Media Error – card must be reformatted

[Don Greening]

[Olly Lawer] “What did it happen?”

The directory of the card was rebuilt by the camera. This task does not affect the actual video files.

[Olly Lawer] “Can it be prevented from happening again?”

There are many things that affect the card that may prompt the ‘restore’ message. One such issue is that when you empty the card using the computer and put it back in the camera sometimes the restore message will come up. But not all the time.

– Don

Don Greening
Reeltime Videoworks
http://www.reeltimevideoworks.com

[Olly Lawer]

Thanks.

Although the fact that it happened mid shot rather then when I when I put the card in is a tad worrying.

Olly Lawer

[Craig Seeman]

Was it SxS or SDHC?

1) If it happens when you start the shot it may mean the previous shot wasn’t finished writing.

2) If it happens mid shot it means the buffered was likely filled and couldn’t empty quickly enough.

3) If it happens when first putting the card in it means that if it was previously in a computer, the OS wrote invisible files to it that need to be cleared up.

Usually 1 happens if you don’t wait for the light over the card to change back to ready.
If 2 happens it can be on slow mo shot or otherwise your card is on the slow side.

[Bob Cole]

[Craig Seeman] “Usually 1 happens if you don’t wait for the light over the card to change back to ready.”

Do you have to check this light before starting to roll every time?

[Olly Lawer]

Thanks. Hmm, hopefully it was just 1 or 2.

Mind put at rest thanks

Olly Lawer

[Craig Seeman]

[Bob Cole] “Do you have to check this light before starting to roll every time?”

If using SDHC card, yes. If you know your cards you can do this by instinct. If you have different SDHC cards you’d better check.

[Martin Phillips]

Hi Olly,

I don’t know whether you were using SxS or SDHC, but it sounds like you are using SDHC. It is a controversial point as some people like Craig have had more luck than me with SDHC. Anyway, I had SDHC cards fail twice on me during a shoot when I first got my EX3. Luckily, I was able to retrieve pretty much all the clips, but it seriously dented my confidence in the camera. I decided at that point to fork out for 2 new Sony SxS 16Gb cards. That was over 18 months ago and have never had this problem again.

As I said, other people have had more success with the SDHC cards than me and they are probably better now than they were 18 months ago. But I’m not really prepared to take the risk again.

[Olly Lawer]

I am using a Kensington 7 in 1 Media Card Reader for Expresscard Notepad Slot. Plus a 16GB SDHC Card (Class 6).

It’s so expensive to but SxS cards.

So do these (SDHC) fail more or is there a debate open on the subject?

Olly Lawer

[Martin Phillips]

There is an open debate on this subject – they work for some people but not for others. The essential problem is that they (the SDHC cards) do not write quite as quickly as the SxS cards which can occasionally cause a glitch.

The EX3 and EX1 now have a firmware update to make it work better. It may be worth trying the Sony or MxM adapters with their approved SDHC cards.

Yes, they (SxS) are expensive …… no way round that apart from seeing it as an investment and charging your clients for ‘media use’ (like in the days of tape).

[Olly Lawer]

Yes – 10 times the cost. But maybe a worthy investment.

My EX1 is not old, so haven’t had it serviced yet. How do I update the firmware?

I will look into the other make you mentioned.

Touch wood this is the only occasion I have ever had a problem. I was taking a series of quick record, stop, record clips so maybe I didn’t give it enough time to write.

Olly Lawer