Memory cards and an ounce of prevention
Dec 24, 2017 12:12:31 #
Given that memory cards have a long but finite lifespan, I’m curious if anyone makes it a practice to regularly replace cards after a given length of time, or perhaps after a certain number of formats. I would think the latter would be very tedious to track, but I could see people doing it on an annual or semiannual basis. What is your practice?
Dec 24, 2017 12:24:45 #
All of my cameras have two cards, so any loss would be minimal, so my answer is that I do nothing.
Dec 24, 2017 12:26:16 #
Maybe I’ve just been lucky but I have only had one card fail in almost 30 years.
Dec 24, 2017 12:32:07 #
Never had a card fail in my 15 + years of using them.
Might be luck too, but I always format my cards immediately after they are transferred to my computer.
Kings-X, just in case!!
Might be luck too, but I always format my cards immediately after they are transferred to my computer.
Kings-X, just in case!!
Dec 24, 2017 12:40:45 #
Nope, I just keep using them until I can't.
They'll probably outlast the camera.
They'll probably outlast the camera.
Dec 24, 2017 12:44:35 #
In as much as SD cards have no moving parts there is nothing to wear out. Incautious handling could damage the electrical contacts. I have too little knowledge to remark on electrical matters such as short circuits.
Dec 24, 2017 13:45:37 #
Rab-Eye wrote:
Given that memory cards have a long but finite lifespan, I’m curious if anyone makes it a practice to regularly replace cards after a given length of time, or perhaps after a certain number of formats. I would think the latter would be very tedious to track, but I could see people doing it on an annual or semiannual basis. What is your practice?
Todays better quality memory cards ALL come with a lifetime guarantee, failure is not a worry of mine. Never had any of my cards fail in the 20 years I have been using them.
Dec 24, 2017 13:54:55 #
I have had one or two fail, usually off brands, which is why I stick to Sandisk, Lexar and Delkin (when I can find them). I've also learned that an ouce of prevention is worth pounds of cure, so for my D810, keep the CF card, which is 128 Gb as backup with the main card a 32 Gb SD. I religiously backup the SD to a Western Digital Passport Pro at the end of each day's shooting, and rotate the SD cards on a daily basis.
Back home, when everything is downloaded, I reformat all the SD and CF cards used over the shoot and/or trip.
Back home, when everything is downloaded, I reformat all the SD and CF cards used over the shoot and/or trip.
Dec 24, 2017 15:02:35 #
Dec 24, 2017 23:33:49 #
Ken Wheeler recommends "Do not format", Fill and then replace the card. 
Thoughts?
Thoughts?Dec 24, 2017 23:49:21 #
warrior wrote:
Ken Wheeler recommends "Do not format", Fill and then replace the card. Thoughts?
Thoughts?Sounds like something only someone making a living by selling memory cards would say.
Dec 25, 2017 00:34:51 #
warrior wrote:
Ken Wheeler recommends "Do not format", Fill and then replace the card. Thoughts?
Thoughts?Why? There is no upper limit for formatting memory chips.
Dec 25, 2017 05:47:22 #
Only had one fail in 15 years and that was due to static electricity, saw a spark as I pulled the card from my computer and that was it. I shoot over 3000 shots a year,no other problems.
Dec 25, 2017 05:58:39 #
Longshadow wrote:
Nope, I just keep using them until I can't.
They'll probably outlast the camera.
They'll probably outlast the camera.
Ditto!
Dec 25, 2017 06:00:49 #
warrior wrote:
Ken Wheeler recommends "Do not format", Fill and then replace the card. Thoughts?
Thoughts?Well, that is good for Ken, but I myself, after having downloaded my images to my computer, "Format" my SDHC card "IN CAMERA".
Now a days, how many people actually "FILL" their memory cards? 16gb, 32gb, 64gb, etc. So much memory!!
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