Memory Cards Myths

Photography

This applies to all digital cameras including: Olympus/OM Systems, Panasonic/Lumix, Fujifilm, Canon, Nikon, Sony…

Myth #1: Do not erase images with your camera

Deleting images while reviewing is supposed to corrupt the memory card. Why don’t you try it yourself?

  • Reformat the card using the camera.
  • Take a dozen photos of whatever is in front of you: your window, your desk, the wall…
  • Start reviewing the images and delete image #3, image #5, and image #8. This means that there are still 9 images left on the memory card.
  • Turn off the camera.
  • Insert the memory card into the reader attached to your computer.
  • Review the images and delete image #2 and image #6.
  • Unmount/safely remove the memory card.
  • Place it back into your camera.
  • Review the images using the playback.

And guess what? There are still 7 images left. It still works!

Myth #2. You must format the memory card in the camera and not on the computer

Formatting on the computer is supposed to render the memory card unreadable by the camera.

All current cameras (that I know of) either use FAT32 or exFAT as a file system. In the ldquo;good old days” it was FAT when the memory cards were smaller than 2 gigabytes. By using the FAT32 file system, the maximum file size is 4 gigabytes and the maximum volume size is 2 terabytes. The newest cameras without the 30 minutes video recording limit use exFAT. These exFAT cards have a maximum file size of 512 Terrabytes (the full volume) and a recommended maximum volume size of 512 terabytes

Most of the SD cards use the FAT32 format, while most of the CF Express cards use the exFAT format.

In the menu system of the OM-1MkII: MENU » Wrench » 1. Card/Folder/File » Card Formatting

Tip

If you prefer to format your SD card in the camera, you should copy the function into the My Menu, by selecting it:

MENU » Wrench » 1. Card/Folder/File » Card Formatting

and pressing the red/record button

The camera will overwrite the existing folders and create a folder: DCIM. All the files on the memory card will have been “quick erased”, which means, the directory entry for the various files have been deleted but not the images that are still present (without any directory) on the memory card.

If you format the memory card on the computer, you do not need to create the DCIM folder, the camera will create the DCIM folder for you.

Why don’t you try it yourself?

  • On your computer reformat the memory card
  • Unmount/safely remove the memory card
  • Place it back into your camera
  • Take a few pictures
  • View them on your computer: they will be within the DCIM\###OMSYS (3 digits starting with 100) folder

How to crash your memory card

On your camera

Either one of these operations will corrupt your memory card:

  • Remove the memory card before the camera has a chance to finish writing the images
  • Remove the battery before the camera has a chance to finish writing the images
  • Battery running out of power before the camera has a chance to finish writing the images
  • Filling the memory card completely. Often the camera will “lock up”.

On your computer

  • Remove the memory card without “unmounting” it, especially right after writing things to the memory card.