Format vs Erase All in Canon EOS 10D

[Canon10D]

Dear forum members:
I have read several postings on this forum regarding the Format and Erase All functions on folder and file numberings, but I'm still not quite clear.

Could someone pls clarify these:
1. What is the difference between the Format and Erase All functions in a Canon EOS 10D on deleting images in a preformated CF card? Do they interfere with the folder and file numberings in both Auto Reset and Continous file numbering modes?

2. How do u reset the folder numbering? The Canon manual only mentions about resetting file numbering by using Auto Reset, but non about resetting folder numbering.

3. does the folder number automatically increases by one when u:
a. remove the CF card and insert the SAME CF card back in without
any changes to the content the card?
b. remove the CF card and insert ANOTHER CF card containing images
captured by the Canon EOS 10D without erasing or formatting
the card?
c. remove the CF card and insert a preformatted BLANK CF card?

I don't have a Canon EOS 10D with me now; therefore, I can't play with it and figure out the above answers. Thanks for your reply.

[CyberDyneSystems]

All i can tell you is this,. I only use "Format" (except once I hit erase all ACCIDENTALLY! Doh!!!)

I put the still full card in the camera after I have downloaded to the PC and format.

The Camera keeps track of the numbers while the card is being erased,. so the numbering does NOT get altered.

The difference between the two would be that by erasing all images,. you are in fact doing nothing,. the card just takes the image entries out of it's own "table of contents" so in effect the images are still there,. but the table of cntents no longetr says they are,. they will remain untill they are over written.

Formating with a CF cards is essentially the same as the camera de\oes a "quick format" but the difference is that it erases the ENTRE "table of contents" not just the image listsings, but since it is a "quick" format,. again the images are still there, but no all refence is erased on the card.

Practiaclly speaking,. I use "Format" only because it is much quicker.. (it doesn't need to be chosy about what gets wiped,. cause it's going to wipe it all :) )

[Scottes]

From many years of PC experience, it doesn't really make a difference if you format or Erase All. BUT - I would still format every once in a while, like about every 20-25 uses.

If you ever get an error copying an image off the CF, then I'd definitely do a format once you get all the images off.

Always erase in the camera, always format in the camera.

[mrwickham]

The latest issue of Digital Photo Pro has an interesting article about formatting. Basically they suggest that you format in camera once a month for the casual users and once every two weeks for the pro/heavy shooter. What was interesting is that they suggest this is better than formatting using the computer.

[defordphoto]

The one thing formatting does that erasing never does it to clean the allocation tables. This automatically prevents fragmenting. I format every time I clean a card as it easier and faster to format than erase all. If you do prefer to use erase all, I also agree that you should format every couple of weeks.

[Vegas Poboy]

I always format, in fact my menu is set to the format section when turned on. I tried a couple of times to do it with the PC and the cards just did'nt act right when I put them back in the camera. I look at CF cards like PC hard drives erase leaves junk behind, formatting gives you a clean slate.

[Morden]

Format is much quicker than Erase All, especially in the case of a large capacity CF card containing 100s of images. The only time that Erase All might be of use is if selected images have been set to "protected"; in this case, Erase All will erase all but those protected images, whereas Format will always completely clear the card. I have never yet needed to protect any images so have never needed to Erase All, instead always using Format.

[sds4kst8]

What was interesting is that they suggest this is better than formatting using the computer.

I think most people would recommend formatting your CF card IN the camera and not with the computer.

Somewhere recently I read about formatting a CF card to totally reset the folder/file numbering on a 10d. I don't remember where, so let me try to explain how I did this.

I simply put both of my CF cards in the card reader and did a quick format. I also set the camera to reset file numbering. By formatting in the computer you erase the data the 10d needs/uses to keep the folder/file numbering continuous (assuming you have your camera set up like that). So, when I put my card(s) back in the camera, it recognized them as being totally blank (without the prior folder/files numbers) and I started off with photo 1 in folder 100. You MUST format all of your cards this way or your camera will recognize any previous folder/file info on a card that hasn't had this info removed. Of course, once I was finished with this process I set my file numbering setting back to "continuous".

