SD Card Deterioration Question
Apr 28, 2019 07:00:28 #
A professional photographer recently told me that I should never delete images on an SD card in my camera as this can damage the card. He said that I should always download the images and only reformat the card in my camera. Is this fact or fiction? I often delete images in my camera while I am travelling to reduce editing when I get home.
Apr 28, 2019 07:09:26 #
aphelps
Loc: Central Ohio
TonyBrown wrote:
A professional photographer recently told me that I should never delete images on an SD card in my camera as this can damage the card. He said that I should always download the images and only reformat the card in my camera. Is this fact or fiction? I often delete images in my camera while I am travelling to reduce editing when I get home.
I have heard that as well but have never had a problem with card degredation myself. I often delete images in-camera.
Apr 28, 2019 07:23:58 #
Apr 28, 2019 07:37:10 #
Complete fiction regarding physical impact to the SD card.
As a best practice, it's a good guideline relative to avoiding a corruption of the file system (aka software) that resides on the SD card. However, this best practice was developed in the long ago past when both digital cameras and SD cards were less mature. You'll be challenged to get an anecdote, even from the conspiracy theorist on UHH, that support this continued best practice with any recent evidence.
As a best practice, it's a good guideline relative to avoiding a corruption of the file system (aka software) that resides on the SD card. However, this best practice was developed in the long ago past when both digital cameras and SD cards were less mature. You'll be challenged to get an anecdote, even from the conspiracy theorist on UHH, that support this continued best practice with any recent evidence.
Apr 28, 2019 07:50:13 #
TonyBrown wrote:
A professional photographer recently told me that I should never delete images on an SD card in my camera as this can damage the card. He said that I should always download the images and only reformat the card in my camera. Is this fact or fiction? I often delete images in my camera while I am travelling to reduce editing when I get home.
Sorry but color me skeptical of Mr. Pro. The removal of picture from a card is just flipping a few bits in the card directory to show the space is available. The chances of this causing damage should be none, other than wearing out over time. If a camera was to have issues you would more likely experience problems writing(like 5-15 FPS) than erasing a single picture. This technology has been around for 30+ years and not much has changed other than card density.
Some people say format all the time, others never do.
I would recommend that the cards be formatted in the camera that uses the card. Not your computer or similar camera.
Apr 28, 2019 07:54:18 #
TonyBrown wrote:
A professional photographer recently told me that I should never delete images on an SD card in my camera as this can damage the card. He said that I should always download the images and only reformat the card in my camera. Is this fact or fiction? I often delete images in my camera while I am travelling to reduce editing when I get home.
Fiction.
Apr 28, 2019 08:09:06 #
Some years ago I would use one SD card in different camera, cell phone without formatting or changing any settings. If I do this with the day cameras there will be certain conflicts.
Today I format in the camera and I avoid to delete in camera.
Today I format in the camera and I avoid to delete in camera.
Apr 28, 2019 08:12:03 #
TonyBrown wrote:
A professional photographer recently told me that I should never delete images on an SD card in my camera as this can damage the card. He said that I should always download the images and only reformat the card in my camera. Is this fact or fiction? I often delete images in my camera while I am travelling to reduce editing when I get home.
False but I don’t delete in camera. Just a habit
Apr 28, 2019 08:12:37 #
larryepage
Loc: North Texas area
There is no difference in deleting an image from a memory card and reformatting that card. In either case, new data gets written to the memory which, interestingly enough, is exactly what the card was designed for.
Problems with memory cards come as the result of improper use, like turning the camera off while it is writing to the card or removing the card while the camera is powered on. Years ago, the technology was not as mature, and there was legitimate concern around "wearing out" the memory chip. That will still eventually happen, but it will take so long that it is no longer worth thinking about, much less worrying about.
Just use the card and don't turn the camera off while the memory activity light is on. And don't remove the card while the camera is turned on.
Problems with memory cards come as the result of improper use, like turning the camera off while it is writing to the card or removing the card while the camera is powered on. Years ago, the technology was not as mature, and there was legitimate concern around "wearing out" the memory chip. That will still eventually happen, but it will take so long that it is no longer worth thinking about, much less worrying about.
Just use the card and don't turn the camera off while the memory activity light is on. And don't remove the card while the camera is turned on.
Apr 28, 2019 08:19:25 #
Totally "Bull-Truffles".
The deletion of images from ANY memory card will never be a cause faliure.
