# Digital Images and Digital Camera Help. A two Parter. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 3, 2007, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/digital-images-and-digital-camera-help-a-two-parter/425093 "2007-11-03T08:34:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/digital-images-and-digital-camera-help-a-two-parter/425093/1 "2007-11-03T08:34:58Z")
1. Something strange is happening with my camera. Lets say I start with an empty memory card, and I got out and take 30 pictures or so. 2-3 of those pictures will be half what I shot, and half some other random picture that I didn’t even take _that day_. So it’s like the files aren’t getting deleted all the way or something. How can I fix this? This has already happened on two very, very important pictures. What is causing this? Its a Sony, and the memory stick is Sony–not some generic. So I assume it should be good quality. This never happens with my Samsungs, though. Go Korea! 2. The thumbnails for these pictures are correct. I mean, they show the actual picture I took, and not the mangled hybrid of today’s pic and last week’s. So the information for the picture is _there_. Somewhere. How can I get that information to display the proper picture when I click on it?? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![papaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@papaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papaw)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/digital-images-and-digital-camera-help-a-two-parter/425093/2 "2007-11-03T08:38:25Z")
You must have images stored on an internal memory that hasn’t been cleared, but the o/s in the camera shouldn’t mix them with new shots. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/digital-images-and-digital-camera-help-a-two-parter/425093/3 "2007-11-03T09:13:15Z")
I can use my computer to format the Memory Stick. If I did that, would the Memory Stick no longer work in the camera? Is there specific software needed on that stick to allow the camera to utilize it? ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/digital-images-and-digital-camera-help-a-two-parter/425093/4 "2007-11-03T14:29:08Z")
[QUOTE=Bear\_Nenno] I can use my computer to format the Memory Stick. If I did that, would the Memory Stick no longer work in the camera? Is there specific software needed on that stick to allow the camera to utilize it? [/QUOTE] You can format a memory card in your computer, but that isn’t recommended. It’s always best to format in the camera you’ll be using it with. As for the anomalies you’ve been having, sorry, but 😕 is all I can say. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/digital-images-and-digital-camera-help-a-two-parter/425093/5 "2007-11-03T14:49:48Z")
[QUOTE=Bear\_Nenno] 1. The thumbnails for these pictures are correct. I mean, they show the actual picture I took, and not the mangled hybrid of today’s pic and last week’s. So the information for the picture is _there_. Somewhere. How can I get that information to display the proper picture when I click on it??. [/QUOTE] Not necessarily. Often, cameras will embed a thumbnail JPEG into the larger image file to allow quicker review of images. So your picture will have two images, a thumbnail and the full file, in it. If you’re shooting RAW, the thumbnail is definitely an embedded JPEG and not the actual picture. I’m not completely sure whether cameras do this with JPEGs or not, though. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/digital-images-and-digital-camera-help-a-two-parter/425093/6 "2007-11-03T15:03:56Z")
Never format your memory card in the computer. ONLY format the card in your camera. Once you do that, if the problem persists then buy a new memory card. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/digital-images-and-digital-camera-help-a-two-parter/425093/7 "2007-11-03T15:38:29Z")
[QUOTE=Telemark] Never format your memory card in the computer. ONLY format the card in your camera. Once you do that, if the problem persists then buy a new memory card. [/QUOTE] But, if the problem persists and the card is going to be junked anyway, where’s the harm in formatting on your computer? Putting a computer-formatted card into the camera is extremely unlikely to do any harm to the camera itself, so where’s the downside in trying if you’re going to chuck the card anyway? In fact, it might be worth trying a two step process: 1. Format the card in the computer, to completely erase it. 2. Format it in the camera. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/digital-images-and-digital-camera-help-a-two-parter/425093/8 "2007-11-03T15:42:50Z")
There are flash card utilities out there for your computer that will test the integrity of your digital media by doing a low-level format (IOW, writing all 0s to the card) and then writing and reading random bits. Unfortunately, I’m not at home at the moment, so I don’t know which program I’ve used, but a Google search should be able to turn some up. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/digital-images-and-digital-camera-help-a-two-parter/425093/9 "2007-11-03T16:35:52Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] But, if the problem persists and the card is going to be junked anyway, where’s the harm in formatting on your computer? [/QUOTE] True, if the card is shot then you can’t do much harm. But to avoid getting into that situation, never format in the computer. It may write a file system to the card that your camera can’t recognize, and so can’t recover via formatting. The card would be dead to your camera. Once your card is corrupt then anything goes, but the advice was intended for future card care. Please carry on. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/digital-images-and-digital-camera-help-a-two-parter/425093/10 "2007-11-03T18:53:16Z")
[QUOTE=Telemark] True, if the card is shot then you can’t do much harm. But to avoid getting into that situation, never format in the computer. It may write a file system to the card that your camera can’t recognize, and so can’t recover via formatting. The card would be dead to your camera. Once your card is corrupt then anything goes, but the advice was intended for future card care. Please carry on. [/QUOTE] I’m fairly certain that even if you do that, you can just do a low-level format and bring the card back to a zero state and format in-camera. I have never heard of a card being made permanently non-functional because of a computer format. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/digital-images-and-digital-camera-help-a-two-parter/425093/11 "2007-11-03T19:15:57Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] I’m fairly certain that even if you do that, you can just do a low-level format and bring the card back to a zero state and format in-camera. I have never heard of a card being made permanently non-functional because of a computer format. [/QUOTE] [thread=303612]Now you have 😛 [/thread] ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/digital-images-and-digital-camera-help-a-two-parter/425093/12 "2007-11-03T23:00:04Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] Not necessarily. Often, cameras will embed a thumbnail JPEG into the larger image file to allow quicker review of images. So your picture will have two images, a thumbnail and the full file, in it. If you’re shooting RAW, the thumbnail is definitely an embedded JPEG and not the actual picture. I’m not completely sure whether cameras do this with JPEGs or not, though. [/QUOTE] How would a person access this embedded thumbnail file? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2007, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/digital-images-and-digital-camera-help-a-two-parter/425093/13 "2007-11-04T00:36:03Z")
[QUOTE=Bear\_Nenno] How would a person access this embedded thumbnail file? [/QUOTE] That’s a good question. I don’t know. And I don’t think it would be of much help, being in a very low resolution. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2007, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/digital-images-and-digital-camera-help-a-two-parter/425093/14 "2007-11-04T00:38:19Z")
[QUOTE=Nanoda] [thread=303612]Now you have 😛 [/thread] [/QUOTE] I’m not convinced from that account that it was necessarily the computer formatting that destroyed the card. It sounds like it was a shit card to begin with. It doesn’t make sense to me that a low-level format would corrupt a card. A low-level format should wipe out absolutely everything on the card. If it doesn’t work after a low-level format, I would assume an unrepairable error with the media itself.