Clear cards without a computer?

GenghisHotep

Will be shooting in remote area without electricity for at least five days. Anyone know how to clear cards without using a computer?
Any help and/or suggestions much appreciated! Thank you, GH

sevencrossing

Press and hold the two red format buttons for 3 sec press again

PB_PM

+ 1 @sevencrossing I always format my cards that way. I only reformat cards in the computer if there is a corruption problem, since the computer can be used for lower level formatting (multi-pass writes of 0's to the card).

haroldp

I assume you will be carrying a backup device.

spraynpray

I have a feeling @GenghHotep means he wants to 'clear' his cards onto a storage device. If that is the case, my opinion is that you should treat your memory cards like film and shoot them until they are full then change them for fresh cards (set your camera to stop releasing when cards full or missing). Memory cards are cheap and rugged.

HTH

kenadams

spraynpray, uhm... can Nikons be set so they overwrite previously taken pictures??

sevencrossing

spraynpray, uhm... can Nikons be set so they overwrite previously taken pictures??

I don't think so, but on some/ all cameras, the default setting, that allows you to think you took a photo even if there is no card

Golf007sd

spraynpray, uhm... can Nikons be set so they overwrite previously taken pictures??

No. Moreover, it would be a foolish feature to have. After all, how would the camera know exactly was is a keeper vs what is not. That is up to the photographer...not the gear.

GenghisHotep

Sorry for the long delay here. Yes, what I mean is dump all files to disk. So far, the only way I know how to do this is to carry my laptop. But I can imagine a gadget that simply had a USB 3.0 port on one side and card readers on the other. Just stick a card in and all files get dumped to the disk. Then format card as usual in camera. You could use something like that in the field. Otherwise, despite the laptop being incredibly thin and wonderful, lugging it means an extra 2.2kg, more than 4 lbs., a major concern if you're carrying it everywhere. I figured if anyone might have run across a portable card-clearing gizmo like this, it would be the august members of this forum.

You can't somehow run a cable from the camera to a disk and download everything that way, can you? I never heard of it, only just thought of it. Anyway, you see the problem.

henrik1963

@GenghisHotep: Why not bring more cards? I have used an iPad with a reader. That worked fine with the D90. Not sure how it would work with a D800 - you need the 128 gig model :-)

GenghisHotep

In re-reading sprayandpray's comment, yes, the SD cards are very cheap. But the XQD cards are fricking ridiculous. Very, very sturdy, to be sure, and the H version is fast, but they drain your bank account at 11-frames a second. Hundred bucks for the very cheapest. Also, I can't carry enough cards for two months, which is often the time frame here, and I am so done with film.

And henrik1963, yes two bodies, a D810 (the D800 on the block) and a D4. Lots and lots of data, just incredible to an elderly film person like me. A single day's shoot would choke an iPad. Hence the search for this gizmo.

haroldp

Sorry for the long delay here. Yes, what I mean is dump all files to disk. So far, the only way I know how to do this is to carry my laptop. But I can imagine a gadget that simply had a USB 3.0 port on one side and card readers on the other. Just stick a card in and all files get dumped to the disk. Then format card as usual in camera. You could use something like that in the field. Otherwise, despite the laptop being incredibly thin and wonderful, lugging it means an extra 2.2kg, more than 4 lbs., a major concern if you're carrying it everywhere. I figured if anyone might have run across a portable card-clearing gizmo like this, it would be the august members of this forum.

You can't somehow run a cable from the camera to a disk and download everything that way, can you? I never heard of it, only just thought of it. Anyway, you see the problem.

There are many such devices, I use a wolverine, but B & H will show a range, some with view screens, some like mine are simply back up devices, about the size of a pocket disk drive. I have never seen one for xqd however, but they have slots for many other flas memory formats.

I use them on long trips where I do not carry a laptop, or in the field (less in the field since my cameras have two slots for real time back up.

hope this helps

... H

BabaGanoush

@haroldp: I own a 320 GB Wolverine with several spare batteries and have used it to back up my memory cards when I'm traveling. I never clear my cards when I'm on a trip. When a card is full or after 2 days of shooting (whichever comes first) I remove it from my camera, I lock it, and then I store it away in a separate case for safe keeping. I then replace the used card in my camera with a fresh card. In the future, if I know that I'll have access to electricity for charging my electronic devices, I plan to take my iPad instead of the Wolverine.

Wolverine is no longer in business, fyi, and B+H no longer carries their product line according to their Web listings.

haroldp

B & H carries nexto and digital foci brands at varied capacities and prices which do the same thing.

I also never re-use a flash card on a trip, (they are cheap), but am paranoid about back-up (I am a Data Base Administrator by profession).

My wolverine does not recognize some of the latest formats of faster CF and SD memory, which may force me to upgrade.


.... H

GenghisHotep

Hey the Nexto and Digital Foci look promising. Thanks! Big help!

IanG

I take a SANHO Hyperdrive whenever I'm out and about for long - I purchased an 'empty' model and put an SSD 'disk' into the case - no moving parts. I empty the card to the device each evening - simple. I travel with a D800 and I shoot RAW so I understand the file size problems... :-)

I find it storage that these devices aren't more popular - as file size increases, iPads and the like are just dead weight as there's simply not enough storage space available. Interestingly SANHO also make iPad compatible storage drives too...