How to Work with Nikon D780 Memory Cards

Your Nikon D780 camera has slots for two SD memory cards to store the pictures you take. (SD stands for secure digital, but nobody ever refers to them that way.) A memory card is a mechanical device similar to a hard drive. You insert a new memory card when you begin shooting and remove the card when it’s full.

With two cards, you have many possibilities. For example, you can capture images in the NEF (RAW) format on one card, and the same images in the JPEG format on the other card. This option is handy if you shoot images that needed to be posted online quickly, but then processed to perfection at a later date.

To insert a memory card, follow these steps:

1. Open the memory card slot cover on the right side of the camera as you look at it from the back. To open the memory card slot cover, slide it away from the camera until it stops, and then rotate it away from the camera. Note there are two memory card slots.
2. Insert the card in the desired slot. The card label is facing you.
3. Gently push the card into the slot. Never force a memory card; forcing it may damage the pins in the camera and the card. The card should slide easily into the camera when aligned properly.
4. If desired, insert a second card into the other slot. Double your pleasure, double your fun.
5. Close the memory card slot cover. You’re ready to shoot up a storm!

You may be tempted to pick up a couple of 128GB memory cards, thinking you can store a gazillion images on one card and not worry about running out of room. But memory cards are mechanical devices that are subject to failure — and they typically fail when you least expect it. If a large card fails, you may lose lots of images. I carry a couple 32GB memory cards in my camera bag. Although I hate to lose any images, I’d rather lose 32GB worth of images than 128GB worth. I recommend that you purchase smaller memory cards.

If your computer can’t read a card, you may be able to recover the images with a data recovery program, which you can search for online. Many companies let you download a trial version of their data recovery program. It will let you recover and view images, but not save them. If the application enables you to view images after recovery, purchase the full version and you’ll be able to download your precious images to your computer. Unless a corrupt card is under warranty, throw it away after the data recovery application performs its magic.

How to format a Nikon D780 memory card

Remember back in the Jurassic era of photography when you had to remove film from a camera and send it off to be processed? I do. I know that dates me. But with a digital camera, after you download images to your computer and back them up, you format the card so you can use it again. A good idea is to format your cards before using them again, even if you didn’t fill them. This simple step ensures that you’ll have an empty card to work with and won’t download duplicate images.

To format a memory card, follow these steps:

1. Press the MENU button on the back of your camera. The tilting monitor refreshes and you’ve got a plethora of menu choices.
2. Press the down arrow on the multi selector, and navigate to the Setup icon that looks like a wrench.
3. Press the left arrow on the multi selector to highlight the Setup icon and then press the right arrow on the multi selector. The tilting monitor refreshes and you’re presented with setup options.
4. Press the down arrow on the multi selector to highlight the Format Memory Card option.
5. Press the right arrow on the multi selector to view the Format Memory Card options. Your options are to format the card in Slot 1 or Slot 2.
6. Press the down arrow on the multi selector to select the slot that contains the card you want to format and then press the right arrow on the multi selector. The tilting monitor refreshes, and a warning appears telling you all images on the card will be deleted. The default option is No.
7. Press the up arrow on the multi selector to highlight Yes and then press the OK button. An hourglass icon appears. When it disappears, your card is formatted and you’re returned to the previous menu. You can now format the card in the other slot.

To quickly format a card, simultaneously press the delete button (which has FORMAT written in red below it) and the ISO button (which has FORMAT written in red beside it) and hold until For appears in the control panel. Slot 1 is selected by default. Press the delete and metering buttons again, and the card is formatted. To format the card in Slot 2, press the delete and metering buttons again until For appears on the control panel, then use the main command dial to select Slot 2 and press the delete and metering buttons again to format the card in Slot 2.

SD cards are relatively fragile. Handle them with care and always store them in your camera or the little plastic doohickey that the card manufacturer supplied with the card. Never touch the card contacts with your fingers. Always grip the plastic part of the card when you handle it.

Some image-editing applications may prompt you to format the memory card after downloading the images to your computer. Don’t do it. Your Nikon D780 is the best way to format memory cards for photography.

How to remove a memory card

When a memory card is full, remove it from the camera and insert a new one. To remove a memory card, follow these steps:

1. Make sure the memory card access lamp is off. If the lamp is still illuminated, the camera is writing data to the card. If you power off your camera and remove the card before the lamp is off, you’ll lose the data and you may corrupt the card.
2. Turn the power switch to OFF.
3. Open the memory card slot cover by sliding it away from the camera until it stops, and then rotating it away from the camera.
4. Gently push the card. The card pops out of the slot.
5. Gently pull the card out from the slot. You’re now ready to insert a new card, format it, and start shooting, or download the images on the card you removed to your computer and then reinsert and format that card.