PSA for dslr owners

[Globetrotter]

Since many of you may have gotten dslrs recently:

I don't know if this applies to point and shoot cameras, but for dslrs.. always, always, always make sure you have a back-up copy of the pictures and then FORMAT the memory card after downloading the pictures onto your PC. I can't stress this enough my dad and I have had some major headaches due to formatting issues (and resulting software malfunction). I had to replace my Nikon D70 because of this!

[ahrimie]

Sorry, what does it mean to FORMAT the memory card??

[Globetrotter]

In my Nikon 5100, I go to the menu and click on the wrench on the left, then I click on FORMAT, then yes.

You need to find out the process for your camera, but it will be something similar to that. Formatting wipes out the data from your card, so do make sure the pictures are backed up in either an external drive, offsite backup (like carbonite) or at least flickr or google albums.

[TwinFoxes]

I'm not sure this is a common issue. I only format new cards, because I usually keep some photos on my card, I rarely wipe the whole thing. No problems thus far. Do you know if it's a bug in your camera or that particular model?

[Ceepa]

I'm not sure this is a common issue. I only format new cards, because I usually keep some photos on my card, I rarely wipe the whole thing. No problems thus far. Do you know if it's a bug in your camera or that particular model?

Same here. I only format new cards. I do wipe the whole thing whenever I download to the computer and never had a problem.

OP, can you call tech. service?

[minnie-zb]

I re-format my card every time. I can't remember the exact reason why, but I was taught this in a class I took by a professional photographer. There is a good reason, but I don't remember!

[♥ms.pacman♥]

I re-format my card every time. I can't remember the exact reason why, but I was taught this in a class I took by a professional photographer. There is a good reason, but I don't remember!

:yeahthat:

Me too, and this is what I was taught as well in photog classes. the reason is that manually deleting photos from the camera (especially one-by-one) is more likely to corrupt your memory card. I've gotten corrupted memory cards in the past (not on DSLRs, but on point n shoots), where after taken 50 pics or so, the memory card is busted and i can't take any more pics or access the pics I took...it sucked. Later in photog classes the teacher was always saying that almost every time someone had problems with a corrupted memory card, they had just deleted some photos and had never formatted the card since they first got it.

I format my card after downloading/backup every time, and have never had issues, so that is what I always do. I think formatting it often improves the overall performance of the card.

[mackmama]

I re-format my card every time. I can't remember the exact reason why, but I was taught this in a class I took by a professional photographer. There is a good reason, but I don't remember!

:yeahthat: I was also taught to re-format the card *every* single time you are removing all of the photos (instead of just deleting the pics). I keep trying to convince DH it's necessary, but he's not a believer especially since I can't remember the exact reason why. It's something related to why we turn off our computers instead of keeping them on all of the time.

[ahrimie]

Interesting. I always just upload he pics onto my computer then have the computer wipe the memory card clean. I've had our Nikon DSLR for 3.5 yrs and don't think we've ever formatted; no problems yet. But good to know, thanks!

[Globetrotter]

My Nikon D70 AND my dad's Nikon D90 were ruined by this problem after years of doing this, and I slacked off just one time on my D5100 (I downloaded a couple of pics for a project and forgot to do it - you'd think I'd have learned by now :bag) and I started having issues. Sigh… I'm sure I posted about it here and got the same advice to format.

Tech support has told me it is a must to format every single time. I couldn't remember if it's for all digital cameras, but I guess that would make sense. We lost all our christmas pics last year due to a corrupted memory card, so now I am generally paranoid!

I only used to format new cards and wouldn't even delete pics after downloads (I kept them as a backup and kept adding to the cards) and that was a recipe for disaster. Needless to say, I don't do that anymore.

[TwinFoxes]

. It's something related to why we turn off our computers instead of keeping them on all of the time.
:bag I just put mine to sleep.

[khm]

I've taken three classes and the three instructors all stressed this.

It is especially important as file sizes get larger and larger and cards get more and more capacity crammed into them. (If you take "RAW + jpeg", wow, that is some huge files!) Just deleting them leaves bits behind.

I'm sure certain brands of cards are better at dealing with this too. I was never a huge believer in that, until the miniSD that CAME WITH MY PHONE wasn't good enough to ya know, work. I found mention on an android board and sure enough, when I bought a card with a better speed rating, I've not had a single issue.

Maybe your card isn't a good match somehow for the camera, OP? I'd try a different brand if you are having constant issues.

They also said it is preferable to remove the card from the camera and use a card slot on your computer (or through usb if your computer doesn't have a built-in card slot).

Transferring data through a cord plugged into your camera is more likely to cause problems, according to the photographers.

I try to copy the images off using Picasa (it finds any duplicates, no matter where they are on the machine). But, when I do want to delete stuff off, I ensure I have at least two copies elsewhere and always format from the camera menu. I never delete files in large quantity from the camera itself.

I tend to start from a freshly formatted card, fill it up for a long time (copying stuff over, but leaving the original on the card), eventually I format it and start over.

[Globetrotter]

Maybe your card isn't a good match somehow for the camera, OP? I'd try a different brand if you are having constant issues.


I've always used "Brand name" cards that are listed as compatible with my NIkons, like Sandisk (purchased from costco), so I don't think that's the issue. Now with my D70 I really didnt follow any of these rules so that is understandable. With the new one, however, I have been extremely careful but for that one time! very frustrating..

I use a card reader plugged through a USB to my computer. Would that be okay? I've never transferred from my camera directly.

I was also told to be very careful when you load and unload the memory cards, making sure the camera is off and also making sure the pins are straight and don't get bent.

[indigo99]

I've been using various DSLRs for 7 years and haven't had any issues with corrupt cards so far. I shoot a LOT too. I do format the cards when I get them, and I use brand-name cards that are fast. I also use a reader connected by USB to upload to the computer, and I delete them using the computer. I only format them once in a while though. Maybe there are other factors contributing to your issue. Seems strange that you would have a problem after forgetting to format once when I've done it probably thousands of times without a problem.

[ellies mom]

The only cards I've had a problem with are the Olympus brand cards and I've had multiple Olympus cards of various formats fail. And almost always after I erased pictures using my computer rather than using the camera to delete them.

That said, I am completely baffled how your actual camera became ruined rather than just the card.

[zoestargrove]

wow! this is news to me. I've only formatted when new. Sorry OP this keeps happening to you. Thanks for the PSA and education.

[nrp]

That said, I am completely baffled how your actual camera became ruined rather than just the card.

:yeahthat: What is it that goes wrong with your camera? I can see the card failing, but how does it mess with the camera?

[Globetrotter]

What is it that goes wrong with your camera? I can see the card failing, but how does it mess with the camera?


I can't remember all the details, though you'd think I would considering how distressing it was to me at the time! However, it's a well documented problem (getting CHA/CHR error).

Just one of the many links:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/nikon_d90/discuss/72157622869527549/

For anyone who has gotten lucky so far, it took a few years for this to be a problem for me in my D70, and I used to download cards and keep shooting on them several times without formatting. I still don't know why the new camera started having problems (though not a CHA error) so soon. The D5100 is documented to have trouble recognizing some cards, and that was supposedly fixed in an update, which I have downloaded, but this problem was different anyway since the card WAS recognized for months before it failed.

I've always used high speed cards but started with Lexar and switched to Sandisk. At one point, it didn't matter if i was using a brand new formatted card - the camera didn't work and it corrupted the card. I don't remember why this affects the camera, but it was impossible to take pics with it. Perhaps it's a software glitch or electrical problem or even a mechanical issue.