Just making sure since I just started shooting digital, is there any preferred method to deleting video from card to prepare for next shoot? Everything is safely archived and just curious if it makes a difference if I simply delete the items from the card and reinsert or insert card and format card?

Thanks and happy holidays all!

Using FORMAT in-camera is the proper method for best results.

Of course, you should have 2 copies of the data on different drives before ever deleting/formatting a card.

I don't know which NLE you use, but copy ALL FOLDERS from SD card, not just the video clips. Premiere Pro for sure needs all data, not sure how other NLEs work.

Thanks

Thanks Jeff, I was hoping that was the case, just wanted to be sure. My quacky workflow hopefully assures solid archiving, I import with the sony software to PC which the copies to NAS. When its time for editing I transfer to laptop which also copies to NAS #2. My footage lands on 4 separate drives. Now as long as a twister does not take my house away....

Don't know which Sony software you are using. Some of those packages that come with the camera modify the files, such as stitching together spanned clips. So that scares me a bit that some software might be messing with/converting my files...I always just use Windows copy and move all original files to hard drive (when I rent/borrow an AVHCD cam, mine use HDV tape).

Maybe you were referring to Sony Catalyst Browse software? That says it does copying but I don't know if the copy is verified (checksum).

Red Giant has a new software called OFFLOAD which copies and verifies data. There is also ShotPut Pro.

Thanks

I just started using Red Giant's "Offload" which will verify that every file that gets copied to your drive matches the files from your memory card. According to Red Giant the program "verifies files by calculating and comparing MD5 checksum values." This is helpful just to double check that everything has been copied accurately onto your hard drive. Then once it is, you just need to back up the files to another drive so that you have multiple copies. Philip Bloom uses and recommends this software and Red Giant is a very reputable company so it's probably a safe bet. Another similar piece of software is ShotPut Pro but it's double the price and I don't know that it really does anything beyond what Offload will do.

I was just reading about "Offload" after Jeff posted couple weeks ago. I am stalling to trial download until my next wedding. Will report after a few trial runs...