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A digital camera CF memory card, Nikon D70s.
What is correct, after transferring the pictures
to a CD-R.
1)do you just delete the pictures on the card.
2)Or do you delete them, then format the card.
3)Or just format the card which will automatically
delete the pictures and format the card.

I have used #3 up to now, but recently was told
if you format the card often to delete pictures
you will damage the card.
I was told don't format just delete the pictures.

Is there a right way to do this?

Thanks in advance.
Denny B

I just delete the files and leave any folders the camera created. I also
don't share cards between devices. Each SD device or CF device has its own
set of cards that away I don't mess up the file numbering. Just my way of
doing. I am sure formatting is fine.

R


"Denny B" <> wrote in message
news:6Ahwg.158920$771.99539@edtnps89...
>A digital camera CF memory card, Nikon D70s.
> What is correct, after transferring the pictures
> to a CD-R.
> 1)do you just delete the pictures on the card.
> 2)Or do you delete them, then format the card.
> 3)Or just format the card which will automatically
> delete the pictures and format the card.
>
> I have used #3 up to now, but recently was told
> if you format the card often to delete pictures
> you will damage the card.
> I was told don't format just delete the pictures.
>
> Is there a right way to do this?
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Denny B

Doesn't really matter when formatting card using the camera formatting
utility!!! - I just do a move from card to hard drive. That way there is no
need to delete!
--
There are no words that can be heard unless someone listens....
"Denny B" <> wrote in message
news:6Ahwg.158920$771.99539@edtnps89...
> A digital camera CF memory card, Nikon D70s.
> What is correct, after transferring the pictures
> to a CD-R.
> 1)do you just delete the pictures on the card.
> 2)Or do you delete them, then format the card.
> 3)Or just format the card which will automatically
> delete the pictures and format the card.
>
> I have used #3 up to now, but recently was told
> if you format the card often to delete pictures
> you will damage the card.
> I was told don't format just delete the pictures.
>
> Is there a right way to do this?
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Denny

Denny B wrote:
> A digital camera CF memory card, Nikon D70s.
> What is correct, after transferring the pictures
> to a CD-R.
> 1)do you just delete the pictures on the card.
> 2)Or do you delete them, then format the card.
> 3)Or just format the card which will automatically
> delete the pictures and format the card.
>
> I have used #3 up to now, but recently was told
> if you format the card often to delete pictures
> you will damage the card.
> I was told don't format just delete the pictures.
>
> Is there a right way to do this?
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Denny B

I do No.3
I suspect that the story of damaging the card by formatting in the
camera is an urban myth. I don't see how that is possible.
I've probably formatted my SD card 40-50 times with no problem.
Bob Williams

Bob Williams <> wrote:


: Denny B wrote:
: > A digital camera CF memory card, Nikon D70s.
: > What is correct, after transferring the pictures
: > to a CD-R.
: > 1)do you just delete the pictures on the card.
: > 2)Or do you delete them, then format the card.
: > 3)Or just format the card which will automatically
: > delete the pictures and format the card.
: >
: > I have used #3 up to now, but recently was told
: > if you format the card often to delete pictures
: > you will damage the card.
: > I was told don't format just delete the pictures.
: >
: > Is there a right way to do this?
: >
: > Thanks in advance.
: > Denny B

: I do No.3
: I suspect that the story of damaging the card by formatting in the
: camera is an urban myth. I don't see how that is possible.
: I've probably formatted my SD card 40-50 times with no problem.
: Bob Williams

There is a finite number of times that a particular memory location can be
written to before it electronically wears out. But in most memory devices
I have seen stats on, this number is somewhere around 100,000 times or
more. Erasing an image removes the index from the file allocation table
(FAT) but does not overwrite the actual memory locations. A Format does.
So yes, formating instead of erasing will wear out the card faster, but
unless you are a very prolific photographer the difference between 50,000
and 100,000 uses is probably not a big problem.

Having said that, my experience has shown that my camera and equipment
seems to not have a problem with a card that just has had the images
erased, instead of a full format. So that is what I do. If I begin having
problems with capacity not coming back to full, THEN I do a format. But
that is me, and my equipment. Either way is ok.

Randy

==========
Randy Berbaum
Champaign, IL

Denny B wrote:
> A digital camera CF memory card, Nikon D70s.
> What is correct, after transferring the pictures
> to a CD-R.
> 1)do you just delete the pictures on the card.
> 2)Or do you delete them, then format the card.
> 3)Or just format the card which will automatically
> delete the pictures and format the card.
>
> I have used #3 up to now, but recently was told
> if you format the card often to delete pictures
> you will damage the card.
> I was told don't format just delete the pictures.
>
> Is there a right way to do this?
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Denny B

Unless you use your flash cards for multiple purposes, such as storing
data for other than your camera's pictures (I sometimes do), then
formatting is the preferred method for getting rid of all old pictures.
In practice, I often download several sessions of pictures before
clearing them from the card on my computer. I have never had a problem
with this, but don't recommend it for all users as some do report
problems with this procedure.
Formatting in the camera is the most efficient method recommended for
general use.

