Formatting SD card

LaughingDove

LaughingDove

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
I don't think this question has been asked before so here goes....

I have heard that it is better to format an SD card rather than delete all the photos on it.

Could someone say if this is the case and why it makes a difference?

This is for an SD card that I am only using in a digital camera.

Thanks in advance

:)
 
LaughingDove said:
I have heard that it is better to format an SD card rather than delete all the photos on it.

Could someone say if this is the case and why it makes a difference
Click to expand...

For me anyway, I format my SD cards after any time I transfer them from Laptop/Camera or move one SD card from one camera to another - just because it can remove any possible file corruption, which could result in loosing 000's of pictures.

Quote from the Nikon website:
Formatting the card in-camera not only deletes the pictures, it creates a new directory on the card. This can help to avoid problems that might prevent the card from being read by your computer. Some people format after each download, once the photos are safely transferred to the computer. Others choose to do it once a month. The important thing is to do it regularly.
Click to expand...

Basically formatting regularly 'should' prevent anything from going wrong with SD cards, whereas just deleting individual photos doesn't remove this risk
 
That is interesting, thank you :). I never used to format SD cards but just deleted the photos, I think I will format my cards from now on.
 
Also, do I need to download a special program to do the formatting or can I use the one built into my computer? It is windows 7 by the way. I noticed that there are a number of programs on line but do I need them since there is the option to format when I right click the card in my computer?
Thanks :)
 
LaughingDove said:
Also, do I need to download a special program to do the formatting or can I use the one built into my computer? It is windows 7 by the way. I noticed that there are a number of programs on line but do I need them since there is the option to format when I right click the card in my computer?
Thanks :)
Click to expand...

As far as I'm aware there's no difference in how you format it - whether it be normally on a computer, using software or even on your camera (if it has the function).
 
My rule is to format my card on my PC after I have downloaded the images to my computer and made a backup copy on a separate hard drive.
Occasionally I forget and then I have to format the card when I put it back into the camera, but that uses the camera batteries and I try to preserve them as much as possible.

Alan
 
It is best to format the card in the camera (NOT in the computer).

Simply deleting files (instead of formatting) actually does not delete them. It just tells the camera that it is ok to overwrite the existing files with new ones.

Reformatting the card does delete everything and resets the directories. It usually prevents the card from becoming corrupted and unreadable.

I use CF cards in my SLR camera and SD cards in my point and shoot camera and I reformat them almost every time I do a new shoot.

I work at a photo lab and have seen several customers come in with cameras that stopped working due to "card error" simply because they have never formatted their card.
 
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