How often do you format your SD cards?

Crotal Bell

Crotal Bell

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Hi Folks

I purchased the recommended SD card for my camera, and was led to believe that you only need to format every so often (whatever that is)

So I deleted around 20 shots at the weekend and carried on snapping, but one of my videos failed to write to the card?

Is it best to format the card before each use?
Can you do it too often?

Thanks for any advice you may have.
 
After every shoot once the images are backed up and processed. Once the files are on my iPad / PC / backup drive / cloud storage, I don't need them on the SD cards anymore so I format the card in camera before using them again.
 
I generally format my cards every time I put them back into the camera, and in 20 or so years have only ever had a couple fail, and I think they were dodgy cards(cheap clones of decent ones). I just put the cards back in and format them to remove all the images.
 
It doesn't take any longer to format in camera than delete either via PC or camera so why not format (in camera) after every download to PC it does no harm
If you just delete the files you can see, there can be other hidden elements remaining and gradually they take up space and can cause problems by confusing things which can increase the risk of corrupted files or even unusable card.
No need to worry if you miss the odd time, but best to get in habit of transfer all you want then format routinely IMO
 
Yep agree with everyone else , just to add that it’s worth having a couple of spare cards
After a day out I download and backup the images and put a spare card in the camera and format it
I don’t format the one with images on it until I’m sure everything is ok and have finished working on it
 
Every time images are transferred off the card and it goes back into the camera it gets formatted.
 
The only time I’ve ever had a problem was when I’ve deleted or formatted the card on the computer — although the card showed ’empty’ the camera saw it a nearly full. So I always format in camera each time like others, above.
 
Suvv said:
12 years and I have never formatted my SD card and I have never had a problem.
Now waiting for my card to fail ;)
Click to expand...
Tempting fate, brave!
 
My camera has 2 cards. I usually leave one with old photos on and write new images to the other, transferring to computer from time to time. When the one in use becomes full then I format the other and start using it. This way I have an extra short-term backup of raw files.

My cards are 64 and 128gb, so hold quite a lot of images.
 
Suvv said:
12 years and I have never formatted my SD card and I have never had a problem.
Now waiting for my card to fail ;)
Click to expand...
In a similar vein - cards get formatted in camera on first use... Thereafter I don't recall formatting one.
 
I have multiple cards .....

Now, I like to keep all image files sequentially numbered and due the way my old Canon models always took the next number from a full/used card I format in the PC (after backing up to 2 locations) and once put back in the camera i format in camera.

Fast forward to my Olympus bodies, I stick with the same protocol.....though I did find that the E-M1 mk2 'forgot' my file numbering choice even though the Menu showed it correctly set.

PS what I like about the OM-1 is that the file numbering can be preceded by the M/D so even if the number is potentially the same the whole number is quite unlikely to repeat.

PPS formatting is very much a personal choice so YMMV but I do as I describe above ;)
 
Once all files are on the 'puter and at least one other HDD, the card gets put back in the camera and formatted there.
 
Same answer as most others, I format cards on a regular basis so they are fresh for the next shoot. I use cameras with dual card slots almost always. I've occasionally had problems reading a file but never had both cards fail. The last time was a few years ago now.
 
I was reading this thread a day or so ago and thinking to myself that I rarely format my cards. This evening I went to download some photos from my two CF cards and had a hiccup. First one detected and downloaded fine but the second wasn't picking up in my reader properly (faintly flickering LED but the computer and reader weren't communicating). Suspected an impending card failure but my camera could still see and read it, so I copied the files across to my other card and downloaded that instead. Did a format on them both and all is well now.
 
I've never formatted a card. My images are downloaded, and then deleted, by Olympus Workspace (The software that come with the camera).

However, I have no idea if I am doing the right thing.
 
I format the cards in camera, after downloading (and for critical stuff, after backing up - less critical stuff gets backed up but not always immediately). Two cards, mirrored, in each camera, in case of card failure.

