Do photographers always format their memory card after each time they download their photos?

12 years 7 months ago #133076 by PhotographyTalk
So Saturday on the PhotographyTalk Facebook fan page we asked the question " Do photographers always format their memory card after each time they download their photos?"

I have to say the results were pretty surprising. We had 476 photographers vote on this and 256 photographers said they DON'T format their cards after each download. Leaving 220 photographers saying they do format their memory card after each download.


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12 years 7 months ago #133080 by Fischer
Well I am one of those who do not format. Matter of fact, I haven't format yet since I had this camera. Is that a bad thing?


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12 years 7 months ago #133086 by Henry Peach
Formatting the memory card reorganizes it and identifies and isolates bad areas. It doesn't have to be done every time, but periodic formatting is just good maintenance. It may increase the write speed, and it helps avoid corrupted files.
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12 years 7 months ago #133088 by Jeannie
I do not format my cards until the next time I use them. This also acts as another back up. I have a stack of cards, and I rotate them. When I put a card in for a shoot, I format it then, before I leave for the shoot.


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12 years 7 months ago #133108 by Fischer

Henry Peach wrote: Formatting the memory card reorganizes it and identifies and isolates bad areas. It doesn't have to be done every time, but periodic formatting is just good maintenance. It may increase the write speed, and it helps avoid corrupted files.


I suppose I should make it a habit to format my card at a least once a month.


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12 years 7 months ago #133110 by robbie
I format in camera when I load the card,ready to shoot.


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12 years 7 months ago #133111 by MLKstudios
I format before every shoot. Habit.

Matthew L Kees
MLK Studios Photography School
www.MLKstudios.com
[email protected]
"Every artist, was once an amateur"

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12 years 7 months ago - 12 years 7 months ago #133113 by Dennis Warren
I always format my memory cards immediately after loading the images to my computer. The next thing I do is reset my ISO, and any other special settings I have changed back to standard daytime parameters. This is primarily due to the fact that I do a lot of night and low light, or special purpose shots, i.e.sunrise, sunset, moon...lightning. I've been caught to many times needing to get a few guick shots and have settings that were not conducive to the moment.


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12 years 7 months ago #133150 by Sawyer
I always format mine after each download

Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM | Canon 35L | Sigma 85 1.4 | Helios 44M-6 58mm(M42) | Zeiss 50mm 1.4 (C/Y) | Canon 135L | (2) 430EX II
Photo Comments
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12 years 7 months ago #133151 by vwells
Hi I'm new to this. How do you format the CF card?
I've taken many soccer pics of my daughter and her team and have not formated my card since I got my camera in May.

Thanks
Vanessa


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12 years 7 months ago - 12 years 7 months ago #133157 by MLKstudios
Formatting is akin to wiping clean a chalkboard. It gives the card a new index which allows it to write anywhere.

When you delete images one at a time, you leave holes, or pockets, to get filled up again. That leads to fragmented (spilt up) files.

FORMAT will be an option in your camera's menu, and some have buttons you can hold down to bypass having to go to the menu. Depends on the model of camera you have.

HTH

Note: be sure to have everything you want saved to your computer BEFORE formatting.

Matthew L Kees
MLK Studios Photography School
www.MLKstudios.com
[email protected]
"Every artist, was once an amateur"

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12 years 7 months ago #133158 by Dori
Check your manual or browse through your camera menus.

I always format.

Don't pi$$ me off, I am running out of room to store the bodies...

Resident Texasotan...

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12 years 7 months ago #133261 by Foggy
Always


Photo Comments
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12 years 7 months ago #133265 by Justin White Photography
I format as often as once a month but in between there once they are on my computer I delete all photos.


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12 years 7 months ago - 12 years 7 months ago #133266 by cod

Henry Peach wrote: Formatting the memory card reorganizes it and identifies and isolates bad areas. It doesn't have to be done every time, but periodic formatting is just good maintenance. It may increase the write speed, and it helps avoid corrupted files.


:thumbsup:

In my early days of digital I didn't reformat cards. It was only after a couple of episodes involving corrupted files and lost images that I took the advice to heart. Now I format in-camera once I've copied images from the card. I haven't had a problem since.

Chris O'Donoghue
Winnipeg, Canada
codonoghue.prosite.com

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