# Will my old digital camera work with a new hi-capacity memory card? NEED ANSWER FAST! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 29, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-old-digital-camera-work-with-a-new-hi-capacity-memory-card-need-answer-fast/642487 "2012-11-29T17:33:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-old-digital-camera-work-with-a-new-hi-capacity-memory-card-need-answer-fast/642487/1 "2012-11-29T17:33:19Z")
I’m just about to run out to buy a new Compactflash memory card for my old Canon Powershot S400 digital ELPH camera. I want to get a card that will hold more than the puny 32mb card that came with the camera. I checked the manual; the biggest card they mention is 128mb – probably the largest capacity card you could get when the camera was issued. Can I get a new higher capacity card and be confident it will work with my camera? Thanks all in advance! ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-old-digital-camera-work-with-a-new-hi-capacity-memory-card-need-answer-fast/642487/2 "2012-11-29T17:48:10Z")
It might work, but I don’t see how you can be _confident._ I’d believe the manual first. Can you get by with one that is sure to work? ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-old-digital-camera-work-with-a-new-hi-capacity-memory-card-need-answer-fast/642487/3 "2012-11-29T18:01:34Z")
This [manual](http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/8/0900001328/01/PSS400CUG-EN.pdf) speaks of a fc-256mh card which means 256MB. This [site](http://www.mymemory.co.uk/compatible-memory/Digital_Cameras/Canon/Canon+PowerShot+S400_Memory_Cards) implies that a 1GB card is supported. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-old-digital-camera-work-with-a-new-hi-capacity-memory-card-need-answer-fast/642487/4 "2012-11-29T18:10:30Z")
A few years ago, I bought a 2GB CF for my Canon A80, which is also a 4Mpixel camera. I forget, IIRC, it holds well over 1700 pictures. I think it came with an 8MB card originally… For a long time I used a 512MB. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-old-digital-camera-work-with-a-new-hi-capacity-memory-card-need-answer-fast/642487/5 "2012-11-29T18:11:52Z")
[This guy seems to say it’s 4GB](http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/post/37700647). That would have been my guess, too. [This also says 4GB](http://www.memoryx.net/capos4dielme.html). I would still try to borrow a card from someone to see. But that’s going to take a lot of images to fill up on that camera. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-old-digital-camera-work-with-a-new-hi-capacity-memory-card-need-answer-fast/642487/6 "2012-11-30T04:05:52Z")
Yes, compact flash memory cards have the same file system up to 4GB, so there should be no incompatibilities. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2012, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-old-digital-camera-work-with-a-new-hi-capacity-memory-card-need-answer-fast/642487/7 "2012-11-30T07:45:12Z")
Know anybody with a Canon DSLR? They probably have a few CF cards you could borrow and try out. In fact, they probably have a drawer full of old 256/512 MB cards they’d give you for free. I certainly wouldn’t spend too much money on a card for a 9 year old digital camera and 4GB (just about the smallest card you can buy now) is overkill for a 4MP camera.