blackest Loc: Ireland

It's probably more than enough lifting of the fog. Most all you need is to know about complicated stuff is the end result, how it does it can be magic.

Did you ever hear the theory that electronics runs on smoke? Basically when you let the smoke escape from it, it doesn't work any more :)

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

When you delete you leave the storage folders the same and when you shoot you're writing over the material that already exists. Formatting is a deep procedure that erases everything then builds new storage folders on the card. It's been known for a long time that, especially on SD cards, it's much better for the card to format.

After I upload and once I know my files are safe and backed up, I always format the card right after putting back into the camera.

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

Never heard this theory. Probably won't ever hear it again, either!!! Of course I should not be surprised to hear about magic from you - Ireland is supposed to be full of magical stuff...

Funny thing about complicated stuff - I may not understand it completely, but every little jewel of knowledge I can comprehend makes me more comfortable. Details might make it a bit too complex, but I am garnering a feeling for the outlines of the concept! Little at a time.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

The point is that Nikon does not say what the other article claimed Nikon says. Nikon's manuals do not say that memory cards should be reformatted every time they are placed in the camera. Claiming they do say that is incorrect and very misleading about what is actually required.

Note also that what Nikon does say is technically untrue. They say it to cover their rear, but in fact there is rarely ever a reason to reformat due to use in another camera, or for that matter even if the card was reformatted in another camera. Also note that while yes Nikon says that reformatting will remove all images from a card, we all know that it does not actually do that and that any good recovery software can find almost all images that were on the card before the reformat as long as no new images are written to the card before recovery is attempted.

Another interesting point is that your statement "I have heard from various sources that it is better to format (complete erasure) than to delete (thereby leaving image "residue" on the card)." is a misunderstanding of what you are hearing (though "various sources" might be wrong too). There is no difference in terms of "residue" between a format and simply deleting all the images. There is a problem with the delete taking significant time, while the format takes 3-4 seconds. The only difference in fact is that the "free list" is re-ordered with a format and that is not done with deletes.

Deleting images one at a time when a format would accomplish the same end result is a poor method. But there is no reason not to on occasion delete one or several images (and not really much reason to bother doing it either).

If it helps any, I was writing disk formatting software 30 years ago. As recently as a couple of years ago I wrote a fairly simple image recovery program to use on corrupted memory cards. I'm not repeating "what I've heard", but rather the details of software I've worked with at the source code level.

Ron SS Loc: Silver Spring, MD

Deleting a file makes the space it was saved in available for new input. Deleting selected files thus creates available space - where the previous files were stored. Since files can be different sizes, it is likely new photo files will be stored in available space, which includes fragmenting the new files into the available "pigeon holes." Whether this slows down operations or increases the probability of corruption probably depends on your card and device. Formatting the card in the device to be used gives a 'clean' slate for new sequential file storage and also should mark out bad locations. I am extrapolating from hard disc operations, so I wait to be corrected.

drklrd Loc: Cincinnati Ohio

Reformatting is sort of a delete. It just renames all files and applies the format of either Fat 32 or NTFS to the memory card. I think Nikon uses the old Fat 32 format for its memory cards. Which ever it uses it is best to reformat the card because formatting will also remove most file error problems that just deleting can lead to. Just remember that reformatting will erase all data on the card. Delete usually just takes the file type and renames it by dropping off the first letter of the file type. Like .jpeg becomes ._peg and then delete allows the file type to be written over when the camera or computer needs more space. So reformatting is best method. Hope this helps you. When possible reformat always and use delete from the camera on the fly while at a shoot to remove images not worth keeping like too underexposed or test images or out of focus stuff.

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

You are right, they do not say anything about reformatting every time they are placed in the camera. As I mentioned, I don't do this either.


Interesting. I have experienced difficulties with using a card reformatted in the computer, for instance, then trying to use it in other devices. Have NOT tried this lately, so do not claim it still is true. My habit, though, is to reformat in the device where the card will be used!


I agree that formatting is much more efficient than random or one-at-a-time deletions. Since I am not really all that knowledgeable about computers, memory cards, software, etc. I do like to learn from others. This does suggest I have not totally understood, and appreciate your explanation. It is definitely something I try to remember, not to take as truth everything I hear unless it can be verified; but there are also times when, during the learning process, that some things are accepted as a "truth to be tried out" until I learn otherwise!

This is one of the great things about this forum - so many people to learn from. Thank you.

Susan

JamesCurran Loc: Trenton ,NJ

Actually, that's not what the Nikon manual said. It said reformatted after being using in another device. SD cards can be used in many things besides cameras, and Nikon can't know if everyone of them is using the standard format.

Overall, the format for SD cards being used to hold files is standardized. This is why the same card can be read by both Windows and Mac machines. Additionally, the directory structure for SD cards used by cameras (the DCIM folder, etc) is also standardized.

In general, I format my SD cards on my PC, because formatting disks is a primary function of PC operating systems, and it's just a tack-on for cameras.

In my experience, given a clean formatted SD card, every camera I've used well automatically create the DCF file structure (i.e., the DCIM folder)

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Actually it does say use in another camera. It also says or other device. Otherwise everything you say is dead on!

The reason that Nikon and other manufacturers say to format in the camera is that their camera can't do it wrong! An average PC must be able to format a card in at least 10 or 15 ways, and only 1 will work. My computer can probably format an SD card in.at least 30 ways, and 2 of them work.

The safe way for almost everyone is to format with the camera.