Do you format your CF card each time?

[CMalsingh]

Just read Busch's book, which includes the advice to format your CF card using the D300 after uploading each set of images.

I've never bothered re-formatting before and not had any problems with lost images (so far!). I also have some "owner" information saved to my card (in case the camera ever gets lot etc, to help getting it returned). I'd have to manually re-copy this after each format if I followed this advice.

Any advice from the rest of you on this?

--
Colin Malsingh
-------------------
http://www.pbase.com/cmalsingh

 

[Jeff Diaz]

Just physically write the owner information on the card labels

 

[Bryan]

--
Bryan

Just moved from Canon to D300 and building up the kit list which is now shown in my profile.

and my wife has my Canon 40D etc

Still looking for a digital back for my Box Brownie.

 

[garyosborne]

I reformat after each upload...easiest way to make room imo. It's easy to attach a name tag to the camera, or get it etched, or use a sticker, or get cosy with a dremel, or just never lose it. Of course if it gets stolen all these measure can be useless

 

[RicClarke]

Yes. Not right after uploading though, I do it just before I'm about to use the card again. (I try to use them in order.)

 

[malch]

Just physically write the owner information on the card labels

You can also put your name and tel # in the "User Comment" field in the camera settings. This also gets written to the EXIF on each image.

 

[Steve Bingham]

Never have and never a problem. This includes past ownership of two Fuji S2, two Kodak DSLR/n, two D2x, one D200, one D300, my son's D200, my other son's D300, and my wife's D50. I just delete the files after I load them onto the computer - with the computer. Never a problem. Perhaps formatting would be better, but why?
--
Steve Bingham
http://www.dustylens.com
http://www.ghost-town-photography.com

 

[kensington]

Yes, i format the card in camera everytime after I offload the pictures to my PSD. Simple enough to do and takes little time.

--
Arnold
http://kensingt0n.smugmug.com
http://lindedin/in/arnoldsese
http://twitter.com/kensingt0n
http://spaces.msn.com/members/kensingt0n/
2002 WRB WRX Wagon
http://www.newschoolofphotography.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10468&postcount=22

 

[malch]

Never have and never a problem.

I format the CF card in camera after I have saved all of the images.

Perhaps formatting would be better, but why?

Several reasons:

1. Regular formatting avoids potential fragmentation of the files and thus helps performance.

2. Formatting reinitializes the File Allocation Table (FAT) to a clean, known state and eliminates the potential for any incipient corruption that can (and sometimes does) creep into any file system.

3. But the biggest reason is... it's a (logical) part of a disciplined work flow for managing my cards and the data thereon. Whether or not you format is not a huge issue either way. But failing to have a disciplined procedure for managing your cards and data is surely a recipe for disaster!

Just decide on a sound process that suits your needs and preferences and then follow it without fail.

 

[nipprdog]

Never have and never a problem. This includes past ownership of two
Fuji S2, two Kodak DSLR/n, two D2x, one D200, one D300, my son's
D200, my other son's D300, and my wife's D50. I just delete the files
after I load them onto the computer - with the computer. Never a
problem. Perhaps formatting would be better, but why?

I never delete the files after uploading to the computer. In case something goes wrong before I make a back up, I still have the files on the card. Saved me once.
--



http://www.knippixels.com

 

[brobertson2]

Yes -- after downloading to the computer I format the card.

 

[Brivers]

just curious, does fragmentaiton occur on solid state memory as it does on magnetic platter technology? or is it solely based on operating system and file allocation tables? I format cards periodically..
--
http://www.teamrivers.com

 

[malch]

just curious, does fragmentaiton occur on solid state memory as it
does on magnetic platter technology? or is it solely based on
operating system and file allocation tables?

Yes, fragmentation occurs on solid states devices although the consequences are rather less serious in terms of the performance hit. You don't have the delays while the mechanical head thrashes around. Nevertheless, on a solid state device fragmentation will still have an adverse effect on the caching, buffering and other aspects of the architecture critical for maximum performance.

 

[Adrian Seah]

Yes ! My girlfriend use my card once and I have repeatedly asked her to format the card in camera. She just simply delete the images using her camera.

Guess what after 20-30 shots during a wedding and the 4 gigs card says full. The reason being that I use a Nikon system and she uses a Canon cam and was not able to see my file which was still on the card. Formatting also ensure all the data is erase as I some time use them as external harddisk to transfer data.

I transfer image from my card to 2 separate harddisk and format the card before I use them.

--
Adrian

 

[N8535Y]

As many several posters here have mentioned, it is advisable to reformat for various reasons after a shoot.

Usually, once I get my camera settings into their default state (various shooting banks set for different purposes, on the menu, I go to Settings/load and save and I save the setting on the CF card.

After a shoot, I go to Settings and "Load" the default setting back to the camera.

I then remove the card from camera to card reader to download, and when done, put the card back into the camera, again Load, just to make sure that I still am back to original settings.

Reformat the Card and then do another settings/save since the reformat will have wiped out the prior saved settings on the card.

--
Bob

 

[TrekSF6]

Never have in years with all different types of digital cameras and cards.

Only time I have formatted is for firmware updates.

I've had no problems.

--
Scott A.

 

[DStan]

just curious, does fragmentaiton occur on solid state memory as it
does on magnetic platter technology? or is it solely based on
operating system and file allocation tables?

Yes, fragmentation occurs on solid states devices although the
consequences are rather less serious in terms of the performance hit.
You don't have the delays while the mechanical head thrashes around.
Nevertheless, on a solid state device fragmentation will still have
an adverse effect on the caching, buffering and other aspects of the
architecture critical for maximum performance.

If you delete all files on your CF card after transferring them to your PC, then you will not have any fragmentation issues. If you buy quality CF cards and practice safe hardware removal then you will not need to reformat your cards all the time. I reformat them once every few months. I remember not reformatting one of my Lexar CF cards on my D70 for years and not had any problems. CF cards have a limited number of times that you can write to them and reformatting the entire card will reduce its lifetime, although I doubt that many of use will take that many pictures on one card and reach this point. If you feel uncomfortable with not reformatting, then continue doing so it doesn't take long to do so. Do you reformat removable USB harddrives or thumb/flash drives all the time?
--
Stan ;o()



In the spirit of Occam’s Razor one should embrace the less complicated formulation or simply put, less is more.
http://standavidson.com/post/Birds

 

[DStan]

Yes ! My girlfriend use my card once and I have repeatedly asked her
to format the card in camera. She just simply delete the images
using her camera.

Guess what after 20-30 shots during a wedding and the 4 gigs card
says full. The reason being that I use a Nikon system and she uses a
Canon cam and was not able to see my file which was still on the
card. Formatting also ensure all the data is erase as I some time
use them as external harddisk to transfer data.

I transfer image from my card to 2 separate harddisk and format the
card before I use them.

Perhaps she didn't delete them, as free space is free space no matter what. The reason that you cannot see each other's files on the same card using the different cameras is probably due to Nikon and Canon having different naming conventions for folders and files. There's no magic here, just computer stuff.
--
Stan ;o()



In the spirit of Occam’s Razor one should embrace the less complicated formulation or simply put, less is more.
http://standavidson.com/post/Birds

 

[G K]

--
Buck

 

[Mike in Kansas]

Every time - it's just easy to do with the two-button Format.