What do you do for memory card storage in your camera bag? Is this something you even think about? I have a bit of OCD in that I like my gear high and tight and squared away, with holders or bags or other organizational tidbits to make my gear safe and so I always know where it is and how it will be arranged. It makes my life in the field that much easier, where I don’t have to fumble or hunt or worry about losing anything. There is a place for everything and everything has its place.
For the last couple of years, I haven’t kept up my membership in the “camera bag of the month” club because I’ve found a few bags that meet all my needs and it just got kind of expensive. I will freely admit to some degree of G.A.S. (gear acquisition syndrome), which means I do pay attention to tidbits on the market that could make my life easier or be a cheap form to satisfy my GAS. I recently bought a new memory card holder, mainly because it looked neat, it was cheap and I trusted the company. Not that I needed another memory card holder! I really didn’t. But, when it arrived, I was happy I got it and that got me thinking about how we transport memory cards and the various holders I have and how they align in to a decent type of system for me. So why not have a little bit of a light hearted gear related post for a Friday! Quick side note: I am NOT making any money or shilling products, I’m just wanting to let you know what I use and why. I’ve bought tons of different products for my own use and some work and some don’t and I like to pass along gear that has worked out for me.
Memory cards are vitally important to what we do as photographers, they are the physical storage of the amazing images we create. So since they are important, my view is that I want to protect them both before I use them so they don’t get dirty or corrupted somehow, and especially after I use them, to protect the images I’ve captured until I can back up the cards. I’ve never been one to just have memory cards floating loose in my camera bags, even if they are in a small protective case that some come with. I like to know where my cards are and know that I can get to them quickly when I need to. Over the years, the number of times I’ve been shooting at a critical time and I’ve run out of space and needed to swap in a new card has been many and this has drilled in to me the need to have quick access to my memory card storage. As seemingly rugged as these cards are, they are in fact pretty fragile and can get damaged pretty easily. I’m fortunate that I haven’t lost any important images yet, but I have had cards fail on me and need replacing.
When I’m on workshops or other multi-day shoots, of course I bring a lot of memory cards. Depending on the outing, I’ll replace my cards every day to day and a half, swapping in new cards for used ones, even if the cards aren’t full yet. This is a safety step for me that I don’t want to lose the prior days images if something goes wrong. Plus, anytime you fill a card to capacity, it doesn’t like it so much and has more tendency to become corrupted. I always put in fresh cards if I’m getting close to the cards capacity, before I reach it! As a result, I’m often carrying around a decent amount of memory cards and need good memory card storage to keep everything organized.
I’m fortunate that I only have to deal with a couple of types of memory cards throughout all of my photographic devices. All of my Fujifilm cameras use SD cards. My DJI Pocket and GoPro use MicroSD cards along with my DJI drone. So I only have to accommodate those 2 different card sizes which makes choosing memory card storage cases much easier. By now you’re probably thinking I’m making much ado about nothing…maybe you’re right. I believe that being organized and prepared make the photographic experience that much better when in the field, allowing me to focus on my surroundings, the experience of being there and creating photographs instead of hunting and fumbling and cursing about my gear. Everything in the chain of events that we do in our hobby all contributes to our success (or not) in the field, so having a good system to manage all the gear we bring will only help make us more productive when we’re out there.
So back to this little topic of memory card storage. The way I’ve got my system set up now is this: I’ve got a couple of pocket friendly memory card storage cases and one larger that stays attached to my camera bag. So far this system is working out well for me. The pocket friendly cases are great because when I’m on location and shooting and wearing my pack, having the ability to change out cards quickly without taking off my pack is a great time saver. One of the pocket friendly cases is designed to hold a couple of batteries as well which is fantastic when I don’t want to bring my pack. I can grab this case and have extra cards and batteries in my pocket and leave my pack in the truck. The memory card storage case that is affixed to my pack stays secure and holds at least 12 cards, so this acts as my back stock inventory and since it’s firmly attached, I know I won’t lose it!
SmallRig Memory Card Case
This is the newest case I just received and at $9.99 it is a fantastic bargain in my opinion! The exterior is brushed aluminum which is strong and looks stylish and in the sliding tray, I can store 3 SD cards and 6 MicroSD cards. It’s about the thickness of a couple of credit cards and easily fits in pants pockets. The case is not waterproof, so I do need to be careful and not fall in the creek or ocean when it’s in my pocket. If you haven’t heard of SmallRig, they are a company that has burst on to the scene in the past couple of years making nice products at really affordable prices. I have several items from them and have been happy with them all.
LensGo Battery / Memory Card Case
This is the second of my pocket sized cases and the one that I bring in my pocket when I leave my camera bag in the truck. I carry two SD cards and two batteries in this case with me, though it will also fit MicroSD and CF cards. If I’m leaving my pack for a shoot, I know I won’t fill up an entire new set of cards, so I’m comfortable only bring one set of cards with me for the two card slots in my Fujifilm cameras. The case itself is impact resistant plastic with absorbing foam inside (that that’s super important) and the nice thing is this case has a secure latch closure and makes the case weatherproof! I keep this case loaded and in my pack at all times so I can quickly grab it and go without having to find my backup batteries and find my memory cards to load in. This is the “go to” place for me to quickly get to my things.
Think Tank Pixel Pocket Rocket
I’ve had my Think Tank Pixel Pocket for many years and it’s been a faithful memory card storage wallet, never wearing out or coming lose. This is the one that is my “inventory” or long term storage of cards. I have the included teather affixed to a zipper inside of my camera bag and I always know where it is. The picture above is the “secure” model showing zippers cross the card slots but with zippers or without, it functions the same. It’s a trifold wallet design made from cordura nylon with velcro closure. It has 9 dedicated slots, but I often remove the small plastic cases that cards come in and just slide the bare cards into the wallet, sometimes having 2 cards per slot for increased storage. When filled and folded, it is definitely small enough to fit in to a pocket without any trouble.
So there ya have it. Just a little bit about memory card storage for those of you who might have a bit of OCD or just like your stuff organized in your camera bag. If you use something that you’ve been happy with, drop me a note and let me know what it is, I might want to check it out!
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