Memory cards

[Beryl]

I know they are expected to last about 10 years but I take about 400 -600 photos a day and wonder if this is shortening the life span.

Just recently a lot of my photos aren't as clear as they used to be even when fairly close

[Oldboy]

Memory cards wouldn't make any difference to the quality of your photos, as they are stored as 1 and 0 on the cards. The likely causes are, subject movement caused by the wind, slight wobble by the person holding the camera or lens/camera sensor needs cleaning. It could also be that the auto-focus isn't spot on and may need a service. 

[Beryl]

I cleaned my sensors and also my camera has a self cleaning and VR

Some of my photos would not show on the card the other day and The card say it has a 10 year memory life. So if I am taking 400-600 photos a day then that life is shortened

Up until recently my photos have been crystal. I have heard most renew their cards after about 3-4 years

Of course. It's all I binary. I still think I'll invest it some new cards. I nearly lost quite a few that corrupted . Managed to retrieve them luckily

Any how thanks for your response   

[Oldboy]

Put your card into your card reader attached to the PC. Use Explorer to select the card and right click then select Format. This will preform a low level format of the card and should mark any area falling as unusable. This will stop this area been used again. 

[donoreo]

Put your card into your card reader attached to the PC. Use Explorer to select the card and right click then select Format. This will preform a low level format of the card and should mark any area falling as unusable. This will stop this area been used again. 

No, that will not perform a low level format.  That will wipe out the file tables and make new ones.  My camera has the option in it to do a low level format which will do what you are describing.  I reformat my cards every time I put them in the camera to delete all of the previous photos. 

[Andrew]

Given the price of memory cards nowadays, the minute i have an ounce of trouble from one - it goes in the bin.

By trouble I mean it has shown corruption and best practice has been adopted to eliminate corruption, after which it is taken on a test run.
If it still shows corruption - I bin it.

SD, SDHC memory cards, even CF memory cards are so cheap, you could almost pay more for a pint of beer in the UK, certainly more for genuine Cod & Chips 

[ABERS]

400-600 pictures a day???   

[Oldboy]

Put your card into your card reader attached to the PC. Use Explorer to select the card and right click then select Format. This will preform a low level format of the card and should mark any area falling as unusable. This will stop this area been used again. 

No, that will not perform a low level format.  That will wipe out the file tables and make new ones.  My camera has the option in it to do a low level format which will do what you are describing.  I reformat my cards every time I put them in the camera to delete all of the previous photos.

It's always done a low level format for me taking a few hours to complete. If it was just deleting the FAT file it would finish in a couple of minutes. 

[Beryl]

I always format my card in my camera. Not a good idea o the PC I know do know that that

Yes I use continuous   shouting and some time come home with60+ shots

My digital photography tutor said as I mainly do action shots this way one or some will be good

[Oldboy]

I always format my card in my camera. Not a good idea o the PC I know do know that that

Formatting in camera only deletes the FAT file, it doesn't check the disk. Running a scan via the PC allows you to mark any failing disk sector as a possible error so it isn't used to write data. I don't format my cards unless there is a problem. I use the move option to copy files from the card to the PC so it only updates the FAT file to zero photos after all the photes have been moved. 

[hssutton]

Beryl.

I've been formatting my Compact flash cards almost exclusively in the PC for the past 12 years and never ever had a problem, my original cards still work perfectly and are used by my daughter in the 30D and my old converted to IR 10D.

My workflow is to upload my images to PC and then always format my cards via the PC so they are ready for use in my Canon cameras.

Harry

[donoreo]

I always format my card in my camera. Not a good idea o the PC I know do know that that

Formatting in camera only deletes the FAT file, it doesn't check the disk. Running a scan via the PC allows you to mark any failing disk sector as a possible error so it isn't used to write data. I don't format my cards unless there is a problem. I use the move option to copy files from the card to the PC so it only updates the FAT file to zero photos after all the photes have been moved. 

How you mention in an above post is NOT a low level format unless you have replaced the regular Windows format with another utility.  My camera (Canon 450D) supports low level formats in the camera and this is how I do it. 

[Beryl]

I bought some new memory cards yesterday. Formatted them in my camera and to day I took 74 photos of my Baby Granddaughter running around in the park. On the move all the time
Every one was a winner . Excellent and sharp

So my other cards must have developed a fault of some sort

I uses SDHC not compact flash though I doubt there is much difference in the data collection

Oh and I keep my camera very clean as I change lenses now and then
I clean it with a correct spatula and fluid once a year as doing this to often can take the coting off the chip
My camera has a  built in filter cleaner too.,

[Andrew]

Bought my X-Pro 1 in June 2012 and the lens had never come off until Graham felt a need to offer a lens up for sale.

Now I'm not sure when to do a lens change!

As for memory cards, I know in early days they always recommended formatting in the camera, but I'm not sure its such a big thing any more.

Regards reliability and quality based on card format (SD, SDHC, CF) and brand - I'm not really sure there is anything to differentiate.

I've heard scare stories for all foramts and brands and all swear by what they use. Hang on - it is memory cards we're talking about and not cameras ro computers? 

[Beryl]

I just bought a couple of new ones and al, seams fine now

And always format you card in you camera as it synchronises  every thing

Don't erase photographs which you feel are "wrong" as you shoot – this can cause the next image to back-fill the space occupied by the previous shot and possibly corrupt the image


Thanks for responses