SDFormatter -- quick question

[rob_w]

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I noticed a few people praising SDFormatter for use with the M 240 SD cards so I have downloaded and will give it a try (download from here: https://www.sdcard.org/home/).

 

Quick question: once you have formatted in your computer, do you also format the card in the M 240? I mean the 'quick format' which resets the directory and presumably creates the folder structure.

 

In the past I have always formatted in the camera exclusively (M8, M9) including to erase the card once the photos have been transferred. Should I continue to do this?

 

PS while I am asking, what fast SD cards are people currently getting best results with on the M 240 -- are there any stand-out performers?

 

Thanks

[pop]

Once a card is formatted with that program, I just insert it into the camera. It makes the directories as needed without me instructing it.

[lct]

My best performers car be seen here.

Using SD Formatter for each formatting is not necessary in my experience. Once is enough generally so later formattings can be made in the camera w/o significant slow down.

[pop]

 

In the past I have always formatted in the camera exclusively (M8, M9) including to erase the card once the photos have been transferred. Should I continue to do this?

 

 

I usually "move" the directory containing the pictures to the desktop, i.e. by holding the command key on the Mac's keyboard while dragging the directory. This removes the folder from the card without using the trash bin. The camera then writes the folder anew when I re-insert the card. I never had the slightest problem.

[jdlaing]

I noticed a few people praising SDFormatter for use with the M 240 SD cards so I have downloaded and will give it a try (download from here: https://www.sdcard.org/home/).

 

Quick question: once you have formatted in your computer, do you also format the card in the M 240? I mean the 'quick format' which resets the directory and presumably creates the folder structure.

 

In the past I have always formatted in the camera exclusively (M8, M9) including to erase the card once the photos have been transferred. Should I continue to do this?

 

PS while I am asking, what fast SD cards are people currently getting best results with on the M 240 -- are there any stand-out performers?

 

Thanks

 

Yes. Format the card in the camera even after using SD Formatter.

[rob_w]

My best performers car be seen here.

Using SD Formatter for each formatting is not necessary in my experience. Once is enough generally so later formattings can be made in the camera w/o significant slow down.

I looked at your test table. You have done a serious investigation -- thanks, and I would encourage others to take a look if they have not done so.

 

Is there a thread where you discuss this? I realised when I started this thread there was likely to be another one somewhere but a search for 'SDFormatter' did not turn up anything obvious.

 

Thanks again.

[DTM]

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What's the benefit in using the SD Formatter over the inc camera formatter? Is there any data on this or is it all empirical observations?

[pop]

What's the benefit in using the SD Formatter over the inc camera formatter? Is there any data on this or is it all empirical observations?

 

I freely admit that it's mostly prejudice on my part, or, perhaps, rule of thumb based on experience.

 

The SD formatter is published by the SD card association and runs on a computer. I trust that it handles errors and suspicious situations in an adequate manner.

 

The formatting software in the camera most probably cuts corners and I trust it only to be adequate in the most benign situations. There having been fewer revision iterations, I suspect that it might be less robust. Also, the SDFormatter is quite a bit more recent than the software in the camera.

 

Observations by other people (see lct's data) confirm my suspicions.

[DTM]

I assume that the SD Formatter erases both the data and the index on the card, whereas the in camera formatter only erases the index allowing the camera to overwrite the data. This leaves a greater chance for file corruption in camera. Is this correct?

[lct]

Is there a thread where you discuss this?

This old one is still active i believe:

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m-type-240/277048-m240-sd-cards-associated-camera-function.html

[pico]

I assume that the SD Formatter erases both the data and the index on the card, whereas the in camera formatter only erases the index allowing the camera to overwrite the data. This leaves a greater chance for file corruption in camera. Is this correct?

 

No, neither is true. A true erase causes additional card wear, so SDFormatter lets the user choose erase or format. Deleting the index (or rather taking out the header bits) does less harm. And erase would take longer than most people like.

[rob_w]

Thanks everyone for the really helpful information.

 

Just to close out the thread I have used SDFormatter on 2 cards so far, a Sandisk Extreme 16Gb 45 Mps and a Sandisk 16 Gb 'basic', both formerly used with my M9. In both cases the wake-up time halved, to about 2.5 secs. An important difference. That is still not quite fast enough for the time from switch on to eye-level, focused and ready to fire, but a big improvement.

 

Ideally, would want to get down to about 1 second. So will keep a watch for any better card / formatting or firmware options in future.

[Jon Pop]

I have a new M-P (240) and am using the Sandisk Extreme Pro 64GB (95mb/s) card, formatted in camera, and have never - ever - experienced "4second" start up times after formatting in camera like that comparative table shows. I've also heard a lot on forums about slow startup with the 240 and have never, ever experienced it. My 240, cold (from power off), is maybe 1.5 seconds, max. (I've measured); It's a non issue for me. If I can wring out even a little bit more speed by using the SD Formatter and then formatting in camera...it'll be even less of a non-issue! I'd heard via Thorsten that the 64GB card is very fast and he's right (I also have a new smaller Panasonic card as a backup for the 240, which is the brand I'd always used in my M9 with great results and no 'legendary M9 card issues'.). Perhaps the slow 240 times people refer to are with using LV/EVF from cold? Not sure.

[pico]

My friends, please consider the fact that SD card integrity & quality at the physical level are similar among manufactures. The error ratio at the physical lawyer is about 80%. Yes, it is that bad. If the industry accepted only perfect cards you would be spending thousands of percent more.

 

What makes a difference between brands includes the quality of the firmware embedded in the card.

 

Another factor concerning impressions of card performance is the camera's tactic concerning possible errors. I suspect Leica accepts a slow, conservative approach, but poor performance could also be caused by impoverished hardware. We will

Likely never know.