I recently bought a new SanDisk 32GB SD card, but whenever I insert it into my camera, it only displays a capacity of 29.7GB instead of the full 32GB. Is there something I'm missing here?
4 Answers
This happens with all storage types, not just SD cards but also with SSDs and USB drives. The exact reason is a bit technical, but the bottom line is that some storage is always reserved for system needs and formatting.
This is totally normal! The slight difference in reported capacity is due to how storage size is calculated by devices. Manufacturers use decimal measurements (1GB = 1000MB), while most computers and cameras use binary (1GB = 1024MB). So, you're actually getting the full storage, just calculated differently!
Hey! I totally get how annoying that SD card thing can be. If it’s not showing the full capacity, you’re definitely not the only one! It usually happens when it’s formatted incorrectly or on certain devices. Want to talk about how to potentially fix that? I can help you through it!
Why post this if you're just going to regurgitate ChatGPT's response?
For sure! Let’s keep it real.
You're seeing this discrepancy because of the way storage is labeled. For example, companies market 1GB as 1000MB, but most devices, like your camera, count 1GB as 1024MB. If you're curious, you can check out this video that explains it well. Additionally, hidden partitions can take up space, and there might be some reserved for system functions.
Exactly! You're getting sold Gigabytes but displayed Gibibytes. It's frustrating, but tools exist to show the proper conversion!
Thanks for clarifying! I thought my card was faulty.