Thanks again for replies received, sorry for delay replying as i was on holiday.
I think the problem is how KitKat 4.4.4 is dealing with SD card. I have read other posts about the removal of third party apps being able to write to sd card being removed but did not think this would include the M8's own camera software.
I have over 400 previous photos saved to the sd card. If i go into gallery and choose to delete any of them, they do initially disappear but short time later they reappear.
If i take a picture using native M8 calendar and store to sd card then short time later they have disappeared.
If i change the storage location to the phone then the pictures are saved properly and if i go into gallery and choose to delete pictures, including a mix of the ones savedd on sd card and phone, then short time later the pics saved to the sd card will reappear but not those saved to the phone.
mruno i have installed google camera as you suggest and it seems to allow storing to the sd card only and this then works properly with pics remaining until i delete them and once deleted remaining deleted.
As i stated, i have googled this query and it definitely seems to be down to google looking to make the use of sd cards as troublesome as possible.
Google camera seems fine but now and again i do like some of the functionality of the dual camera mode of the m8, so unless i monitor the space remaining on my phone i cannot choose to use sd card.
I am really disappointed with this as the main reason i have never wanted to buy into apple was because, to my mind, they forece you down the road they want to go, if android continues like this then i may have to consider a change in the future.
Thanks for everyones input and welcome any more thoughts on this.