Compact flash formatting

[mpoole]

I own a G3 and a 10D. I was wondering if the compact flash cards can be used interchangeably after images have been taken or do they have to be formatted specifically to the camera? I will do my own testing but was interested in other peoples results.

[Phil Hall]

I format my 1 gig drives on a computer and then use them on a 1D;1Ds and D30, I also use them on a Nikon 990.

[EXA1a]

I format my 1 gig drives on a computer and then use them on a 1D;1Ds and D30, I also use them on a Nikon 990.
I don't format my 16MB, 64MB and 128MB CF cards on the computer anymore. I experienced problems myself when doing that and heard of other poeple reporting problems. However, formatting in one of your cameras should work for both. The only thing you should keep in mind is that the image file numbering might get screwed up when using the same card in both cameras.
--Jens--

[Cadwell]

I've moved microdrives between my Fuji p&s and my 10D without problems. In theory it should work OK because the cameras both use the good old fashioned doMeSDOS ("kills all computers, dead") FAT file system.

Some camera manufacturers make claims of superior performance if the card is actually formatted in the camera... I don't know how true this is. I have never noticed a difference and if they are using FAT properly (and not taking nasty little shortcuts) it shouldn't.

[Andy_T]

There's a lot of posts on this here web sites with strange phenomena (picture loss, Err99, camera won't start up again etc.) that most likely are attributed to formatting the CF in the computer instead of the camera.

If you don't HAVE to run any risks here, then why do you choose to?

Regards,
Andy

[gsmx2]

Don't have your two cameras, but have a DRebel and an A-70.

Last week my wife forgot her card at a parade, and I wound up switching my card to her camera. To my suprise, not only did the card work, but it was able to display the pictures taken on my camera.....and visa versa.

I probably wouldn't recommend it, but it did work without a problem.

gsm x2

[Morden]

As long as both cameras use the same file system, memory cards are interchangeable. In the case of the 10D and the G3; the G3 uses FAT16 and the 10D uses FAT16 or FAT32. To ensure that a memory card will work in both cameras after being swapped between them, format it in the G3 so that it is definitely using FAT16. Due to the limitations of FAT16, the maximum capacity that can be handled is 2 GB. If a larger card is formatted in a FAT16 device such as the G3 it should work but it will appear as a 2 GB card.

I hope that this helps.

[Ikinaa]

I once put the CF from a friends Nikon Coolpix in my IXUS300 for viewing and it worked no problem, otherway round also, except that the Nikon put a Nikon-specific folder on the card, but no problems.
I once put an IXUS-formatted card in my G3 and the G3 continued with the numbering of the IXUS, even if it was freshly formatted and no picture on it...

[Andy_T]

I assume that the camera does not just format the CF card 'standard', but that it also puts more or less proprietary information on the formatted card as well. When you look at the card on your pc, you'll notice some DCIM or other folders that you won't get if you format it on the PC.

My non-technical guess would be that the safe way would be to format the card first on your PC (to delete the hidden files so they don't get transferred to the second camera) and then format it again on the camera you want to use it on (so that any necessary info that is now missing is put there).

Regards,
Andy

[Morden]

When you look at the card on your pc, you'll notice some DCIM or other folders that you won't get if you format it on the PC.

....and just about every digital camera in the world uses that folder, creating their own folders and configuration files inside it. If you delete the DCIM folder or use a totally empty card, the camera will simply recreate it.

[Andy_T]

That might be the case.

Still, allow me my innate paranoia of all things technical :lol:

Regards,
Andy