Format vs. Delete All Images

[Jack Daum]

Need some clarification:

I am new to digital photography. When my CF card was full and I downloaded I have been "deleting all images" from my CF card rather than to format. I have started to format after reading items on this site. However what is the difference?

 

[Trent Mulkern]

Deleting the images does just that leaving the folders and txt file in place. Reformatting the card removes the card's directory. Then the camera replaces the folder(s). I would recommend that when reformatting that you do so in the camera every once in a while just to insure it doesn't become corrupted over time.

Regards,
Trent

Need some clarification:

I am new to digital photography. When my CF card was full and I
downloaded I have been "deleting all images" from my CF card rather
than to format. I have started to format after reading items on
this site. However what is the difference?

 

[Truelight]

I would also have to think that because simply "deleting all leaves" folders, these take a bit of space and thus you won't get as many pictures on the card as you will if you reformat, true?

• Rick

Regards,
Trent

Need some clarification:

I am new to digital photography. When my CF card was full and I
downloaded I have been "deleting all images" from my CF card rather
than to format. I have started to format after reading items on
this site. However what is the difference?

 

[Raphy]

I perfer the format. It doesn't take any time longer, unlike the disk format in PC. And format is so much cleaner than delete...

 

[Trent Mulkern]

The folders I refer to are the one(s) created by the camera software; hence, no additional space is lost. You also have the option of creating your own folders.

Regards,
Trent

• Rick

Regards,
Trent

Need some clarification:

I am new to digital photography. When my CF card was full and I
downloaded I have been "deleting all images" from my CF card rather
than to format. I have started to format after reading items on
this site. However what is the difference?

 

[charlie wallace]

theres a bug or a "feature" in the 990 at least that when you delete an image via the camera you lose a little space on the CF this becomes significant after so many deletes and you won't fit as many images on the card. so format is better in that respect, its quicker too.

The cards lifetime won't be reduced that you'd ever notice, usually its good for around 300,000 formats

charlie

Need some clarification:

I am new to digital photography. When my CF card was full and I
downloaded I have been "deleting all images" from my CF card rather
than to format. I have started to format after reading items on
this site. However what is the difference?

 

[Steve H.]

Why is it better to format rather then delete? I have deleted 300+ pictures now and haven't seen any problems, Is there something that I will be seeing soon if I don't start formatting?

Just curious, not fighting the statment

Steve H.

The cards lifetime won't be reduced that you'd ever notice, usually
its good for around 300,000 formats

charlie

Need some clarification:

I am new to digital photography. When my CF card was full and I
downloaded I have been "deleting all images" from my CF card rather
than to format. I have started to format after reading items on
this site. However what is the difference?

 

[charlie wallace]

The program i've written to control the 990 shows how much memory is available on the CF card at all times, i noticed that if i took a picture, deleted it, whilst noting the before and after available memory amounts, a difference appears, not as you would expect the same amount before and after.

I checked using the camera delete too, and its the same.

I haven't verified if it is only delete one image at a time, or delete last vs delete all.

It seems to happen every time. I've seen a number of people mention it too..on a 16mb card it means the difference of 1 hires picture after a few deletes.

formatting the card recovers all the lost memory..

it may be 990 1.1 specific, or certain kinds of CF cards i only have kingston

cards so i dont know about others. but i have seen it reported from at least 10 other people..

charlie

Just curious, not fighting the statment

Steve H.

The cards lifetime won't be reduced that you'd ever notice, usually
its good for around 300,000 formats

charlie

Need some clarification:

I am new to digital photography. When my CF card was full and I
downloaded I have been "deleting all images" from my CF card rather
than to format. I have started to format after reading items on
this site. However what is the difference?

 

[Frances]

Deleting in the pc has problems sometimes the images are still there when

you put the card in the camera...so I will format every time w/camera before use.

Frances.

Need some clarification:

I am new to digital photography. When my CF card was full and I
downloaded I have been "deleting all images" from my CF card rather
than to format. I have started to format after reading items on
this site. However what is the difference?

 

[Steve Long]

I have taken 10,069 pictures on my 950 with a 128MB flash and I have never formatted it and have not had a single problem.

-Steve

Frances.

Need some clarification:

I am new to digital photography. When my CF card was full and I
downloaded I have been "deleting all images" from my CF card rather
than to format. I have started to format after reading items on
this site. However what is the difference?

