Formatting: Not how, but why: A good article I recd. in email from Delkin on formatting memory card. I always format my memory cards after downloading photos. I have never had a...

Soul Dr. Loc: Beautiful Shenandoah Valley

A good article I recd. in email from Delkin on formatting memory card.
I always format my memory cards after downloading photos. I have never had a problem with any of them.

https://www.delkindevices.com/learning_lab/formatting-explained/

will

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

Good read however, I don't necessarily agree with their logic. I've been using the same 32gig SD cards in my Alpha 850 & now A7RIII since 2015 & have not formatted them except when I switched to the A7RIII. I move all the files off to my computer when I'm done shooting & switch the card in slot 2 to slot 1. I've never had a corrupted file & never had a problem reading the cards.

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

I think those that see me write on this topic already know my stance, but I will add something a little shocking. If you do not understand file systems and don't work with them on a daily basis in some sort of IT related work or as a hobbyist in your personal time...it is a great idea to format in camera.

But as mentioned above, the logic doesn't quite fit with devices that are used by operating systems. Back when FAT32 was the file system for Windows, were you required to reformat a hard drive on a regular basis and wipe out the file structure for the OS and all data? Camera manufacturers did not redesign a standard file structure for the sole purpose of making some sort of proprietary form of FAT32 or exFAT.

Again...if that is your method...please continue to do so...nothing wrong with it. But I format once, unless there is an issue and it's part of troubleshooting.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

nicksr1125 wrote:

Good read however, I don't necessarily agree with their logic. I've been using the same 32gig SD cards in my Alpha 850 & now A7RIII since 2015 & have not formatted them except when I switched to the A7RIII. I move all the files off to my computer when I'm done shooting & switch the card in slot 2 to slot 1. I've never had a corrupted file & never had a problem reading the cards.

Then you have been lucky.

Delkin is a manufacturer of memory and I have a sneaking suspicion that they just might know what they are talking about. One of the things they said not formatting can cause is the card slows down. Are you sure you are getting all the read/write speed your cards are rated for?

Also note they use the word "can", meaning it doesn't always happen but it CAN. Which shoot or set of images do you want to be the one that it DOES happen to? Especially if it is not just slowing down but files being corrupted.

Or do you expect to keep being lucky forever?

I do an in camera format every time I import my images into Light Room. I don't do the full format often but I should. Maybe I need a little sign to remind me to do a full format every time the seasons change, or even once a month, like the first - same day I change the AC and furnace filters and all the other filters in the house, fish tank etc.

The drives in a computer/server are large enough they have redundant space. If a block/section goes bad it can just be ignored.

Soul Dr. Loc: Beautiful Shenandoah Valley

robertjerl wrote:

Then you have been lucky. br br Delkin is a manuf... (show quote)

I have always believed in the old adage, "that it is better to be safe than sorry."
It only takes a few seconds to do an in camera format of a memory card.
Those few seconds can save some agonizing hours trying to retrieve photos from a corrupted card.

will

fjdarling Loc: Mesa, Arizona, USA

When I first started using digital cameras, I had a few instances wherein the camera couldn't record to the memory card. Then I started formatting the cards in camera right after uploading the images. Since then I haven't had a single similar incident.

AirWalter Loc: Tipp City, Ohio

Soul Dr. wrote:

A good article I recd. in email from Delkin on formatting memory card.
I always format my memory cards after downloading photos. I have never had a problem with any of them.

https://www.delkindevices.com/learning_lab/formatting-explained/

will

I don't understand why people keep complaining about formatting their memory cards. It doesn't take that long and it doesn't hurt them. Why do you think camera manufacturers recommend formatting your cards in the camera that you will be using? What, do people think it is some kind of conspiracy?

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I always format the memory card before a shooting.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

robertjerl wrote:

...
...
Or do you expect to keep being lucky forever?
...
...

I've been "lucky" for 14 years so far.
(and I delete images on the cards via Windows Explorer and put the card back in the camera.)

traderjohn Loc: New York City

Some people would argue about the ducks going barefoot.

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

traderjohn wrote:

Some people would argue about the ducks going barefoot.

!!

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

AirWalter wrote:

I don't understand why people keep complaining about formatting their memory cards. It doesn't take that long and it doesn't hurt them. Why do you think camera manufacturers recommend formatting your cards in the camera that you will be using? What, do people think it is some kind of conspiracy?

There are no complaints. They manufacturers provide this recommendation for users that are not familiar with file formats. This hopefully reduces the number of customer service calls because "rando user A" accidentally reformatted a card to NTFS on their Windows PC and now the card doesn't work.

And it's perfectly fine to format or not format, it's a personal preference.

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

Longshadow wrote:

I've been "lucky" for 14 years so far.
(and I delete images on the cards via Windows Explorer and put the card back in the camera.)

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

johngault007 wrote:

There are no complaints. They do that for users that are not familiar with file formats. And it's perfectly fine to format or not format, it's a personal preference.

edrobinsonjr Loc: Boise, Idaho

I have never formatted my card after the initial camera setup. Don't understand the need.

Seems that if cameras and computers formatted differently the computer wouldn't be able to read the card in a card reader. The card is treated like just another hdd by the computer.

Using the logic presented, one should reformat their computer hard drive every time they turn on the computer. LOL

Ed