How not to clean a CF Card

[crabby]

I had a very intense shoot yesterday in a dirty foundry. Lots and lots of shots. All available light, no time for lighting. I only have 2-1gig lexar CF cards, so I borrowed one from a friend/coworker just in case. Well I needed it. When I got back to the studio I proceeded to offload them with a usb card reader (very slooow). When I was on the third one my friend stopped in my office and asked if I had his card. I said it was downloading and I would drop it on his desk when it was done. The other card was on my desk next to my computer, the first one was back in my camera. I stepped out for a little while and when I returned the card next to my computer was gone. I figured he stopped back in, saw it lying there and took it. This morning he comes in and asks for his card. I panic, look in my camera case, 2 cards, panic some more. Tear my office appart including the trash, nothing. I'm certian someone took it. We have all kinds of people wandering around the studio all the time. So I'm thinking, I'm responsible, I'm gonna have to buy him a new card. Merry Christmas to me. In a last ditch effort to retrace all my tracks I decide to check the car and go home and look. Nothing. I check all my usual places at home. Nadda. Then I checked my pants pockets and low and behold there it was. The bad news is that I did laundry when I got home last night and they went through the washer and dryer. I rushed back to the studio and put it in the card reader and all the files showed up. Took some files off. No problem. Put it in the camera and reformated and shot a bunch of new images. Flawless.
The moral of the story:
When your finished with a card, immediately put it right back in its storage area, or
Don't wear cargo pants on a photo shoot.

[Swampy]

Another good attribute to CF memory. Since it's solid state, it's less apt to fail when thrown in liquid. A Microdrive probably wouldn't fair as well though.

[killians913]

Wow!! You were extremely lucky that the wash didn't destroy the data on the card and that it is still useable. :o

I guess I have one question....did you use bleach and softener and wash it with colors?? :D ;) :lol:

[Wichita Wayne]

I have also never heard of a washed CF card that did not dry out fine and work without loosing any pictures.

[Swampy]

Just don't use Everclear. :D

Electronics, solid state, are pretty tollerant to liquids when no power is present. You REALLY can throw your keyboard parts in the dishwasher and put it back together in the end and still have it work. Even a video card or what have you. As long as you make sure it's dry before you plug it back in.

[frankgh]

Slightly off topic..

Maximum PC did a test this month on USB memory keys. Dropping, washing drying, letting a dog eat them. Very interesting results.

I only have CF. Think I'll stay away from things with moving parts. Only becuase I know myself so well!

[crabby]

Just a little water softener. Which I'm sure didn't hurt. The only thing that might do in a cf card might be the mineral deposits left behind.
I actually have a 128mb card that never worked in the S2 so I just use it to transfer files to and from work. I've left that one in my pocket more times then I can count. I've actually heard it clanking around in the dryer thinking it was just another coin. Still works great after 5 or 6 years.
There are a few CF cards now that will write faster then a microdrive (the lexar 40 WA is close but not quite) plus they don't use any of the S2's battery power to do so.
Swampy, its funny you should mention Everclear. I just tried to buy some last weekend and found out it's not legal in the archaic state of Pennsylvania. This state has the worst liquor laws and yet the most dipsomaniacs I have ever seen. I tried to explain to the guy at the overpriced, state run liquor store that I just wanted some to clean my CCD :soapbox:

[Swampy]

HAhah. Don't feel bad, I don't think it's legal here in CA either.

[crabby]

I might have to head on down south to the backwoods around Smunkyland where everything's legal as long as you don't get caught. Na, probably just cheaper to buy a new bottle of Eclipse.

[Swampy]

Think of it as a photo opportunity trip.... Make the best of anywhere you go!