OK,

Thanks to all who offered advice on the digital camera!

Now a follow up question:

I purchased a Canon Powershot A520 (actually two; one for wife, one for Mom). It's got 4 MP, so I wanted to beef up the SD Memory card.

I saw a 1 GB at walmart for $60.

When I purchased the camera at Staples, I told him of the deal and he sold me two 512 MB cards for the same $60!

I got two for EACH camera, figuring that one card could be in the camera, and the other could be taken out to print photos on the computer or at a photo stop.

Is having two cards (each) too many?

Should I bring one of the cards back and get a nice camera bag or something? Would having only one card cause problems? For instance, if I were to bring just the memory card into the local Walmart to print off some pics, it would leave the camera useless until I returned home.

Opinions welcome.

And as a reminder, this is my first digital camera, so I'm not sure how most people balance this issue.

Thanks.

Great choice, that is a badass camera!

All my Cannon products have been top notch and dependable.

Tailgator - I agree, you made a very good choice. As far as the cards, I've found you never have too much storage room. Sometimes you get behind in downloading, saving, printing, etc. It's always great to have lot's of room to capture special family times. Also be sure to never underestimate the need for extra batteries. It's a bummer to have room for lots more photos, and your batteries crap out. Good move brother. Tuck

I have 8 cards.

By the way if you got 2 of those for 60 bucks total you got a steal and would be nuts to take any back.

Jack,

I asked the manager at Staples the same question as above (a single GB vs two 512MB). He asked me the price for the 1GB at Walmart, and offered the two 512MB at that same price (regular $49 each).

I may be dumb, but I isn't stoopid.

But if you track the pricing trend of SD Memory cards, the price is dropping so quickly that I wouldn't be surprised to see this price as an average by early first next year.

It's never a bad idea to have an extra card, but you really don't need two.

Once you download the photos onto your computer, you could use the internet to get your photos to print at your local store. Additionally, you should never leave the card with any store. You'll use the card to load the computer in the store and you take it with you when you leave.

I use Snapfish. I download my pictures to the computer then pick out the pictures I want to print. I'll download them to Snapfish and then order prints to be printed at the Costco of my choice. And they're usually ready in about an hour.

12 of one, 1/2 dozen of another.

having two DOES make sense when you use your camera for say....work or something where you are interested in not having to separate the images later.

be sure to check out the link I posted for batteries though.........gotta have batteries.

or 6 of one.

yawn

I'd think you'd have to take several pictures to fill a 512MB card. And I'd suspect you'd be doing transfers to your hard drive often enough to empty it.

If it was me, I'd sell the extras (keep 1 card per camera) on an auction.

I use 1 256 and have never run out of space - even with 4 kids.

I download them straight from the camera.

I've got one 512 card and like BassDude said, have never run out of room ... but, one of my sons has a 1 gig card and feels it's a better choice for him because he takes more high resolution pics than I do and they require more memory ...

Had a 2GB and a 1GB card. 2gb is for takin vids when you don't wanna lug a camcorder around.

I tend to think in terms of being photographically independant on trips away from home. With two cards you have reduncancy..........if one were to get screwed up or lost, you'd have another.

Oh.....and Tailgater;

If you DO decide you only need one, and don't feel like taking it back, let me know. I'll trade you smokes for it.

BTW....

my 4.0MP camera puts about 50 pics on a 128MB card (highest quality image)............so 512 ought to get you about 200.

My advice is to keep the 2 cards for each camera. Something almost always happens when you least expect it. The laptop battery quits when you need to download, you forget the cable, something goes wrong with a card. Great advice above about batteries also, if rechargeble you need to have at least 2. If standard, always have at least 2 extra sets.

B