[the_blue_tuna]

When you take pics with a digital camera they are stored on a memory card if I understand correctly. After you take your pics , then download to save , print or whatever , can you erase the memory card and use it again? If so , do these cards have an amount of times they can go through this cycling process? Thanks

[Reefland]

Hi Jim!

That's correct, typically the software used to download the pictures from the camera to the PC will give you an option to delete the images from the card once the transfer is completed. The memory cards will save pictures as long as the card is not damaged as far as I know. They do not have to be replaced after X number of images have been stored and transferred.

Scott Z.

[orion25]

The flash memory that digital cameras use will for the most part last forever as long as you do not abuse it. It has no moving parts to wear out (except for microdrives that are large, 1.5gb+, CF cards). You can fill and erase them as much as you like as long as you do not physically damage them they will last a lifetime.

If you use WinXP (not sure about other versions) when you plug the camera into the comp with the USB cable and turn it on it will appear in Windows Explorer or My Computer as a removeable drive. You can then open, rename, delete, etc. the pics one at a time. You can also erase the card completely by formatting it. You can also drag and drop the pics to your hard drive. I find this easier and quicker than using the software that came with my camera.

[Poseidon]

Yup I agree, they will last a LONG LONG time.... I have had my 10D for 8 months and have taken over 5500 pictures, using the same 1 gig flash card... I want to get a couple more cards just to have as back-up, but that want is not warranted by a failure only redundancy.

[Penguin]

You can also use the in-camera menu to delete pictures, either individually or for the entire card. After I've uploaded pictures to my PC I just delete the entire contents of the card this way.