Formatting Cards Question: I was wondering after you transfer your pictures to your computer should you reformat you card to clean it up? I have not seen anyone talking about this and...

tiger1640 Loc: Michigan

I was wondering after you transfer your pictures to your computer should you reformat you card to clean it up? I have not seen anyone talking about this and thought it would be interesting to get some feed back. Would a reformat prevent problems and help keep your card cleaner(?) or is it not needed.

notnoBuddha

As a rule I do a low format to whenever I want to wipe the slate clean - my problem is I have a bad habit of always keeping at least a few on and then adding to. I'm guessing one should, but many don't.

arphot Loc: Massachusetts

tiger1640 wrote:

I was wondering after you transfer your pictures to your computer should you reformat you card to clean it up? I have not seen anyone talking about this and thought it would be interesting to get some feed back. Would a reformat prevent problems and help keep your card cleaner(?) or is it not needed.

The formatting of the card is mainly for camera purposes. Unless you're putting the card into another camera, then I would say no.

Manny Loc: Maryland, but headed to Kentucky

If I have a gig coming up, I reformat all of my cards before the gig. If it's stuff just for me, I'll reformat 'whenever.'

jwegge11 Loc: Stillwater, MN

I've read that just deleting them technically does not remove them completely. It takes no time to do a Low Format everytime you put the card back in the camera.

Something else I do and it JUST paid off---I have a small sheet of white paper that I used black marker and put this message on the sheet-- "IF you find this card, please call Jeff at 651-XXX-XXXX-- THANKS!!" I then keep the card in my camera backpack and that is now ALWAYS the first picture I take with the new card. I left the card in a machine at the photo processing joint and walked away only to have my phone ring 30 minutes later telling me they had my card.

tiger1640 Loc: Michigan

Good ideal Jeff.One could also take a picture of their bussiness card. Hey Jeff I called 651-XXX-XXXX but you didnt answer??
I am pretty sure I dialed it right. It went right to voicemail.

jwegge11 Loc: Stillwater, MN

Tiger...I hear ya on the biz card idea. I've just found the people at the Walmart photo kiosk needed a little more direction.

Hmmmm.. that Triple X phone number usually works--oh wait, you didn't register on my Rated X site--lol

user2071 Loc: New England

notnoBuddha wrote:

As a rule I do a low format to whenever I want to wipe the slate clean - my problem is I have a bad habit of always keeping at least a few on and then adding to. I'm guessing one should, but many don't.

I download, organize, make sure I have all the pictures securely on my computer and backed up too ... then I format, that is erase all.

It's amazing how many pictures you can wind up never quite getting around to erasing! That's ok, I guess, if you are going to use your memory cards as storage, but if that's not your intent, sooner of later you'll need that room and discover your cards are full!

arphot Loc: Massachusetts

Personally, I have only ever formatted a new card once; when I first installed it into my camera. Then after that I cut and paste my images from my card (using a card reader versus the old fashioned USB connection - much faster!). Then I go out shooting again. I have had the same cards forever.

Strubbles

fivedawgz wrote:

quote=notnoBuddha As a rule I do a low format to ... (show quote)

So true... I once got caught on a trip with a card that I was sure was empty. It was full of ghosts of photos past. Then I figured I would reformat every once in a while. On another post, I learned that erasing was not good for your card so now I reformat each time I download.

I try to download every nite.... especially on a trip.

user2071 Loc: New England

Strubbles wrote:

quote=fivedawgz quote=notnoBuddha As a rule I do... (show quote)

So there I was in Arizona. Never been there before. New camera, and wow, look at that cool scenery.

I came home with almost 1000 pictures. It took me MONTHS to sort the out. What do you do with 100 almost identical shots of the Grand Canyon? I should have downloaded to my laptop and sorted nightly. I could have avoided the nightmare.

Being a hoarder ... whether it be cats, old newspapers, or photographs, can be unhealthy!

arphot Loc: Massachusetts

Quote:

I came home with almost 1000 pictures. It took me MONTHS to sort the out. What do you do with 100 almost identical shots of the Grand Canyon? I should have downloaded to my laptop and sorted nightly.

I have a small backup unit that I bought for just such trips. There are some you can actually review the images on but mine is just 20 Gigs of storage. Charge it up and take it into the field. Small enough to fit in your camra bacg and takes the popular cards.

user2071 Loc: New England

arphot wrote:

Quote:

I came home with almost 1000 pictures. It took me MONTHS to sort the out. What do you do with 100 almost identical shots of the Grand Canyon? I should have downloaded to my laptop and sorted nightly.

I have a small backup unit that I bought for just such trips. There are some you can actually review the images on but mine is just 20 Gigs of storage. Charge it up and take it into the field. Small enough to fit in your camra bacg and takes the popular cards.

THAT sounds really useful! What is it called and where can one get such a little marvel?

arphot Loc: Massachusetts

fivedawgz wrote:

quote=arphot quote I came home with almost 1000... (show quote)

Suggestions:
http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Foci-PST-251-Picture-Storage/dp/B001IBHVSY

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/594352-REG/Sanho_SHDCSUDMA500_500GB_HyperDrive_COLORSPACE_UDMA.html

Assortment:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/buy/Stand-Alone-Data-Storage/N/4287966885

This oughta keep you busy ;)

lindysuewho

I'm certainly not the person to ask. Clearly I found the Eiffel Tower I photographed it every single time I walked by it LOL

fivedawgz wrote:

quote=Strubbles quote=fivedawgz quote=notnoBudd... (show quote)