topic Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

justadude — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:31:41 GMT

Ok, I need to admit that I am stumped and can't find an answer in the manual (pages 601 - 607). Guessing the answer is buried elsewhere, but I can't find it. I'm sure someone here knows what I am missing/not think of.

I've owned the R6 Mk ll for over a year and a half, have shot thousands of photos, and erased images at least a couple times per month... from BOTH cards. I should add that card #1 is set up for RAW, and card #2 is set for JPEG (due to rare times that I need the JPEG).

Erasing all images on the card > Blue menu > #1 > Erase all images on card.... Typically I always have the option of choosing either card 1 or card 2 somewhere along the line, and my typically routine is to erase one, then the other. However recently (about a month ago) the card icon in the upper right of this menu page only shows card 2. I can't figure out how to get it to go to card one. I'll erase card 2 (because that is showing) then back out, then go in again to erase card 1, but the camera says No Images and still shows card 2. I have to switch the cards to opposite slots, then it will give me the option to erase again. I don't see anywhere to switch cards in this menu.

Things to note...

* Images are added to both cards still when I shoot.

* One card is not faulty because when I switch cards to opposite slots, same thing happens not letting me erase whichever card is in slot 1. I've tried two totally different cards as well.

* If I go to the part of the menu to Format, then I can see both cards, and can format both.

This is going to sound incredibly stupid (so go ahead and tell me so - lol) but for years I've been erasing the cards on any camera pretty much by muscle memory without paying a heck of a lot of attention. So I honestly cannot tell you what I was doing to switch from card 1 to card 2 for erasing, but I can tell you there was a way that was so simple that I was doing it without thinking.

Maybe I need to switch back to regular coffee instead of the recent switch to decaf? 🙂

The image below is a screenshot of the manual. My actual camera menu only shows Card 2.

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

FloridaDrafter — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 19:56:30 GMT

I just grabbed my wife's R6 II and set it up for 2 cards (she only uses slot 1) using various dual card configurations. In the blue menu you refer to, I could only get card 1 to show and allow me to erase images.

Now, what I did find that allows me to manipulate both cards is the format function in the Wrench 1 menu. You could use this to erase images on card 2 🙂

Since I use both slots in my R5 series, I download from card 2 after every shoot and delete, using my computer, after transferring to my computer. Card 1 retains my shots until I am certain all is well. After editing, I delete images from card 1.

If you want to use the camera, just swap out cards - put card 2 in slot 1 - and delete that way. There may be a configuration of the cards that will allow both to show up in the Blue menu, but I couldn't find it, but I just fooled with it for a short time... Wife - "What are you doing to my camera? Me - Nothing Dear 😉

Newton

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

Cantrell — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 21:59:43 GMT

I go wrench then to format then I just format a card and then the other. This is probably wrong, but it has worked so far.

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

jrhoffman75 — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 22:58:48 GMT

You need to go to the yellow wrench menu section and first choose one card for playback and then the second.

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

shadowsports — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 00:12:32 GMT

Greetings ,

Great thread guys. I've seen a few posts this year of people asking (some complaining) why can't I just erase both cards at once? I'm sure this is as designed to keep people from inadvertently losing images or data. I think there are some instances where this feature could be useful, but I personally prefer the "Fail-Safe" (for lack of better words) and don't find it cumbersome or difficult to select one card and then the other.

Cinema OS operates a little differently where you can actually select either card with a tap but in photo mode the R5 C operates as Newton and John outlined.

Like Newton, I also do not erase either card until I'm absolutely sure what they contain is on my computer and readable. I typically use CF ExpressB for video and SD for images. I occasionally keep the data (on camera) until I've backed up the data to a second source, usually a NAS.

I see the pros and cons and understand people's desire, but in the end my preference is for the format command to remain individual.

I respect the views of others and encourage them to leave [+]Feedback on the Canon USA homepage. This is the way to ensure product and feature requests make it to the right place. 🙂

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

Waddizzle — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 00:14:27 GMT

Why don’t you just format the card, instead of erasing all images? Similar result. Better in my opinion.

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

jrhoffman75 — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 02:41:49 GMT

Some cameras allow settings to be saved to the card. Formatting would wipe that.

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

Waddizzle — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 08:04:30 GMT

“ Some cameras allow settings to be saved to the card. Formatting would wipe that. “

Non-sequitor. I don’t see how that relates to the problem of wanting to erase all images. Maybe I missed a comment somewhere.

I have two 1D bodies. Just like a firmware update, I used a different memory card to save and restore camera configurations. I used it just about as often as I performed firmware updates.

The camera is capable of storing three different configurations as custom shooting modes. I didn’t make a habit of restoring camera settings from a memory card in the field. Three stills camera configurations are enough for me.

My primary reason for saving and restoring camera configurations was for switching between shooting stills and capturing video. The R6ii is capable of storing three separate shooting modes each for stills and video.

My other motive for saving and restoring camera configurations was experimenting for learning about the camera by using different settings. I am past that stage.

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

jrhoffman75 — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 09:46:11 GMT

@Waddizzle wrote:

“ Some cameras allow settings to be saved to the card. Formatting would wipe that. “

Non-sequitor. I don’t see how that relates to the problem of wanting to erase all images. Maybe I missed a comment somewhere.

I have two 1D bodies. Just like a firmware update, I used a different memory card to save and restore camera configurations. I used it just about as often as I performed firmware updates.

The camera is capable of storing three different configurations as custom shooting modes. I didn’t make a habit of restoring camera settings from a memory card in the field. Three stills camera configurations are enough for me.

My primary reason for saving and restoring camera configurations was for switching between shooting stills and capturing video. The R6ii is capable of storing three separate shooting modes each for stills and video.