Don't ask why ('cuz I'm not sure, really!), but I picked up my 10d in early November '03 and it already had a few file numbers in it from the store, so when the new year started I did this formatting to reset everything for the new year. Now I'll know how many shots I take in 2004.

Anyway, I also use FORMAT everytime I'm done dumping my pics into the computer. It just seems faster.

Hope this helps.

[Scottes]

"Formatting is faster than erase all..."

Hot damn, I'd never timed either. But I'll format from now on in this case.

[PacAce]

Dear forum members:
I have read several postings on this forum regarding the Format and Erase All functions on folder and file numberings, but I'm still not quite clear.

Could someone pls clarify these:
1. What is the difference between the Format and Erase All functions in a Canon EOS 10D on deleting images in a preformated CF card? Do they interfere with the folder and file numberings in both Auto Reset and Continous file numbering modes?

2. How do u reset the folder numbering? The Canon manual only mentions about resetting file numbering by using Auto Reset, but non about resetting folder numbering.

3. does the folder number automatically increases by one when u:
a. remove the CF card and insert the SAME CF card back in without
any changes to the content the card?
b. remove the CF card and insert ANOTHER CF card containing images
captured by the Canon EOS 10D without erasing or formatting
the card?
c. remove the CF card and insert a preformatted BLANK CF card?

I don't have a Canon EOS 10D with me now; therefore, I can't play with it and figure out the above answers. Thanks for your reply.

Re your question about the folder numbering, if you look closely at the folder number and the image numbers in the folders you'll notice that there is a strong relationship between the two. Resetting file numbering will also reset the folder numbers.

[dzdale]

Ive noticed that if you erase all, all the images are erased, however the underlying folder structure still remains. By Formatting you remove the underlying folder structure. This makes it easier for you when you copy the files off the CF card later.

[grego]

Format. It'll prevent any issues from coming up when you are taking photos and it'll keep the card less cluttered. Takes a few seconds, so it's not an inconvenience.

[Bodog]

If you have any images protected, Erase All will leave them on the card. Format will nuke them.

[robertwgross]

Another reason for formatting is that it cleans the slate better, so to speak.

If you have been erasing only, and then you have to do an image file recovery after some corruption, then you do not want to be recovering stuff that went away earlier than the current session.

By formatting, you have made a better baseline for adding new files, and then if necessary doing image file recovery around those new files only.

---Bob Gross---

[Curtis N]

The one thing formatting does that erasing never does it to clean the allocation tables. This automatically prevents fragmenting.
I never considered that.

We know that a fragmented hard drive will read and write slower. Is the same true with CF cards? Will a freshly formatted CF card write more quickly (allowing me to shoot more frames/minute) and/or download to my PC faster?

[Jim_T]

I never considered that.

We know that a fragmented hard drive will read and write slower. Is the same true with CF cards? Will a freshly formatted CF card write more quickly (allowing me to shoot more frames/minute) and/or download to my PC faster?

Fragmenting isn't really an issue with CF cards..

With hard or floppy drives, the big performance hit comes from the time it takes for the disk to spin and for the heads to move about the surface of the disk looking for data. The more fragmented the data, the more head movement is required to gather it all up.

When you no longer have to deal with moving mass, things happen near the speed of light.. Seek time becomes virtually nonexistent.

[Curtis N]

Fragmenting isn't really an issue with CF cards..
Oh, good. I was thinking of plugging my CF cards into the Dazzle* and launching my Windows defragmenter.

You just saved me a lot of time! Thanks.

[Mark_48]

Another reason for formatting is that it cleans the slate better, so to speak.

If you have been erasing only, and then you have to do an image file recovery after some corruption, then you do not want to be recovering stuff that went away earlier than the current session.

By formatting, you have made a better baseline for adding new files, and then if necessary doing image file recovery around those new files only.

---Bob Gross---
Interestingly I recently downloaded Digital Image Recovery that was recommended in these forums (Thanks Tim!!). With my PC and a card reader I loaded about 20 image files to a 64MB CF card. I then deleted them and tried recovery. It recovered the new 20 as well as about 30 or so older files. I then formatted the CF card and again went through the recovery process. Again it recovered all the files. This was all done with WinXP and I haven't tried a camera format yet, but a I suspect it may do the same.

Mark....