First time this has ever happened to me:
I was taking the last few shots on a card, expecting to see the "Card Full" message after the next two exposures, but instead I got a "Card Error" message. I didn't think much of it at the time, I assumed maybe I had lost just that last picture. I continued on with a spare.
Then this evening I put it in my card reader... nothing, no shots, no images, nothing. Roughly 50 exposures disappeared. The spare was fine.
The only thing I can think of that might be a cause was heat - it was a very hot day, middle of the afternoon, and I was in the direct sun (I know - Mad Dogs and Englishmen).
I use a Minolta DiMage A1, and the card is a 256MB CompactFlash, with the brand name Unity Digital on it.
Anybody have any similar experiences? Advice?
Board index ‹ Equipment ‹ Digital Cameras ‹ "Card Error" - lost them all
Digital Cameras
"Card Error" - lost them all
16 posts • Page 1 of 2 • 1, 2
- Posts: 240
"Card Error" - lost them all
Sun Sep 12, 2004 2:05 am
Bruce B
"I have always felt that it is HOW one sees
rather than WHAT one sees
that makes any photograph interesting."
- Michael A. Smith, 1999
"I have always felt that it is HOW one sees
rather than WHAT one sees
that makes any photograph interesting."
- Michael A. Smith, 1999
- Posts: 292
Sun Sep 12, 2004 4:16 am
If you look on this forum and on the Storage and Media forum at http://www.dpreview.com you will find posts about data recovery software that might work.
Card failure is rare, but it does happen. Might just have been your turn.
Card failure is rare, but it does happen. Might just have been your turn.
- Posts: 250
Two thoughts ...
Sun Sep 12, 2004 11:53 am
Another option is to take the card to a local photography store and see if they can rescue it for you -- since I got my A1, my wife's been using the older Olympus Z490 and one of her smartmedia cards corrupted recently and our local (LeZot in Burlington, VT) was able to get 48 of the 52 back for her ...
One thing I'm cautious with is to make sure the "card writing red light" on the back of the A1 is off before changing it from record to play -- I've seen speculation that you can freak out your card by jumping back and forth toooo soon/often to see what you've taken. Not sure if it's true, but it's credible enough to make me calm down just an extra second!
JB
http://www.pbase.com/donutrun
One thing I'm cautious with is to make sure the "card writing red light" on the back of the A1 is off before changing it from record to play -- I've seen speculation that you can freak out your card by jumping back and forth toooo soon/often to see what you've taken. Not sure if it's true, but it's credible enough to make me calm down just an extra second!
JB
http://www.pbase.com/donutrun
- Posts: 240
thnx
Sun Sep 12, 2004 3:16 pm
Thank you, both of you.
I vaguely remember making use of the "Quick View" button on my A1, and I'm sure I didn't bother to check the red "card in use" light. That may well have something to do with it.
Or it could just have been a roll of the digital cosmic dice.
I'll take a shot at recovery - and let you know what happens.
Bruce
I vaguely remember making use of the "Quick View" button on my A1, and I'm sure I didn't bother to check the red "card in use" light. That may well have something to do with it.
Or it could just have been a roll of the digital cosmic dice.
I'll take a shot at recovery - and let you know what happens.
Bruce
Bruce B
"I have always felt that it is HOW one sees
rather than WHAT one sees
that makes any photograph interesting."
- Michael A. Smith, 1999
"I have always felt that it is HOW one sees
rather than WHAT one sees
that makes any photograph interesting."
- Michael A. Smith, 1999
- Posts: 240
update
Mon Sep 13, 2004 4:09 am
I haven't done any special efforts at recovery yet, but it is interesting to note that while there are "No Images" on the card, the camera also tells me that the "Card is Full".
So I'll have to do something if I even want to use the card again.
Philosophical question - is it more important to recover the images already on the card, or to save it for use in capturing future, as yet unseen, images?
So I'll have to do something if I even want to use the card again.
