Oh crap, your memory card is saying it’s full, but you know you haven’t filled it up.
My apologies in advance, there will be a lot of boring words, but it's a technical problem, so we have to address it in technical terms.
1. Your Camera Wants It Formatted (So Just Do It)
Most cameras need you to format the memory card inside the camera to work properly. If you just popped it in fresh out of the box, that might be the problem. Remember doing it before each session. Of course, back up all the files prior to formatting.
Fix: Head to your camera’s settings, find the format option (usually under “Memory Card” or “Storage”), and let your camera do its thing. Yes, it will erase everything, so back up if needed.
2. Wrong File System
If your card was pre-formatted as NTFS or FAT32, your camera might not like it. If you don't know what this all means, just check your memory card settings via your computer. No need to dive deeper.
Fix: Reformat it to exFAT (best for cards over 64GB) directly from your camera’s settings.
3. Camera Cache or Temporary Files Are Hogging Space
Your camera might be storing temporary files that are eating up space without you realizing it. It's annoying (Sony, I'm talking to you).
Fix: Either manually delete files via your camera’s menu or format the card (again, backup first!).
4. Corrupted or Fragmented Memory Card (Because We don't have enough problems, right?)
If you’ve been using your memory card in multiple devices such as computers, different cameras—it could have file system errors.
Fix: The safest bet? Format it fresh. Again. (See a pattern here? Just format it.)
5. Fake or Defective Memory Card (Rarely with Professional Memory Cards, But Still Happens)
Not all memory cards are what they claim to be. Some cheap or fake ones lie about their capacity. You think you bought a 128GB card, but it’s actually a 32GB one with fake labeling. Buy only from trusted sellers.
Fix: Plug it into your computer and test it using H2testw (Windows) or F3 (Mac/Linux) to see if it’s legit. If it’s fake, return it and get your money back.
6. File Storage Limits Are Messing With You
If you’re shooting in 4K video or high-bitrate formats, your camera files are HUGE. But if your card is formatted as FAT32, it won’t store files bigger than 4GB—which means your camera will freak out.
Fix: Format your card as exFAT so it can handle larger files. Keep in mind if you shoot only pictures, you don't have to use this format unless you work with cameras like PhaseOne.
7. Too Many Files in One Folder (Depends on a Camera)
Some cameras have a file limit per folder. Even if you have space left, too many files in the root directory can cause issues. The problem can occur if you never formatted this memory card.
Fix: Move or delete some files using your computer to free up space.
8. Different Cameras, Different File Sizes
Not all cameras store files the same way. Some cameras create larger file sizes due to higher bitrates, better compression, or just different internal processing. This means you might be running out of space faster than expected, even if you think you haven’t shot that much. Check your camera specs. If you shoot RAW it will be one size, if JPEG another, and videos can go in a crazy range.
Fix: Check your camera’s file size settings, lower the resolution if needed, or just get a higher-capacity memory card if you’re shooting high-quality content regularly.
What You Should Do Next:
Back up any important files first.
Format the card inside the camera (not on a computer).
Test the card on a computer to check if it’s actually the full capacity.
Try another memory card in your camera to see if it’s a card issue or a camera issue.
Hopefully, this helps! If your card is still acting up after all this, it might just be time to get a new one. Oh well. 😅 PS Don't forget to subscribe for more helpful tips and tricks.
Comments