How Long to Format SD Card?

[Joe Mondello]

Took a handful of test images on the M8 using an SanDisk 2GB card and read it into the Mac using a card reader.

Put the card back in the M8 and suddenly it says "card full" so I go to format the card and after 14 minutes so far, still just the blinking light and the Format Card YES screen on the LCD.

This is with Firmware 1.102

Hoping I don't have a SECOND defective M8!!

:bang:

 

[kbg32]

Joe, it is probably your card. Do you have another card to use and compare?? 14 minutes is way too long. I tried using a Sandisk 4gb card and it was taking more then 15 minutes to format before I just shut the camera down. I found out that there is only 1 recommended brand of 4gb card to use.

 

[Joe Mondello]

Well after 45 minutes, I just pulled the battery since the camera wouldn't switch off.

I took the San Disk 1GB card from the R-D1 and formatted THAT card in the M8 in less than a minute.

I put the balky 2GB card into the Canon G7 and formatted it there in 2 seconds.

I put the 2GB card BACK into the M8 and formatted it there in less than a minute. This card is 4 months old and has worked beautifully for all of that time in my R-D1.

Just kinda weird behavior, but seems OK for the moment. Whew!

Thanks for chiming in, Keith!

 

[Avotius]

it should not take that long, my canon 20D with the card pretty much full takes maybe 15 seconds at most, I got a sandisk ultra 2 2gb

 

[kbg32]

Joe, did you have a fully charged battery? My M8 has some small quirks, as does my Ricoh GRD. Sometimes with my Ricoh, when I press the review button, I get nothing. I just pop the card/battery out and pop it back in and it is fine. My cards are definitely older, probably two years. I am thinking of replacing them with new ones to be on the safe side. Always reformat your cards after every download. I've read that this keeps them from getting read/write errors and makes them last longer. Don't just delete and keep using them. Digital storage cards are little hard drives, eventually they will fail. Nothing last forever!

 

[Joe Mondello]

Thanks Keith.

The batt was reading full on the display and I'd put it in fresh to do the 1.102 update and take a half dozen quick test shots that are the topic of discussion.

I *don't think* I re-formatted the card after doing the update and that could have been the issue.

Basically though you have described my workflow which is to download images to computer, check them and then re-format the card in the camera before the next use.

Thanks again!

 

[davichan]

re format vs. erase all

re format vs. erase all

i had the SAME exact problem Joe on my first batch of SanDisk 4GB cards with the Firmware 1.102 cards.
So after waiting 5 min, I pulled the battery, and tried again and again and again.
And thought, WOW, I bought a lemon....
then i read up on the leica site, that those cards are not suported, HA! went back to Calument over the weekend, got a hanfull of SanDisk 2GB that work fine.

the trick i hear from another Leica m8 user was NOT to reformat working cards unless new firmware has been installed or a new card being introduced to the camera, but to use "erase all" on working cards. These storage cards are little hard drives and dont like to be constantly reformated every day, so far so good..