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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. ;-) |
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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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