Memory cards have become an essential for our digital gadgets. Without them, most of the devices become incomplete and some unusable too. Our reliability on memory cards has increased tremendously because of immense data storage and its portability. Memory cards are used to transfer images, videos, documents and other relevant things across devices. In some cases, people rely on memory cards on a week off trips or outskirts adventure or capturing a lifetime event such as marriage.
The role of memory card has been an essential one and its importance cannot be neglected, a failed card may not lead into problems and frustrations but can also create a bigger mess, when dealing with clients or carrying important data.
Here, in this article, I have discussed some of the important tips on how to use and take proper care for memory cards which most us have been doing wrong till now.
1. Brand Matters – Choose Reliable Brand Memory Cards
It is quite natural to hoard few bucks, but dealing with potential failures, later on, creates unavoidable issues. A non-brand card if fails, then your investment becomes a waste, so choose always a better product. Buying cheap cards not only increase your harassment but also exploit your most valuable asset- time. So choose your cards wisely and from authorised sellers.
2. Large Capacity Memory Cards – Avoid Them
One of the most prevailing habits is we tend to buy large capacity memory cards, missing a critical understanding, risk. A large capacity memory card stores too much of data in one location but imagine if that fails, heartbreaking, isn’t it? So try to keep medium capacity memory cards so that even if that fails you are at lesser risk. Also, make sure to have a backup independent of the size of memory card.
3. Don’t Just Unplug -Safely Eject Memory Cards
Never unplug memory cards when a write or read operation is taking place. Interrupting a read/write operation not only damages a card but also corrupts the data. So be patient and give time to unplug the card.
4. Protect Memory Cards From Direct Sun and Moisture
Protecting memory cards from extreme weather conditions prolongs the life of memory cards. Never expose your memory cards to direct sun or moisture. This could damage the electrical components of the card, which might cause them to fail. Moisture containing minerals also causes an electrical short which causes the card to fail. So make sure that the SD card is not just dry outside, but also safe and dry inside a plastic cover.
5. Pay Attention to Memory Card Specifications
Don’t go with the advertised speed on labels. If a memory card says transfer speed up to 95 MB per seconds, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is actually going to be able to get that speed. So when purchasing a memory card, don’t decide with the information labels. Pay close attention to evaluate it before buying and once purchased, make sure to test it out. Also a use a fast and reliable memory card reader to ensure better data transfer rate.
6. Leaving Space on Memory Card – Myth
Keeping some free space, not doing so will either make it slower or increase the potential of memory card failure is a prevalent myth about cards. It doesn’t have been proven yet, but keeping maximum files can never potentially harm your card as they are made for that only carrying data.
7. Replace Memory Cards Every Few Years
Many of us buy large storage cards, thinking that we could use them for a longer period of time. But it likely that they will fail at some point in time. So make it a practice to replace memory cards every often, maybe 4-5 years, depending on how often you shoot.
These 7 Tips for memory cards help in proper utilisation of memory cards and including these practices can help the prolonged life of these memory cards. Using these tips also ensure less data reliability and increase date security.
