Memory card: delete images or format card
Oct 18, 2020 08:27:19 #
Rab-Eye wrote:
If you believe Ken Wheeler, he says the deleting images can corrupt your card and you should always format. Is he correct? That I do not know.
Who is Ken Wheeler? An engineer for a memory card company?
Oct 18, 2020 08:49:56 #
John N wrote:
I just 'delete all except saved' after download. The only saved image is a photo of my name and phone numbers in case I should absentmindedly leave the camera somewhere and an honest Joe should pick it up.
My contact info for the card is in a PDF in the root directory.
Oct 18, 2020 08:53:37 #
I always format the card after transferring to LR. That way, I can start the next photo trip with a freshly formatted card.
Oct 18, 2020 09:03:53 #
IDguy
Loc: Idaho
Just to note: in both cases you are not deleting the images on the card. They stay till over written by new images. You are erasing the pointers to the image locations.
I always format.
I always format.
Oct 18, 2020 09:09:05 #
Oct 18, 2020 09:09:15 #
pminyard wrote:
I have been re-formatting my cards after downloads, but I'm wondering if I should be deleting images instead. Any thoughts?
My preference is to format the card. I don't think I have ever used the method of deleting. (since 2000 - my first digital camera).
Mark
Oct 18, 2020 09:12:11 #
IDguy wrote:
Just to note: in both cases you are not deleting the images on the card. They stay till over written by new images. You are erasing the pointers to the image locations.
...
...
Technically and logically are different, aren't they.
Oct 18, 2020 09:19:16 #
PHRubin wrote:
I don't take that many shots each outing, so I only worry about deleting when it gets full. I carry a spare card. When I get home I upload to my computer the new shots from both cards, then re-format the older one since deleting so many photos at one time is cumbersome. It then becomes my backup card.
I do the same Mr Rubin. Makes sense.
Oct 18, 2020 09:23:50 #
IDguy
Loc: Idaho
Longshadow wrote:
Technically and logically are different, aren't they.
Yes, there are differences: https://www.nikonimgsupport.com/na/NSG_article?articleNo=000025505&configured=1&lang=en_SG
Oct 18, 2020 09:30:48 #
PHRubin wrote:
... since deleting so many photos at one time is cumbersome. ...
In Explorer, I click (highlight) first, Shift-click last (selects all), select delete, pouf - not cumbersome.
Oct 18, 2020 09:32:27 #
John N wrote:
I just 'delete all except saved' after download. The only saved image is a photo of my name and phone numbers in case I should absentmindedly leave the camera somewhere and an honest Joe should pick it up.
Never thought of the name and contact info, good idea!
Oct 18, 2020 09:35:07 #
Photolady2014 wrote:
Never thought of the name and contact info, good idea!
But if you format the card, each time you'll have to put the contact info file back on the card.
Hopefully the finder will return the card and not keep it...
I haven't lost/misplaced a card yet though.
Oct 18, 2020 09:37:12 #
SteveLoker
Loc: Fort Worth, TX
yup, format in the camera even if you pulled your card and formatted it in your computer. Always format IN camera.
Oct 18, 2020 09:57:58 #
mizzee wrote:
I always format. I think of it as spring cleaning for my memory card.
Haha - Polar opposites, I never format, other than the initial in-camera use.
I delete in computer, plop that puppy back in the camera.
(As I hear so may gasping!
)Some cards (Memory Sticks) are over 14 years old.
Oct 18, 2020 10:20:27 #
pminyard wrote:
I have been re-formatting my cards after downloads, but I'm wondering if I should be deleting images instead. Any thoughts?
It's my understanding that formatting erases all information on the card, so you have a clean, blank card. Deleting does not remove all data on the card. Deleting removes the bit of information that indicates there is a photo on the card. That is why some photo recovery programs are able to "recover" photos because the have been only deleted. If the card has been formatted, recovery will not work.
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