Les...
I had a problem viewing my photos on the 950. When I went to the PLAY mode, the camera would go blank. I assumed that I had the dreaded main switch problem.
In cruising bulletin boards, I came across a post about formatting CF cards. I wish I had the link for you, but could not find it. This is what I remember. If you format on your computer either through a PCMCIA slot or a card reader, it is a different type of format, from the one the camera does. When I format on my laptop, the computer sets up a recycle bin on my CF card.
My understanding of that long ago post, was that erasing was one operation, but setting up a registry was another, and that the registry set up by my computer, was in ways different than what the camera did.
Short story, is it solved my "main switch" problem. My switch was I guess not bad after all, there was an error in reading the registry.
Since then I always format in the camera, and really it takes less time.
If I have used the card for other types of files like MP3 or data or whatever, I always make sure to format it in camera before using. This is to set up a proper read registry for the camera.
I make NO representation, that I understood, or remembered that post correctly.
But hey, it did solve my 950 play mode problems...
Another somewhat esoteric discussion is of the Lexar Media cards. The controller inside the card, (they all have them) erases ahead, so as to improve the write speeds to the CF card.
A complete discussion of cf cards can be found at
http://www.robgalbraith.com/reports/2001_07_04_compactflash.html
Rob's article points mostly towards using CF cards in the D1 series, but it addresses read, write, and speed issues.
In any event, I one time thought I had a busted camera, and formatting in camera fixed my problem.
Just one experience, and opinion, but it saved me a boatload of money...
Happy Photos...
dennis...
Formatting a CF card will obviously erase any and all files on the
card. Many cards seem to come already formatted so that's probably
not an issue. One area where it might make a difference... I had a
friend that complained that a card that came with a use camera he
bought didn't seem to hold as many pictures as he thought it
should. We looked at the card by putting it in my laptop and found
a folder created by another camera that card had been used on in
the past. The Nikon simply ignored that folder and used the
remaining space on the card. So his 32 meg card had 20 megs of
someone elses pictures that were never being seen by his Nikon and
just taking up space. We formatted his card and that solved the
problem. That would be a reason to format a CF card.
Erik
Is there a need to format new CF cards for the CP 995?
The card that came with my CP 995 was already formatted. Since
then, I have bought two other brands of CF cards, inserted them
into the CP 995 and they seem to work without formatting.
Am I missing something here? Is there an advantage to re-formatting
the cards using the camera?
-Les
