It seams that the only way to reformat a CF card is to do it in the camera. I would much prefer to do it after down loading the clips using the Canon XF utility. Having to do it in the camera risks erasing the wrong CF card. Have I missed something in the utility that allow a reformat?

Why not download directly from the camera? Then you'd know where you'd stand.

Grazie

When you need to swap cards while shooting it makes sense to put back a empty formatted card after saving its clips.

My procedure with any of my cameras is to leave footage on my memory cards for as long as I can after it has been ingested because it gives me one more backup for awhile longer. Sometimes I might not need a card again for a few days, so I figure why erase it?

I wait and never reformat a card until the day of a shoot if I expect to need that card later in the day. And I always reformat before leaving the office because I don't ever want to reformat anything on-location. That's how screw ups happen in the heat of the moment. And I always reformat inside the camera and never on a computer so I ensure that is is done perfectly correct the way the camera wants it done.

I'm not saying that there aren't other valid workflows, but this has worked well for me and gives me added peace of mind.

MASTERING THE CANON XF305 & XF300 CAMCORDERS (http://www.vortexmedia.com/DVD_XF305.html)

100% agree with Doug - it is so easy to trip up when trying to reformat in the field so make sure you have enough cards for your day's shoot so you do not have to reformat "on the go".