CF Card File Sequence problem with 20D

[LisaH]

Hi, Hope someone can help me with this. I have a Canon 20D and am using 2 different half gig CF cards. Recently the sequencing has been such that I often get duplicate files.....the menu option is set to continuous which I thought meant that when you replace cards the file numbers continue from where the last card left off. I also had a problem when I changed from a PC to a Powerbook that if I deleted the files from the card when it was attached to the computer the card would be partly full when I put it back in the camera. This meant I had to reformat my cards each time. Now I just copy the files onto my hard drive and delete them from the camera. This seems to work OK but the file sequencing is still off and I wonder what the problem is.
I'm gonna get into a whole lot of problems when I load all my RAW unrenamed files into extensis as I now have tons of duplicates!
Thanks a lot for any help and hope this isnt too confusing!
Cheers, Lisa
www.lisahaskins.com

[lordjim]

Lisa -

I do not know where the problem comes from but I would try the following if I were you:

format your CF card with your camera not with your computer;
check whether you are in continuous file numbering or not and try to change your file numbering mode.

Hope that helps.

Cheers.

[scottbergerphoto]

The best way to avoid numbering problems is to reformat the card in the camera every time you put it back in the camera after transferring pictures to your computer or storage device. This is especially true if you use more then one camera and might move a card from one to the other.

[LisaH]

Thanks very much LordJim and Scott,
I have only been reformating the CF cards in the camera but still seem to have a problem. Since I change out between 2 different cards doesnt this mean they will both start at the same refreshed number? Should I have different folders for different cards to avoid this? It would be a bit confusing as I put all my RAW images into extensis and this is one extra stage I'd like to avoid if possible. I originally started reformating my card after use when it would still have space taken up when I had deleted the cards when on my computer (it showed up on my camera as partly full). I got around this by only copying the files from the card to the HD.

I'll experiment with the reformating option and see if it works with 2 cards. Scott, what did you mean by changing my file numbering system? I do have it set to continuous file numbering in the menu.

Thanks again very much, this is really helpful!
Lisa
www.lisahaskins.com

[lordjim]

Lisa -

You have two file numbering modes with the 20D you can choose from. To avoid confusions in the numbering of your files, you may want to select the "continuous" files numbering mode. I can not explain how to do that now as I am in the office but you should be able to find it in the manual. If not, I will check tonight and get back to you. Hope that helps.

The other mode (that you may want to avoid for now) is the "auto reset" files numbering mode.

[robertwgross]

Also, you want to think about the method that the camera uses to keep track of what the next image number should be when going in continuous count mode.

When the camera is brand new, it has nothing stored internally for image numbers. If a CF card comes in with no images, then the camera will start counting from ONE. If a CF card comes in with image number 2000, then the camera will start counting from 2001.

Later, after the camera has been used for a while, it may have the count for image 3000 stored internally. If a CF card comes in with no images, then the camera will still give 3001 to the next image and keep counting from there.

So, there are two things that the camera uses to keep track of the count. First is the camera's internal memory, which is powered by the coin cell, and then there is whatever is on the CF card. If your coin cell fails, then the memory gets flakey, and it forgets the internal count, and it can only do counting based on what comes in from the CF card. If you had two CF cards with different numbers, then that would get complicated unless you format each CF card in the camera. Still, with a failing coin cell, all sorts of stuff is going to get crazy. And, it does not have to be the coin cell itself. It can be the battery contacts around the coin cell.

---Bob Gross---

[LisaH]

Great!
Thanks so much for all the great advice. I'm going to reformat my cards each time and see how this goes.
This forum is really great.....seems to be a lot of very knowledgable and cool folk here!
Thanks again,
Lisa
www.lisahaskins.com