Format card or delete all images?

[Jonathan Levin]

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Hi all.

When I used Nikon gear, after off loading images from card(s) my method was to (re)Format the card in camera and then carry on.

With the SL3, the instructions state to reformat every so often and just delete images.

With some people having issues with over-write/no write, I’m wondering if reformating a card after each off-load be the best practice?

What are your preferences? Jonathan

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[rogxwhit]

If the images are important, after copying to my pc via a card reader I would leave them on the card until they've been backed up elsewhere. 

Otherwise I often delete from the card whilst it's still in the card reader, and reformat in camera just occasionally.  This policy isn't based on any technical knowledge, but just rather on the fact that it seems to work. 

[Photoworks]

the SL3 creates so many folders on the card, especially in video.

I will format everytime

 

[Steven Lane]

I format every time

[Jean-Michel]

I do not have an SL3. Ever since I moved to digital, in 2006 I have always formatted my cards in camera (Canon 5D, 5D2, Leica M9, M-P(240) and SL2). I download, a backup is automatic as I use Time Machine with my Macs. I see no reason to keep files on the cards after I download them. Formatting in camera is quick and simple.

[Jonathan Levin]

Just to clarify, I copy all images from my card to a HDD, say after 1 day of shooting. After a quick review on the computer (Bridge, Photoshop, whatever), I then reformat my cards. At least that's what I've done with the Nikons. So I suppose I'll keep the same workflow. Thanks

Edited June 25, 2024 by Jonathan Levin

[jaapv]

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Format card Period. 
otherwise you will run into fragmentation. 

[Ken Abrahams]

I have always formatted in camera once images are uploaded but if Leica are recommending something other than this, I will change my system. I have a backup sandisc card in the SL3 but have never configured camera to duplicate files to the card. The card just sits in the slot until it needs to be activated. 

 

[jdlaing]

Format.

[david strachan]

Ditto.

Sandisc always for digital cameras, phones and anything else requiring a card.  For over 20 years; never a hiccup.

Edited June 25, 2024 by david strachan

[Jonathan Levin]

Thanks for all the replies.

[LanceR]

It is always interesting to me to read a thread like this, seeing how people's experiences shape their processes.  Mine is very different from others here.

Please note, I am not suggesting anyone change what they are doing or that they are wrong.  I am just noting that my experience is different.

I periodically delete all in camera.  I feel like what I am about to type is going to bring bad mojo on me, but I have never reformatted a card in 20+ years of digital photography.  I always format the card in the camera and use it exclusively for that camera.  I never delete photos from the computer or another device, only that camera.  If I get a new camera and reuse a card, I format it on the camera first use.  I also do not switch out to different cards, that is, I use only one card in a camera pretty much the entire time I own it.

The only time I have had corrupted or lost files on any system (Canon, Fuji, and Leica) was my M11, when it recorded some images upside down during a shoot.  It only happened once.  I only had to flip the images in post, but it was strange.

I do consider myself fortunate in this regard.  I cannot imagine the agony of losing photos for a client because of a card issue.

The other thing I will say is that my cards never get over 80% full, before I delete all in camera.  Even on computers which have the benefit of a lot of additional processing power, filling a disk can cause significant difficulties.  I believe not filling flash cards to near capacity on a camera is key in avoiding issues.

This thread piques my interest a bit as a technologist, in terms of wanting to know exactly what the cameras are doing with the filesystem.  In theory, there should be little to no difference at a file system level between formatting the disk and a delete all in camera.  I emphasize, in theory, because clearly that is not the case given what people have experienced. 

[jaapv]

Cards get fragmented making them slower and less reliable. The best thing to do is to deep format them from time to time in SD formatter which will lock bad sectors and reconstruct the file structure  making them as-new again. After that just use-format use etc.