Card Format Error - Brand New Camera

[mommy23monkeys]

Hi. This is my very first post. I hope I am asking in the right place.

I have had my Canon Rebel XS for 3 days. I have an SD card in it, I never formatted it (don't know why...it was working just fine so I didn't mess with it). Well, today, I took a few shots then suddenly I got an error about the card not being formatted.

Bummer.

So I tried to format it since there wasn't much on it. I had already transferred nearly everything.

I got the error "cannot format. Change card"

This is a brand new camera and a brand new card. Is it already screwed up or am I doing something wrong? The user manual wasn't much help, told me to take it to a Cannon dealer.

Thanks for any help you can give me. I am hoping it's user error and I don't have to go exchange it. It was a holiday special and I know the store is sold out now.

[LoveDSLR]

Canon DSLR works well with SanDisk memory cards.

[mommy23monkeys]

that's what I have.

[shep]

get a nikon

[mommy23monkeys]

thanks, but not real helpful.

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by shep

get a nikon

neither helpful nor funny

[zona5101]

sorry i wish i knew more about this kind of incident. Do you have another card? That would probably be my first course of action...and if not a trip to the camera store to try one of their cards...

[LoveDSLR]

1) If you have a card reader then try to format it with your computer first. Then reformat it with your camera.

2) Try another card and remember to format it first. Then just shoot until you fill it up to make sure the card is OK.

[mommy23monkeys]

My DH has tons of cards laying around. I just emailed him to see if we have the right kind so I can test it out. Otherwise, I'll run to the store in the morning. I hope that's all it is. Thanks for your help.

[Jim Bryant]

I don't even know why they make SD cards, they are such a piece of crap. If your camera takes a CF card get a few of those. My MK II's work off both SD or CF...........I've never put a SD card in the slot. You might want to try a SDHC card, maybe you got a bad SD card.
BTW I reformat my cards after each shoot.