cyclespeed Loc: Calgary, Alberta Canada

When you wish to delete images from an SD card do you do it with the camera it has been formatted for or on the computer selecting images and then moving them to the trash?
Thanks for your reply.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Using the camera to mass-delete or format the card in-camera is the best practice. Individually deleting images is not preferred. It wastes your battery power, and in older cameras, let's say pre-2014, you can corrupt the card. Just mass-copy your images from card to computer and cull from the copies on the computer. Only after confirming the copy of images onto computer and making a back-up, only then format or mass-delete the images from the card in the camera.

Ideally, you have multiple cards. So, if Card-A was just used, Card-B is the next card used in the camera. Card-A isn't formatted / mass-delete until you need Card-A as a primary shooting card.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I put the card in the card reader;
Upload the pictures on the card to the computer;
Backup a copy to an external drive;
Wait for Carbonite to back them up;
Delete via the computer (select & hit the delete key);
Stuff that card back in the camera;
No additional card formatting.

Been doing this for over 20 years.
Never a problem.

If I take a shot (or more) and decide I don't want them, I delete them in the camera.

BUT, everyone should do what they feel comfortable doing.......

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I always "copy" images from my memory cards to my computer. I don't "move" them or delete any initially, pnly after I've viewed them on the larger computer screen.

Later when I am sure the images are safe and secure on the computer I format the card in the camera, which effectively "erases" the images. Quick and easy.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

CliffMcKenzie Loc: Lake Athens Texas

First, card goes to card reader (camera not hooked directly to computer), then you ingest\upload\import\copy (all mean copy, not move) to the computer. All of my images go to a newly named subdirectory under Image Upload. Second, using Lightroom (LRC), I import from Image Upload subdirectory into LRC. There are at this point two copies of the images on the computer. Return the card to the camera and format in camera only.

LRC (images and catalog) are backup frequently. At my leisure, I delete the Image upload subdirectory as multiple copies now exist.

anotherview Loc: California

Best practice: "Only after confirming the copy of images onto computer and making a back-up, only then format or mass-delete the images from the card in the camera."

Wasabi

Cliff are you sure LRC "copies" the image from the Image Upload directory? A lot of things I read seem to say LRC makes a 'preview', not a full quality copy. That is why it needs the location of the original file to fully function.

If my 'understanding' is correct, when you delete the Image Upload subdirectory on the computer you no longer have the image anywhere.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

What he says….👍

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I never delete individual images using the camera. There is too great a chance I'll delete something by mistake. If the card is getting near the limit, I would realize that I should have brought more cards. Would I delete one image so I could take another and then repeat the process? Deleting in-camera seems like a feature that isn't necessary.

On the other hand, after I've put all the images onto the computer, I'll probably delete them from the card while it's in the card reader. I seldom reformat a card in the camera.

If you use a cable to transfer images to your computer, then formatting the card after doing that makes sense. I would just format, though, not delete and then format.

CliffMcKenzie Loc: Lake Athens Texas

Original Statement, "First, card goes to card reader (camera not hooked directly to computer), then you ingest\upload\import\copy (all mean copy, not move) to the computer. All of my images go to a newly named subdirectory under Image Upload. Second, using Lightroom (LRC), ..."

Wasabi, I did not state what software that I use to upload from card to computer and hence the use of "ingest\upload\import\copy (all mean copy, not move)". Personally, I use Photo Mechanic for the upload and it uses the word "ingest" (horrible word). The second stage is LRC.

You are correct when you warn of "importing" and wholesale destroying "at leisure" an original upload if it was done via LRC.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Best practice is as has been described here. If individual images are to be deleted, that should be done in-camera to insure that the directory gets updated properly and leaves the card in a state that is usable by the camera.

Note that these procedures were developed or discovered a long time age. Camera operating systems were less intelligent then, and processor capability was more limited. Old restrictions may no longer be required. Also...memory cards are much more reliable and less apt to fail than they were 15 years ago.

I am in full knowledge of these "best practices," and still follow them faithfully when shooting my D200vor D300. But after careful experimentation, I've found that I can be more flexible in handling the files from my newer cameras, which tend to be both larger and more numerous. Typical practice for me now is using the Windows <Move> command to copy the files to where they need to go and delete them from the memory card. I still do not partially empty a memory card. I usually reformat the card in the camera each time, but also every once in a while do a low-level format and run diagnostics on the computer, just to see how it is doing, followed by an in-camera format.

Please note...I am not advocating that you do things this way...just describing what I do.

CliffMcKenzie Loc: Lake Athens Texas

Larry, assuming your statement is not a typo, "best practice" is never, ever to delete images in-camera. Use the chip only as a conduit to the computer and format always, only in camera. That is best practice.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

According to whom, Hoyle?

I've been deleting images in the camera and never "re-formatting" in camera for over 25 years.
Not a single problem.

But one has to do what they feel comfortable in doing.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

In the old days, deleting individual files in the computer and, then reinserting the "partially populated" card into the camera to continue shooting was one of the recipes for creating a corrupted card. That doesn't seem to be the case with the more modern cameras.

Early cameras did not follow established rules and standards for catalog structures and were easily "confused." That seems to be less of a problem today.