How Many Pictures Can 8GB Hold? (Memory Card Advice)

According to Sandisk, an 8GB memory card holds approximately 2,288 JPEG pictures if you're using a 10-megapixel (MP) camera, which averages 3MB per JPEG image.

By Ana Mireles

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According to Sandisk, an 8GB memory card holds approximately 2,288 JPEG pictures if you’re using a 10-megapixel (MP) camera, which averages 3MB per JPEG image.

Similarly, an 8GB memory card can hold approximately 222 RAW pictures shot with a 10-megapixel camera which averages 30MB per RAW image.

Calculating how many pictures 8GB can hold depends on several factors, which we’ll explain in this guide.

First, let’s look at some specific examples of 8GB memory card usage.

How Many Pictures Can an 8GB Memory Card Hold?

8GB Card in a Camera (DSLR, Mirrorless, etc.)

Cameras have a wide range of resolutions. It would be impossible to write down the number of images that an 8GB memory card can hold on each camera on the market. So, I’ll just give you some average numbers. Then, you can see further along in the article some techniques to make the calculations for your camera.

On average, my mirrorless camera takes RAW photos of 25MB, meaning that an 8GB memory card holds 320 photos. However, if I set it to JPG, the files are about 250KB, which contains about 4000 images.

8GB Card in a Mobile

Photographs taken with a smartphone are usually smaller than those you get with a camera. Of course, this depends on the phone. Here’s a real-life example to give you an idea.

An iPhone 6 Plus, which has an 8MP camera, produces still images of 2.93 MB, HDR images of 3.15MB and Live Photos of 3.63MB. So, an 8GB memory card would hold roughly 2730 still photos, 2539 HDR photos, and 2203 Live Photos.

8GB Card in a GoPro

Once again, the number of pictures you can hold on an 8GB memory card if you have a GoPro depends on the resolution. However, let’s say your GoPro produces files that are around 4.3MB – then you can take 1860 photos before changing the memory card.

How to Calculate How Many Pictures 8GB Can Hold

If you want to know how many photos you can hold on an 8GB camera, you have to make a simple division calculation. You have to take the full storage capacity and divide it by the image size.

However, they need to be in the same units – so let’s start by saying that 8GB corresponds to roughly 8000MB. Now, check the size of images that your camera produces. Let’s say you have a camera that generates 20MB files, then 8000/20= 400.

Remember that the same camera produces images with different file sizes. So, there is usually a range that you should consider. The example I used before was that your camera takes pictures with a 20MB file size – to be more accurate, you could consider that your camera produces files from 18MB to 25MB.

In this case, you should divide 8000/18 and 8000/25, which means that an 8GB memory card could store from 444 to 320 images from your camera.

How to Check How Many Photos 8GB Can Hold on a Camera

All cameras, from compact to mirrorless to DSLRs, have a counter on the display that lets you know how many images you have left.

If you insert a new 8GB memory card, you can see how many images it can hold.

Some cameras allow you to take RAW and JPG. Some are more basic and only give you the choice of Small, Medium and Large. In any case, you can go to the camera menu and change the resolution and/or file format to see how the number of images available on the display changes.

Suppose you’ve already taken some photos. You can use the Play button to see your last image. Here, it should say which number is it, for example, 100/100. This means that you’re looking at the 100th picture.

So, to understand how many photos you can hold on an 8GB card, simply add the number of photos you’ve already taken plus the number of photos remaining.

How to calculate memory card usage with a computer

Another thing that you should consider is that an 8 GB memory card doesn’t have 8GB free space to hold your images. This is because the formatting of the card is already taking up some of the space.

So, to know exactly how much space you have, you can use your computer. Simply connect the card to the computer using a memory card reader. Open the browser window and check the information from the card.

Now that you know how much storage space you actually have on your 8GB card take a few pictures of different subjects. Make some in raw (if your camera has it) and some in JPG.

Now connect the card to your computer again and see the file sizes of the different photos. This way, you’ll be able to establish an average file size or a range of sizes.

This way, your calculations will be more accurate.

I hope this article helped you understand how many pictures can 8GB hold. If you have other capacities of memory card, these articles should help you too: