Formatting same CF card in different cameras .. is it OK?

[Rupert49]

I have an EOS 5D and an EOS 5D MkII which I interchange from time to time, depending on the lens I left on the body the last time I used it. When it comes to formatting my CF cards, does it matter if I format in one body but end up using in the other?
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Rupert

[beejaybee]

I would strongly reccomend reformatting a card if moving from one camera to another. Otherwise it may appear to work but lead to data corruption with consequent difficulty / impossibility of recovering images.

Theoretically you should get away with it as the format is standard, but unfortunately different device development teams tend to have different ideas as to which parts of the standard they should implement in their product and which "don't matter".

[Rupert49]

Thanks for the advice Marvin. I currently often start a card in one camera, move it to the other and back again, the only issue I can see so far being with the file numbers, since both cameras share the same numbering sequence (eg. IMG_0123). This could potentially lead to problems if I tried to file them in the same folder, although the MkII has a way to go yet to catch up with the 5D's number of operations to date!

Best regards
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Rupert

[Monobod]

Would it not be easier to just have two cards, one for each camera?

[Rupert49]

Yes of course it would David, but life's not always that straightforward! I suffer from the usual digital photographer's paranoia in as much as I never re-format a card until I've Photoshopped its contents - merely uploading the captured images to my computer isn't enough, and I don't always have time to process my pictures straight away! More cards it'll have to be, and happily they're still coming down in price
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Rupert

[Gordon_McGeachie]

I use 2 of Sony`s own 4gb cards in my A700 and 1 lexar 4gb in the Minolta Dynax 7d.

Those cards are only used in thos bodies, so there is no chance of formatting them in the wrong bodies whgich `may` cause any problems later.......

I only format the cards (in camera)when the images have been safely download to my pc and backed up

[Rupert49]

Good info Gordon .. thanks for your contribution to my thread
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Regards, Rupert

[Monobod]

Well, I do the same, I have two 8gb cards now, one loaded and one spare in the battery grip storage space. I download the RAW files to my desktop and copy them to my external drive, then format the card in camera.

I have a seperate card for the Canon G10, so there is never a time when the cards go into the 'wrong' camera.

As I can download directly fom both cameras using the usb cables, there is no need to remove the cards from the card slot, except if one gets full in the Pentax.

But I do format them each time in camera.

[Rupert49]

But I do format them each time in camera.

I believe this is the crucial bit, otherwise all sorts of corruptions could occur. Never ever format on the PC!
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Rupert

[El_Sid]

I have 3 Canons which take CF cards and my normal routine is to format the card for the camera I intend to use it in. In general I have managed not to use cards formatted for one body in another but I suspect on occasion I have used a pre-formatted card in the 'wrong' camera without ill effect. As yet I can't recall ever having used the same card in two cameras without emptying and formatting it in between - I suspect that could cause a few issues...

As an interesting point I recently bought an ex-demo 40D that came with a card already inserted. I, and it, happily took a number of test shots and when I inserted the card in the reader all the shots downloaded correctly numbered, formatted and intact - despite the fact that Explorer reported the file structure as being that of an Olympus!...

[Zou]

I don't use CF cards, just SD these days. I can't remember the last time I formatted a card, and I haven't had any problems in the three years I have had the cards.

What, exactly, is to be so concerned about?

[Matt_Hunt]

Hi

I think the issues are that some cameras e.g. my D300 and D700 will not recognise data shot in the other camera and presumably may not write happily to a card that the camera has not formatted.

According to Michael Clarke, formatting via a PC can result to data being placed on the card that can create issues when the camera then tries to use the card.

Rgds

Matt

[Benchista]

I've happily used the same CF card in 5D, 5D II and 30D without any issues. I did mess up the numbering system in my 10D when using a card formatted in a 300D once, but that's the only issue I've ever had with this sort of thing.