RAW files mysteriously vanish from SD card

[AndyH]

I've just been out on a sunset shoot with the A7Rii.

 

Get home and go to import the shots.

 

Card is mysteriously empty!!!!

 

I shot approx. 40 shots.

 

I kept reviewing them for sharpness at 100%, so they were at least there at some point.

 

Now the card is empty?????!!!!!

 

I put the card back into the camera to see if I can see them there, it just says "Unable to display"

 

Has anybody else had this issue??? 

 

I'm feel like throwing the damn thing at the wall right now.  This was a personal landscape shoot, and the conditions were EPIC.  But what if it were a commercial shoot?  I'm already nervous about only having one card slot, then this happens!!!

[Guest all8]

What type of computer/OS did you use? It could be that the computer formatted the card, because, as you point out, your were able to review the images for sharpness before the card was removed from the camera.

 

If you did not accidentally, or inadvertently, format the card in-camera, then data recover applications might get your files back.

[LiveShots]

Are you in the right folder ??? 

[adwb]

On the face of it what you report is impossible. The above suggestions should throw some light on this, as well as a step by step message saying what the flip was?

[billickc]

Several years ago, my 7D locked up during a burst write, rendering the card "empty" in both the camera and my Mac. I used PhotoRescue and was able to recover all of the images (except perhaps the last of the burst). http://www.datarescue.com/photorescue/

[AndyH]

I have recovered the files using a data recovery tool in OS X.  I did not accidentally format the card.  Neither did I delete anything on the Mac end of things.  I am as mystified as all of you.  I am now shooting my SLR's as my primary cameras.  The Sony was only getting used daily so I could get used to it.  I only bought the Sony to go in a drone.  I am however going to shoot occasional frames with the Sony to see if it exhibits this behaviour again.  If so, Sony can have it back, I can't use a system that holds that much risk over a shoot :-(

[LiveShots]

What data card were you using ? If there is a flaw on the card then it could lose data, the fact that you viewed them in the camera means that they were recorded correctly, if no action was taken by you to delete those files then either the camera did it, which is unlikely or there is a flaw with the card (more likely).

[AndyH]

It was a Lexar 64gb 2000x 300Mb/s 
I agree, the files were recorded, I always check at 100% for sharpness in camera.  The more I think about it, the more the card is the culprit. Either way, I have put a hammer through the card now, any hint of data loss rules it out.

[LiveShots]

I've never had a problem with Sony or Sandisk cards… I think the Sandisk are a little quicker..

[addicted2light]

It was a Lexar 64gb 2000x 300Mb/s 

I agree, the files were recorded, I always check at 100% for sharpness in camera.  The more I think about it, the more the card is the culprit. Either way, I have put a hammer through the card now, any hint of data loss rules it out.

 

 

Lexar cards, from what I've read around, are a tad more prone to card failures and corruption like you most likely experienced. Never used one though, Sandisk only for me for no real reason other than being the brand most easily sourced locally.

 

Be also aware that, especially online, there are tons of fake cards branded as Lexar, Sandisk etc. The problem has been acknowledged even by the manufacturers, and it may happen even when buying from serious resellers like Amazon (not intentionally, it's just these cards are externally so well made that they can fool even them).

 

Sometimes is the camera that screws up though. Whit a Nikon D300, once, I happened to press "Play" to review the previously shot images, only to have them completely erased from the card. Luckily it was a still life and the set was still up, so no big deal.