Philosophical question - is it more important to recover the images already on the card, or to save it for use in capturing future, as yet unseen, images?
Bruce B
"I have always felt that it is HOW one sees
rather than WHAT one sees
that makes any photograph interesting."
- Michael A. Smith, 1999
"I have always felt that it is HOW one sees
rather than WHAT one sees
that makes any photograph interesting."
- Michael A. Smith, 1999
- Posts: 240
there is hope!
Tue Sep 14, 2004 12:06 am
I brought my CF card to a camera shop today.
They can restore the card and recover the photos (though there is no telling at this point the extent of the image corruption).
They can restore the card and recover the photos (though there is no telling at this point the extent of the image corruption).
Bruce B
"I have always felt that it is HOW one sees
rather than WHAT one sees
that makes any photograph interesting."
- Michael A. Smith, 1999
"I have always felt that it is HOW one sees
rather than WHAT one sees
that makes any photograph interesting."
- Michael A. Smith, 1999
- Posts: 250
Tue Sep 14, 2004 3:10 am
Glad to hear it ... all this talk of corruption makes me think we're actually in the politics forum!!! 
- Posts: 8
Happend to me too
Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:06 pm
Got a PQI Card at Fry's. After shooting with some 200 + photos. I got a CHR message out of my Digital Camera. No images Save. Tried everthing from downloading my card reader but to no avail. Lucky, 
I live in the Bay Area and PQI has thier main office at freemont. I brought my PQI there and to my dismay. They informed me a wonderful Comment " SORRY" but we could not retrieve any file. They gave me a form to get a new Card but told them they cant bring back photos that i did.... OH well...
Moral of the story...I guess dont buy Unreliable CF.
I live in the Bay Area and PQI has thier main office at freemont. I brought my PQI there and to my dismay. They informed me a wonderful Comment " SORRY" but we could not retrieve any file. They gave me a form to get a new Card but told them they cant bring back photos that i did.... OH well...
Moral of the story...I guess dont buy Unreliable CF.
- Posts: 869
Re: Happend to me too
Tue Sep 14, 2004 9:20 pm
bernsquick wrote:Moral of the story...I guess dont buy Unreliable CF.
Unfortunately if you have a 99.99% reliable cards that still means somebody is going to get a bad card.
I have had a PQI SD card that I have used for about a year now and had no problems with it. My Panasonic card went belly up on me after a week the replacement I got has lasted nearly a year.
The PQI stuff seems to be unremarkable (spec wise) but about as reliable as any other card.
The biggest problem is probably you bought it at Fry's and they are very big on taking returns and putting them back into stock. I always look at the packaging carefully when dealing with them and won't take any returns (been burned too many times by them). At least other stores give a discount on returned items (makes it worth the time).
------------- Better luck on your next card--------------
- Posts: 1303
Wed Sep 15, 2004 4:05 am
Awhile back, I lost a few images on my D60 (nothing special so no drama). A couple of days earlier I had "corrupt data" showing in my CF card. I was advised on Fred Miranda's forum that one should always format your CF card (through the menu) rather than delete within camera or PC. Since doing this, I have not had a problem.
Cheers
Sheila
Cheers
Sheila
Sheila Smart
Canon 5D Mark III; 17-40L; 24-70 f/2.8L; 70-300 f.4-5.6 L USM; 135 f/2L; 100 f/2.8 macro; 8-15 f/4 L fisheye
Blog: http://sheilasmartphotography.blogspot.com/
Canon 5D Mark III; 17-40L; 24-70 f/2.8L; 70-300 f.4-5.6 L USM; 135 f/2L; 100 f/2.8 macro; 8-15 f/4 L fisheye
Blog: http://sheilasmartphotography.blogspot.com/
- Posts: 1193
Wed Sep 15, 2004 1:32 pm
sheila wrote:Awhile back, I lost a few images on my D60 (nothing special so no drama). A couple of days earlier I had "corrupt data" showing in my CF card. I was advised on Fred Miranda's forum that one should always format your CF card (through the menu) rather than delete within camera or PC. Since doing this, I have not had a problem.
