How to Always Be Ready to Shoot (Podcast 637)

In this post, I answer the question “as a wildlife photographer how do you ensure that you are always ready for action?"

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Canon EOS 5DSR Focus Settings in My Menu

Calling Cranes with Blown Up Crane Heads

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Martin Bailey is a nature and wildlife photographer and educator based in Tokyo. He's a pioneering Podcaster and blogger, and an X-Rite Coloratti member.

experience, fundamentals, photography, preparation, tips and techniques, wildlife

12 Comments

Charles Becker
Posted at 23:29h, 31 October Reply

Hi Martin!
This is with regard to Podcast #637.
I was very interested in the advice Canon gave you re the proper use of memory cards-namely (1) deleting the images before formatting the card (which I have always done) and (2) not deleting images then continuing to use the card. That is something I have never heard of before and I’ll bet most others have also not heard of this. This sounds like it would make for an interesting podcast (the proper use of memory cards). Regards from Canada! cb
- Martin Bailey
  Posted at 09:24h, 01 November Reply
  
  Hi Charles,
  
  Thanks for the comment. You’re right. Not many people are aware of this. The advice I received was from an engineer at the service center, and possibly not Canon’s advice in general, so I’m not sure I want to make it a full blown post, but I have done these things for years and only had two issues, so I’m pretty sure these things are worth bearing in mind.
  
  Cheers,
  Martin.
  - Charles Becker
    Posted at 10:32h, 01 November Reply
    
    thanks Martin! cb
  - Roger L Jones
    Posted at 20:54h, 15 December Reply
    
    Interesting, I’ve been told this has absolutely no effect on the card, it is similar to deleting a file on your hard drive, early days of memory cards maybe. So I would love to hear SanDisk’s view on this and I think I will email them, fingers crossed I get a reply 🙂
Lars Altergård
Posted at 06:21h, 05 November Reply

Hi Martin, thanks for sharing! I would like to practice your advice back button focus, but using a nikon d610. Some settings differ. Know it’s not the most advanced body, still enough for me at my level. I believe I can copy the basics, just to understand the difference in menues. Anyone reading this who knows? Br from Sweden
Mike Cristina
Posted at 00:44h, 10 December Reply

Hi Martin, Thanks for your great info. Recently in Tanzania I noticed that when I filled a card on my 1Dx the camera did not automatically switch over to the other card. I found no info on this in the manual. Should it switch over? I am not writing to both cards simultaneously.

Mike
- Martin Bailey
  Posted at 14:17h, 10 December Reply
  
  Hi Mike,
  
  The camera doesn’t automatically switch cards when full by default. You have to go to the SET UP1 menu and select Record func+card/folder sel, then change the Record function from Standard to Auto Switch card.
  
  In the old copy of the manual that I have this is on page 114. Hope that helps!
  
  Regards,
  Martin.
Mike Cristina
Posted at 07:56h, 11 December Reply

Thank you. Big Help. Pages 118-119 in my book. It was annoying because I have disabled my lower LED screen so as to not inadvertently switch away from RAW. So when a card filled I had to take it out temporarily to switch to the other card.

Thanks again, Mike
Roger L Jones
Posted at 23:17h, 19 December Reply

I emailed SanDisk who at first didn’t understand the question regarding damaging a card by deleting photos in the camera, however we eventually got this reply:

deleting files or formatting the card in your camera should not affect the card’s health or the data in the card.

So I will continue with my fingers crossed 🙂
- Martin Bailey
  Posted at 00:15h, 20 December Reply
  
  Thanks for the update Roger. You do what you feel comfortable doing. I’m sticking to my regime. I’m sure it’s fine these days. It was almost twenty years ago when I received that advice, and digital cameras were still very young. But, having had so few issues while sticking to this, I’m going to continue.
  
  Also note that Sandisk only said “should” and that is not even close to a guarantee. 🙂
Michael Kalichman
Posted at 07:50h, 25 February Reply

Martin, I recently found your podcasts and have found them to be quite useful. However, I’m writing now to alert you to an error in this podcast. In the next to the last paragraph (Custom Shooting Modes) you reference an earlier podcast, #587. This is incorrect. I believe you meant that to be #588: http://mbp.ac/588.
- Martin Bailey
  Posted at 14:38h, 01 March Reply
  
  Hi Micheal,
  
  Thanks for listening, and for letting me know about that error. I have corrected it now. Thank you!
  
  Regards,
  Martin.