Wedding + SERIOUES ISSUES = Not in a good mood!

[Candid Arts]

So, I shot a wedding yesterday. 1457 photos. 851 of them, once I got them in LR2, say they are a unsupported file or the file is damaged. Also, there were a few other that, when I was scrolling through them, would be a horribly pixelated version of the photo (didn't give me the damaged message) but when the RAW file rendered, the photo would change to an entirely different photo from months prior, most of which I have since deleted off my computer. On top of that, some photos that didn't give me the damaged message just had a huge white box in the frame, or a white box with a bunch of random lines in it. One photo there wasn't even a photo, it was just gray.

All shot with two different 50D's, Formatted all my cards the night before the wedding. All cards have been working 100% until these issues. Imported from camera into LR2 catalog with the photos being stored on my ext. HD. I imported all the files last night, and had a lot of damaged files (I don't know how many, didn't count). So I deleted them all from LR (and my ext. HD), used the second 50D to import them this time. They seemed to be working, I could open a file and edit it. So I imported all the rest. This morning, after I finished importing, I was going through all the photos again and realized that a bunch were "damaged" again. Even ones that in the first import were working great, and in the second test import were working. Also, some files that appeared good at first, loaded, rendered, etc... When I would apply a develop to them, they would instantly go to damaged.

I am going to delete them again from LR and my ext. HD, and try uploaded them straight to the computer instead of the ext. HD to elliminate the ext. HD as a problem. All the files look fine in the camera. If this doesn't work, I might try importing them through Canon Utility instead of straight into LR.

I am at a loss right now, and FREAKING OUT! Can anyone help me? PLEASE! Make my problems go away!!!:soapbox

Oh, and another thing, when I go to my ext. HD in the folder I put all the photos in, the date folder is not there (LR will do a folder 2009 then another folder within for the actual date), and instead is a bunch of generic alias files that are just like ?:"HY^@"?<.- No actual file names, even for any of the photos that are still good in LR (if infact any of them are actually still working).

[eoren1]

Couple of thoughts
1. do the files have the correct names when you view them with Windows Explorer straight on the card (sounds like they got garbled on import)
2. try to import with something more basic - canon's utility or even windows
3. try opening in a different program (DPP)
4. if that doesn't work, possibly explore using a rescue utility (the sandisk cards often come with one)
Good luck!!!
E

[Candid Arts]

Couple of thoughts
1. do the files have the correct names when you view them with Windows Explorer straight on the card (sounds like they got garbled on import)
2. try to import with something more basic - canon's utility or even windows
3. try opening in a different program (DPP)
4. if that doesn't work, possibly explore using a rescue utility (the sandisk cards often come with one)
Good luck!!!
E

Thanks for the reply.

1. I'm on a MacBook, so I don't have Explorer, but do have Firefox and Safari. How do I view the photos in an Internet Browser while the photos are still on the card? Btw...I don't have a card reader, just importing from camera.
2. I will try importing with Canon's Utility next and straight to my computer vs the ext. HD.
3. Can't open the files in a different program as none of the files are visible on the ext. HD where I put them. out of 1457 files in LR (and on memory cards), there are only 174 files in the folder on my ext. HD where I put them, and all of those are the (.&*.>yi":;) stuff, no actual image files (i.e. _MG_1823.CR2).
4. I am using the sandisk cards, so I'll have to try that if none of the other stuff works. I won't be home 'till this evening (In Seattle from Portland for the wedding), so I'll have to try it then.

Thank you for the tips. Much appreciated.

[Fred Maurer]

Try connecting the camera to initiate Camera Window, or use the EOS Utility. You should be able to view files on the cards with Camera Window. Good Luck!

[eoren1]

Thanks for the reply.

