are many different kinds of cards available, with more being introduced all the time. As the technology develops, cards are getting physically smaller but are capable of storing more and more information.
Two of the most common memory card formats are Secure Digital (SD) and Compact Flash (CF). Both are available in sizes from 128Mb (enough for dozens to images) up to 2GB and even more (storing hundreds, even thousands, of high resolution photos).
A memory card reader won't cost you much more than £10 and should be
able to read all the main types of card. It's a great investment as it
lets you read cards from your friends' cameras and you won't have to
worry about sticking with the same card type when you upgrade your
camera.
If you are buying a new printer, look to see if has an integral card reading facility. Most of the latest printers now boast this feature as standard.
Cables and CDs
Another way to transfer images is via a USB cable from your camera.
Modern USB 2.0 connectors are much faster at transferring data than
older USB 1.1 ports.
Finally, you don't have to use a computer at all if you don't want to.
Simply take a full memory card to virtually any High Street photo lab
and they'll be able to download your images onto a CD-ROM while you
wait. It'll cost just a few pounds and gives you a permanent record of
your photos. Some home DVD players can even playback such CDs, giving
you an instant TV slideshow.