My other motive for saving and restoring camera configurations was experimenting for learning about the camera by using different settings. I am past that stage.

Directly relates to the topic. It relates to the statement about formatting to erase images. Some photographers save multiple camera settings (not talking about C1, C2 etc.) to their cards. They allow changing the entire camera setup when recalled from card. Formatting a card would wipe out those files.

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

jrhoffman75 — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 09:52:11 GMT

@Cantrell wrote:

I go wrench then to format then I just format a card and then the other. This is probably wrong, but it has worked so far.

Not wrong, but for certain cameras (R5II, R1, 1DX for example), formatting would wipe out saved camera settings.

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

justadude — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 14:08:03 GMT

The format option is something I use on occasion, but in addition to "erase all" I often use the option if I just want to erase a batch of images from both cards and leave the rest - so formatting won't work. For example I always leave client shots on the card as a third backup until a project is over (as well as backed up to a main, and a secondary drive - don't ask, some things I'm over cautious on. lol), but I might have a couple hundred images from a car show that I want to erase to make more room.

The swaping of cards is what I have been doing recently, but this has only been recently. I'm honestly not sure if something changed with the last firmware update, but I doubt it since that was a bit further back when I updated it. Minor inconvenience, I know... and it's not the end of the world, but what did change that I have to do this now?

You're supposed to tell your wife "I'm just cleaning your camera for you!" 🙂

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

justadude — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 14:37:09 GMT

I just checked, and the menu still is set up this way. It actually has been since November 2023 when I set the camera up to record RAW on the first card and JPEG on the second card.

So as an experiment, I changed the settings, turned off the camera, turned it back on, reset the settings to these again... it is still only letting me erase one card unless I swap cards to opposite slots.

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

justadude — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 14:44:05 GMT

"I've seen a few posts this year of people asking (some complaining) why can't I just erase both cards at once? "

Just to clarify, Rick... I don't want to erase both at once. The menu says "Erase all images on card 2" followed by "Cancel" or "OK" options. In the past, once I erased one card, I had the option in this menu of going to the other card. I no longer do. I have to physically switch card slots to erase (in whole, or in part) images from the other card.

I'm kind of like you with removing images, especially client images. I'll have everything uploaded to my iMac hard drive AND to a second backup drive... but still keep the images on the card until the client has everything AND the sale is a few weeks past complete. Then, only the cards get erased - and I still have copies on two hard drives.

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

justadude — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 14:45:36 GMT

My fault for not adding to the original post that more often than not, I'm just erasing a batch of images on each card, not the entire card. Sometimes I type faster than my brain thinks. lol

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

Waddizzle — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 16:32:15 GMT

“ My fault for not adding to the original post that more often than not, I'm just erasing a batch of images on each card, not the entire card. Sometimes I type faster than my brain thinks. “

It sounds like you may need to invest in more memory cards.

It is inadvisable to erase a batch of images from the memory card in the camera. You can lose data and corrupt images. The camera is not as hood as a computer at file management.

I have never had an issue deleting the last image I took. It is when you begin deleting from the middle of the deck is when you open yourself up to trouble.

My memory cards serve one primary function. They record the images that the camera captures. If I wish to delete multiple images, then I will download all files on the card to my computer, and delete them there. Once I confirm that all files have been successfully uploaded, then I might reformat the card.

But, more times than not I don’t have the time to verify every file. I will install a “new” card in the camera and verify the photo download at another time.

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

justadude — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 14:43:04 GMT

I do have plenty of memory cards, actually more than I really need - 6 each 64GB for the R6m2, 3 each 64GB for the single slot Canons, and 2 each 32GB for the older Pentax DSLRs... and all marked for which camera they go with. While I do rotate them in each camera, I've always been horrible at thinking "Well, this one has images of the She Runs Marathon, so I'll pull that out while I take photos of the Northern Lights, and use a different card." They all get thrown on the same card (or dual cards) until I need to upload them to my iMac, edit them, back them up, and for the hired jobs, turn them over to clients - then I know it's safe to format. I know, it's really not a proper system or workflow, and seems stupidly disorganized (or as my best friend calls it "Idiotically disorganized chaos"), but it works for me.

Also, you are correct my friend that it is not a good practice erasing a bunch of images from the middle of a card... but it's a habit I developed about 20 years ago, and do it often. It started while shooting a marathon from behind the finish line when one of the other pros started doing it during a break of incoming runners. A few of us picked up on the (bad) habit, and have been doing it since, even though others have warned me it's not the best thing. Yes, I've been lucky for 20 years of doing this with no loss of data or images, and one day my luck will run out (it always does eventually, doesn't it?). But hey... there are worse habits I could have - some of the photographers smoke during these breaks. I'd rather damage the health of my cards than my lungs - lol.

Since I mentioned being disorganized at times, here is one to make you laugh. Yesterday my wife and I decided to go out to Lake Michigan to watch the sunset, and later the stars at night (last minute "let's go right now" type of thing). Packing beach chairs, camera bags, dinner & drinks in a cooler, warm clothes because we know 80 degree temps would drop to 60 after dark. Get to the beach, and that's when I noticed the camera bags that I grabbed didn't have my Pentax DSLRs, but two film cameras instead. Luckily both had film, but only 4 shots left on the Kodak Duaflex, and about 10 shots left on the Pentax 17. At least we still had fun. lol

Re: R6 Mk ll: Erasing images from both cards

Cantrell — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 00:48:42 GMT

Justadude,

Sounds like a wonderful evening at the beach. Here in East Texas we are still in the 90's at 9:00PM. Enjoyed your story. At least remember to take a camera. I would have probably have forgotten the camera.

Reese