I wonder if the Format function in the menu can become worn out. Mine looks a little greyer now. ;)
 
Crotal Bell said:
Can you do it too often?
Click to expand...
The cameras only perform a quick format. This means nothing more than writing a new and empty contents table to the card. This needs even much less write operations than deleting the files. The camera then adds one or more directories and that's it.

This also means that all files can be restored without any problems if you have the right program on your computer to do so. So you have to be careful if you put a memory card in the package when you sell the camera, for example. If you don't want someone to be able to recover the files, you have to overwrite every byte with a special program. Even "deep format" does not do that, it only checks additionally for defects.

In short: formatting the card has less impact on its lifetime than saving a single photo, and saving photos can be neglected in practice as well.

I format the cards as soon as all files are backed up to multiple media.
 
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As I tend to swap and change my SD and XQD cards between cameras I 'always' format cards after downloading images onto the computer.

That way I can be confident the cards are ready for the next bout of shooting. The times I forget to format make me question whether I've downloaded the images already and limits use of that card...since I don't want to delete the images in case I'd forgotten to take the card out.

I don't know whether it's an old wives' tale that deleting images from the camera on the camera has a deleterious effect on the capacity but I have stopped doing this since I was missing more action through chimping and deleting than I would like.
 
Like others I always format the cards in camera before initial use in the camera and after safely transferred to the storage hard drives. As far as I'm aware formatting doesn't actually delete the photos from the card. It marks the space so it can over written hence why rescue software can relocate images files on a formatted card.

I've heard deleting individual files in camera is a bad idea and can cause corruption/memory card issues so I never now delete an images in camera. I always transfer every thing on the card then mark the photos for deletion in Lightroom.


welshwizard645 said:
As I tend to swap and change my SD and XQD cards between cameras I 'always' format cards after downloading images onto the computer.

That way I can be confident the cards are ready for the next bout of shooting. The times I forget to format make me question whether I've downloaded the images already and limits use of that card...since I don't want to delete the images in case I'd forgotten to take the card out.
Click to expand...
Do you format as soon as you place a new card in a camera when out shooting? Otherwise how do you know which cards are formatted for which camera if you are using more than one camera?
 
I've certainly recovered deleted files from cards. Several times when I have been an idiot, and once when someone else was an idiot (covered a wedding, only used one card - ever, and was being threatened with being sued because the images sent to the client were heavily compressed jpgs, didn't have back-up of originals!)
 
rob-nikon said:
Do you format as soon as you place a new card in a camera when out shooting? Otherwise how do you know which cards are formatted for which camera if you are using more than one camera?
Click to expand...

I tend to 'allocate' my cards prior to a 'shoot' easier when 1 camera is 1CF1SD 1XQD1SD and 2SDs. I use the CF and XQD as primary cards and these get filled up quickly, so if I take out D810 and D500 that issue is taken care of. The K-1 has its' allocated cards. But even though I do routinely format when putting the cards in the cameras, I more or less format immediately prior to using that card....unless I find images on it of course....then the card goes into the 'used' pile and I start a new card.
 
Yep same here card is formatted after each session in camera format ,never had a problem in 20+ years
 
rob-nikon said:
I've heard deleting individual files in camera is a bad idea and can cause corruption/memory card issues so I never now delete an images in camera. I always transfer every thing on the card then mark the photos for deletion in Lightroom.
Click to expand...
So what is the difference between deleting images from the memory card in the camera, and deleting images from the hard drive in the computer. Surely it is the same process.
 
I just format them in camera after they're safely on the computer.
Something else I do is to use smaller cards such as 8 or 16 gb so all my eggs aren't in one basket, so to speak.
 
Usually when they are nearing getting full or when they contain several images that been previously downloaded and then deleted ( they keep appearing as not downloaded).I try not to delete anything in camera as several years ago I was told this could cause problems with the card. Whether this is true is debatable. If you format them after everything has been downloaded, I cannot see this causing any problems. There is no right answer.
 
