Formatting Memory cards

[Serczh1]

Ok, I know this has been discussed, I looked through the forum posts and found a mention
of formatting the card in the camera or the computer.
But it was only what posters had heard, or thought.
So IS IT better to format the card in the camera, preferably the one used with the card, or better to format it in the PC and run chkdsk. or not?
This sounds like the RAW vs JPEG scene, lol
lemmeknow what you know please.
Serczh1

[m.c.adams]

Always format in the camera. At least thats what most of the major camera manufactures say.
Mark

[work2well]

Me, I format the card wherever I am using at the time, be it printer, PC or camera. I guess if I HAD to toss a coin, I would say camera.

[Doug Pardee]

For modern cameras, it doesn't matter. There have been a few exceptions in the past.

[Rolling Stone]

I've heard people having problems with their cards formatting on computer. I've never heard anybody having a problem formatting in camera.
I believe it has something to do with folder structure. If you format via computer, it will clear the photos, but leave that folder text/structure on card. At some point when you go take take your first shot, it will show as pic #21 or so. Formatting in camera erases EVERYTHING and you start fresh.
Your choice.

[sybren]

There are several choices of filesystems (FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, ext2 through ext4, reiserFS, XFS, and a lot more) and your camera probably only supports one. It doesn't matter where you format. However, in the camera you can be 100% sure that it's formatted in such a way that your camera supports it.