Blank card that contained 100 images

I just got home after shooting about images, many of which I actually looked at while the card was still in the camera.

When I got home I put the card in my card reader and plugged it into my computer and waited for Lr to open; and it didn't. When I checked the drive that the card was on there was nothing on it.

Can anyone think of a reason now or why this could happen?

I took two pictures after this and when I plugged the card reader into my computer Lr did open and the pictures were there.

It could be that the camera didn't read the card while shooting - unlikely I guess, but possible (?) - and that you have the function 'shoot without card' on; thus giving not an error when you were shooting because there wasn't a card.

Other than that I can't think of anything, but I'm sure other people here can help you out. It's weird because normally the camera doesn't function if the CF-card doesn't function properly, right?

TijmenDal wrote in post #12573815
It could be that the camera didn't read the card while shooting - unlikely I guess, but possible (?)?

If that were the case would I have seen the images after they were shot; which I did. I even flipped through several of them.

Again, I saw the images on the card right after taking them.

Thanks for you input. I appreciate your thoughts on the issue

When you say "nothing on it" , how did you check?
ie, MAC or PC?

eg, if PC, I'd open using a filemanager. Also check "properties" for total size and free space etc.

Did you try to put the card back in the camera and see if the camera could read them?

5x5 photography wrote in post #12573923
Did you try to put the card back in the camera and see if the camera could read them?

Yeah, good question. Card was put back and 2 more pics taken. Assume OP would have notice at that point, but worth checking.

something similar happened to me using the 32gig card on the 7d I put it in the Mac and some but not all pics where shown I put it in the pc and it popped up an error that the card had issues and wanted to know if it could fix them I hit the yes button and it did some kind of re-shuffling of memory blocks or something and fixed the card and all the pics opened up and they where graduation pics so I was glad the pc had the know how to fix the card. sorry cannot remember what error code was given . I hope you haven't reformatted that card till you try other computers just in case the files are corrupt and can be saved.
Roger

I know my Sandisk reader will not read my Transend 32 gig card whatsoever but as soon as I connect my 7D directly to my computer the images/videos come up.

If the photos are important to you then whatever you do don't change anything else on the card or take more pics using it.

There are utilities around to go through the data and grab any found JPEG images etc, but there's not much you can do if you've overwritten the data.

When you say the pictures were there, do you mean the two you just took or all of them?

I can think of one reason it would have failed, when you removed the card it and plugged it into a card reader it screwed up the file tables. If so, the images are still there, you just need to use Recuva or another software to retrieve them.

Personally, I try to not remove the cards all the time. Just leave the card in the camera and let LR or the EOS utility import it that way.

Most card readers are cheap crap and you always run the risk of errors removing and reading the card. Your camera is an expensive card reader. Just leave it tethered and let whatever software you use read in via the camera. I know LR will have no problem importing it that way.

Two things pop to mind.
1. Accidentally formatted the card. It happens especially if you have it set as a favorite. There are several free programs out there that can do data recovery even from formatted cards. Formatting does not erase the images, just the ability to get to the images.

2. The reader is not being recognized. I have this happen from time to time. All the reader lights are on but when I plug in a card, nothing. This one is simple to fix, unplug the reader, listen for the beep letting you know the device is gone, then plug it back in.

When you say nothing on it does that include the DCIM folder?

You probably didn't seat the card properly. I have Windows configured to open any removable media upon insertion so I can see the files.

My guess is your formatted the card.

5x5 photography wrote in post #12573923
Did you try to put the card back in the camera and see if the camera could read them?

Yes, I did; nothing ]
Then I shoot two pictures and when I looked there were two images on the preview screen. As I said, I put the chip in the card reader and Lr opened as it is programed to do when I put the card into the computer.

phreeky wrote in post #12574247
If the photos are important to you then whatever you do don't change anything else on the card or take more pics using it.

There are utilities around to go through the data and grab any found JPEG images etc, but there's not much you can do if you've overwritten the data.

Ya, I'm afaid it's too late; fortunately it wasn't something I can't easily do over.