Flash memory size question

[Dobick]

I had no clue that memory prices had come down so much.

I decided today that I needed a few more flash cards, so I went to look at newegg

The transcend cards are near dirt cheap, I have used them in the past, the speed is close to what is advertised, and again, they are very inexpensive, so I have no problem in buying that brand. That said, I had to quickly decide on a philosophy while staring at the screen. The 8GB cards are currently 80 bucks, while the 4GB cards are 45 bucks. On the surface it would seem like a no-brainer, get two of the 8GB models, but the more I sat there and thought about it, the more I was leaning towards getting 4 of the 4GB model, and here was my reasoning:


1 -- even the best cards fail -- do I want to take the chance of a failure with possibly close to 800 pictures, or would I rather only be exposed to 400 picture loss at a time

2 -- in the event of a failure at an event, having a loss of 1 of 4, instead of a loss of 1 of 2 seems to make more sense.

3 -- changing cards is quick and easy, and 2 or 4 are small enough to fit almost unnoticable in any pocket. No real difference.

4 -- in the case of an important event, I can keep a card out of rotation, until the product is delivered to the customer, thereby ensuring another level of backup in the case of a computer failure.


Is there a side of the argument that I am not considering, that should have made me look harder at the 8GB instead. The only positive to the 8GB model that I can see, is that when cameras get to the 20 to 30 megapixel range, the 4GB model might seem a bit cramped, but that is still a ways off, and even further before I can afford it.

By the way, I went the 4x4GB card route, but just wanted to see what everyone's thinking on the issue was?