I've screwed up my file numbers somehow on my Canon 30D and 20D. I used to get files going from 0001 to 9999, and if I rolled over during a shoot, it wasn't a big deal.

For some reason now though, I'm getting files all out of order and getting several copies of numbers (which get hyphenated e.g. 0001-1). Cakes are mixed with formals mixed with ceremony. Its driving me mad!

Its not just that I am occasionally pulling out my 20D during shoots - that's not a big deal, because I only use if for a couple.

Can some tell me how to reset my numbering system?

Thanks.

Why not just import into your program (Lightroom, Bridge, etc), sort by capture time, and batch rename? You should be doing that anyway.

Now, see, that would be a smart thing to do! I just got LR, so I'd been using another program (and organisation system) until now. I will have to rethink that.

Any tips on how you rename them? (for family sessions I could use the last name) but what about for weddings?

I always go by dates no matter what event and keep it that way. Weddings I usually have brides name or initial first before groom then followed by the date. Image #'s will come in from upload.


Example:

JT10-15-08

I usually just do both last names and then sequence #.... SmithJonesWedding_001.cr2 I don't really see a need for the date, since the date is in the metadata, and I date my folders for each wedding that the images are stored in. But if you do add the date, I'd do year first, then month, then day.... 2008-09-15... better for sorting