When taking digital photos, a pertinent question is how many pictures you can take without getting that dreaded, “Memory card is Full” message. How many pictures one can fit on your flash card is dependent on a few factors:

1. Camera Resolution (in Mega pixels)
The larger the resolution for your camera, the less photos you’ll be able to hold on a given flash memory card. Obviously, the larger the resolution, the higher quality the photo, but in terms of photo storage, a lot of mega pixels will lead to larger file sizes per photo.

2. Flash Memory Card Size (In MB or GB)
A small memory card (128 MB) will not hold as many photos as a large one (4 GB). There are 1,000 MB in one GB. SD Flash cards are thin and small, and usually come in smaller sizes. Compact Flash cards are thicker and bulkier, and normally come in larger sizes. Usually, digital cameras will accept one of the two, however in some cases; a camera can accept both flash card types.

3. Camera Settings
To optimize the amount of photos your camera will hold, you will want to set your camera to take compressed photos. To do this, simply go into the menu on the back of your camera, go to image quality or image size, and find the setting that works for you. The lower the setting, the less sharp and lower quality your photos will be. However, the lower the setting, the more photos you’ll be able to fit on your camera. This allows your high-resolution camera act like a lower-resolution camera in those “lots of photos” moments.

If you already have your camera purchased, and want to have the option to take lots of photos without having to unload your card, buying a large flash card is recommended. From that point, if the large card is not enough, or you don’t want to shell out the cash for an expensive large flash card, you can change your camera’s settings. A large memory card will also allow you to take more photos at the same high quality though, rather than sticking solely with changing your camera’s settings.

In conclusion, the number one best thing to do would be to buy a large memory card. This allows you the most versatility, from taking a smaller amount of high-res pictures to taking a whole bunch of lesser-quality ones.