SD Cards?

[Deleted]

A few questions on card storage if I may.....

What size & format SD cards would be best for shooting RAW on a D610?

I like Sandisk as a brand, the Extreme Pro range is their fastest. But UHS I or UHS II?
Update: I found a handy Sandisk DSLR compatibility page: SanDisk | Product Compatibility Tool

Also what size storage do people generally use?

There is an option on the dual card cameras to store RAW & JPG. Why would someone need to store both types?

 

[Bill16]

Sanddisk extreme is suppose to work just great, and from what I read the extreme pro isn't really better, just more expensive. I bought the extreme pro before reading that, so didn't get a great deal. Lol
I think mine are uhs1 and they work very well. The ability to store both raw and jpeg at the same time might be handy to some people if they might want some photos ready to go without bothering to post process, while still being able to improve the photo with the raw post processing later if they find interest in it.

What size of card would depend a bit on what type of photos you primarily shoot. Some types of photography requires a ton of shots to make sure you'll get some good ones out of them, and those types of photography would need a larger card. Since I don't have your model of Nikon and mine has a lower MPs I don't know what size of card range would be best suited for your Nikon.

 

[gqtuazon]

Also what size storage do people generally use?

16gb or 32 gb cards are normally sufficient.

There is an option on the dual card cameras to store RAW & JPG. Why would someone need to store both types?

These are options and you have the option not to use that feature. I use both RAW + jpg so that once the files are transferred to my computer, I use the jpg file to use them as preview. I use the RAW file to edit them.

 

[Deleted]

Thank you both.

So as a RAW file, it's not really possible to view it at all? Say as thumbnails within the Windows photo library?

This would make file management interesting...

 

[gqtuazon]

Thank you both.

So as a RAW file, it's not really possible to view it at all? Say as thumbnails within the Windows photo library?

This would make file management interesting...

You can always try it to see what your software can or cannot display with your computer.

 

[Deleted]

Yes, I will thanks.

I was just trying to judge the size hard drive to put in. I'm thinking that I may as well go with 4tb as I think that LR retains multiple copies of the files you are working with?

 

[Horoscope Fish]

So as a RAW file, it's not really possible to view it at all? Say as thumbnails within the Windows photo library?

I work on a PC so if you're a Mac guy disregard...

On a PC, to view .NEF files as thumbnails like you do .JPG's you will need to install some additional software such as the Microsoft Codec Pack. Nikon also has a .NEF-specific codec you can download from their website. Which one you will want to use will depend on your version of Windows. Win7 is easiest with the codec pack but things get weird with Win8 and Win8.1 which Microsoft treats as two entirely different versions it seems (not a fan of Win8.x).

As for SD cards, I've found happiness with many different brands. SanDisk is a slam dunk but I've been using Samsung Pro SD cards lately with great success.

...

 

[Deleted]

Thanks for the info. It's a Windows 7 pc, so usefully it looks as though I will be able to preview RAW files.

So therefore the purpose of RAW + JPG is either if you don't want to edit your shots, or perhaps a news photographer that needs to send shots quickly, or someone who immediately posts shots to social media?

 

[BackdoorArts]

I normally shoot with a 32GB card in my D600 and it's always been sufficient, though I almost ran out of space this past weekend at Musikfest (530 pics - the images left count started at 399 and was at 72 when I finished, so figure you can get 600 RAW files on 32GB).

I can view the RAW thumbnail on my Mac without having to download anything (it likely did it for me) and on my PC after downloading the NEF codec.

 

[Horoscope Fish]

So therefore the purpose of RAW + JPG is either if you don't want to edit your shots, or perhaps a news photographer that needs to send shots quickly, or someone who immediately posts shots to social media?

RAW and JPG are simply two "tools" for a photographer that one can choose to use. Your example is one of many possible scenarios. Sometimes you simply don't have the luxury of time (to process to perfection), sometimes it's file size or buffer constraints. Juggling quality vs time is a common and oft-repeated theme. I've shot JPG + RAW for people who want or need something to work with, or post online, right away and quality to the 'nth degree is not required. Meanwhile, I can take the RAW file home to work on and provide them with a more polished final product, such as a large print, later.

Other times the shots I was asked to provide were for such things as documenting soil erosion. How exciting! You really think I want to sit behind my PC and tweak those shots to utmost perfection? Not so much (nice way to pad my bill, however, I suppose) and the BLM would prefer I keep my bill-able hours to a minimum. That being the case... JPG is the go-to file type. As is so often the case in photography... "It depends".

And let's not forget that just because it's a JPG doesn't mean it's not a good, even great, shot. Sure, shooting RAW gives me *additional* flexibility but my D7100, assuming I do my part, turns out pretty damn fine JPG's; and if a JPG will do, so much the better. They can also be post processed, albeit not with as much headroom as with a RAW file but it's not like JPG's can't be tweaked.

....

 

[Deleted]

Thank you both for your advice. Understood about the commercial considerations.

Coming from 35mm it's something that is a little difficult to get my head around.

530 pics in a weekend Jake?

 

[BackdoorArts]

Thank you both for your advice. Understood about the commercial considerations.

Coming from 35mm it's something that is a little difficult to get my head around.

530 pics in a weekend Jake?

No, that was just Saturday. Friday night was closer to 590, but I had a 64GB card that the guy who sold me the D600 left in there so I never worried about running out of room and I wanted to see how well it worked. Those were whittled down to about 200 "keepers". I've managed to get through the street shots, but I'm still processing band photos.

 

[Patrick M]

I'm not a pro, and over the years, I see most of my shots would be uploaded to a web server ... So no real point in RAW files .... So I use my dual card (D7100) mainly overflow. It's also where the (rare) videos get stored.
I can see RAW files on both my Mac Mini and my Windows 7 PC.
There has been quite a lot of threads on SD cards so it's worth doing a search

 

[Deleted]

Thanks Patrick.

 

[BackdoorArts]

.... nah, I'm not going there with not needing to shoot RAW. :sneakiness: