# Memory card or camera problem??



## socal82 (Oct 13, 2014)

So last Tuesday I was shooting volleyball and I was finished and looked down at my screen and it gave me a message saying " recording last 2 images" I waited until it went away. I then tried to view the images i had taken and it said "no images" like it was an empty card. I still had a lot of available space on the card so It was impossible. Long story short I put the cf card into my reader and there was nothing on the card. I shoot for a company so they were able to recover the images off the card.

I tired a different card Thursday and the it happen again without the " recording last images" message. While Im shooting I can see the images on the back of my camera.  Just seems like if I let time go by and plug it into my computer it says theres nothing on the card. HELP!!!

camera: canon 50d
memory card:16g cf card


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## astroNikon (Oct 13, 2014)

have you tried new or different cards ?


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## socal82 (Oct 13, 2014)

I tired a different card and something.


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## snowbear (Oct 13, 2014)

Can you see the images while the card is in the camera?  If so, have you tried a different computer or card reader?


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## socal82 (Oct 13, 2014)

while I'm shooting I can. But when I get to home to my computer and plug it in the card reader it won't read the card. I tired different card readers as well.


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## lambertpix (Oct 13, 2014)

If it's happening with two or more different cards, it's starting to look like it might be the camera, unfortunately.  If you haven't done so already, do a full power-off on the camera, including popping the battery and see if that makes any difference.  If you haven't done so already, format the cards *in your camera* before shooting.  If your company is able to recover the images, they're on the card, so we need to figure out why they're not visible to you.


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## astroNikon (Oct 13, 2014)

when you are at work, do they download the files without a problem.  Can they see the files without a problem ?


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## socal82 (Oct 13, 2014)

lambertpix said:


> If it's happening with two or more different cards, it's starting to look like it might be the camera, unfortunately.  If you haven't done so already, do a full power-off on the camera, including popping the battery and see if that makes any difference.  If you haven't done so already, format the cards *in your camera* before shooting.  If your company is able to recover the images, they're on the card, so we need to figure out why they're not visible to you.



Ill try taking the battery out and see if that helps. I always erase and format the card in camera before using it.


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## socal82 (Oct 13, 2014)

astroNikon said:


> when you are at work, do they download the files without a problem.  Can they see the files without a problem ?



They use a recovery program to view the images. They are raw files


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## astroNikon (Oct 13, 2014)

so, recap:
- the files are on the memory card, though cannot be read by conventional means
- no computer can read the files by conventional means
- you have tried this with multiple cards including a new one and the same result

as already stated ... the card doesn't seem to be the problem
but the device writing the card
reboot as necessary
if that doesn't resolve it, then it might be the camera

check to make sure you have no damaged CF pins
or the female pin receivers are all clear.

All of your photos are recoverable?  (non of them corrupted)
Just the file system isn't really tracking them properly?

have you upgrade *anything* on the computer from before/after this started occurring ?


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## socal82 (Oct 13, 2014)

astroNikon said:


> so, recap:
> - the files are on the memory card, though cannot be read by conventional means
> - no computer can read the files by conventional means
> - you have tried this with multiple cards including a new one and the same result
> ...



Yes no files are corrupted. They can see them.


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## astroNikon (Oct 13, 2014)

socal82 said:


> Yes no files are corrupted. They can see them.


To Eloborate
They can see them using a File Recovery program ONLY ?


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## socal82 (Oct 13, 2014)

astroNikon said:


> socal82 said:
> 
> 
> > Yes no files are corrupted. They can see them.
> ...



correct only with the recovery program. I'm assuming once they see them they save them to a hard drive.


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## Derrel (Oct 13, 2014)

A few questions. Can the 50D actually support a 16-gigabyte CF card? Is that large a card supported?

Does the 50D follow the old Canon PITA rule of only 99 images per folder? Is the 50D set to "*DISPLAY ALL*" folders, or is it set to "DISPLAY ___ folder"? When did Canon move from the Only-99 images per folder routine, to something a bit more modern? Wasn't that innovation premiered 
in late 2009, on the 7D, as the first Canon camera that could support more than 99 frames in each folder inside the DCIM folder?

At one time, even 4-gigabyte memory cards were NOT supported by virtually any digital camera due to FAT-32 file system limitations. When the 50D came out, a 16-gigabyte card was world-class-leading and probably cost $600, if my memory serves me correctly.

I am really not sure if the 50D is new enough to be able to address more than 4, or perhaps 8 gigs of storage.


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## bratkinson (Oct 14, 2014)

Derrel said:


> A few questions. Can the 50D actually support a 16-gigabyte CF card? Is that large a card supported?
> ...
> I am really not sure if the 50D is new enough to be able to address more than 4, or perhaps 8 gigs of storage.


 
My computer background tells me Derrel hit the nail on the head...the 50D may not be able to accurately access a 16gb memory card. 

It's no different with older computers when trying to update to larger hard drives.  "Large hard drive & memory addresses" were not really considered or foreseen until technology reached that point.  Due to the high price of memory back when (I paid $125 for a 64KB computer RAM and $10 per 256KB floppy disks long, long ago),  'saving memory space' was the rule of the day.  The result of putting a too big hard drive in an older computer is only the maximum the computer (or camera, in this case) can actually address is what gets used.  Think of it as trying to store 5 digit house numbers when the computer can only handle 4 digit numbers.  So, once that limit is reached on the 50D (maybe 8gb?), trying to add more will either overwrite photos on the card, or be lost in 'never-never land', or the 'bit bucket' to us computer geeks.

So, perhaps a smaller memory card would be in order.

But...

If you had been using the 16gb memory cards previously and put lots of pictures on them successfully, then I would take a flashlight and look into the camera CF card slot.  You may have unknowingly bent a pin that prevents 'higher' addressing.  If so, GENTLY take a modeling knife such as an X-Acto and try to straighten it out.  I managed to bend a pin on the card reader in my computer and after 30 minutes of screwing around, I ordered a new one.


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## socal82 (Oct 15, 2014)

Derrel said:


> A few questions. Can the 50D actually support a 16-gigabyte CF card? Is that large a card supported?
> 
> Does the 50D follow the old Canon PITA rule of only 99 images per folder? Is the 50D set to "*DISPLAY ALL*" folders, or is it set to "DISPLAY ___ folder"? When did Canon move from the Only-99 images per folder routine, to something a bit more modern? Wasn't that innovation premiered
> in late 2009, on the 7D, as the first Canon camera that could support more than 99 frames in each folder inside the DCIM folder?
> ...




I have been shooting with these cards for at least 6-8 months with no problems.   I think I may take it into canon since I live 15 min from it and see what they say.


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## astroNikon (Oct 15, 2014)

people have tried using newer cards older NIkons too and have had problems.  I know from having had an old d70 in the past what would work with it.
but I'm clueless on the age of Canon cameras.
But take it in to Canon . they'll be able to figure it out, hopefully.


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## lambertpix (Oct 15, 2014)

socal82 said:


> Derrel said:
> 
> 
> > A few questions. Can the 50D actually support a 16-gigabyte CF card? Is that large a card supported?
> ...



I used a 16GB card on my 40D, so I'd be pretty surprised if the 50D had problems.


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## Scatterbrained (Oct 15, 2014)

The 50D shouldn't have an issue with a 16gb card.  I'd try removing the battery (and the watch battery) and letting it sit for a few minutes.  If that doesn't work try to reload the firmware.  If that doesn't work then I'd send it  off to Canon.


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## socal82 (Oct 15, 2014)

Scatterbrained said:


> The 50D shouldn't have an issue with a 16gb card.  I'd try removing the battery (and the watch battery) and letting it sit for a few minutes.  If that doesn't work try to reload the firmware.  If that doesn't work then I'd send it  off to Canon.



How do I reload firmware?


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## Scatterbrained (Oct 15, 2014)

socal82 said:


> Scatterbrained said:
> 
> 
> > The 50D shouldn't have an issue with a 16gb card.  I'd try removing the battery (and the watch battery) and letting it sit for a few minutes.  If that doesn't work try to reload the firmware.  If that doesn't work then I'd send it  off to Canon.
> ...


Go here: Canon U.S.A. : Support & Drivers : EOS 50D 
Download the firmware, load it onto a clean card, install a fresh battery in the camera, then go into the camera menu and select "update firmware"   It's all pretty simple, and there are instructions included with the firmware as well.


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