Help with A7 playback "unable to display" on deleted images

[digitalanalogue]

Got an A7 just last week and am loving it so far, but I've realised that after importing files into Aperture and deleting them from the sd card, the camera thinks they're still there when in playback mode, but obviously can't display them ... a very minor annoyance that I wonder if anyone here has a solution to?

 

[WoodWorks]

Have you tried formatting the card in the camera?

 

[Bimjo]

If I delete individual shots I delete them in the camera, not on the computer. For some reason it wigs out the camera if I delete them off the card in the computer, as you've discovered.

I usually transfer files to the computer as I shoot them. I leave them on the card until it's full and then transfer them in bulk to my external back up hard drive. I then reformat the card in the camera. Never had a problem yet [knocks on wood].

 

[Deadbear77]

Yeah I always reformat. Works like a charm.

 

[lowincash]

If you delete from the card while it's in the computer, you'll need to empty trash for it to completely delete. Try sticking the card back into the computer and see if the trash shows up in your trash can. If it shows up then just empty it

 

[digitalanalogue]

Formatting works, but I'm lazy and tend to put it off until it's really annoying me also I've read somewhere that repeated formatting sd cards reduces the lifespan of them. I'll try the trash emptying approach an see if that works. Thanks all.

 

[Ad Dieleman]

It probably has to do with the image database that the camera uses and the camera has to keep it in sync with the images on the card. If you delete the images on the card via the PC, the camera doesn't know that it has to update its database. On formatting the card the image database is updated (or re-created?), as well as when you delete images on the camera.

 

[quezra]

Isn't there a "Recover Image DB" option? I have used it in the 5N extensively ... but with my A7 so far I've been deleting images manually and I haven't had time to check the Recover Image DB option, but I do recall seeing it being there. It doesn't seem to work for videos though, I had to delete the entire file structure of my SD card (didn't need to format it) to fix that on my 5N.

 

[WoodWorks]

...also I've read somewhere that repeated formatting sd cards reduces the lifespan of them.

Yeah, I think I remember reading that somewhere too. And if it's on the Internet, it must be true, right?

I reformat my SD card(s) in the camera after every shoot (after dumping my images into Lightroom), and I have yet to experience a problem (knock wood). Been doing that for years now. Come to think of it, the only time I ever did have a problem with an SD card was back in the days when I just deleted photos instead of doing a format.

 

[Ad Dieleman]

Isn't there a "Recover Image DB" option?

Indeed, there is (took the A7 to work today for some shots during lunch break with the Konica 40/1.8 I got yesterday ). Last main menu, tab 5, last item.

 

[Gandalf]

I'm interested to hear whether or not the Recover DB option fixes this problem. Logically, it sounds like it should.

The crux of the problem, of course, is using the eternal PC to delete images from the camera, which process by its nature will never be able to update the camera's internal database. My own workflow is to download everything from the camera, then after disconnecting I use the camera's "erase all" command without reformatting. As long as you use the camera's O.S. to manage the images, reformatting should seldom be needed.

 

[WoodWorks]

This discussion prompted me to find some reliable and current information on this subject. Here are a few quotes I found:

From Petapixel.com:

No matter which type of card (CF I&II, SD, XD, SM, MS, etc.) your camera takes, it’s a good idea to format it on a regular basis. While it may not happen often, these little cards of information can fail and reach the end of their life unexpectedly. To keep your card in good health, format it in the camera from time to time. (I format my card after every major download). This clears up the card and erases all of the data. Of course make sure that you have downloaded and saved onto a computer all of the files on the card before formatting.

From Improvephotography.com:

Never “erase all images” on your card. Always format the card. DSLRs provide both an “Erase all images” option and a “format card” option. Choose the format card option in order to prevent a host of different errors that can arise by simply erasing all images. Formatting the card will re-organize the folder structure and prevent database errors.

and:

While we’re discussing how to erase all images, never erase any of the images by using the computer. This will taint your database and can cause even more errors than “Erase all images.” If you persist in erasing images by using the computer, you Canon shooters will face the famed ERR-99 (side note: that is a general error that is not specific to memory card problems, but memory card problems are one of the things that can draw the error).

Then there's this from Lexar's support site:

Deleting images in the camera is a convenience but at the same time can result in data corruption, especially with large file formats like RAW and TIFF files. Move and save the images to your computer, then utilize the editing software that came with your camera or a third-party software application for more flexibility. Once the files are moved, it is recommended to initialize (format) your Lexar memory card.

There's a ton of stuff on this subject to sift through out there on the Intertubes, but everything that I encountered suggesting that formatting reduces SD card life cycles is outdated. Modern SD cards have read/write cycle lives on the order of several 100,000. I don't think I'm going to live long enough to approach that number.

 

[Ad Dieleman]

I'm interested to hear whether or not the Recover DB option fixes this problem. Logically, it sounds like it should.

I just tried that by removing raw files with the card in the PC. Subsequently the camera still reported 40 pictures but couldn't show them. No surprise there. Then the Recover Image DB option worked fine, after that the camera reports 0 pictures.

That said, I adhere to my practice of reformatting the card after transferring the files to the PC. This makes all the more sense if a card is used in more cameras, especially if they're of different brands.