Bad to leave photos on memory card for long time?

6 years 6 months ago #539984 by Luca
I have a 64GB memory card, and have noticed that I've had a collection of photos growing on it for the last month and half.  Is this OK to continue, or will it possibly mess up things?


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6 years 6 months ago #539991 by effron
Not bad, but you're risking the photos until they are backed up. I accidentally formatted a card with some unsaved shots a few years ago and soon got in the habit of downloading to computer the first chance I got.....

Why so serious?
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6 years 6 months ago #540048 by Amy Porter
I always unload all my photos, I don't want to misplace card or something else happen. 


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6 years 6 months ago #540055 by garyrhook
At the risk of addressing your question....

No, there's no risk of the data. The card is memory, and it's going to hold zeroes or ones no matter what. You might "erase" the card but that doesn't mean any of the data gets overwritten. They're just electrons.

The ability of the card to hold data without error applies to empty space on the card as much as it does to the image files. So the above advice of backing up the files (i.e. making a copy somewhere else) is just good practice. Not because "it could possibly mess up things" but because the card in general could go bad. But no, the files just sitting there are not going to create a problem.


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6 years 6 months ago #540069 by Kenya See
So I understand why you could have been asking the question.   Is it easier for the camera to store photos on an empty formatted card?  Less room for error?  Possible.  If you have all the photos on the card and keep adding to it, that means you can't be formatting the card after each use.  Not sure what effect that may have over time.  Good question.  


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6 years 6 months ago #540120 by Moe
I use /treat my memory cards as temp storage, and computer hard drive as more permanent..


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6 years 6 months ago #540139 by effron
Another thought, to the op, are you deleting shots from the card in camera? I ask because its not recommended. When you do there are gaps in the file stack and from what I've read that can cause problems. I do all my culling on the computer....

Why so serious?
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6 years 6 months ago #540190 by Baydream
I upload to my laptop and do not format the cars until I back them up to an external drive. That way I know I always have two copies. I carry two cameras with 32GB cards and have two 32GB cards in my bag. 

Shoot, learn and share. It will make you a better photographer.
fineartamerica.com/profiles/john-g-schickler.html?tab=artwork

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6 years 6 months ago #540197 by Kenta
I wouldn't, mainly because I would be scare of them getting corrupt or me losing the card.  


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6 years 6 months ago #540250 by Bill Murphy
I always remove all photos after each use, then format card. 


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6 years 6 months ago #540442 by Joves
I pretty much agree on what has been said on them being pretty much safe, except when human error intervenes. I upload to the computer, and then back up on a removable drive that is stored in a fireproof safe rated for electronics. Now I have been thinking though that as cheap as CF cards are now with high capacity, that I may just do back ups on CF cards to toss in the safe. I see flash media of the cards as more forever than hard drives. 


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6 years 6 months ago #540462 by effron
Yeah, I've been testing thumb drives. They're getting big and quite inexpensive. I've used them for a third backup on processed photos and seem to be working well....

Why so serious?
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6 years 6 months ago #540475 by Chris Briggs
+1
+1
AND
+1

Remove all photos and put on your computer.  Save an accident from having.  


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