FS7 record of actions taken

[dan brazil]

We are working with a cameraman who we suspected formatted a card and wiped footage, he denies this, and claims the camera overheaded etc.

does the camera store a record of actions that have been taken?

does anyone know of good software to retrieve software from the card (xdcam)

[Andy Kralik]

This has never happened to me, so I can’t guarantee the solution. I have heard many times in the past that lost footage on an XQD card and many card based media can be recovered as long as it hasn’t been written on since the last formatting. There are several companies and softwares available. Try it on another card. This one is free. Use at your own risk.

http://rcysoft.com/card-recovery/xqd-memory-card-recovery.html

[Brett Turner]

Hi Dan,

Sorry to hear this, not nice for all concerned. I’m only replying to save you a lot of needless time, and possibly money. I can’t comment on the Sony overheating and causing a format or corrupting the card, but I do have a lot of experience trying to rescue footage and stills from Sony formatted media.

As far as I am aware – and I’d love to be contradicted with proof rather than links to purchase ‘free’ software – a Sony format is destructive and they absolutely cannot be recovered. Apparently Sony’s overwrite a card with 000’s when you format them.

Again, I’d love to be contradicted by a fellow Sony user or rep who has a solution.

I have downloaded just about every program out there with a free trial, and that combined with the above means I’m sure it’s impossible. I’d suggest speaking directly to Sony for an answer rather than spending hours looking for a unicorn app that can reverse time.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I saw your issue and wanted to at least save you a lot of frustration installing apps.

Good luck and all the best –

Brett

[Andy Kralik]

I accept Brett’s reply. Talking directly to Sony first would certainly be my first attempt at a possible solution before downloading anything.

[Andy Ford]

I own several FS7 and have never had an overheating problem even when running them for long periods of time with all sorts of accessories and externals. Also, the heat required to screw with an XQD card is something I’m not even sure the FS7 would be capable of. My Atomos external monitor gets hotter than the Sony, and even that is not too hot. I know for a fact (per manufacturer) that SD cards from Sony A7 series photography cameras cannot be recovered when formatted, so I assume its similar for the pro video line. For important shoots, one can record on camera and with an Atomos, a redundant system which eliminates the horrors if someone accidentally formats Sony slot A instead of B in shoots that run long.