Cheers
Sheila
Yup that's what I do. I think the reason is that (at least with a Microdrive) when you format the drive, bad sectors are noted and somehow marked off-limits so that data does not get written to them.
- Posts: 240
Recovery!
Wed Sep 15, 2004 9:59 pm
And much has been learned!
The shop recovered my photos (for a charge of $10) and put them on a CD ($7). I asked them if I could use the card again and they said "Of course! Just take it home and format it!"
Me: "Um - how do I do that, exactly?"
Come to find out, one can format their card right in the camera. I had never known or done this before.. Turns out it is QUITE simple.
I always had my computer delete the images after copying.
On the CD, MOST of the images are fine, some are scrambled (could make for interesting brain teasers... there's an idea), and two are "gone". Not bad out of 70+ images.
Now - I did not expect 70+ images on my card. Turns out they "recovered" many that I had thought were previously "deleted" - weeks and weeks ago!
From now on I will FORMAT my cards in camera. Live and learn!
The shop recovered my photos (for a charge of $10) and put them on a CD ($7). I asked them if I could use the card again and they said "Of course! Just take it home and format it!"
Me: "Um - how do I do that, exactly?"
Come to find out, one can format their card right in the camera. I had never known or done this before..
Turns out it is QUITE simple.
I always had my computer delete the images after copying.
On the CD, MOST of the images are fine, some are scrambled (could make for interesting brain teasers... there's an idea), and two are "gone". Not bad out of 70+ images.
Now - I did not expect 70+ images on my card. Turns out they "recovered" many that I had thought were previously "deleted" - weeks and weeks ago!
From now on I will FORMAT my cards in camera. Live and learn!
Bruce B
"I have always felt that it is HOW one sees
rather than WHAT one sees
that makes any photograph interesting."
- Michael A. Smith, 1999
"I have always felt that it is HOW one sees
rather than WHAT one sees
that makes any photograph interesting."
- Michael A. Smith, 1999
- Posts: 1193
Re: Recovery!
Thu Sep 16, 2004 2:21 pm
stormseye wrote:And much has been learned!
The shop recovered my photos (for a charge of $10) and put them on a CD ($7). I asked them if I could use the card again and they said "Of course! Just take it home and format it!"
Me: "Um - how do I do that, exactly?"
Come to find out, one can format their card right in the camera. I had never known or done this before..
I always had my computer delete the images after copying.
On the CD, MOST of the images are fine, some are scrambled (could make for interesting brain teasers... there's an idea), and two are "gone". Not bad out of 70+ images.
Now - I did not expect 70+ images on my card. Turns out they "recovered" many that I had thought were previously "deleted" - weeks and weeks ago!
From now on I will FORMAT my cards in camera. Live and learn!
Glad it (mostly) worked out and for not too much expense. As for your "user error" re formatting, it always helps to RTM (read the manual)!!
- Posts: 240
Righto!
Thu Sep 16, 2004 10:39 pm
You're absolutely right.
I may not be a whiz with technology, but I think the recovery was worthwhile:
http://www.pbase.com/stormseye/image/33873892
I may not be a whiz with technology, but I think the recovery was worthwhile:
http://www.pbase.com/stormseye/image/33873892
Bruce B
"I have always felt that it is HOW one sees
rather than WHAT one sees
that makes any photograph interesting."
- Michael A. Smith, 1999
"I have always felt that it is HOW one sees
rather than WHAT one sees
that makes any photograph interesting."
- Michael A. Smith, 1999
- Posts: 1193
Re: Righto!
Fri Sep 17, 2004 2:03 pm
stormseye wrote:You're absolutely right.
I may not be a whiz with technology, but I think the recovery was worthwhile:
http://www.pbase.com/stormseye/image/33873892
I would agree with you!!
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