Identifying SD cards

A forum to share ideas and opinions on the equipment and technical aspects of film, video and AV making.
Post Reply
User avatar
Peter Stedman
Posts: 275
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:06 am
Location: Wiltshire

Identifying SD cards

Post by Peter Stedman »

My colleague, who keeps coming to me to assist with his editing now that he is using SD cards, raises a question. How do you good folk label and identify these rather small cards? I don't have this problem and I just have the ones in my cameras.

However, he seems to have about a dozen now and, whilst he keeps each in small boxes, if he get out cards he soon loses track of which one is which. Apart from viewing the card content he seems to have no idea on how to 'label' each card. Being very aged doesn't help him of course.

Any suggestions please.

Pete.
User avatar
TimStannard
Posts: 1225
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:20 pm
Location: Surrey

Re: Identifying SD cards

Post by TimStannard »

Without wanting to sound too simplistic, what is wrong with writing on the label on the card? Clearly no room to write the details of the contents, but labelling them something like (in my case) Tim A, Tim B, Tim C etc and keep a separate record of what is on each.

However, this shouldn't really be a problem as these delicate things aren't really what you'd use for long term storage. As soon as I shoot anything on them (or in my case, CF Cards) I transfer to computer, make a second copy and wipe the card.

That way I know every card has 100% capacity available for recording and so it doesn't matter which card I'm using.
Tim
Proud to be an amateur film maker - I do it for the love of it
User avatar
Peter Stedman
Posts: 275
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:06 am
Location: Wiltshire

Re: Identifying SD cards

Post by Peter Stedman »

You are quite right in what you say Tim and thanks for your answer. I have in the past mentioned my colleague with his all his problems but it’s worth explaining a little more in detail.

Although not as old as myself, he’s in his mid 70s I think, he’s been in film & video since a youngster. Once into video he’s been through VHS, SVHS, MiniDV etc. and, although I don’t know how he edited, but it was analogue even with the introduction of DV tapes. He did have a PC but never got around to using it. I really don’t know how he managed it at all.

Naturally he labelled and saved all his tapes as we all did. Now he has moved to SD cards he realises that his old ways no longer work. He no longer has a computer and even if he did it would almost certainly be beyond him to learn an editing programme now. He has several stage shows recorded on SD cards now and he saves each projects SD card as he did with tapes. Not only is it his old habit but also because he hasn’t any facility (or understanding I fear) to copy onto a PC and then reuse his cards as you rightly say that you do. Myself and most others do this of course.

You mention writing on your larger CF cards but these small SD cards have so little space and it would require affixing a very small label to write an identifying word or two. That is why I asked the question in the first place.

Sadly, although he’s a good cameraman with years of experience, he hasn’t kept up with technology. If he really intends to use a new SD card for every new project, then he must learn to carefully label each SD card for identification or get totally muddled up as has happened I know.

Thanks again and I hope the above hasn't bored you too much.

Pete.
User avatar
Dave Watterson
Posts: 1872
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:11 pm
Location: Bath, England
Contact:

Re: Identifying SD cards

Post by Dave Watterson »

This is a good reminder that tasks with which we may be familiar, can seem difficult or impossible for other people. I recall the problems of teaching an old lady in her last years of life how to use a computer mouse ...
User avatar
TimStannard
Posts: 1225
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:20 pm
Location: Surrey

Re: Identifying SD cards

Post by TimStannard »

Ahhh - that'll teach me to make assumptions (again). Nevertheless the idea of only having a copy of precious memories on an SD card fills me with dread.
Peter, whilst my camera does take CF cards, I do use SD cards in my digital audio recorder. I also regularly get given SD cards by fellow club members to transfer material from. Yes, the labels are small, but there is space to affix a small label like "Tim A", "Tim B" etc as I suggested, then keep a separate index of what's on the card.

If he's using the Micro SD cards as used in GoPros and similar, then I'll admit it's probably beyond anyone over 40 to read and write that small.
(As an aside I also bemoan the fact we don't have the self archiving system that we had with tapes - ie just bung them in a drawer until needed)

Dave, in case you find yourself teaching mouse skills again, I always used to find showing people how to launch the Solitaire card game was a really quick way to get them going. I see it's no longer included, but a free download with WIndows 10. Perhaps MS just assume we all know how to use a mouse.

At least I'm not the only one making assumptions.
Tim
Proud to be an amateur film maker - I do it for the love of it
Post Reply