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Film photographer trying to keep an open mind



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 17th 05, 05:19 AM
Paul
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Posts: n/a
Default Film photographer trying to keep an open mind

Some tips re card handling:

*** Always format rather than delete all
I have seen many customers unknowingly returning modified images back
to their memory card. Most cameras will not recognise these modified
images. This results in a/ reduction in capacity and b/ possible
fragmentation of the card which may affect card performance

*** Handle with care. Be aware of possible static and energy fields
Not something to fear, but computer technicians earth themselves to
computers when handling memory chips. Imagine having just walked across
your synthetic carpet and placing your memory card on a table. There
could be a static discharge (which you would probably be unaware of)
which MAY damage your memory card. When removing your card place it in
the container which is usually supplied with cards.
Do not place your memory card directly on or against your mobile phone,
the top of a computer monitor, etc

*** Do not remove a card from a reader while reading or writing
This may physically damage the card. If you want to be paranoid then
put the card in your reader before starting the computer and leave it
there until you shut it down. Otherwise just be sure all reads and
writes have ceased.
If your computer (or camera) freezes, remove power before removing your
card.

*** If the worst does happen, put the card aside immediately and seek
advice.
If you really do not know what you are doing you may make the problem
worse. If the card can be physically accessed then the images are
probably retrievable.

Many cameras save both a thumbnail and a main image (the thumbnail loads
quicker on playback). The fact that you can see your images does not
mean that the main image is not corrupted.






William_F wrote:
My wife and I have been advanced amateur photographers for many years,
we even have our own darkroom at home. For years we've resisted the
move to digital, at first because we weren't convinced of the quality
and also because of my inherent fear of trusting everything I shoot to
a hard drive or recordable CD (I can't tell you how many hard drives
I've fried over the years or how many recordable CDs that have
suddenly become unreadable).

We finally took the leap recently, figuring it was about time, but
recognizing we wouldn't get rid of any of our film equipment until we
got the hang of digital. We purchased a Nikon Coolpix 5.1 MP with a 1
GB SD memory card. Outside of testing it around the house and being
satisfied with the results, our first serious outing with the camera
was at a family wedding. We shot some 100 pictures that night,
checking often to make sure the pictures were there and looked good.
Two days later I went to move the pictures over to my desktop. When I
plugged the camera into the computer I got an error message that
suddenly made me sick to my stomach, "Memory card is not formatted,
would you like to format it now?" When I tried to check the index
feature using the camera I also got the message "card is not
formatted." I'd practiced this procedure several times before the
wedding and had no problem, so I knew the card was formatted and
worked properly prior the wedding. I shut off the camera and put the
SD card directly into my desktop and then my laptop (both have SD
slots). Now I got the error message, "Card is damaged/Unreadable."
Now I was in deep ****. This was my neice's wedding and I was going
to catch holy hell for convincing my wife to trust pictures to a
digital camera. A technician at our local compute repair store
confirmed my worst fears when he examined the card in his reader and
proclaimed, "It's unreadable, dude."

The card has since been sent back to the manufacturer. They couldn't
extract anything from it either and sent me a new one that so far is
working good. For an old fashioned photog who was trying to give an
honest chance to digital, I'm feeling quite burned. 100 wedding
photos down the drain, faster than I can snap my fingers. I've got a
very expensive trip coming up to Antarctica that I was hoping to use
my digital camera on, and I'm sure that's what most people will be
using. After this experience, however, I'm bringing all my film gear
as well. ;-)

  #2  
Old October 19th 05, 02:46 AM
Dan Wojciechowski
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Posts: n/a
Default Film photographer trying to keep an open mind

"Paul" wrote in message
...
Some tips re card handling:


Some good advice Paul, but I'll add some detail.


*** Always format rather than delete all


If done in the camera, either should work equally well.

I have seen many customers unknowingly returning modified images back
to their memory card. Most cameras will not recognise these modified
images. This results in a/ reduction in capacity and b/ possible
fragmentation of the card which may affect card performance


Agreed. Writing files the camera doesn't like onto the card isn't a good
idea. Worse is formating the card in the computer and using a format
the camera doesn't recognize.


*** Handle with care. Be aware of possible static and energy fields


While always a good idea around any kind of chips, memory cards are
relatively well protected compared to exposed chips on boards in your
computers and TVs, etc.

Not something to fear, but computer technicians earth themselves to
computers when handling memory chips. Imagine having just walked across
your synthetic carpet and placing your memory card on a table. There
could be a static discharge (which you would probably be unaware of)
which MAY damage your memory card. When removing your card place it in
the container which is usually supplied with cards.


The container supplied with the card is definitely not an identifed static
safe environment. The implies that the need for such an environment is
realatively small. Remember, memory cards were designed with the
idea they would be handled. Certainly not the case with most ICs.

Do not place your memory card directly on or against your mobile phone,
the top of a computer monitor, etc


Almost certainly an unnecessary precaution, but being careful never hurts.
Memory cards are not succeptible to the low level EM fields around these
devices.


*** Do not remove a card from a reader while reading or writing


Now, that's a *GREAT* piece of advise. I'd guess that trashing a card
by pulling it out when it is use (be it in a card reader or a camera) is
in the top three reasons why people really have trouble with their cards.
Remember, this includes turning off the power while the card is being
accessed as well.

This may physically damage the card. If you want to be paranoid then


Actually, I don't think its likely to damage the card, since they are by
design hot insertable. But it can scramble a file, a directory, or the
FAT.

put the card in your reader before starting the computer and leave it
there until you shut it down. Otherwise just be sure all reads and
writes have ceased.


Using the Windows Eject/Safe_to_Remove mechanism is just as good.

If your computer (or camera) freezes, remove power before removing your
card.

*** If the worst does happen, put the card aside immediately and seek
advice.
If you really do not know what you are doing you may make the problem
worse. If the card can be physically accessed then the images are
probably retrievable.


Yes, there are some good recovery programs, either freely available, or
at a small cost that can retrieve an amazing amount of "lost" pictures. }

....


--
Dan (Woj...) [dmaster](no space)[at](no space)[lucent](no space)[dot](no
space)[com]
===============================
"When I was a child / I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye. / I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now / The child is grown,
The dream is gone. / I have become comfortably numb."


 




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