Multi folders on XD card. Fuji S5700.

My brother in law has managed to delete a complete card full of photos
after he was erroneously told that they had been copied to CD by
Walgreens.
When I looked at the card with 'Recover my photos' I could not find
them to recover BUT I noticed that he had 3 folders on the card named
>DCIM>Fuji 101
>DCIM>Fuji 102
>DCIM>Fuji 103
His camera was only accessing one of these folders.
As we don't want to over-write these cards, he has bought 2 new cards.
When I transferred the photos from them onto DVD today I discovered
that both of his new cards also have 2 folders.
Card A has
>DCIM>Fuji 103
>DCIM>Fuji 104
and there are pictures in both folders.
Card B has
>DCIM>Fuji 104
>DCIM>Fuji 105
but only the first one had pictures on it.
By re-formatting the cards, they now only show one folder on each
card.
How has he managed to get multi folders on these cards?
Something he's done wrong or is it an automatic feature?
tia
Rob

"Bampah" wrote in message

> My brother in law has managed to delete a complete card full of photos
> after he was erroneously told that they had been copied to CD by
> Walgreens.
> When I looked at the card with 'Recover my photos' I could not find
> them to recover BUT I noticed that he had 3 folders on the card named
>>DCIM>Fuji 101
>>DCIM>Fuji 102
>>DCIM>Fuji 103
> His camera was only accessing one of these folders.
> As we don't want to over-write these cards, he has bought 2 new cards.
> When I transferred the photos from them onto DVD today I discovered
> that both of his new cards also have 2 folders.
> Card A has
>>DCIM>Fuji 103
>>DCIM>Fuji 104
> and there are pictures in both folders.
> Card B has
>>DCIM>Fuji 104
>>DCIM>Fuji 105
> but only the first one had pictures on it.
> By re-formatting the cards, they now only show one folder on each
> card.
> How has he managed to get multi folders on these cards?
> Something he's done wrong or is it an automatic feature?
> tia
> Rob

First a disclaimer. I do not have a Fuji camera and so am only going by
experiences with other brands but much of my response seems to be a common
practice.

My cameras start out with a single folder after a format or when a new blank
card is first inserted. But the camera has a preset maximum inages per
folder limit. So if the limit is 500 images (like my pentax) image 001
through 500 would be in folder 101. Then the next picture would be image 001
in folder 102. So if the card is currently holding more than the max per
folder limit (which may be different for each manufacturer) there would be
multiple folders.

So with a few assumptions such as a set limit of 500 images, your first card
with folders 101 through 103 it would have been holding between 1000 and
1500 images. Card A with folders 103 and 104 you could have between 500 and
1000 images. And the same for card B. One complication. since the folder
numbers continue across the cards (not resetting to 101 with each new card)
it is probable that the image number starting each folder may also continue
across cards. So if card 1 may have images in folder 103 numbered 001
through 200. Then card A may begin folder 103 with image 201 and continuing
to image 500. Then folder 104 begins at 001 and goes to 400. Then card B
would begin folder 104 with image number 401 and continuing to 500, before
starting folder 105 with image 001. Thus card 1 would be holding 1200
images, card A would be holding 700 images and card B would be holding more
than 200 images.

Remember the set max may be different for different makes and models and so
you will have to see what the setting is on your camera. Simply by looking
at the largest image number in a "filled" folder that isn't then continued
on another card.

Hope this helps.

Randy B.