Preventing windows/mac access to SD cards?

[wuxiekeji]

Hi,
Is there a way (perhaps by use of alternate file systems, wierd partitioning scheme, etc.) by which I could get my SD cards to work only on my EOS and mountable on Linux systems but be unreadable by Windows and Mac?

I know this can be done with CHDK by creating 2 partitions on the SD card, for example.

(I know this may sound like an odd request, but just in case anyone knows the answer.)

Thanks!

[g3gg0]

what is the reason for this?

[painya]

I'm fairly sure FAT and exFAT are the only formats that work with most cameras, and seeing that both of these formats are recognizable by all three OS's it doesn't seem possible. But I've been known to be wrong once or twice...

[Marsu42]

I'm fairly sure FAT and exFAT are the only formats that work with most cameras, and seeing that both of these formats are recognizable by all three OS's it doesn't seem possible.

He wasn't suggesting another fs format, but another partitioning that would confuse by default everything except Linux ... but why indeed would anybody want this, maybe to make Win/MacOS look bad at a Linux nerd party :-p ?

[painya]

Oh I see now  but wouldn't a partition equally confuse the camera? haha it may be dead before it starts.

[Walter Schulz]

That's exactly the reason he asked the question and - as he wrote - CHDK is able to do this.
But I'm confused as Marsu42 for the reason behind the request and why CHDK has implemented this one.

[broch]

not possible: drivers for most of linux fs are available for windows so moving to linux fs will not prevent windows from reading these (if you install drivers). I don't know about OSX though. You could try to experiment with hidden partitions/flags. I don't know if this would be what you want

[wuxiekeji]

Well to put it straight ...

As any photographer knows, post-processing RAW files is as much a part of the art as shooting itself. Not only does the in-built white balance settings of most cameras suck (and also cumbersome when you can just forget about white balance entirely during the shoot if you're shooting RAW), but the denoising algorithms other things available on desktop computers are far better than what the camera can do. Occasional mis-exposed shots can also be saved on many occasions if you preserve all the information, of course. So I always shoot everything in RAW.

So that out of the way, every now and then I shoot an event and some clueless event organizer wants to take my SD card and copy all my images before I leave. Like, hell no. I'm not letting other people process my RAW files, and plus they don't have all the correction curves and everything that I have for my manual lenses.

I happen to use Linux, so if I can prevent Windows/Mac from reading my SD cards, I can weed out 99% of these people simply by telling them that my SD card isn't compatible with their computer and that I'll send them pictures later. It's easier to do this than to explain to an idiot why it's important to let me process my RAW files at home, especially if those idiots are close friends of friends who want you to trust them with your raw data. The easiest and most efficient way out of this situation without having to waste time explaining things is if your card doesn't actually work in their computer.

Not to mention I usually shoot RAW + JPEG so that I can use the JPEGs to conveniently preview and throw out mis-focused and blurred shots before I do my actual post-processing... and if they had access to my raw data they'd probably not even know what RAW shooting is and throw out the CR2 files and keep the camera JPEGs.

Dual ISO is another way I can do this (the in-camera JPEGs look like shit, and they would have no clue how to process the RAW files ) but that creates more work for me and potentially degrades quality in scenes where I don't actually need the feature.

I don't need a completely secure system here, I just need something to make my equipment incompatible with idiots.

[Marsu42]

The easiest and most efficient way out of this situation without having to waste time explaining things is if your card doesn't actually work in their computer.

Actually I find this to be a very reasonable way to deal with this problem, because I know the "just copy over all the pictures you've just taken" problem... no self-respecting photog does that, but it this fact is widely ignored or not known.

... so +1 for sharing how to partition the sd so plain windows cannot read it - though I'm 99% sure with a few clicks I'll be able to access it even in win, we'll see.

[Satis]

Hey wuxiekeji,
As you are a linux user too I am tempted to ask: what codecs, image processing are you using?
I hope you don't mind me posting off being here.

good luck in tricking the forceful bastards who dare to take your SD's!