Formatting Memory Card
Dec 4, 2014 21:24:23 #
Dec 4, 2014 23:29:04 #
OK...
Here is what I do.
After a Very busy day shooting... I mean Really Busy - were I have collected in the excess of over 50 to 200 images, I load them into two portable Drives and a "Photo-Safe" Hard Drive as well as the working hard drive on the computer. I edit and save the Good Ones for printing edits. Then put the card into the Camera and reformat.
However.... If I am only capturing a few, say 15 to 45 images, I to the same thing - but I do not reformat the card. I let that build up to about 150 and then - after the last collection is saved - I reformat the card IN THE CAMERA that the memory card is designated for. (I have two 36 gig cards for each camera I use... (Two canon 5D Mark II, One Canon 7D, and an old XTi I have converted to IR Only.)
Here is what I do.
After a Very busy day shooting... I mean Really Busy - were I have collected in the excess of over 50 to 200 images, I load them into two portable Drives and a "Photo-Safe" Hard Drive as well as the working hard drive on the computer. I edit and save the Good Ones for printing edits. Then put the card into the Camera and reformat.
However.... If I am only capturing a few, say 15 to 45 images, I to the same thing - but I do not reformat the card. I let that build up to about 150 and then - after the last collection is saved - I reformat the card IN THE CAMERA that the memory card is designated for. (I have two 36 gig cards for each camera I use... (Two canon 5D Mark II, One Canon 7D, and an old XTi I have converted to IR Only.)
Dec 5, 2014 17:09:02 #
All of this babble for 7 pages just convinces me further that it doesn't really matter whether you reformat or erase. Formatting erases files. Erasing (deleting) erases files. Formatting clears the FAT and makes everything there anew. Formatting or erasing all files on a card takes the same amount of time.
Those who are soap-boxing for never formatting again after the card is deflowered the first time have no real basis to support that stance. Erasing instead may cause the card to get fragmented slowly over time so that the maximum read/write speed may never again be reached after the first shooting session.
Those who are soap-boxing for formatting every time aren't doing anything wrong because formatting erases the files just like erasing erases the files. Formatting just assures that the FAT is brand new every time.
To really put the frosting on the cake now we have those who reformat when the number of images on the card reaches an arbitrary number for the day that is not based on anything, and they don't reformat until it reaches that number of files over several days - still not based on anything but just an opinion and not because of facts of any kind.
All of this swirling and stirring of crap for what? I just bought a high speed 32GB SDHC card at Costco last weekend for $15. What's the point of worrying about whether reformatting or erasing/deleting somehow harms or doesn't harm the card's solid state memory when it reaches 10's of thousands of read/writes? Worry about static electricity, dirt, or moisture, not this!
Personally I'm going to continue formatting every day so the files are erased and the FAT is brand new before I go out. I don't care if I shot 5 files the day before or if I shot 500 files the day before (and I have occasion to do both) - reformatting is closer to making the card clean and more like it was back in the beginning so that's what I'm going to do. If the card dies because of keeping it clean and as pristine as possible, I don't care - screw it - and I'll get out another one.
Those who are soap-boxing for never formatting again after the card is deflowered the first time have no real basis to support that stance. Erasing instead may cause the card to get fragmented slowly over time so that the maximum read/write speed may never again be reached after the first shooting session.
Those who are soap-boxing for formatting every time aren't doing anything wrong because formatting erases the files just like erasing erases the files. Formatting just assures that the FAT is brand new every time.
To really put the frosting on the cake now we have those who reformat when the number of images on the card reaches an arbitrary number for the day that is not based on anything, and they don't reformat until it reaches that number of files over several days - still not based on anything but just an opinion and not because of facts of any kind.
All of this swirling and stirring of crap for what? I just bought a high speed 32GB SDHC card at Costco last weekend for $15. What's the point of worrying about whether reformatting or erasing/deleting somehow harms or doesn't harm the card's solid state memory when it reaches 10's of thousands of read/writes? Worry about static electricity, dirt, or moisture, not this!
