Formatting your Memory card

Probably about half the time.

 

Only once, the first time I got it.

 

Every time - why, because I had a Canon G10 that lost all the photos on it because the card/camera got confused.

With the DSLR's I do the same, it takes seconds and ensures that the camera will 100% be at one with the card.

 

Everytime on card insertion procedure.

 

I do it every time! Once I have my photos on two hard drives I format my card. Because i am using Time Machine this is as soon as I am finished downloading my images and return my card to the camera. I lost images once to a bad card and I try to avoid that in the future.

 

I've never heard about constant formatting making a difference in card health before, but I've never thought to look into it either, guess I'll go try to find some tests or studies on this.

-Nate

 

I format the card everytime.

Barrie

 

Memory card formatting

I usually use "erase all" instead of format because if you format you stand no chance of recovering photo files on the card if needed. If you erase you may have a chance at recovery.

I do use format about once a month at most, and only after I've confirmed that I have a copy of the image files on my computer.

 

Once I copy AND backup my photos I will format the card. I always make sure I have copies in two (or more) locations. Overnight I copy them to my dad's computer at his house for a 3rd off-site copy.

 

This is not true. As long as the data is not written over it's quite easy to recover sat a from a formatted card. I have done this on more than one occasion.

Always format and always format in camera. The easiest way to have card problems is to use your computer to format a card. And erasing images often leaves small traces of files that can either lower the capacity of the card or corrupt the new files written over them.

Gordon

 

Yes, formatting in-camera is important.

 

Not for me...after I formatted in camera, Sandisk RescuePro is unable to recover files. The camera overwrites with 000000000's. If you have had success with recovery with another rescue program, I'd like to try it also. What program did you use?

 

I'm an every timer. After I download my photos, I immediately put the card back in the camera, format and I'm ready to roll.

I never used to do this but after I found out the importance, I'm a devotee.

 

This is a slow format. I've not heard of any camera using slow format as a default in years. Even then, there are things more sophisticated that can recover the data, although they'll cost you, lots. Interesting, that Rescue Pro wouldn't work after a single format and before use. It is usually reasonable with freshly deleted FAT tables. Of course recovery becomes far more difficult and complex after new files are written to the card.

The default on all modern cameras is a quick format. A quick format is where the FAT (file allocation table) is cleared, but not the actual image data. Basically the FAT is like the index and a fast format just tells the index that the location where you want to write the image is available. With a digital camera and, say, an 8GB card a quick format will take seconds and a slow format will take minutes. It's a simple and reliable way to tell which is which.

Gordon

 

Me too!

 

I use quality cards and I format every time a card goes back into a camera following download. This was suggested on a Luminous Landscape video and it seemed like a good idea.

 

After downloading to the laptop and backing up to desktop and external hardrive, first thing to do is format the card using the camera. You can never be too careful, I can say that by personal experience.