Estimate how many photos or minutes of video fit on your memory card based on file size and card capacity. Essential for planning shoots and storage needs.
Actual file sizes vary based on scene complexity, ISO, and compression. Card capacity uses ~93% of advertised size (formatted capacity). Video bitrates are approximate.
Setup: Wedding photographer with 64GB card
Camera: 24MP, shooting RAW + JPEG (~45MB per image)
Usable space: 64GB × 0.93 = ~59.5GB available
Capacity: 59,500MB ÷ 45MB = ~1,322 photos
Planning tip: Bring backup cards for events—never rely on one card!
| Resolution | JPEG Fine | RAW | RAW+JPEG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 MP | 5-8 MB | 15-25 MB | 20-35 MB |
| 24 MP | 8-12 MB | 25-35 MB | 35-45 MB |
| 45 MP | 15-20 MB | 45-60 MB | 60-80 MB |
| 61 MP | 20-30 MB | 60-80 MB | 80-110 MB |
Memory cards are advertised in decimal gigabytes (1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes) but computers use binary (1 GB = 1,073,741,824 bytes). After formatting, you get roughly 93% of the advertised capacity.
Yes, significantly. Lossless compressed RAW files can be 20-40% smaller than uncompressed. JPEG quality settings also affect size dramatically.
This calculator shows total capacity. Burst shooting speed depends on your camera's buffer and card write speed, not just capacity.
Complex scenes with lots of detail create larger files than simple scenes. ISO noise, compression settings, and in-camera processing all affect size.
Match the speed to your needs: Class 10 for basic use, U3/V30 for 4K video, faster speeds for high-resolution burst shooting.
Multiple smaller cards are safer—if one fails, you don't lose everything. Many pros use 32-64GB cards as a good balance.
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