Personally I'm going to continue formatting every day so the files are erased and the FAT is brand new before I go out. I don't care if I shot 5 files the day before or if I shot 500 files the day before (and I have occasion to do both) - reformatting is closer to making the card clean and more like it was back in the beginning so that's what I'm going to do. If the card dies because of keeping it clean and as pristine as possible, I don't care - screw it - and I'll get out another one.
Dec 5, 2014 17:46:56 #
marcomarks wrote:
All of this babble for 7 pages just convinces me f... (show quote)
You're doing what I do. The complication of not formatting is when you use cards in different cameras. This can cause some difficulties since the file sizes may not be identical nor the bit depth of color in RAW files. Let's face it, a P&S camera having 10 MP and only storing JPEG photos is a being used a lot differently from a 34 MP camera storing in RAW and the file sized and formats are totally different. There's no way to delete a JPEG file and then use that same space for 14 bit RAW file without breaking up the file into pieces.
Granted the store time difference may be almost imperceptible when shooting single frames but the download times will drastically be different.
JMHO
Dec 5, 2014 18:13:49 #
marcomarks wrote:
All of this babble for 7 pages just convinces me f... (show quote)
Everything you say , especially the part about fragmenting, is true, but only about hard drives. SSD's and cards are structured completely differently from hard drives. The same rules do not apply to them across the board. You are free to do as you wish, just as a car owner is free to drive in a granny gear all the time. However, I suggest that you read a primer on solid state devices , especially as opposed to HDD's, just so you will not appear ignorant the next time you discuss the subject.
Dec 5, 2014 18:56:44 #
I must admit that I am getting very tired of this thread of reply upon reply.
I am going to list two web sites:
Why format a flash memory device?
http://www.apotelyt.com/photo-memory/formatting-flash-media
Formatting a memory card, flash drive or device using a Windows 8 System
http://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/12766/~/formatting-a-memory-card,-flash-drive-or-device-using-a-windows-8-system
You can read these or ignore them as you wish. But I am going to make a couple points:
1) Erasing leaves the data on the card. It still has to be erased when the camera goes to save a file. The memory card's state machine or CPU will have to take the time to physically erase the memory cells within a region that is intended to hold the picture, confirm that it is erased and then save your picture. This adds some time.
2) Formatting removes the actual data on the card and leaves all the memory cells in a condition they are ready to be written to. To the camera, the extra steps above are not needed, since it is already erased.
You should probably be able to measure a difference in how fast it can shoot successive pictures in burst mode (after filling the buffer memory first). For taking one shot, or just a few, the camera stores the images in a much faster buffer memory, and then hands off those images to the flash memory as fast as it is able to accept it. It is this 2nd step that will go faster.
3) And should a bad place in the memory be found, it will mark that area as bad.
The bottom line is that it is a very good practice to format the cards just because they will operate more efficiently and problems will be dealt with as memory cells go bad.
And by the way, there is no difference between formatting in the camera or on the computer, except for one thing. The camera may install extra directories to place data and other stuff into, which is why it makes sense to do it in the camera. But this is after the format is over.
I don't know what more can be said about this. Its that simple!
I am going to list two web sites:
Why format a flash memory device?
http://www.apotelyt.com/photo-memory/formatting-flash-media
Formatting a memory card, flash drive or device using a Windows 8 System
http://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/12766/~/formatting-a-memory-card,-flash-drive-or-device-using-a-windows-8-system
You can read these or ignore them as you wish. But I am going to make a couple points:
1) Erasing leaves the data on the card. It still has to be erased when the camera goes to save a file. The memory card's state machine or CPU will have to take the time to physically erase the memory cells within a region that is intended to hold the picture, confirm that it is erased and then save your picture. This adds some time.
2) Formatting removes the actual data on the card and leaves all the memory cells in a condition they are ready to be written to. To the camera, the extra steps above are not needed, since it is already erased.
You should probably be able to measure a difference in how fast it can shoot successive pictures in burst mode (after filling the buffer memory first). For taking one shot, or just a few, the camera stores the images in a much faster buffer memory, and then hands off those images to the flash memory as fast as it is able to accept it. It is this 2nd step that will go faster.