1. I'm on a MacBook, so I don't have Explorer, but do have Firefox and Safari. How do I view the photos in an Internet Browser while the photos are still on the card? Btw...I don't have a card reader, just importing from camera.
2. I will try importing with Canon's Utility next and straight to my computer vs the ext. HD.
3. Can't open the files in a different program as none of the files are visible on the ext. HD where I put them. out of 1457 files in LR (and on memory cards), there are only 174 files in the folder on my ext. HD where I put them, and all of those are the (.&*.>yi":;) stuff, no actual image files (i.e. _MG_1823.CR2).
4. I am using the sandisk cards, so I'll have to try that if none of the other stuff works. I won't be home 'till this evening (In Seattle from Portland for the wedding), so I'll have to try it then.

Thank you for the tips. Much appreciated.

Sorry - thought you were on a PC
On a Mac - use Finder - that assumed you had a card reader.
Probably the safest way to go is to take the camera out of the equation - can you borrow a card reader? maybe use this as an opportunity to purchase one? the download is much faster and removes any possible screwups by the camera from it.
I don't know if the Sandisk program works via the camera either.
E

[Candid Arts]

Try connecting the camera to initiate Camera Window, or use the EOS Utility. You should be able to view files on the cards with Camera Window. Good Luck!

I hadn't opened the EOS Utility yet, but all the previews on every card worked fine in the Import box in LR2.

Another issue I just ran across was when trying to remove all the "photos" from LR and on the ext. HD so that I can try and re-import them was then once they were in the trash bin, I tried emptying the trash, it made the sound like it emptied, but all the "files" were still in the trash. Leaving me to think I'm having an issue with my ext. HD. SO, I just re-imported one card (265 photos) in LR but had them save to my computer instead of the ext. HD. I also took all the keywords and copyright and usage off that I had auto writing into the metadata. It seems all of those photos are working fine as of now. We'll see how the next import works on the next card.

[Candid Arts]

Sorry - thought you were on a PC
On a Mac - use Finder - that assumed you had a card reader.
Probably the safest way to go is to take the camera out of the equation - can you borrow a card reader? maybe use this as an opportunity to purchase one? the download is much faster and removes any possible screwups by the camera from it.
I don't know if the Sandisk program works via the camera either.
E

Thanks for the advice. Something like this? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/446772-REG/SanDisk_SDDRX4_CFR_Extreme_FireWire_CompactFlash_C ard.html

[divamum]

That firewire one you've linked is great, but even a mediocre (and cheaper) card reader is easier than uploading via USB cable, IMO. You can now get them at Target and Walmart and seriously - I'd use one of those before trying to continue fighting the import direct from camera. I've had no trouble with any of the ones I've used (all name brands, USB 2 and much MUCH faster than connecting to any camera I've ever used!). I think mine is a Sandisk multicard reader, and it was about $30 at BB a couple of years ago - reads SD, Xd and CF. Love it.

[sweet caroline]

Thanks for the advice. Something like this? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/446772-REG/SanDisk_SDDRX4_CFR_Extreme_FireWire_CompactFlash_C ard.html

I was going to say try using a card reader- I recently picked one up from Target for $20 when I needed a quick replacement. I usually just import from the card to iphoto on my mac and then open them in photoshop as needed. I'm not saying it's the best way, but it always works.

My fingers are crossed for you. Sorry you're having trouble.

Caroline

[Candid Arts]

Thank you Caroline and divamum for your replies. I think I'm going to look into getting a card reader. I tend to go for broke, so the better one will be one I'll get, like the one I linked above.

All the photos seems to be working now since I've uploaded them to my computer HD versus the ext. HD. I'm going to have to back up all the photos on my ext. when I get home tonight, and erase the entire thing and re-format it, hope it works, or going to have to go buy another ext. Which I DO NOT have the money to do. Hopefully it all works. But as of yet, the photos from the wedding are working fine, all 1457 of them. Now I just hope some of them are keepers and actually useable...

Thanks everyone for your help in the matter. Dang technology...

[digismile]

Candid Arts,

as has already been stated a few times, the value of a card reader over importing directly from the camera is huge. For one thing, reading off your camera sucks a whole lot of juice from your camera battery!

