Formatting a Memory Card Please for Digi Camera

[smurfchops]

After all my questions and helpful answers on AB I have now bought the Canon Ixus 70 (special offer at Tesco, under �100 folks) and now I am trying to learn how to use it ! I also bought a 2GB Fujifilm SD Memory card but it says I have to format it before I use it. In the little Canon User Guide it says Format Memory Cards: Advanced Guide Page 29. But I don't have the advanced guide !! Can someone please explain formatting in laymen's terms? Also do I have to download the two disks with the camera, before I can put photos on my computer? Any help greatly appreciated. I am not technical ..

[Mirror]

have you played around with the features on you camera yet?
in the set-up mode there should be a format feature.

otherwise you could format the card on your computer. look for the port for the memory card and insert it. be careful, pay attention to which end you insert otherwise you will ruin the card. once the card is in the drive, right click and choose the format option.

[ianmunt]

If you go to the camera menu and seerct the Tools option(looks like spanners) select that and use the up/down control to get to Format . OK that and go ahead and format.This will delete everything on the card so only do it initially before starting to use the card,or later if you want to clear all images.Formatting on the computer sometimes makes the card unreadable by the camera.
If you use a USB card reader you can view/transfer images to your computer without having to use the camera installation discs.They are needed if you intend to connect the camera directly to the comp.

[4candles]

If you're using XP (and Vista, probably?) the computer will recognise the camera without the need to 'instal' it with the discs.

Re the 'Advanced Guide' - that will be on the disc(s), most likely in PDF format.

I'd agree with Ian that it's safer to format the card in the camera.

[smurfchops]

Thank you all, What is a USB card reader? I have been using an Olympus digi camera for a few years, so have some idea of using the port to transfer images to the computer, however I have just had another thought. To save money on the new memory card which I haven't yet opened, could I use the old memory card from the Olympus, and format that for the Canon? I will fiddle around with the camera today, any more probs and I will be on AB again !! Would a camera shop help me with the formatting if I am still stuck ?

[4candles]

A USB card reader enables you to read/write to the card, in the same way as you would with a pen drive.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-ImagaMate-5in1 -USB-Button/dp/B0007QU7VE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s =electronics&qid=1208855877&sr=8-2

is a well-regarded example.

Provided it's an SD type, there's no reason you can't use the card from the Olympus.

If you don't mention Tesco, a camera shop assistant would no doubt help, especially if you buy a card reader! Just remember that he may not be there for long if everyone buys their cameras from Tesco ;-/

But if you look up page 29 first you shouldn't have any problem doing the format.

[Jenga]

I was looking through my camera functions once with over 100 photos on my SD card. I came across format and thought what is that? I stupidly chose it thinking it will do something nice to my photos maybe and it deleted everything. I learnt the hard way what format meant. I had to go to Jessops and the guys there got most of my photos back for me.