Randy Berbaum wrote:
> Bob Williams <> wrote:
>
>
> : Denny B wrote:
> : > A digital camera CF memory card, Nikon D70s.
> : > What is correct, after transferring the pictures
> : > to a CD-R.
> : > 1)do you just delete the pictures on the card.
> : > 2)Or do you delete them, then format the card.
> : > 3)Or just format the card which will automatically
> : > delete the pictures and format the card.
> : >
> : > I have used #3 up to now, but recently was told
> : > if you format the card often to delete pictures
> : > you will damage the card.
> : > I was told don't format just delete the pictures.
> : >
> : > Is there a right way to do this?
> : >
> : > Thanks in advance.
> : > Denny B
>
> : I do No.3
> : I suspect that the story of damaging the card by formatting in the
> : camera is an urban myth. I don't see how that is possible.
> : I've probably formatted my SD card 40-50 times with no problem.
> : Bob Williams
>
> There is a finite number of times that a particular memory location can be
> written to before it electronically wears out. But in most memory devices
> I have seen stats on, this number is somewhere around 100,000 times or
> more. Erasing an image removes the index from the file allocation table
> (FAT) but does not overwrite the actual memory locations. A Format does.
> So yes, formating instead of erasing will wear out the card faster, but
> unless you are a very prolific photographer the difference between 50,000
> and 100,000 uses is probably not a big problem.
>
> Having said that, my experience has shown that my camera and equipment
> seems to not have a problem with a card that just has had the images
> erased, instead of a full format. So that is what I do. If I begin having
> problems with capacity not coming back to full, THEN I do a format. But
> that is me, and my equipment. Either way is ok.
>
> Randy
>
> ==========
> Randy Berbaum
> Champaign, IL
>

Sorry, but a format does NOT overwrite the data on the card, only the
FAT and any directory structure. Data remains on the card as you can
verify with any of the recovery programs available.

In article <e9smsd$i16$>, Randy Berbaum
<> writes
>There is a finite number of times that a particular memory location can
>be written to before it electronically wears out. But in most memory
>devices I have seen stats on, this number is somewhere around 100,000
>times or more. Erasing an image removes the index from the file
>allocation table (FAT) but does not overwrite the actual memory
>locations. A Format does.

A normal format does not. I have recovered data from a card that had
been formatted after repair damage cause be a battery failure during a
write. Incidentally, if you want to ensure data is never recovered from
a card you should incinerate it, overwriting is not adequate.
--
Ian G8ILZ

"Ron Hunter" <> wrote in message
news: ...
> Denny B wrote:
>> A digital camera CF memory card, Nikon D70s.
>> What is correct, after transferring the pictures
>> to a CD-R.
>> 1)do you just delete the pictures on the card.
>> 2)Or do you delete them, then format the card.
>> 3)Or just format the card which will automatically
>> delete the pictures and format the card.
>>
>> I have used #3 up to now, but recently was told
>> if you format the card often to delete pictures
>> you will damage the card.
>> I was told don't format just delete the pictures.
>>
>> Is there a right way to do this?
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>> Denny B
>
> Unless you use your flash cards for multiple purposes, such as storing
> data for other than your camera's pictures (I sometimes do), then
> formatting is the preferred method for getting rid of all old pictures.
> In practice, I often download several sessions of pictures before clearing
> them from the card on my computer. I have never had a problem with this,
> but don't recommend it for all users as some do report problems with this
> procedure.
> Formatting in the camera is the most efficient method recommended for
> general use.

I agree! Deleting photos only removes that file and not the folder that it
is stored in. If you constantly delete and not format, there will be many
empty folders on the card, each taking up a small amount of space.
Formatting in the camera is a clean and simple method to use and it ensures
that there is no extra garbage around to confuse the issue.

I always remove the card and use a reader to put the photos in the correct
folders on the hard drive and have never used any cable to connect the
camera to the computer, so if the programs that use this method to retrieve
photos delete the folders, that would work fine also. I am not familiar
with how these programs work, so I don't know what happens in this case.

Don

"3D" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> "Ron Hunter" <> wrote in message
> news: ...
>> Denny B wrote:
>>> A digital camera CF memory card, Nikon D70s.
>>> What is correct, after transferring the pictures
>>> to a CD-R.
>>> 1)do you just delete the pictures on the card.
>>> 2)Or do you delete them, then format the card.
>>> 3)Or just format the card which will automatically
>>> delete the pictures and format the card.
>>>
>>> I have used #3 up to now, but recently was told
>>> if you format the card often to delete pictures
>>> you will damage the card.
>>> I was told don't format just delete the pictures.
>>>
>>> Is there a right way to do this?
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance.
>>> Denny B
>>
>> Unless you use your flash cards for multiple purposes, such as storing
>> data for other than your camera's pictures (I sometimes do), then
>> formatting is the preferred method for getting rid of all old pictures.
>> In practice, I often download several sessions of pictures before
>> clearing them from the card on my computer. I have never had a problem
>> with this, but don't recommend it for all users as some do report
>> problems with this procedure.
>> Formatting in the camera is the most efficient method recommended for
>> general use.
>
> I agree! Deleting photos only removes that file and not the folder that
> it is stored in. If you constantly delete and not format, there will be
> many empty folders on the card, each taking up a small amount of space.
> Formatting in the camera is a clean and simple method to use and it
> ensures that there is no extra garbage around to confuse the issue.
>
> I always remove the card and use a reader to put the photos in the correct
> folders on the hard drive and have never used any cable to connect the
> camera to the computer, so if the programs that use this method to
> retrieve photos delete the folders, that would work fine also. I am not
> familiar with how these programs work, so I don't know what happens in
> this case.
>
> Don
>

Doesn't happen with mine. It uses the folders I leave behind just fine. I
have never had more than one set of directories on any of my cards from any
of my Panasonic cameras.

R