DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Thanks to all! When I get a reply from Nikon I'll post it for giggles! Dave

JasonC Loc: Houston, Texas

Perhaps memory card formatting is overrated. I've snatched the memory card out of my Canon 6D and stuffed into my wife's Canon Powershot with nary a problem.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

It is a housekeeping function that should be periodically performed and there are valid reasons for not only doing it,but doing it in camera. I believe that file formats may vary from brand to brand and I wanted to make sure that camera to camera within a brand would be okay.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Good for you. My 7D and 10D will not function with a card formatted in the other.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Camera manufacturers tell you to format the card in the camera before the first use. That's all they say about it. I bet you don't even have to do that. I reformat the card what it has a lot of old images, and I'm shooting something new. It's the fastest way to clear the card.

I have used the same card in different models and brands of cameras with no problems. Each camera makes its own folder on the card.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

That is a viable method and certainly will not cause you any problems.

The fact is that the format required for all of the OP's cameras is exactly the same. Off hand I am unaware of any DSLR made in the last several years that uses a different format. Hence a card formatted in any one of his cameras will function perfectly in all of the others. Any card with more than 2 Gb of capacity must be formatted as FAT32 or exFAT.


There is a difference between what each of those cameras do, but it is not formatting.

Any of those cameras will immediately look for the unique directory structure used by that camera. The structure of the directory tree is specified by a JEITA Specification. Hence all cameras will first look for a top level directory named "/DCIM/", and if not found it will be created. (Though not part of formatting a card, when a card is formatted that is what happens in the next instant. Hence a card formatted in a PC or a different camera will work the same as one formatted in the specific camera.) Once that directory is found the camera will look for, and create if it is not found, the camera's internally determined current default directory for writing images. The format for this set of subdirectories starts with a three digit serial number with a range from 100 to 999, followed by an up to 5 character identifier. A Nikon D810 might start with 100ND810 as an example, and would thus avoid conflict with any other model from any manufacturer.

Each directory can hold up to 9,999 distinct image file names.

In fact the DCIM Standard works extremely well. I've used multiple cards in multiple cameras for years with never a hint of trouble, and many others here on UHH and elsewhere have said the same thing.

Realizing what can be safely done is sometimes useful.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Thanks again! Works for me!

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

It takes all of 3 seconds to format a card? Seems like much ado about nothing as far as time is concerned changing cards and you never have to worry.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Wonderful... unless that is the only card available but has just been pull from tha backup camera and has 300 unsaved images on it. Format it? Why? All that does is lose 300 images. The three seconds is a waste.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

At 1/250, you could take twelve pictures in that time!

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

Typically, I format each card for each camera. However, I have used the same SD card in a D7100 and in a D610 and it works fine. I don't recommend it for anything but an emergency or anything but it does work. Each camera created a subdirectory with that cameras model and then the photos in that directory. Lightroom saw both directories and imported the images correctly.
Generally, I have cards for each camera and I format in the camera after I use a card reader connected to my computer to import them with Lightroom.
My practice is this:
1. Format card in camera and verify that it is empty. (both the D7100 and the D610 take 2 cards and it is unlikely that I will fill both on an outing).
2. Take photos.
3. Remove card from camera and import photos into computer using external card reader.
4. Verify that images are imported correctly into Lightroom.
5. Backup SD card to external drive.
6. Remove card from second slot in camera and put it in slot1.
7. Insert the card with photos to slot 2 in camera.
8. Format both cards in camera.
This insures that the cards are rotated so that each gets used. (This way I don't get into the field and suddenly find that one of my cards is bad. I am currently using 128 GB cards in the cameras and have a collection of 64gb and 32gb cards (all Lexar or Sandisk and fast cards). I keep 2 cards in each camera and carry spares in the camera bag. I verify my spares at least once a month or prior to a trip or shoot.
I've only had 5 card failures. I had a Lexar card and a Sandisk card fail and the respective companies sent me new cards to replace the defective after I called for an RMA. The new cards were upgrades (faster) than the ones I sent in. The Lexar are all Platinum and the Sandisk are Extreme Pro cards.
I save my older and smaller cards and use them as I do external usb drives to transfer data between computers (that aren't on my network), to install firmware updates on cameras and etc.

Sandisk and Lexar are the only 2 brands that I use. I've tried other brands and they were not as reliable and their warranty repair/replacement was either bad or nonexistent.

Dlwalsh

without getting to technical
Formatting your memory card rejuvenates the memory cells (in the card for picture storage) back to the mfg.'s original settings. Formatting a card in your camera allows the camera to set up the card for picture storage and most efficient use of the memory card.

So to ensure your memory card can be used most efficiently format is will the camera you want to use it with. When you format it all data on the camera will be lost.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

I use the same cards in different Nikon cameras and before I use the card in a particular camera I format the card in that camera. The reason is that the each camera has a different computer system

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Believe all that if you like, because it won't hurt you. But if you do get technical... everything you stated is false. Not just most of it, every part of is false.