empty CF card

[LarryB]

Hello all.

I searched for an answer but was unsuccessful. Perhaps I didn't search properly...I dunno. And I apologize if this has been covered before, but I've never had it happen before and I need some answers.

I was photographing an assignment today with another photographer and we were putting 25 frames on one CF card. We would then send that card, along with the list of names that matched the frame numbers for that card/camera, to the computer operator who would download, run post processing procedures, and print a 4x6 of every frame.

I sent my first card and a few minutes later the computer operator comes running out and says there are no images on that card. WHAT!?!?!?! :shock: I took the card out to the computer to see if maybe he had made a mistake. Nope. NO IMAGES! NADA!!

http://lbphoto.com/MadIndian.gif

I had checked the LCD a few times while I was shooting and saw images. They were there...honest! I brought the card back to the camera and put it in the camera. It shows "no images". NOTHING!!!!!!!! I am now sweating bullets because we both have a line of people waiting to be photographed.

There was little else I could do but have those first 25 people come back for a retake. It was fortunate that we were able to do that, but talk about embarassing! It was also fortunate that we were only putting 25 frames on each card!

Luckily there were no more problems after that, but I was still mystified.

Now comes the strange part. When I put the CF card in question back into the camera a little while later and went to reformat it.....it showed that there was indeed data on the card! ACK!!! :o I could have screamed!

Now the questions.

What happened? Where were my images? Why did it show there were no images on the card, both in the CR card reader as well as the camera itself? And then why, upon reformatting the card, did it show that there was actually data on the card?

I've been shooting digital for three years now and have shot countless thousands of images. I've never had this happen before.

In my best Mr. Bill voice..........help meeeee

[robertwgross]

It sounds vaguely like maybe the CF card was never properly formatted in the first place. Or, if a directory file became corrupted. How was it formatted in the first place?

Is it possible that the computer operator really fouled it up?

So, you used some CF card file recovery software, and then what happened?

---Bob Gross---

[Primevci]

Maybe the cpumpter guy acdently deleted them.. that would eb my first geuss

[LarryB]

Robert,

The card was formatted in the camera just before we started. I took a couple of frames to test the setup and they were fine. I then reformatted the card and began shooting for real.

While I was shooting I checked the display to see that everything was OK. It was....or so I thought. I mean...I saw pictures!

Yes, it is ENTIRELY possbile that the computer operator could have screwed things up. But of course he said he didn't do anything. :roll: :x

I did not use any recovery software. I just put the card back into the camera to reformat it. I knew that it would show if there was any data on the card to clear. Lo and behold, there WAS data on the card, but nothing was reading it.

When on location and working on a deadline with hundreds of people staring at you wondering why you look like a ghost, there is little presence of mind to think about recovery procedures. In this particular situation it was easier to do the retakes. I will, however, look into some sort of recovery software just in case something like this happens again in the future and I CAN'T do retakes.

I actually used the card for the last few shots (yes...very risky I know...but living dangerously gets the blood flowing right?) and everything was fine. I was really confused. :?

Color me stumped.

[robertwgross]

The card was formatted in the camera just before we started.


That does not constitute proper formatting. In the camera, that is a quick format, with directories and other small files.

If you do a complete format in the computer, then that will either wipe out little problems, or else it will warn you that there are "safety cones on the pavement." Then you do the quick format in the camera.

Then you check to see that the usable capacity is what you think should be there.

---Bob Gross---

[slin100]

There is a small risk of formatting in the computer. It is possible to format the card with a filesystem that cannot be recognized by the camera. I don't think it's a problem with EOS DSLRs, but some older digicams cannot recognize a FAT32 filesystem, which is often the default filesystem used by XP. XP can also format to NTFS, which no camera I know of, will recognize. Finally, it's also possible to mistakenly quick format in the computer, in which case you're no better off than formatting in camera.

So, if you don't know what you're doing, stick to formatting in camera.

[robertwgross]

There is a small risk of formatting in the computer. It is possible to format the card with a filesystem that cannot be recognized by the camera. I don't think it's a problem with EOS DSLRs, but some older digicams cannot recognize a FAT32 filesystem, which is often the default filesystem used by XP. XP can also format to NTFS, which no camera I know of, will recognize. Finally, it's also possible to mistakenly quick format in the computer, in which case you're no better off than formatting in camera.

But none of that would constitute proper formatting, which is what I had suggested.


So, if you don't know what you're doing, stick to formatting in camera.

Remember: There is a fool who can overcome any foolproof scheme.

See if you remember this one...
"Don't make so much out of what I say." --- Don Kidder, 1978

That was a tough one.

---Bob Gross---

[Hellashot]

And what camera are you using???