A primary advantage of a good card reader is speed of import. Your UDMA cards will import lighting fast with a compatible card reader. Lexar even has multiple card readers to import multiple cards simultaneously.

I've never quite needed that, but after having a similar crisis to yours, I have made changes to my workflow to minimize the possibility of file corruption and failer.

I use ImageIngesterPro (http://www.imageingester.com/) to import my files from my cards. With one push of a button, I copy to multiple file locations (should I have a media failure on import) creating my folder names on the fly, add keywords, and verify the file integrity. Only after my photos have been successfully imported into LR, does my flashcard ever get wiped/re-formatted.

For about $40, you can add some additional peace of mind to your workflow.

just my 2 cents,

[Art Scott]

What I have found as I ran into this prob a few years a go is this.....I picked up a card reader (Stratitec) from Sams Club.....reads like (supposedly) 25 different cards....I take card insert and then open my computer.....open the files on the card to display the file forthe current day and rename to fit my filing system.....I drag that over to my "Straight off the card file" let it move to that file on my working HDD....by doing this I have not had any more corrupt files.......HOWEVER THERE IS ONE MORE thing I do and DO NOT DO here..........FORMAT CARD / DELETE CARD.......I have found that by deleting files on the card will cause corruption down the road and so will FORMATTING by computer........so my rules are simple nver format by computer or delete in camera.....IN CAMERA FORMATTING ONLY and Only format in camera....never delete.............

I tok and ran Image Rescue 2 the last time i had corruption problems and saved the whole shoot plus it found another 1K+ files for me to sort thru.....it rescues both jpg and raw or just raw or just jpg...you have choices....then I re-formatted using image rescue 2 and then twice in camera......card is now running like a fine tuned chip it was meant to be:wink

[Candid Arts]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I am most certainly going to get a card reader when I got some extra money.

It seemed that today the problem was my ext. HD. I lost 84 of my newest pictures, some of which could have possibly landed me a published photo in a magazine, some ones that I was really liking of Seattle grafitti and the Olympic Sculpture Park, and some from the rehearsal dinner for the wedding I shot. BUT, I was able to get all the wedding photos on my computer, and backed up. I had many files on my ext. HD that went corrupt (all the files switched to the .x7}$y8>: stuff), but luckily, I backed up my entire ext. HD to my larger (1TB) HD before I left to my Seattle Trip. So the files that went corrupt on my smaller portable ext. HD were all saved. I completely erased and re-formatted my smaller ext. HD and am currently putting stuff back on to it. Only stuff that is backed up though, I won't be putting anything new on it for awhile until I'm sure of it's stability, any edits I make within it, I'll instantly backup.

Is there any way that I can retrieve the 84 photos that I lost? I have all the thumbnails still in LR, plus I did a couple LR backups after I put the photos in, so the catalog has backups for those files...but that doesn't actually back up the file right? So I'm basically SOL huh...? Damnit.

Oh well. That's the update, thanks for all your help. I'll work on getting the wedding photos up soon, but we still haven't been paid yet, so I'm not in a rush to edit the photos.

[Art Scott]

Is there any way that I can retrieve the 84 photos that I lost?

Check out STELLAR DATA RECOVERY (http://www.stellarinfo.com/digital-media-recovery.htm) and try their FREE download.....I have used it and it worked great for me....the one gripe Ihave for any and all recovery software (that I have used)......is that they always re-name & re-number the files.....but that is minor compared to loosing them completely ...............................

[Candid Arts]

Check out STELLAR DATA RECOVERY (http://www.stellarinfo.com/digital-media-recovery.htm) and try their FREE download.....I have used it and it worked great for me....the one gripe Ihave for any and all recovery software (that I have used)......is that they always re-name & re-number the files.....but that is minor compared to loosing them completely ...............................

Trying it now. It's taking awhile, but I'll wait. Thanks for the tip.

[RalphAdam]

I was going to say try using a card reader- I recently picked one up from Target for $20 when I needed a quick replacement. I usually just import from the card to iphoto on my mac and then open them in photoshop as needed. I'm not saying it's the best way, but it always works.

