Camera created new folder but old folder isn't full

[stevet1]

I had an intriguing thing happen to me.

I was looking at some photos I took last night and happened to notice that they had been put in Folder number 101.

I looked at my wrench menu settings and saw that there are now two folders in my File Numbering: Folder 100 and Folder 101, but I never created Folder# 101, the camera did.

The thing is, Folder# 100 only has 103 pictures in it. Granted, I've been shooting in C-Raw, which creates files of about 10mbs in size, but even at that, I would have thought a Folder would hold more pictures than that before it created a new Folder. I thought a Folder would hold up to 999 pictures before it created a new Folder.

I wondered. Why did my camera do that?

Steve Thomas

[jrhoffman75]

Hi Steve.

What are the file numbers? I think the camera creates a new folder when file number reaches 9999. It is not related to number of files in the folder.

[stevet1]

John,

It looks like the last file in Folder 100 is numbered 9979. Wow! I had no idea.

There's only 103 actual files in that folder. I must have done a lot of deleting as I went along. Shows you what a crappy photographer I am.

Thanks for your help.

Steve

[jrhoffman75]

Hi Steve. Ideally you downloaded previous shoots and then deleted images on card. 
That won’t change file numbers but it ensures your images are safe and frees up card space. 

[Tronhard]

Depending on the model of the camera the filing system creates folders under different rules:
For DSLRs, and MILCs the first file folder is 100-#### (where #### starts at 0001-9999), then creates 101-#####.
Numbering is continuous by default, but can be configured to reset to a new count for a different empty card.  If it is set to Continuous, and you use a different card with a higher file number, it may adopt that file number from then on.

For PowerShots the options are to create folders monthly or daily (no other options) so one accumulates folders quickly.

[stevet1]

Trevor,

If it is set to Continuous, and you use a different card with a higher file number, it may adopt that file number from then on.

Oh Gee. Thanks a lot.

Now I've got to figure I racked up 10,000 shots spanning even more cards.

This just keeps getting worse.

😁

Steve

[Tronhard]

Life can get complicated.   I have a process to avoid both numbering and also the potential for card errors.
After each shoot, I download the images to a computer
I then format the card clean in the camera.   In continuous mode it will then use the next number after the last one shot.  So, if my last shot was 100-7782, the next on the clean card will be 100-7783.   By making sure I put only clean formatted cards in, or format them clean before use, there should be no issue.