However - Never reformat the card on your computer. I have six cameras (4 Canon - 1 Panasonic - 1 Sony) NEVER HAVE I HAD ANY PROBLEMS with the deletion of images in ANY Card. I have designated cards for each camera, and I format each one In That Camera for That Card. I do not "cross-use" the cards.
The only problem that I have experienced was through my own negligence of NOT letting the buffer finish "dumping" to the card. I had switched off the camera after taking a long exposure and or with very fast shutter speeds, where the image "hold-area" was uploading to the card. I got a message on the LCD that said - "format card".... I knew better than to do that - so I switched cards, and went on with my shooting.
So -- Never, Ever, "Power Down" the camera while the images are dumping to said card. I did recover the images by the use of a "Recover Program". Reformatted the card and have been using it ever since. That happened about 6 years ago.
-0-
The deletion of images from ANY memory card will never be a cause faliure.
However - Never reformat the card on your computer. I have six cameras (4 Canon - 1 Panasonic - 1 Sony) NEVER HAVE I HAD ANY PROBLEMS with the deletion of images in ANY Card. I have designated cards for each camera, and I format each one In That Camera for That Card. I do not "cross-use" the cards.
The only problem that I have experienced was through my own negligence of NOT letting the buffer finish "dumping" to the card. I had switched off the camera after taking a long exposure and or with very fast shutter speeds, where the image "hold-area" was uploading to the card. I got a message on the LCD that said - "format card".... I knew better than to do that - so I switched cards, and went on with my shooting.
So -- Never, Ever, "Power Down" the camera while the images are dumping to said card. I did recover the images by the use of a "Recover Program". Reformatted the card and have been using it ever since. That happened about 6 years ago.
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Apr 28, 2019 08:59:26 #
I love these self proclaimed experts.....
While any file I/O uses up a minuscule bit of the card's life, it's inconsequential.
I've been using SD cards for ten years. I delete the images (WITH THE COMPUTER) after the images have been copied and backed up. I do NOT format when returning an "empty" card to the camera. I format (in camera) only when I use a brand new card. I will delete the really bad shots IN THE CAMERA.
Ten years....... NO PROBLEMS.
Life is simple.
(I hope the guy's photography is better than his engineering abilities.)
While any file I/O uses up a minuscule bit of the card's life, it's inconsequential.
I've been using SD cards for ten years. I delete the images (WITH THE COMPUTER) after the images have been copied and backed up. I do NOT format when returning an "empty" card to the camera. I format (in camera) only when I use a brand new card. I will delete the really bad shots IN THE CAMERA.
Ten years....... NO PROBLEMS.
Life is simple.
(I hope the guy's photography is better than his engineering abilities.)
Apr 28, 2019 09:07:39 #
aphelps wrote:
I have heard that as well but have never had a problem with card degredation myself. I often delete images in-camera.
If that was true, why would manufacturers put a delete button on their cameras?
I don’t do it often; but I have deleted obvious bad pics in camera without affecting my card. Just sayin’
Apr 28, 2019 09:14:40 #
larryepage wrote:
There is no difference in deleting an image from a memory card and reformatting that card. In either case, new data gets written to the memory which, interestingly enough, is exactly what the card was designed for.
Sorry but there is a big difference between erasing a file and reformatting. Ever try to recover photos that were erased vs reformatted. Erasing a file simply flips some bits in the directory to show the space used is now available. It may or may not reuse that slot. That can give you a fragmented card but that is not a problem, merely some unused space but the directory stays basically there. Reformat erases the entire directory removing all pointers to the old data, aka looks clean.
Apr 28, 2019 09:16:46 #
GrandmaG wrote:
If that was true, why would manufacturers put a delete button on their cameras?
I don’t do it often; but I have deleted obvious bad pics in camera without affecting my card. Just sayin’
I don’t do it often; but I have deleted obvious bad pics in camera without affecting my card. Just sayin’
Apr 28, 2019 09:23:08 #
pithydoug wrote:
Sorry but there is a big difference between erasing a file and reformatting. Ever try to recover photos that were erased vs reformatted. Erasing a file simply flips some bits in the directory to show the space used is now available. It may or may not reuse that slot. That can give you a fragmented card but that is not a problem, merely some unused space but the directory stays basically there. Reformat erases the entire directory removing all pointers to the old data, aka looks clean.
That "slot" will at some point get used. The computer/camera does not save it for last either.
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