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Memory card formatting.
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Apr 22, 2017 08:10:16   #
DaveO Loc: Northeast CT
 
pithydoug wrote:
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.


Gee,next time I want to make a query, I'll run it by a few folks for permission to satisfy my curiosity. Follow the thread and maybe something will be of value to you. I'm sure some found it interesting.

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Apr 22, 2017 08:11:25   #
Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska
 
dcampbell52 wrote:
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. ...

Why not recommend it? As you point out it works just fine!

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Apr 22, 2017 08:22:35   #
DaveO Loc: Northeast CT
 
Thanks to all who responded! I am ending this thread,or at least my participation.

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Apr 22, 2017 08:24:05   #
Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska
 
mborn wrote:
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

Actually with Nikon (or any other brand) they have the same "computer system". And all of them format the exact same way too.

Try those cards, repeatedly, in your different Nikon cameras and you will find they work flawlessly without reformatting. Many of us have done that for years because it works well.

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Apr 22, 2017 08:27:07   #
dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl
 
Apaflo wrote:
Why not recommend it? As you point out it works just fine!


Because while it seems to work fine, I prefer to not have images from various shoots all on the same card without uploading. If the card fails, then all I've lost is the images from one shoot. I can usually reshoot it. If I have multiple cameras and multiple shoots on the same card and it fails then I've got issues that are difficult to fix.
So, best practice is format, shoot, upload, backup, format. OR format, Shoot, backup, format.
And yes, generally I format when I complete an upload and format again prior to the shoot. It helps verify that the card in the camera is good and ready to go.

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Apr 22, 2017 08:33:44   #
Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska
 
dcampbell52 wrote:
Because while it seems to work fine, I prefer to not have images from various shoots all on the same card without uploading. If the card fails, then all I've lost is the images from one shoot. I can usually reshoot it. If I have multiple cameras and multiple shoots on the same card and it fails then I've got issues that are difficult to fix.
So, best practice is format, shoot, upload, backup, format. OR format, Shoot, backup, format.
And yes, generally I format when I complete an upload and format again prior to the shoot. It helps verify that the card in the camera is good and ready to go.
Because while it seems to work fine, I prefer to n... (show quote)

That is reasonable cause, but it has nothing at all to do with when or how to format a card and should not be stated as if it did. Someone with different circumstances should not be told when to format based on your circumstances.

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Apr 22, 2017 08:38:23   #
Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
 
DaveO wrote:
Yes, I could experiment,but I was hoping for a definitive answer.


On *this* forum???

The answer will end up depending on whether you use Canon or Nikon (yes, I saw what your cameras are, but you might get over that someday...) and whether the card contains jpegs or RAW images! Not to mention if you shot in auto mode..

There isn't a smiley for 'tongue-in-cheek', but I hope it is obvious here that I am not serious...

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Apr 22, 2017 08:42:44   #
brooklyn-camera I Loc: Brooklyn, NY
 
It only takes a few seconds to format a card so why not format for each camera, I know that time is of the essence.

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Apr 22, 2017 08:50:47   #
Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska
 
brooklyn-camera I wrote:
It only takes a few seconds to format a card so why not format for each camera, I know that time is of the essence.

Do you also do a two-button reset on your camera each time you turn it on? How about doing that with each lens change? Or maybe reboot your computer each time you start using a different program?

If your action has no effect, what's the point?

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Apr 22, 2017 09:00:45   #
jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana
 
Cards are cheap--I just buy new ones. I can't see spending all that cash on a camera and then going cheap by reformatting cards.

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Apr 22, 2017 09:09:38   #
Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska
 
jaymatt wrote:
Cards are cheap--I just buy new ones. I can't see spending all that cash on a camera and then going cheap by reformatting cards.

I bet that causes a few groans of anxiety out there. But it is true.

The only reason I ever format a card is to do a quick delete of multiple unwanted images that are not going to be downloaded to a computer. Anything downloaded is automatically deleted as it is transferred one image at a time in a batch process.
I might not format any given card for a couple years...

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Apr 22, 2017 09:18:27   #
Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.
 
DaveO wrote:
LOL! Think about the capabilities though. I could be in an area,shoot wildlife with the D500 and then pop the same card into the D810 and shoot landscape in the same area. When you shoot four thousand or so pics on a trip,it would be nice to group them together geographically. I posed this query to Nikon support and should get a response in a few days,but I know we've got experts here on the forum who would be faster and reliable.


I doubt that you'd be flitting back and forth between geographical areas of any distance.
So, regardless of what camera the photos were taken with, sort them on your computer by time taken.
Of course, this demands that all the cameras you use on that trip have the time of day synchronised.

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Apr 22, 2017 09:24:53   #
catchlight.. Loc: Wisconsin USA- Halden Norway
 
The myth will never die...

Maybe 10 years ago... but today cards are very robust and format perfectly in you PC.

There is a standard for card formatting that is used universally and no camera today needs special formatting.

All new cameras "prepare" a card when you turn on the camera, so that takes the mystery out of that.

A camera's possessor does not do a full format like your PC.

It makes no difference what you use a formatted card in, formatted is formatted...

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Apr 22, 2017 09:37:48   #
RickL Loc: Vail, Az
 
Jim Bob wrote:
That's because there isn't one. For what it's worth (and that ain't much) I always use the card formatted in that camera. Get a cheap card and experiment. What do you have to lose?


Memory cards are inexpensive I reformat my cards when I put them in the camera. When I come in from a photo shoot I transfer the days work to my Tdrive and then format the drive.
I just purchased a D810 to go along with with my D7000. When it arrived I will try using the same formatted card and see what happens.

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Apr 22, 2017 09:38:35   #
DaveO Loc: Northeast CT
 
Morning Star wrote:
I doubt that you'd be flitting back and forth between geographical areas of any distance.
So, regardless of what camera the photos were taken with, sort them on your computer by time taken.
Of course, this demands that all the cameras you use on that trip have the time of day synchronised.


If you noticed,the post you replied to was prefaced with LOL. While I don't intend to do that,it would be possible. As far as your doubts about my flitting back and forth between geographical areas,you are totally off base. Yellowstone Park geology and geography vary significantly and different days and times in the same area are quite common,so yes, I do flit. Different times and dates in Florida sanctuaries are another example. You also make the assumption that I rely upon software for sorting and that having back-ups on cards by area might not be desirable.

My original post was fairly explicit. My apologies for being thin skinned,but in addition to the non-answers received here,you should see some of the arrogant and condescending PM's I have received for my question. (Along with some good ones.) Most people simply do not follow a thread and just inject whatever strikes them.

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