First world problem: I'm overwhelmed by memory cards with 1 TB
4.6.2019
Translation: machine translated
There is space for 1 terabyte of data on a small disc the size of a fingernail. That's fascinating - but more of a problem than a help when taking photos. At least for me. For the first time, I realise that I may not only have too little storage space, but also too much.
MicroSD cards with 1 terabyte of memory are now available. That is 1000 GB. Until now, I always thought that more memory was better and that I could never have enough. But now I see things differently.
The 1 GB cards are very expensive compared to the 500 GB cards. This also means that a defect or loss is correspondingly serious. You would have to buy a second 1 TB card for a backup, otherwise the risk of clumping in the event of data loss is far too high.
This problem will solve itself at some point. Sooner or later, the current highest storage capacity will become significantly cheaper. But there are other problems that remain.
Organisation is becoming increasingly difficult
In a smartphone or for filming 4K material, 1 TB may be practical. Not for taking photos. I currently use cards with 64 GB for this. That's roughly enough for 1500 photos if I save RAW and JPEG at the same time. With a 1 TB card, that would be 24,000 photos.
It takes forever just to import 200 photos into Lightroom. The idea of having to find my way around the import dialogue with 24,000 photos gives me nightmares. I already have problems with 240 photos if they come from many different sessions.
Like every user, I tend to simply fill up memory somehow. In this case, that means: I take an unnecessary number of photos; more bad photos and more of the same things I already have. But because storage space costs nothing, I simply copy everything to the hard drive - just in case.
That's not only useless, it's harmful.
I used to tell myself that I would sort out the rubbish later. Now I know I'll never do that in my life. Just sorting out the blurred pictures would take forever - and that's not the end of it.
Take star ratings, for example - supposedly a means of separating the wheat from the chaff. Nobody is in a position to compare thousands of photos with each other to judge whether a photo should get three or four stars. It's a vicious circle: in order to rate the photos, I first have to have an overview. But I only get the overview after I've rated the photos.
The attention doesn't grow with it
Now you can argue: The many photos don't bother you as long as the image management runs fast enough and as long as you can still find the good photos.
However, neither one nor the other is the case for me. The software works sluggishly, I have a small buffer on the memory card and a medium one on the PC. Unlimited memory only makes things worse. It would certainly be possible to cope with a million photos, but it requires organisation that has been perfected over the years. Working this out is about as much fun for me as completing my tax return.
I can probably store a hundred times more photos today than I could ten years ago; but time and attention don't grow with me, they're still the same. The difference between what I store and what I can process in my head is getting bigger and bigger. That's why it's clear to me: I'm sticking with my 64 GB cards.
David Lee
Senior Editor
David.Lee@digitecgalaxus.chMy interest in IT and writing landed me in tech journalism early on (2000). I want to know how we can use technology without being used. Outside of the office, I’m a keen musician who makes up for lacking talent with excessive enthusiasm.