 

[Ken Leonard]

Steve, maybe so. I have taken over 17,000 photos with my CP990. However I do format from time to time and I do notice that one can get more photos on the CF card when one does this. Read what is being said here. I believe it is true and very useful info.

Ken Leonard

-Steve

Frances.

Need some clarification:

I am new to digital photography. When my CF card was full and I
downloaded I have been "deleting all images" from my CF card rather
than to format. I have started to format after reading items on
this site. However what is the difference?

 

[Robert Hsiao]

Expert answer and explanation from Peter iNova on this particular issue....

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1007&message=969635&query=robert+hsiao

Ken Leonard

-Steve

Frances.

Need some clarification:

I am new to digital photography. When my CF card was full and I
downloaded I have been "deleting all images" from my CF card rather
than to format. I have started to format after reading items on
this site. However what is the difference?

 

[charlie wallace]

I don't think thats the reason, I think its a bug it only does it in certain circumstances.

Peters essentially saying you can recover some pictures because the area of the CF that was being used doesn't get written over until a new picture is taken, I believe the camera uses a last freed, first used algorithm, rather than a oldest first, which is a shame since more pictures could be recovered if it were the latter. The free space is still free space, nothings used.

It may be that it leaves a little data record on the card after every deletion in order to recover a pic, but thats unlikely since the CF space would disappear really quickly.

Fragmentation might be an issue too.

Oneday someone will sit down and examine a binary dump of the CF card and see whats going on with it.

charlie

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1007&message=969635&query=robert+hsiao

Ken Leonard

-Steve

Frances.

Need some clarification:

I am new to digital photography. When my CF card was full and I
downloaded I have been "deleting all images" from my CF card rather
than to format. I have started to format after reading items on
this site. However what is the difference?

 

[Lyall Pearce]

I used to format after every download (when I was using the cable supplied with the CP990) as it was much faster than deleting the images.

When I aquired a CF reader, I started using Cut/Paste to copy the images from the CF to my hard disk. Thus, I stopped formatting.

Just recently, I did a 'check for errors' on my CF, just for fun.

I found 1mb (thats 1 MEGABYTE) of 'lost clusters' - apparently a lost hi-res image.
I attribute this to
1. Flat batteries?
2. Removing batteries while camera is on (cos the damn thing is stuck)?

I think I will start formatting more frequently so I do not end up with 'lost data'.

Additionally, I did a 'surface scan' on the CF, just to boost my confidence in the reliability of my CF - it was not fast but I am now confident in my CF. (There was a stage when I was having difficulties copying down images at around the number 40 mark - I was starting to suspect a corrupt CF - This occurred repeatedly even after 'formats')

BTW. I will always format with the camera - not with Windoze - Just to be safe!

...Lyall

Need some clarification:

I am new to digital photography. When my CF card was full and I
downloaded I have been "deleting all images" from my CF card rather
than to format. I have started to format after reading items on
this site. However what is the difference?

 

[Steve Dean]

I found 1mb (thats 1 MEGABYTE) of 'lost clusters' - apparently a
lost hi-res image.

No, it's actually 1 milli bit. :^)

M=mega (million)
m=milli (one thoundsandth)
B=byte
b=bit

I'm not trying to flame you, just pointing out the proper abbreviations. It's a very common mistake.

Steve

 

[DaveM26632]

theres a bug or a "feature" in the 990 at least that when you
delete an image via the camera you lose a little space on the CF
this becomes significant after so many deletes and you won't fit as
many images on the card.

You wouldn't be confusing this with the INFO.TXT file that's maintained by the camera, are you?

Sorry if you've thought of this, but for every picture taken the details for the picture are appended to INFO.TXT. If you delete files from the card, INFO.TXT remains untouched and just gets bigger and bigger. If you format the card, the INFO.TXT is deleted.

If you use a card reader then you should be able to manually delete this file without having to reformat. I've never done this as re-formatting seems nice and quick and clears the decks.

From what I gather, there's no problems caused by formatting. The card isn't put under any further undue distress than performing a delete so... whatever makes you comfortable!

The cards lifetime won't be reduced that you'd ever notice, usually
its good for around 300,000 formats

charlie

Need some clarification:

I am new to digital photography. When my CF card was full and I
downloaded I have been "deleting all images" from my CF card rather
than to format. I have started to format after reading items on
this site. However what is the difference?