When you delete files, the data is left on the memory card but marked as reusable. So that would actually in the end cause corruption instead of fixing it. If you format it every time you empty it, you will perform write operations to the same part of the memory, which shortens it's life span. Yes, memory cards should be formatted now and then, but it doesn't have to be very often. The camera instead of formatting it through your computer When using a memory card, it is recommended to reformat the card in
Repeatedly using theĮRASE and ERASE ALL camera options and not formatting can result in aīuildup of file artifacts that may eventually cause the card to fail.īe sure to download and save any images on the memory card before Should only be formatted using the camera-never format using aĬomputer as it may render the card unreadable by the camera.įormatting clears the directory structure of the card and removes anyĪrtifacts that might be left behind by erasing. Memory cards should be formatted to maintain top performance. Some people format after eachĭownload, once the photos are safely transferred to the computer. This can help to avoid problems that might prevent the cardįrom being read by your computer. In-camera not only deletes the pictures, it creates a new directory on Every Nikon digitalĬamera offers an in-camera format option. Memory cards need occasional maintenance, too. So here is what some manufacturers have to say. Seems to be a lot of hearsay about what the correct procedure is :) I've never had a problem, but I can't say that's because of my procedure. I use the USB cable and never take the card out of the camera unless I fill a card on a long shoot/trip. I format my card in-camera before every use. I'll happily replace them rather than try to recover images from them. And FWIW, I basically never run into corrupted cards, lost images or problems during a shoot or during a post-shoot import.Įven if it means the card will wear out sooner, I don't care. Which means many fewer potential problems later. And formatting a card every time means that every time I shoot gives me a blank slate in a known state that hasn't reported an error. Dead cards that eat my only copy of an image is expensive. Note: any time I get a card error, I retire that card. I'd rather find out I have a card error at the START of the shoot that midway into it, or worse, when I'm trying to read the images out later. So if the card hits an error during format, I know to immediately retire it. At the least, it'll catch some early failure modes in the card - and in two cases for me so far, it has. Third, formatting at the start of the shoot will (or should!) catch a card that is starting to fail. By formatting every time, I know the formatting is what the camera wants and is expecting. Second, I use multiple camera bodies, and I know people who've had corruption issues with cards formatted by the computer (which I never do) or by one body and used in another because the bodies interact with the card slightly differently. I format my card every time I stick it in my camera and start a shoot.įirst, it means every time I start a shoot, I don't accidentally leave the previous shoot on it (and it also means I don't delete it until I start the next shoot, by which time those images are safely on various backup disks gives me an emergency backup on the card until I'm sure I've got multiple copies elsewhere).