X-E2 needs formatting with 32GB SD cards

[asathor]

I just found that my X-E2 and X-M1 cannot handle the new 32 GB Samsung Pro (grey) 90MBs/80MBs SD cards as they ship.

 

They must be formatted in camera  to work.

 

[Yellerz]

I just found that my X-E2 and X-M1 cannot handle the new 32 GB Samsung Pro (grey) 90MBs/80MBs SD cards as they ship.

 

They must be formatted in camera  to work.

 

You should format all cards in camera before using them.

[asathor]

Should and must are not the same thing.

 

99.9% compatibility is not close enough in production because you don'the know which component is at fault. In my work I would never put a drive in a server that was not 100% compatible, those go on the shelf until I have time to test them, and only after they pass all test and boot up correctly with several different installation do I release them, and then only for desktop use.

 

In this case it is likely that the card came formatted to a newer sector layout standard, however the camera did not reject it, it simply hung on writing to it.

 

I though I would save someone a heart attack.

[gdugic]

I format every new card that I put in my camera... Also, when I switch the card from another camera, I also format it. Every camera manufacturer has its own file and folder naming so formating the card prepares it for proper use.

[Begi Nabara]

Should and must are not the same thing.

 

You didn't read the camera manual, eh?

 

All cards must be formatted in any camera you want to use it in.

[Yellerz]

I format every new card that I put in my camera... Also, when I switch the card from another camera, I also format it. Every camera manufacturer has its own file and folder naming so formating the card prepares it for proper use.

 

This is also what I do.

 

In fact when I fill (or partially fill) a card and download the images, I leave the card full, then the next time I use it forces the format.  This works for me as I use them in different cameras.

I would never attempt to use an unformatted card, seems like a recipe for losing your images to me.

[quincy]

Well, so far I've used more than 10 different SD cards with my X-T1 (8GB-32GB, microSD with adapter, Sandisk, Transcend, PNY...), and I did not format any of them prior to first use. They all worked. And why wouldn't they? SD cards are pre-formatted by the manufacturer, usually FAT32.

 

Therefore, it's not totally unthinkable that the OP and others used SD cards without formatting before.

 

To the OP: do you know how the SD card was formatted before you reformatted it in the camera?

[Begi Nabara]

At the risk of repeating myself, from the Fuji manual:

 

"Format memory cards before use, and be sure to reformat all memory cards after using them in a computer or other device."

[Maurice]

That's one of those things they put in there just so they can say - i told you so, if there are any problems.

But problems really only occur due to user error, like formatting it on Windows/Mac/Linux with the wrong settings.

 

Formatting every time is completely redundant.

The only reason is compatibility, thus indeed if you must it is 'best' to do so in-camera.

But regular reads & writes can't magically change the file system on any device.

 

^{*Though if your card is getting bad, then a format could help to fix bad blocks.}

^{But in that case, it'd probably be best to replace it!}

 

If one must use a PC or Mac to format it, there's actually a official SDFormatter to make sure it is done to proper sd card standards:

https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/index.html

[gdugic]

Why complicating the things with some pc software? Format the card in camera. As I said, it prepares the card in the right way. I see no point in further discussion...

[asathor]

I did not check the format setting of the card since my tools are at work.

 

I will see if I have a chance to test some new cards later. The most likely problem is that the camera could not handle the increased sector size that is cnormally progressively increased with newer and larger storage media. PC and MACs are already programmed to handle widely varying media but apparently Fujifilm did not include this small update in their firmware updates (it is basically a lookup table for translating the layout unless it is chip limited).

 

enjoy your X-Pro2

[Guest Ridgeback]

Classic case of looking for problems where there are none.

 

RTFM.

 

Or be a wiseass and don't. And own the potential consequences like the man you thought you were when you ignored the manual.

[Shawn S]

Interesting... I never bother formatting the card, not even for updates to firmware for body or lenses.The XE1 & XE2 firmware have been stable enough at reading/writing the exFAT filesystem, and popping it in and out of my laptops has never impacted readability either.

 

I am curious whether the cards you used were indeed previously formatted....

[Begi Nabara]

Back to the manual:

Fuji recommends formatting new cards or cards that have been used in other cameras. All other camera manufacturers do the same.

 

Why would you not spend the two seconds that it takes to do this?

 

You can't be bothered?

[Shawn S]

Back to the manual:

Fuji recommends formatting new cards or cards that have been used in other cameras. All other camera manufacturers do the same.

 

Why would you not spend the two seconds that it takes to do this?

 

You can't be bothered?

Can't be bothered is a bit harsh - I can't see any rationale for why it is required. It is using a standard formatted card. I view the cards as pre-formatted to the defined standard when I buy them.

 

I'm happy to not follow instructions or recommendations for things which are a little enthusiastic and perhaps put in there to cover themselves. At worst case following the recommendation will shorten the life of the SD card by unnecessarily rewriting the card.

 

If I were concerned, I would then also need to reformat the card every time I used it in my laptop, which is fairly often as I don't do file transfer over USB cable.

[Shawn S]

The time when I would actually reformat the card is if I need to remove a lot of files as the exFAT filesystem isn't the best.