Deleting Footage from CF Cards at DVinfo.net

Blake Calhoun · February 10th, 2010, 08:41 PM

Curious if most folks delete thier footage from the CF cards from within the camera or from their computer desktop? Does it make a difference? And how often do you reformat the cards?

Thanks,
Blake

Kin Lau · February 10th, 2010, 09:54 PM

I format the card in-camera every time after the footage has been download. The only footage I delete are the ones that aren't keepers while I'm in the field, otherwise, I always format the card.

Chuck Spaulding · February 10th, 2010, 10:02 PM

I download, encode to the format I'm using to edit with and then reformat the cards on every project/shoot.

Once I have two versions of the data there's no good reason to keep it on the CF cards. I also have several Camera's and reformat the card in the camera its being used in. This ensures that the data is written contiguously with no fragmented sections. If you simply erase on either the camera or computer there is the possibility that the card becomes fragmented reducing read and write speeds.

At least that is what I was told when the video was skipping on playback from a 133X Elite Pro. It seemed to help and I certainly don't think it hurts.

Chris Hurd · February 10th, 2010, 10:08 PM

I'm swapping a handful of cards regularly between a 5D Mk. II and a 7D, so I format them in-camera every time.

Norman Pogson · February 11th, 2010, 07:26 AM

I always clear the card by formatting in camera, never on the computer. I have recently started using dedicated cards for my camera. I only use the same cards in my 7D, never in another camera. I had started getting the odd dropped frame, which could be caused by a few things, so as a precaution I have bought Kingston pro x133 and only use these in the 7D and my SanDisk are used in my other camera (Nikon).

Blake Calhoun · February 11th, 2010, 02:06 PM

Great, thank you for the info! For my stills I have just deleted from the computer and not reformatted the cards very often, but for video I will definitely start this practice immediately.

Norman Pogson · February 11th, 2010, 02:35 PM

Hi Blake,

I would recommend in camera formatting for stills as well.

Bill Pryor · February 15th, 2010, 09:26 AM

I do the same thing, reformat every time, in camera. I copy the footage to a USB drive, then convert to ProRes 422 and send that footage to one of the firewire drives. Only after that do I erase and reformat the cards.

Michael Maier · February 17th, 2010, 08:33 PM

I normally delete on the computer right after copying and backing up.

Evan Donn · February 20th, 2010, 12:23 PM

I've always just deleted on the computer, never bother reformatting in the camera, no problems so far (over a year of use). Using a mix of Sandisk extreme II & III cards.

Jon Fairhurst · February 20th, 2010, 01:21 PM

When I'm using Magic Lantern, I also just delete in the computer (so I can keep the ML files on the card), and I've never had a problem.

I reformat the cards in the camera and add the ML files at the beginning of a project, but not after each transfer to the computer.

February 10th, 2010, 08:41 PM	#1
Blake Calhoun Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 157	Deleting Footage from CF Cards Curious if most folks delete thier footage from the CF cards from within the camera or from their computer desktop? Does it make a difference? And how often do you reformat the cards? Thanks, Blake __________________ Mainly dabble in features and WebTV: www.pinktheseries.com \| www.facebook.com/continuumtv \| www.killingdown.com

February 10th, 2010, 10:08 PM	#4
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	I'm swapping a handful of cards regularly between a 5D Mk. II and a 7D, so I format them in-camera every time. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

February 11th, 2010, 07:26 AM	#5
Norman Pogson Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 140	I always clear the card by formatting in camera, never on the computer. I have recently started using dedicated cards for my camera. I only use the same cards in my 7D, never in another camera. I had started getting the odd dropped frame, which could be caused by a few things, so as a precaution I have bought Kingston pro x133 and only use these in the 7D and my SanDisk are used in my other camera (Nikon). __________________ My Stock Video Blog Linkedin

February 11th, 2010, 02:06 PM	#6
Blake Calhoun Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 157	Great, thank you for the info! For my stills I have just deleted from the computer and not reformatted the cards very often, but for video I will definitely start this practice immediately. __________________ Mainly dabble in features and WebTV: www.pinktheseries.com \| www.facebook.com/continuumtv \| www.killingdown.com

February 11th, 2010, 02:35 PM	#7
Norman Pogson Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 140	Hi Blake, I would recommend in camera formatting for stills as well. __________________ My Stock Video Blog Linkedin

February 10th, 2010, 09:54 PM	#2
Kin Lau Major Player Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ottawa, ON Posts: 385	I format the card in-camera every time after the footage has been download. The only footage I delete are the ones that aren't keepers while I'm in the field, otherwise, I always format the card.

February 10th, 2010, 10:02 PM	#3
Chuck Spaulding Trustee Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Thousand Oaks Posts: 1,099	I download, encode to the format I'm using to edit with and then reformat the cards on every project/shoot. Once I have two versions of the data there's no good reason to keep it on the CF cards. I also have several Camera's and reformat the card in the camera its being used in. This ensures that the data is written contiguously with no fragmented sections. If you simply erase on either the camera or computer there is the possibility that the card becomes fragmented reducing read and write speeds. At least that is what I was told when the video was skipping on playback from a 133X Elite Pro. It seemed to help and I certainly don't think it hurts.

February 15th, 2010, 09:26 AM	#8
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I do the same thing, reformat every time, in camera. I copy the footage to a USB drive, then convert to ProRes 422 and send that footage to one of the firewire drives. Only after that do I erase and reformat the cards.

February 17th, 2010, 08:33 PM	#9
Michael Maier Trustee Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,269	I normally delete on the computer right after copying and backing up.

February 20th, 2010, 12:23 PM	#10
Evan Donn Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 795	I've always just deleted on the computer, never bother reformatting in the camera, no problems so far (over a year of use). Using a mix of Sandisk extreme II & III cards. __________________ My latest short documentary: "Four Pauls: Bring the Hat Back!"

February 20th, 2010, 01:21 PM	#11
Jon Fairhurst Inner Circle Join Date: May 2006 Location: Camas, WA, USA Posts: 5,513	When I'm using Magic Lantern, I also just delete in the computer (so I can keep the ML files on the card), and I've never had a problem. I reformat the cards in the camera and add the ML files at the beginning of a project, but not after each transfer to the computer. __________________ Jon Fairhurst