camera could not be turned off with the power switch. This problem has been corrected.
- Text errors in display of Chinese menus and messages have been corrected

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

10/19/2004 11:23:56 PM · #6

Thanks very much for the info, I'll give that a shot tomorrow and see what happens.

Havok

10/19/2004 11:24:58 PM · #7

I had a similar problem too but with a 256 card. Have your checked your iso setting? The higher the iso the more memory it eats up.

MrAkamai

Canon EOS-50D

10/20/2004 12:53:33 AM · #8

Just like a hard drive, formatting the media eats up space so you do not get the full rated capacity to store photos. You might end up with about 950-980MB (give or take out of a 1GB card) depending how big the directory is.

lode

Tamron SP AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD Aspherical IF for Nikon

10/20/2004 03:58:21 AM · #9

Ok, one other thing. Atleast my D70 seems to be underestimating the number of shots fitting CF card. It's worse with JPG but seems to happen with NEF (raw) also. This is due to the fact that there is no way to estimate the size of photographs to come, since actual filesize is resolved at the time photograph is taken.

It seems D70 uses some worst case scenarios to estimate remaining capasity. I have a 512Mb CF card and when empty, there is room for 109 pictures according to camera. Usually something between 150-180 fits the CF card though using hi-jpeg.

Ok, the thing that these idiots chose to use lossy compression in NEF is stupendous. D70 sensor has a 12 bits/channel, but the compression reduces this to an average of 9.5 bits. Not really a enhancement over 8 bits. They effectively reduced the dynamic range of sensor about 2 stops.

You can archieve this easily with lossless compression, like Canon did. Idiots ;D.

//www.majid.info/mylos/weblog/2004/05/02-1.html

Message edited by author 2004-10-20 03:59:43.

Node

Nikon D300

10/20/2004 04:11:09 AM · #10

Just another thought the D70 will also capture a basic jpg image if ithe raw is set that way, just make sure you have it set for RAW/NEF only.

Nuno

Nikon D700

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

10/20/2004 06:10:26 AM · #11

Probably it is a distant thought, but what is the brand of the card? The Delkin cards have a software, if you want (it is an extra for pros), that can recover fictures from the cf card after is has been erased or formatted. But to use it you will lose a bit of the space to save pictures, to install the program recovery sistem. About 20% I think. But if you accidentally format or erase your cf card you can recover part or the totality of the immages. In some cases after two formattations.

tjandjwsmith

Nikon D800

10/20/2004 10:55:24 AM · #12

I shoot RAW images exclusively. I have a 1 GB card that, when completely empty, says it will fit 107 shots and when it is full, has actually fit 212 on it.

10/20/2004 10:59:19 PM · #13

Strange then, you even have a Nikon. One guy wrote and told me it's because the Raw file saves more space so you can adjust for processing like white balance. Seems plausible, but I'm losing 60 MB of storage!
I just wrote to Nikon USA to ask a technical support person, and we'll see if they come up with anything different. I've shot to the end of the card. It said I'd get about 95 images, I got 95 images.

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

10/20/2004 11:03:06 PM · #14

Scratch what I just said, I'm not losing 60MB, more like 450 MB. Each Raw image is about 5MB or a little more. Always less than 6. I'm getting roughly 100 images or less. Even if it does save room for post-processing, that seems a bit much.

faidoi

Pentax K10D

10/20/2004 11:04:58 PM · #15

When you upload to your computer how much space is it taking up? Is it a lot less then 1GB?

10/20/2004 11:08:34 PM · #16

I'm just going by what the file sizes say. I've never actually kept all the images I shot. I load them into a folder, see which ones suck, then delete them. Each file size, according to my computer, is typically about 5.2 to 5.5 MB in size in the Raw only file ( there's an option to also capture a small jpeg with the Raw, but that is turned off). So from what I can tell, they truly are a little over 5 MB. If all I get is 100 pics, I'm a bit disappointed.

lousy_beatnik

10/21/2004 12:19:52 AM · #17

This is probably unlikely but I also have a D70 and I'm using a 512mb CF card. When I fill it RAW I always get 90-100 shots. Maybe....just maybe, you have a 512mb card by mistake. CHeck the serial number on the edge of the card for any clues as to the true size. You never know. . .