Why does my DSLR show fewer remaining RAW shots than the card size suggests?
Asked 12/12/2010
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My Nikon D7000 uses a 16 GB SDHC card and is set to shoot RAW only. On an empty card, the camera shows about 449 shots remaining.
But my RAW files are usually around 17–22 MB, so dividing the card capacity by those file sizes suggests many more images should fit. Why is the camera’s estimate so much lower? Does it reserve space, assume a much larger RAW file size, or only use part of the card?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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The only sure thing I know is that it will use most of the whole card.
The number has to be an estimate since the size of files is variable as you noted. They probably account for other issues too like fragmentation and prefer erring on the safe side.
As you advance, the estimate usually gets better. You may notice that sometimes you take a shot and the counter does not decrease.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
15y ago
0
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The camera is showing a conservative estimate, not a fixed limit.
RAW file size varies from shot to shot, so the camera can’t know exactly how many images will fit. Instead, it appears to divide the remaining card space by a preset or projected average file size based on your current settings (RAW/JPEG, compression, size, and sometimes even ISO).
Manufacturers usually bias this estimate high on file size so the shot counter is a “safe minimum.” That way, the camera is less likely to claim you can shoot 100 more frames and then fill the card after 80. As you shoot, the estimate may adjust, and sometimes a shot won’t reduce the counter if the actual file was smaller than expected.
So no, the camera is not intentionally using only part of the card. It will typically use most of the available space. The displayed number is just a cautious prediction, not the exact number of RAW files the card can hold.
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