My fingers are crossed for you. Sorry you're having trouble.

Caroline

Yeah -- had trouble loading from my Nikon into Bridge -- thought the card had fried -- got a card reader and all is sweet! Works like a dream! Ralph

[Robbug]

Funny you mention your external HD failed on your mac. The other day I lost a lot of photos when my WD Passport went on the fritz. What kind of external HD? Is it one that is powered solely via USB? If so I would ditch that plan as over time the little USB connecter starts going and connections get wonky. I had to perform a recovery and transfer all my aperture files to my powered external. Luckily I only lost my Seattle photos that day when I was messin around. I am starting to find that any portable solution should be temporary and new and a more solid external with separate power the norm. Oh and a card reader is by and far MUCH easier to manage with. Good luck with the recovery.

Rob

[ziggy53]

FWIW, I never erase any cards until I have backed up and verified on 2 different technologies. A hard drive and DVDs are typical to my workflow.

All finished presentation JPGs are uploaded to an online gallery as well.

You cannot have too many copies of important files. :thumb

[MrMagoo]

Thank you Caroline and divamum for your replies. I think I'm going to look into getting a card reader. I tend to go for broke, so the better one will be one I'll get, like the one I linked above.

All the photos seems to be working now since I've uploaded them to my computer HD versus the ext. HD. I'm going to have to back up all the photos on my ext. when I get home tonight, and erase the entire thing and re-format it, hope it works, or going to have to go buy another ext. Which I DO NOT have the money to do. Hopefully it all works. But as of yet, the photos from the wedding are working fine, all 1457 of them. Now I just hope some of them are keepers and actually useable...

Thanks everyone for your help in the matter. Dang technology...

I am sorry for your troubles, but the response you got and the fixes suggested is testimony to the support offered at this forum. Hope all goes well and your client is pleased.
pablo

[Rhuarc]

Glad to hear you were able to get all of the shots back! Jamie was pretty stressed out about it on Sunday, and said you were freaking out too.

That right there is why I don't think I would ever be cut out to do weddings!

Anyway, glad to hear that things are working for you! :clap

[TPBinKC]

FWIW, I never erase any cards until I have backed up and verified on 2 different technologies. A hard drive and DVDs are typical to my workflow.

All finished presentation JPGs are uploaded to an online gallery as well.

You cannot have too many copies of important files. :thumb

A very good policy that I try very hard to emulate.

Files on Hard Drive, DVD and uploaded to gallery before I format the card. At least for all critical images.

[Candid Arts]

A very good policy that I try very hard to emulate.

Files on Hard Drive, DVD and uploaded to gallery before I format the card. At least for all critical images.

So many people back up to DVD's. That seems rather expensive, plus the space to store all the DVD's. All photos are critical aren't they? :D But I know what you mean. I back up to 2 HD's as of now, but I will be getting a third that I'll be backing up to.

Thanks for all the advice.

[Candid Arts]

Glad to hear you were able to get all of the shots back! Jamie was pretty stressed out about it on Sunday, and said you were freaking out too.

That right there is why I don't think I would ever be cut out to do weddings!

Anyway, glad to hear that things are working for you! :clap

Thanks! I was totally freaking out. My ext. HD just went bad, so all the photos were fine. Jamie was stressed that entire weekend over shooting that wedding. She's weird like that.

[sweet caroline]

Thanks! I was totally freaking out. My ext. HD just went bad, so all the photos were fine. Jamie was stressed that entire weekend over shooting that wedding. She's weird like that.

So, are we going to get to see some photos?

Caroline

[Candid Arts]

So, are we going to get to see some photos?

Caroline

Yes yes yes. In due time. I'll get one up as a teaser, as the rest will be coming up slowly, until we get paid for the job. Then they'll be more frequent.

Here is the link to the thread for the wedding, not the "I almost lost all the photos" thread. (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=131308)