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Not sure if it matters, I prefer in camera. However, just deleting images and not formatting the card, might make more difference for fragmentation and TOC corruption... or maybe that's just an old cautionary tale and makes no difference?

 

Not taking chances, I just re-format in camera. :)

 

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I used to only format in camera but I had a camera problem last year and Fixation said that I needed to periodically format via computer. In my case, a pain because I have two CF cards which have MagicLantern on them and are used most of the time, so reformatting via the computer is extra work. Still mostly use the camera.

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I suspect the reason for advising formatting in-camera is that you've no chance of formatting the card the wrong way.

 

Cameras (well, my cameras) use FAT32 formatted cards but there are numerous different ways of formatting memory (HFS+, NTFS, ext3 or ext4 ± journalling etc etc). Your camera won't be able to read or write to any card that is not formatted as FAT32. You can choose which method of formatting to use on your computer but it's a possible weak spot.

 

I think that cameras also write the directory structure (Model > DCIM > Img_Folder) at the time of the format although this may also be written at first write to store an image.

 

FWIW, I leave images on my cards and cycle them once I've got a few backups on my desktop/2x HDD system. They're then formatted every time they're put in a camera. I use 4 bodies and 2 brands so I do this to minimise the risk of screwing things up.

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Only have formatted with the camera. I have always read that this best, but don't know for sure. I didn't know you can format a card on a computer, just figured you were simply deleting.

Yes, you can reformat on your computer. Right click the drive and you will see 'format' as a choice.

 

Jill

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Only have formatted with the camera. I have always read that this best, but don't know for sure. I didn't know you can format a card on a computer, just figured you were simply deleting.

Yes, you can reformat on your computer. Right click the drive and you will see 'format' as a choice.

 

Jill

 

 

AFAIK, the default format for Windows is NTFS and for OSX is HFS+ or MacOS Extended Journalled. And that I think is the problem as I outlined above.

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Reformatting resets the File Allocation Table. It doesn't overwrite all the data on the card (which means that it may be retrievable as long as no new data is added), but is a better move than simply deleting files.

 

Reformatting is best done with camera in which they are used. I wouldn't swap a card between different brands of camera or device for the same reason. I only format mine after the images are copied to the computer, opened in Lightroom and backed up to external HDD.

 

A camera card is the same as a USB stick. It may go through a washing machine physically intact but the data is rewriteable and therefore vulnerable. They can and do 'wear out' eventually. If I was a heavy user I would periodically 'retire' card as a preventative measure.

 

Some info here:

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2013/03/kingston-technology-to-the-rescue.html

Other sensible advice:

- Never delete a file in-camera—let the camera write new picture files sequentially until the card is filled up.
- Never write to the card on your computer—let the camera be the only device that writes to the card.

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I used to reformat on the computer. Then I read somewhere, a respectable source, to do it in camera. I have done it in camera ever since.

The only problem I ever had was reformatting a card in my x-T1, then putting it in my RX100. (Or visa versa, who knows, my nikon might have stuck its nose in) I could see the images I then took on camera, but trying to download them to my Mac, I could see nothing but a blank card.

I came on here with that problem, and somebody helped me rescue the images.

Now, if I use a card that's been in another camera, I reformat the card again in the camera I put it in.

Betty

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Default for Windows is actually FAT32, the idea that you should never use the computer is slightly at odds with the obvious that every new card has not been formatted in a camera and yet will work

 

Even Olympus give a workflow for formatting CF cards in a  computer.

 

http://www.olympus-ims.com/en/ispeed-format-cf-card/

 

As I mentioned, Fixation...who most in UK would know as one of the top camera repair companies,  say that occasionally it's needed to clear the card completely as it inters with the cameras reader. That was my problem which eventually needed a new unit.

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I only delete to make room for the next lot of pix, so never have formatted.

Should I be concerned?

 

Deleting single images during a shoot increases the risk of messing up the file system and reading of the rest of the photos. When I bought my first 5D I was told never to delete - only to format.

 

Some of the advice from here is still valid, I think. I don't know about the one telling that 32Gb cards are enormous, though  :)

http://tbexcon.com/us/2012/10/24/memory-card-best-practices-15-things-you-should-already-be-doing/

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I had problems with the 10D when it first came out because i was deleting files in camera or on computor without formatting. Never had another problem with any of Canon cameras and always wipe the files in camera using Format. I still delete odd files in camera and it has not resulted in any problems although the cards 16 or 32 GB are much bigger than the original half or 1gb cards.

 

Regen

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