07/13/2022
Are you formatting your memory card regularly? If not, you run the risk of corruption and image loss.
When images are captured and written to your memory card, the camera keeps track of them by using a "table of contents" called the File Allocation Table (FAT). This system also allows your computer to access and download the images.
When you delete an image, the listing in the FAT is deleted and that space on the memory card is made available to store another image. Over time, deleting and adding more images can lead to errors in the FAT and this can mean the loss of important images.
When you format the memory card in a camera, the entire card is wiped clean, the camera checks to make sure that there are no damaged areas and then a new FAT is created - all in a couple of seconds. Just be sure that you have downloaded your images before formatting.
If you purchased a camera from PhotoMed, there is a section in our instructions that walks you through the menu steps to format your card. You can also find formatting instructions in the manufacturer's user guide.
