Photo Storage Calculator
Estimate how much storage space your photos will need per month and year based on camera megapixels, file type, and shooting frequency.
Photo storage sizing helps photographers plan memory card capacity, hard drive purchases, cloud storage subscriptions, and backup strategies. File sizes vary enormously by camera resolution, format (RAW vs. JPEG), compression level, and scene complexity.
File size estimation formulas:
RAW file size (approximate): RAW Size (MB) ≈ Megapixels × Bits per Pixel / 8 / 1,000,000 × Compression Factor Typical compression factor for RAW: 0.5–0.7 (lossless compression)
JPEG file size (approximate): JPEG Size (MB) ≈ Megapixels × 3 bytes × Quality Factor / 1,000,000 Quality factor: High = 0.3–0.5, Medium = 0.1–0.3, Low = 0.05–0.1
Typical file sizes by camera sensor:
| Camera Type | Megapixels | RAW Size | JPEG (High) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smartphone (modern) | 12–50 MP | 15–35 MB | 4–12 MB |
| Entry DSLR / mirrorless | 24 MP | 25–35 MB | 6–10 MB |
| Full-frame (Canon/Nikon) | 45 MP | 45–60 MB | 12–18 MB |
| Medium format (Fuji GFX) | 102 MP | 90–130 MB | 25–40 MB |
Storage capacity formula: Photos per GB = 1,024 MB / Average File Size (MB)
Shooting session estimate: Storage Needed = Photos per Session × Average File Size
Worked example: A wedding photographer shoots 1,200 frames with a 45MP full-frame camera (RAW + JPEG). RAW per image: 52 MB. JPEG per image: 15 MB. Total per image: 67 MB. Session storage = 1,200 × 67 MB = 80,400 MB = ~80 GB per wedding
Annual storage (25 weddings): 25 × 80 GB = 2,000 GB = 2 TB With 3-2-1 backup rule (3 copies, 2 media types, 1 offsite): 6 TB total storage recommended.
Memory card planning: 128 GB card at 52 MB RAW: 128,000 / 52 = ~2,461 RAW shots — sufficient for a full wedding day with one card.