Creating Folders on the CF Card
Related to image file-naming is a system for naming folders on the CF card. Creating CF card folders is one of the early steps in managing image workflow. Establishing a consistent folder-naming system can help make downloading and archiving more seamless within the total structure of your folder and file-naming scheme. And at the very least, CF folders help you organize files by shoot or segments during extended shooting or multiple assignments.
You have a choice in how you create folders on the CF card. You can create folders on the camera and let Canon give each folder a number, such as the initial 100EOS5D folder. Alternatively, you can create folders on the computer. But if you're in a hurry or you're in the field without a laptop, creating folders by using the camera's default folder names is better than pitching all the images into the default folder that the camera creates.
If you use Continuous file-naming, the folder maximum is 9,999 images. When you reach that number, the camera displays a Full warning even if the CF card has more space. Then, the camera automatically creates a folder to save subsequent images. It's a good idea to create additional folders so you can maintain your preferred folder-naming structure.
If you create folders on the computer, you find that the file-naming structure set by Canon isn't especially flexible, but it is practical.
To create folders on the CF card on the computer, follow these steps:
1. Create a folder named DCIM. Create subfolders within it.
2. Begin naming the subfolders with 3 digits from 100 to 999. You can't use the same 3 digits for two folders regardless of whether the text following the numbers is different.
3. Add five text letters from A to Z in uppercase and/or lowercase, but don't use spaces in the filename. You can use an underscore as one of the letters.
Thus, a folder name might be 209BMP_A, where the digits denote the month and year, the letters abbreviate the client's name, and the trailing letter indicates folder A in a series of multiple folders for a single shooting session.
For my folder-naming system, the restrictions on the numerals means that I can't create multiple folders that begin with the session date (mm/yy) because the same sequence of numbers can't be repeated across multiple folders. An alternate strategy is to create folders by using a session-numbering strategy or a similar logic.
Although the naming convention lacks flexibility, Canon doesn't skimp on the number of folders that you can create. If you're so inclined, you can create up to 900 folders.
To create a new folder on the CF card by using the Canon default folder-naming system or to select an existing folder on the CF card, follow these steps:
1. Press the Menu button and then tilt the Multi-controller until the Set-up 1 (yellow) menu appears.
2. Turn the Quick Control dial to highlight Select Folder and then press the Set button.
The Select folder screen appears, with the default folder selected, along with a Create folder option. Existing folders show the number of images contained in them, along with a thumbnail for each, on the right side of the screen.
3. Turn the Quick Control dial to select Create folder and then press the Set button. The camera displays a confirmation message asking whether you want to create folder 101, where the final number is the next-highest file folder number. Successive folder names are incremented by one digit.
4. Choose OK and then press the Set button. The camera displays the Create folder screen where you can create another folder or select an existing folder.
5. Select the folder you want or choose the Create folder option to create another folder.
To return to shooting, lightly press the Shutter button.
To create and name folders on your computer, follow these steps:
1. Insert the CF card into a card reader connected to your computer and then navigate to and open the CF card on your computer.
2. Create a new folder named DCIM on the CF card and then open the DCIM folder.
3. Create a new folder within the DCIM folder and then name it by using Canon's naming guidelines. Folder names must use 3 digits from 100 to 999 followed by five uppercase and/or lowercase letters. You can use an underscore as one of the five letters. You can't use spaces in the folder name.
4. Insert the CF card in the camera and then follow the earlier steps to select the folder that you want.
5. To delete a folder on the card, use the computer to navigate to the empty folder on the card you want to delete, highlight it, and then press Delete. Or you can format the card in the camera and accomplish the same task.
Make it a point to format your CF cards periodically. Before formatting the card — and I mean this — download all the images from the card to the computer. Be sure about this, and double-check the card before you format. You don't want all your creative efforts lost over a fleeting, careless error.
To format the CF card:
1. Press the Menu button and then tilt the Multi-controller until the Set-up 1 (yellow) menu appears.
2. Turn the Quick Control dial clockwise to highlight Format and then press the Set button. The Format confirmation screen appears.
3. Turn the Quick Control dial clockwise to select OK and then press the Set button. The camera displays a progress screen as the card is formatted.
Average user rating: 5 stars out of 1 votes
Post a comment