Many digital camera owners have difficulty understanding the difference between formatting a memory card &  just erasing the images. Both methods of deleting an image (or images)  should be used.

Erasing can be done whenever you wish, like when your card is at full capacity or when you need more space on the card. However, a  memory card should be formatted several times a year, particularly if  your camera’s performance seems slow or sluggish. You should format more often if your camera is used frequently.

When you erase a memory card, individual photos are deleted from their directories on the card. You can erase one image at a time, or erase all images. However, any images that have been designated as protected, won’t be removed during the erasure process ( Protected images are usually marked with a symbol resembling a lock).

Formatting, on the other hand, deletes all images from a memory card, even the ones that may have been protected. It recreates the file system including new directories and folders where images are saved on the card.

Unlike erasing, formatting improves the overall performance of a card.Some digital cameras offer a low level format in addition to the standard format option. With a low level format, all data on the card is deleted. New directories and folders are also recreated during this process.

A low-level format of a high speed memory card would help in when you’re shooting continuously at a constant interval. For optimal performance, it’s also recommended that a low level format be done prior to shooting any video.

It’s best to erase and format memory cards in a digital camera, not via a computer. If you plan to use a memory card that was previously used in another camera, particularly if it was made by a different manufacturer, format the card in the new camera before taking any shots.

As we covered in our last post, make sure you back up any important photo & video files prior to erasing or formatting a card.

Formatting and erasing a memory card is done through the camera’s Main Menu. The functions are usually accessed in Playback mode, though they can be accessed in other modes on some cameras.  Since the steps vary from camera to camera, check your manual for specific instructions. Even a brand new memory card should be formatted in-camera before using it for the first time.

“When should I shoot a photo in RAW? What’s RAW, anyway?”  That’s next…

About once a month or so , we get someone who comes into the store, horrified & in obvious distress. After giving them a paper bag so they don’t hyperventilate, they inform us that ALL their vacation (grandchild’s recital, holiday party shots, chance photos they took with a celebrity, etc) are gone & they don’t know why…

There are 2 ways this can happen; You’ve mistakenly hit the “erase all” icon instead of erasing the one particular picture you wanted to delete or, you formatted your memory card while the images were still in the card. In both cases, the images are gone. Or are they???

There is a way that you can get back those photos you deleted. It’s called” image restoration” & we offer that service in our photo lab. Just bring us the card and for $24.95, we’ll restore the images that were previously on your  memory card & put them on a CD for you for archival purposes. We have an 85-90% success rate of restoring your images and we’re told that there’s something you can do to greatly increase your chances of restoring your shots;  If you stop using the card once you’ve noticed the card is erased and no other pictures are taken, it helps your chances of getting your photos back! So if this were to happen to you, fear  not; we can help!

The next question we get, and the next one we’ll cover is “What is formatting & why do you need to do it?” We’ll answer that on Friday!

A side note: Pro Photographer  (and CWS friend) Tim Coffey was featured last Sunday in the Advocate, highlighting his portraits of Connecticut politicians that just went on exhibit at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. To see a slide show of “The Arts of Politics“, you can go to Tim’s website: http://www.timcoffey.com/index.htm

Almost every week in our digital camera mini-classes,  I get to a part of the class where everyone universally has a quizzical look on their faces, as if to say, “why did they do that?” And that’s when I get to the portion of the use of ISO speeds on digital cameras.

The letters ISO (or ASA for old-timers) on your digital camera settings refer to the equivalent of film speed on a older film based camera. ISO settings  determines how sensitive the image sensor is to light, so the camera manufacturers have transferred the principle to digital cameras (At this point, our students take a collective sigh of relief!). The same principle applies; the lower the ISO, the sharper the image will be & the higher the ISO, the better it is in lower light & subjects that are moving. The higher ISO setting will result in a image that is not as sharp as one taken will a lower ISO & will show what was once known as “grain”, but  now is called “noise”. Digital cameras will set the ISO automatically when in the “auto” setting, but can be changed in the “Program” or other settings on your camera to customize it to your particular shooting situation. You can also use the various mode settings that are common on most digital cameras such as action/sports, night portrait,etc.

New digital cameras have the ability of shooting in extremely high ISO’s, speeds that were unimaginable just a few years ago. And this breakthrough will truly enhance the overall ability for new cameras to take a better image. An excellent article on Gizmodo explains how ” ISO is the New Megapixel” & that megapixel count should not be the only criteria in determining image quality on a digital camera: http://gizmodo.com/5470334/giz-explains-why-iso-is-the-new-megapixel

Next up is the burning question:” I accidently erased all the images on my memory card! Is there any hope of getting them back?”

We got a great response when we posted the Sony TX-1 last week and most everyone agreed that it’s a great camera ( Bought some too, thank you!). Some folks, however asked if there’s a camera we recommend that’s feature laden AND a little nicer on the wallet. Yes, we do, and it’s called the Casio EX-S5…

The EX-S5 offers 10 Megapixel Resolution, a 3x optical zoom & a bright 2.7 inch LCD Screen .  The S5’s 10 million pixels high resolution quality maximizes clarity so detailed moments are captured the way you envisioned. And 23 Best Shot Modes help the user take high-quality images without having to adjust the camera settings. This ultra-thin, state-of-the art digital camera features YouTube™ Capture Mode and iTunes Compatible Video Format. Upload your videos to YouTube instantly and share them with others. And with the wide 2.7″ Super Clear LCD, the S5 has creates a whole new viewing experience when taking pictures. With the high contrast and highest brightness, the new Super Clear LCD lets you see your shots better than ever, from any angle.

There are SO many other features that I don’t have space here to list them all! Here’s Casio’s webpage on the camera: take a look, then check out our special on this camera: http://exilim.casio.com/products_exs5.shtml

Now, here’s the deal… We are selling the Casio S5 in a kit which includes a Casio ESC-80 case AND a 4gb SD memory card for only $129! It comes in 5 colors- Silver, Blue, Pink, Black & Purple (not shown).  This is a GREAT deal from a camera company that has ranked 1st or 2nd in customer satisfaction from J.D. Power & Associates 5 years running! Yet supplies are limited, so come in or call us @ 877ecamera!

Wired has an article this month on “compressed sensing” algorithms which can restore image data. It’s quite amazing and will definitely turn the photo industry upside down… again! Imagine being able to print posters from your camera phone, even retroactively. We won’t be discussing mega pixels anymore if this hits the marketplace.