3) And should a bad place in the memory be found, it will mark that area as bad.
The bottom line is that it is a very good practice to format the cards just because they will operate more efficiently and problems will be dealt with as memory cells go bad.
And by the way, there is no difference between formatting in the camera or on the computer, except for one thing. The camera may install extra directories to place data and other stuff into, which is why it makes sense to do it in the camera. But this is after the format is over.
I don't know what more can be said about this. Its that simple!
Dec 5, 2014 19:09:21 #
JimH123 wrote:
I must admit that I am getting very tired of this ... (show quote)
=============
""I must admit that I am getting very tired of this thread of reply upon reply.""
Yep! Me Too... I think that I will Just Use The UNWATCH OPTION on This Thread.
Dec 5, 2014 21:25:55 #
tradergeorge wrote:
Everything you say , especially the part about fragmenting, is true, but only about hard drives. SSD's and cards are structured completely differently from hard drives. The same rules do not apply to them across the board. You are free to do as you wish, just as a car owner is free to drive in a granny gear all the time. However, I suggest that you read a primer on solid state devices , especially as opposed to HDD's, just so you will not appear ignorant the next time you discuss the subject.
You always have to throw in some smart ass jab to make yourself feel superior to the rest of us. I don't drive in granny gear and my cameras format SD cards just as fast as they "erase all." Others on here have discussed file allocation which has to be on the card somewhere or else the reading/writing device wouldn't know where the files are if it wasn't. And it's been discussed on this thread repeatedly that files get spread around as sectors, which aren't completely used but are partially used, are bypassed when new files are added to the card - which is a form of fragmenting. So tell us, oh self-proclaimed one and only Universal God of all knowledge concerning storage, what the hell's the difference when all we want to do is store files quickly, cleanly, and reliably?
Dec 6, 2014 00:22:55 #
marcomarks wrote:
You always have to throw in some smart ass jab to ... (show quote)
Calm down Marco and take your meds and then get a drink in your hands. There's no sense in getting upset. We all have our work regiment and procedures and if they work then all is fine and ok.
CALM DOWN. This is a time of year for good cheer and family and not discourse and confrontation or argument (except for the relative who keeps drinking the good booze up every year). LOL.
Dec 6, 2014 02:38:07 #
singleviking wrote:
Calm down Marco and take your meds and then get a drink in your hands. There's no sense in getting upset. We all have our work regiment and procedures and if they work then all is fine and ok.
CALM DOWN. This is a time of year for good cheer and family and not discourse and confrontation or argument (except for the relative who keeps drinking the good booze up every year). LOL.
CALM DOWN. This is a time of year for good cheer and family and not discourse and confrontation or argument (except for the relative who keeps drinking the good booze up every year). LOL.
Unfortunately I don't take meds or drink so I'm stuck with the rawness of reality, egotists, and rudeness. I have a peaceful Filipina wife to calm my nerves though.
Dec 7, 2014 19:32:14 #
romanticf16
Loc: Commerce Twp, MI
LFingar wrote:
I format new cards and any card I am getting rid of. That's it. Never had a problem..
Formatting a memory card you are getting rid of will erase the ID of the images on the card, but anyone with recovery software could still access any images on the card. The only secure thing to do would be a "secure erase" on your computer, which overwrites all data on the card several times. Then It would take NASA to recover something from the card. FTI
Dec 7, 2014 20:07:48 #
Found this:
http://www.reclaime.com/library/disk-format.aspx
There is (or can be) a difference between Quick Format and Complete Format. Quick Format can be recovered. Complete Format cannot.
Most cameras only do a Quick Format. There is mention in this web site that Canon does offer a Complete Format option (which is not the default).
The computer OS is also an issue since different revisions of OS have treated this differently.
http://www.reclaime.com/library/disk-format.aspx
There is (or can be) a difference between Quick Format and Complete Format. Quick Format can be recovered. Complete Format cannot.
Most cameras only do a Quick Format. There is mention in this web site that Canon does offer a Complete Format option (which is not the default).
The computer OS is also an issue since different revisions of OS have treated this differently.
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