Digicam Manufacturers: Pull your head out!

WhiskeyPapa · 12-04-2002, 09:26 AM

What's up with these digital cameras coming with ridiculously small memory cards? I bought a Minolta Dimage 7 a few months ago - it came with a 16 MB card. At the highest resolution setting, I could fit exactly ONE shot on that card!

I just bought a Canon Digital Elph for my Mom's Christmas present. It's a great camera, I would recommend it to anyone, but it came with an 8 MB card! Merry Christmas, Mom, go and take 8 pictures!

This may be fine for us tech-heads who know enough to buy a bigger card with the camera, but they're just going to piss off the average consumer, and increase the number of after-Christmas returns.

Isn't this kind of like selling a brand new car, and telling the customer they have to go buy new tires right away?

Jenny · 12-04-2002, 09:43 AM

I agree! I'm getting a digital camera for Christmas and my mom said she'll probably go ahead and get use memory cards for our birthdays as well (mine is Dec. 20th, hubby's is Jan. 3rd). But I'm still prepared to have to go out and buy more, since my mom isn't exactly what you call tech savvy.

welcome back Whiskey Whiskey Papa!

Don't know if I just have been not seeing your posts or if you've been gone awhile, but I'm glad to see you back regardless!

Cubsfan · 12-04-2002, 09:48 AM

I suppose a lot of it is to artificially make your camera look cheaper. If you include a 256 MB card, then your price goes up $50-$100 vs. a "cheaper" camera where you need to go out and buy a card for $50-$100. They might end up being the same price after card, but more people will buy the cheaper camera because they don't take into account the cost of add-ons.

Jeffbx · 12-04-2002, 10:11 AM

I actually think it also adds a bit of flexibility -

People like me (idiots who spend too much on technology) who are on their 3rd or 4th digital camera already have a stack of memory cards lying around. I would rather spend $50 less on a camera & get a smaller card, or better yet, no card at all with the camera.

I think it would probably be smart for the camera mfrs to offer a couple of choices - cameras with large useful cards bundled and cameras with no cards at all... I mean, who uses an 8 or 16MB card these days anyway?

WhiskeyPapa · 12-04-2002, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jenny
welcome back Whiskey Whiskey Papa! Don't know if I just have been not seeing your posts or if you've been gone awhile, but I'm glad to see you back regardless!

Thanks! I've been pretty busy for the last month, and haven't had much time to check in.

dave · 12-05-2002, 10:12 PM

Agree.

But in the case of Sony, I think they may have another motive. It forces people to spend more money on its proprietary memory sticks.

My $400 Sony Clie came with a tiny 8MB memory stick. To do anything useful, I had to spend tons of money to get a few 128MB sticks.

faither · 12-06-2002, 07:18 AM

Tons of money??? Granted it's proprietary, and the capacity isn't as large as other similar storage devices, but a 128MB stick can be had for as low as $38.

Markel · 12-07-2002, 06:10 PM

For a while Sony as about the only source for memory sticks, so the prices stayed quite high. But now they aren't much different from other digital media in price.

But including only 16MB is about as useful as throwning in a 15 inch monitor with a computer system.

Apex · 12-09-2002, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by chosenfool
what pisses me off is fuji - now, they have THEIR OWN proprietary media also they just came out with. wtf is that??? youd think theyd go with more traditional media cards. Theirs is MUCH smaller than SD cards - about half the size of it. i dunno, but id lose something THAT SMALL. its bad enough that i sometimes misplace my Smartmedia cards....

Which media is this?

My Olympus C50 should get here tomorrow and it uses xD media cards (sucks).

Apex · 12-09-2002, 01:31 PM

My camera finally showed up. That media is small. One good thing about it though, it does write fast.

The cost sucks though. Ah, for good old CF.

12-04-2002, 09:26 AM	#1
WhiskeyPapa Rear Admiral Upper Half Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: 45° 11' 35" North Latitude, 95° 8' 37" West Longitude Posts: 3,427	Digicam Manufacturers: Pull your head out! What's up with these digital cameras coming with ridiculously small memory cards? I bought a Minolta Dimage 7 a few months ago - it came with a 16 MB card. At the highest resolution setting, I could fit exactly ONE shot on that card! I just bought a Canon Digital Elph for my Mom's Christmas present. It's a great camera, I would recommend it to anyone, but it came with an 8 MB card! Merry Christmas, Mom, go and take 8 pictures! This may be fine for us tech-heads who know enough to buy a bigger card with the camera, but they're just going to piss off the average consumer, and increase the number of after-Christmas returns. Isn't this kind of like selling a brand new car, and telling the customer they have to go buy new tires right away? __________________

12-04-2002, 09:43 AM	#2
Jenny Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Kansas City area Posts: 10,947	I agree! I'm getting a digital camera for Christmas and my mom said she'll probably go ahead and get use memory cards for our birthdays as well (mine is Dec. 20th, hubby's is Jan. 3rd). But I'm still prepared to have to go out and buy more, since my mom isn't exactly what you call tech savvy. welcome back Whiskey Whiskey Papa! Don't know if I just have been not seeing your posts or if you've been gone awhile, but I'm glad to see you back regardless! __________________ Check out my spoilers for over 20 shows @ SpoilerFix.com Check out my TV blog, where I post weekly & daily TV schedules, TV news, interviews with TV stars & more! All new TV forums as well @ TV Is My Pacifier

12-07-2002, 06:10 PM	#8
Markel Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 11,733	For a while Sony as about the only source for memory sticks, so the prices stayed quite high. But now they aren't much different from other digital media in price. But including only 16MB is about as useful as throwning in a 15 inch monitor with a computer system. __________________ stay low... keep moving...

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

12-04-2002, 09:48 AM	#3
Cubsfan Rear Admiral Lower Half Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Colorado Posts: 2,743	I suppose a lot of it is to artificially make your camera look cheaper. If you include a 256 MB card, then your price goes up $50-$100 vs. a "cheaper" camera where you need to go out and buy a card for $50-$100. They might end up being the same price after card, but more people will buy the cheaper camera because they don't take into account the cost of add-ons.

12-04-2002, 10:11 AM	#4
Jeffbx Fleet Admiral Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Michigan Posts: 9,390	I actually think it also adds a bit of flexibility - People like me (idiots who spend too much on technology) who are on their 3rd or 4th digital camera already have a stack of memory cards lying around. I would rather spend $50 less on a camera & get a smaller card, or better yet, no card at all with the camera. I think it would probably be smart for the camera mfrs to offer a couple of choices - cameras with large useful cards bundled and cameras with no cards at all... I mean, who uses an 8 or 16MB card these days anyway?

12-05-2002, 10:12 PM	#6
dave Lieutenant Join Date: May 2000 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 237	Agree. But in the case of Sony, I think they may have another motive. It forces people to spend more money on its proprietary memory sticks. My $400 Sony Clie came with a tiny 8MB memory stick. To do anything useful, I had to spend tons of money to get a few 128MB sticks.

12-06-2002, 07:18 AM	#7
faither Rear Admiral Upper Half Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: FL Posts: 3,240	Tons of money??? Granted it's proprietary, and the capacity isn't as large as other similar storage devices, but a 128MB stick can be had for as low as $38.

12-09-2002, 01:31 PM	#10
Apex Can you hear me now? Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Here Posts: 5,506	My camera finally showed up. That media is small. One good thing about it though, it does write fast. The cost sucks though. Ah, for good old CF.

User Name
Password
Remember Me?