Memory Card

I should know better than to try to buy anything related to technology without having all the specifications first.  If I don't, chances are I am going to get something wrong.

Last March just before leaving for Mexico, I bought an 8 GB memory card for the camera.  (I planned to take a lot of pictures).  Luckily I had the foresight to do this two days before and to test it before we left.  It was a good thing I did this as it turns out neither of my printers have the capability to read it.  This is how I learned certain printers (i.e. "old" ones like mine-which are only a few years old) cannot read high capacity memory cards.  Luckily I had time to make a last minute stop to Office Depot the day before we left to get memory cards my printers can read.  Unfortunately, somehow between buying the first one, getting home with it, testing it and then leaving for Mexico I managed to lose the receipt, which I did not find in the 14-day return time window.  So I am stuck with a memory card that looking around this disaster area I call an office is God knows where.

This weekend I am going to an event that I am hoping will have some awesome photo opportunities.  (Note to Mother Nature:  please stop the rain madness on Saturday).  I took my point and shoot digital to Mexico but plan to take the "good" camera to this event.  I have had a couple of issues with the memory cards I have lately so I decided somewhat spur of the moment that I should stop at Office Depot on my way home tonight and get a new one.  And I became one of those customers tech people hate.

Office Depot Guy:  "Are you finding everything?"
Me:  "I need a new memory card for my digital camera."
OD Guy:  "Do you know what kind you need?"
Me:  "The big square one."  (aka a compact flash I have learned)

It turns out they only had two available as most cameras use the little memory cards.  The two they had were 8 GB and 16 GB.  I told him my printer did not read the "big gig memory cards."  I'm pretty sure he's heard this before as he knew what I was talking about. 

OD Guy: "I don't suppose you know what kind of printer you have?"  He caught on quickly.
Me:  "It's an Epson Stylus." 
OD Guy:  "Do you know the model number?"
Me: "No. But it's a photo printer."  In hindsight, I guess that was probably pretty obvious.

We tried to Google it and found one that looked similar.  We tried to Google compact flash cards to see what is considered high capacity.  I had to get to the post office before it closed so I finally just bought the card.  He suggested that before I opened it, I Google the model number of my printer to see if it was compatible.  So I tried that.  Finding a way to break into Fort Knox may have been easier.  I learned my printer will read Type I and Type II.  I bought a Platinum Type II.  Is there more than one kind of Type II?  I decided I didn't have all night to research it and decided to try the card.  (Note to Lexar:  your packaging is a pain in the ass to open). 

I took a couple of pictures of the dogs (my usual test subjects) and tried to see if the printer can read the card.  It can.  Yea!  I took a couple more and tried again.  It still worked.  Yea!  I am good to go-and have the capacity to take 2200 pictures, compared to the 576 I can usually take.  I should be able to get a good one or two out of that.