Cameras store your photos in on a memory chip.
That memory chip may be INTERNAL to the camera, something that you cannot remove and will never see, unless you disassemble your camera (not recommended).
It might also be a removable memory chip.
Some cameras give you BOTH internal memory, and an option for a memory chip for additional storage.
The removable memory chip is a desirable way to go for several reasons...
- Storage space: The memory chip you buy will almost always give you far MORE storage than you'll find built into your camera. When you're on a road trip or a vacation, you don't want to find that you ran out of room, because you cannot just go out and buy more film like you did in the old days.
- Organization: You can buy multiple memory chips, and switch them out to keep certain types of pictures grouped together.
- Real printed photos: Sure, you COULD just transfer all the photos to your computer, print the ones you like, and toss away the rest. The trouble with printing on your computer is that, while convenient, it's actually more EXPENSIVE than going to your local pharmacy or Walmart and ordering prints that look just like those you would get from a "real film" camera.
- No software to install: When you plug your camera into your computer with a cable, you most often have to install software on your computer so that it can "talk" to the camera. Most software that comes with computer equipment is not, shall we say, the best in terms of quality and reliability. When you use a memory chip combined with a card reader, you simply take the chip out of your camera and plug it into your card reader and PRESTO, a new drive appears on My Computer (if you're using Windows) or on your desktop, and you can access your photos the same way you would any other image file.
- Save your battery: When you plug your camera into your computer to transfer the photos, you have to turn on the camera. Communicating with your computer takes ENERGY, meaning that your camera's battery is being sucked dry. When you're using memory chips, that's not a issue.
- Multiple purposes: Your memory chip can be used for a lot more than just photos. If you have a good quality MP3 player or digital voice recorder, it can probably store your voice and audio files on a chip, just like your camera. If you're shopping for a new camera and/or MP3 player, you might want to investigate if the memory chips are compatible. If so, you can use the same chips in both. Additionally, you can use your chip just as you would a memory stick or jump drive to move data files from one computer to another - between home and work, for example.
Here's our preferred place to buy memory chips. Visit it soon, because this promotion will end in 3 days!
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