I format after and sometimes during every use. Once I get my images onto my computer and backed up as well, the card goes back in the camera and is formatted. If I'm in a quick fire situation and I mess up, I will look through the images in camera, just in case and then, if it's multiple shots I need to delate, I will format as oppossed to deleting one by one.

I don't think you can wear out a card by over formatting. It's electronic though, so could fail at any point but probably not as a result of formatting.
 
L320Rio said:
So what is the difference between deleting images from the memory card in the camera, and deleting images from the hard drive in the computer. Surely it is the same process.
Click to expand...
This explains why it’s not a good idea. It also explains many of the points raised in this thread.

Deleting Photos On Your Memory Card Via Your Camera | ProGrade Digital

If you're looking to maximize the use of your memory card, you shouldn't delete photos from it using your camera. Learn why now!
progradedigital.com progradedigital.com

Whilst reading the above blog post I also found out about Prograde digital refresh software. Seems it’s a way to check memory card health and refresh back to factory performance. Potentially interesting to be able to review card health and resolve any small issues. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I’m always a bit cynical about things like this as it’s potentially in the manufacturers interest to say you need to replace cards.

shop.progradedigital.com

Refresh Pro Software 4.0

Check your memory card's health and refresh its performance to factory-new condition with our free Refresh Pro Software. Learn more here!
shop.progradedigital.com shop.progradedigital.com
 
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Whenever it’s full.

Important to make the distinction here - I don’t think anyone has - formatting a card and just deleting all the images are 2 different things….
 
After every shoot I reformat mines, and do not delete pictures manually it can corrupt the SD card.
 
rob-nikon said:
This explains why it’s not a good idea. It also explains many of the points raised in this thread.

Deleting Photos On Your Memory Card Via Your Camera | ProGrade Digital

If you're looking to maximize the use of your memory card, you shouldn't delete photos from it using your camera. Learn why now!
progradedigital.com progradedigital.com

Whilst reading the above blog post I also found out about Prograde digital refresh software. Seems it’s a way to check memory card health and refresh back to factory performance. Potentially interesting to be able to review card health and resolve any small issues. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I’m always a bit cynical about things like this as it’s potentially in the manufacturers interest to say you need to replace cards.

shop.progradedigital.com

Refresh Pro Software 4.0

Check your memory card's health and refresh its performance to factory-new condition with our free Refresh Pro Software. Learn more here!
shop.progradedigital.com shop.progradedigital.com
Click to expand...
Thanks Rob, this is interesting. I wonder what the software is doing to assess card health? I've downloaded it and so far it's even detecting my cards, maybe something special unique to prograde cards?

There are ways to test the read/write speed like the free blackmagic disk speed test, noting the speed you get on the computer will depend on the card reader and connection.

To "sanitize" your card I'm wondering what would be different to a secure erase?
 
I looked into it a bit more, seems like marketing bs. Only applies to prograde cards with their reader and the technical explanation in their engineer's blog suggests that it's defragging the card which makes no sense.
 
hunnymonster said:
In a similar vein - cards get formatted in camera on first use... Thereafter I don't recall formatting one.
Click to expand...

Same here, I have *never* reformatted any of my CF cards, many dating back 15 years (when I bought my Canon 5D mk1). Reformatting after every use makes little sense unless you are experiencing problems with file corruption. I dare say that some of those cards are due to 'die' soon, but reformatting won't have any impact on that.

In the last 15 years I've had at least 3 hard disk failures and multiple usb key stick failures, but never a CF card.

The software noted above which assesses card health looks and smells like snakeoil, but without understanding what it does in detail it's hard to know.

My advice is always to buy quality cards from guaranteed sources and never buy a single huge card, when you can buy multiple smaller ones. If nothing else, that will spread the risk of losing work across multiple physical locations.
 
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I fill the card as much as possible then format in camera when all images have been transferred to the camera. I tend to fill the card as much as I can so you’re not constantly writing over the same bit over and over. Also, I’ve seen it mentioned a lot that deleting images rather than formatting can lead to corruption however how true that is I don’t know.
 
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