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Won't make that beginner mistake again

S

sprtnbsblplya

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 28, 2004
145
0
Arlington, VA
Ever go somewhere with the intention of getting some good shots, and when you click the shutter the first time, "No Memory Card"?
First time I did that happened today. In the car an hour to go out in the sunshine and play with my new Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8, first shot, no memory card. I left it in my MBP from earlier today.
Won't be doing that again.
 
Edit: I forgot that you guys are all semi-professional photographers, not juniors high school.
 
Corndog5595 said:
Your digital camera doesn’t have any onboard memory? My terrible, 2mp camera from 2004 that I never use has 32 mb of memory built in (and then an SD card slot of course).
Click to expand...

The only problem with this is DSLR's generate huge picture files in excess of 10MB each.

As to the OP, I've done the same thing as well. I've also accidentally left my camera on a higher ISO and ended up with crappy looking pictures of some really cool shots.
 
npropes said:
The only problem with this is DSLR's generate huge picture files in excess of 10MB each.

As to the OP, I've done the same thing as well. I've also accidentally left my camera on a higher ISO and ended up with crappy looking pictures of some really cool shots.
Click to expand...

Isn't the learning and trial-and-error process fun?

Corndog - It's a DSLR, they don't include on board memory.
 
Multiple cards help, too. I generally run around with eight 2GB cards (I prefer multiple, smaller cards in case one gets lost/damaged/corrupted). Sometimes I'll leave one sticking out of my iMac, or in another camera body, but I always have at least a couple on me at any time.

This is for casual shooting, mind you. For weddings and other paid work I obsessively check and check again that my cards are empty, batteries charged, lenses clean, etc.
 
sprtnbsblplya said:
Ever go somewhere with the intention of getting some good shots, and when you click the shutter the first time, "No Memory Card"?
First time I did that happened today. In the car an hour to go out in the sunshine and play with my new Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8, first shot, no memory card. I left it in my MBP from earlier today.
Won't be doing that again.
Click to expand...

I always have a few cards in my pocket. Every few months I forget to charge a battery, but I've generally got at least three that will take a fair number of shots. I keep a charger and inverter in the vehicle too, so it's usually just a mild inconvenience- and since my newer batteries last longer it's rarer these days than it used to be too.

Paul
 
Yep, done that. And you will likely do it again! LOL!

Use an old smaller card or buy a spare and hide it in your bag or car...
Think insurance.
 
I always keep a small 1GB card in my camera case in the event that I forget my 32GB one. It's cheap insurance. ;)
 
Was an idiot once and ran out the door without any of my cards. Luckily, Adorama was a few blocks away from the event. Can't have too many memory cards.
 
Done this a few times but my hang up is summer time lens fogging. Went to myrtle beach a few months back. 105 degree days means the ac was below seventy. Up thirty mins before sunrise. First glimmer of light, fogged lens. Missed the whole sunrise.
 
Yep, done it a few years back... Think it will be the last time too as every time since I've checked to make sure I've had memory cards with me.

Not such an issue since I got the D300s though as I always leave the CF card in and read from the SD cards... worst case scenario I end up with just 8GB of CF to shoot to.
 
I'm gonna snag some more 2gb or 4gb cards once the sticker shock of my new lens and pack wears off. Still using the single 4gb I bought when I got the camera.
 
I went out without a battery so how's that? :eek:

Now I keep 2 batts, 4 cards, a vari-ND filter and a charger in my bag at all times.
 
The other worst mistake is to find you've been shooting in bright daylight and left the ISO at 1600 all day :mad:
 
Presha said:
Why reformat after each shoot? Please explain. Does anyone else do this as well? Is there an advantage to doing so?

Thx!
Click to expand...

Yep, all my cards are reformatted after downloading the pictures. Reformatting wipes the space clean and registers the available space to the camera. Plus it lets me know everything is alright with the cards.
 
ProwlingTiger said:
Yep, all my cards are reformatted after downloading the pictures. Reformatting wipes the space clean and registers the available space to the camera. Plus it lets me know everything is alright with the cards.
Click to expand...

This reminds me of the time that I used an external harddrive to backup my computer once a week for close to a year. When I needed those backups, it turned out the drive had been busted for at least 4 months.
 
In the days of film.

I was shooting BW with a heavy red filter, and switched to colour. Got half way through a roll before I noticed. The sign of a true professional is not whether they make a mistake or not, but whether the client ever knows. I would like to think on that day I managed to get the client to re-do those poses without giving my ooops away. And that they never noticed the big red circle where the lense was supposed to be.

That is one of the things I like about digital.... some mistakes you can see as you make them. :D
 
sprtnbsblplya said:
Ever go somewhere with the intention of getting some good shots, and when you click the shutter the first time, "No Memory Card"?...
Click to expand...
Not done that one...

npropes said:
...I've also accidentally left my camera on a higher ISO and ended up with crappy looking pictures of some really cool shots.
Click to expand...
Done that one, several times.

compuwar said:
...Every few months I forget to charge a battery...
Click to expand...
Done that one too...took two flat batteries out :eek:

Gold89 said:
The other worst mistake is to find you've been shooting in bright daylight and left the ISO at 1600 all day :mad:
Click to expand...
Yep, that one too.
 
Gold89 said:
The other worst mistake is to find you've been shooting in bright daylight and left the ISO at 1600 all day :mad:
Click to expand...

I took over 400 shots while on vacation at ISO 1600...before I realized that my shutter speed was 1/5000. I screwed up some wonderful shots of a falconry exhibition.
 
Doylem said:
Each evening, after shooting: download cards and reformat... recharge batteries for tomorrow...
Click to expand...

This is what I do. First, I don't want to rely on the cards to store images so I pull them off ASAP. Second, formatting the cards will find any card errors before you attempt to use them. Formatting also is my signal that the pictures have been pulled off the card and it's ready to go.

I also have collected all sorts of memory cards over the years that I keep in my camera bag. If I do forget the main set of cards I use I'll at least have something to work with.
 
npropes said:
As to the OP, I've done the same thing as well. I've also accidentally left my camera on a higher ISO and ended up with crappy looking pictures of some really cool shots.
Click to expand...

This is what I did on my last trip. Luckily I changed the ISO that night so not much damage was done...but still...wasted a few great shots.
 
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