Please help – Transcend SD card shows up empty after expensive shoot

[Michael Palmer]

I would put it back into the camera and restore media and see if that fixes the issue. However if you popped the card out before it finished writing the data you could have damaged the card and the data.

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Austen Collins]

Michael,

Thanks for responding so promptly. I have tried putting the card back into it’s MxR adaptor and back into the camera. The camera responds with “No Clip”, and doesn’t give me the option to restore.

I did not eject any of the cards during the shoot. The cards stayed in the camera until I got home.

Is there some other way I can access the data with my mac pro and withdraw it from the card other than via the finder?

A

[Michael Palmer]

Do you have an SDHC card reader other than the MxR?

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Austin Clarence]

I have a Transcend brand SDHC reader, an ImageMate SDHC reader, and also a PC with a card slot.

After thoroughly testing every possible combination to retrieve the data from my Transcend card, something changed, and the card’s info now reads 14.96 GB capacity, 14.96 GB available.

I think now I can officially say that I’ve lost everything.

I purchased the Transcend cards and MxR adaptors from the reputable Abel Cine Tech in Burbank, CA., and they have completely failed.

I have no idea how I’m going to explain this to a producer who has no understanding of the technology, but has relied on me enough to invest a thousand dollars toward a single day of shooting.

[Rafael Amador]

Download the DataRescue demo and have a look what is inside the card.
If the files have been recorded, they are still over there, unless they have been over-write.
Recover the MP4 files and use SONY Clip Browser to rebuild the BVPA.
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Michael Palmer]

I had a situation a few days ago where I put in another Transcend 16 gig card and my camera said it needed to format the card. I’m wondering if you may have thought it was a restore media request when it was a format request.

I think you better leave this card to a professional and don’t try to do anything with it or you will not get any of the data back.

Here is a name and a company that might be able to recover the data that I got from Lou Schmidt of Hoodman. I would Fed Ex it to them.

https://WWW.LC-TECH.COM
Ron Gomez 866-603-2195 ext. 102
rong@lc-tech.com

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Austin Clarence]

R.I.P. footage

Rafael – I ran the DataRescue Demo and it found nothing. Perhaps if I had done it only minutes sooner when the card was still reading 6.39 gigs used, I could have saved it. But the available space strangely switched back to the standard 14.96 GB on disk when I tried to read the card with my Transcend brand SDHC reader instead of the ImageMate reader I was initially using.

Michael – During the shoot and this entire transfer process I was never given a media request of any sort, though it was not uncommon to get occasional “restore media” requests on previous shoots.

I’m going to try to contact the company you recommend Michael.

But on three different computers the card is reading as empty, and I think it is time I cut my losses. I’m going back to Abel Cine Tech and returning my other Transcend cards.

For anyone who is considering this technology, it has completely failed on me and cost me greatly.

Nonetheless, thanks to the Cow guys for support 🙂

[Craig Seeman]

We spend so much time is “rescue” mode I think people wait until after the accident to think about seat belts assuming they think about them at all.

People need to learn how to be careful BEFORE the accident happens (although I have know idea if the O.P. took all precautions).

When you get new SDHC cards:

Put one in each slot and record straight through without stopping. Erase the cards and do it again.
If you get a media error at any point, there’s no 2nd chance. Return the cards.

Do a short record test series. Start and stop recording repeatedly. Delete a clip occasionally and continue to start and stop. ALWAYS REMEMBER that you MUST wait for the light to go green above the slot before you can start recording otherwise it’s USER ERROR. You should be able to do this many times and NEVER get a media error.

ALWAYS use Clip Browser (or Shot Put) with CRC on. ALWAYS!

If a card throws a Media Error and you swear up and down the light was green when you started recording the RETIRE THE CARD IMMEDIATELY. You wouldn’t drive a car where the breaks “occasionally” failed. You wouldn’t shoot with a DV tape that snapped and then scotch tapped back together.

This is your JOB, YOUR CLIENT, YOUR BUSINESS. Don’t risk it over a $40-$140 SDHC card. I have NEVER had a SDHC card failure. Drive safely!

[Michael Palmer]

All great points Craig, You and I know how to properly use this SDHC/MxR solution and know that our cards work because we tested them as you outlined above.

I think anyone who is a true professional with one of the EX cameras should have invested in enough SxS cards to keep up with there responsibility for hire. Honestly if someone buys this camera and only gets 2-8 gig cards that come with the camera and a few SDHC cards with 1-MxR adapter they are not properly equipped for hire.

I’m starting to believe this solution isn’t for everyone. There is no excuse for failure with tapeless solutions. I would imagine this producer will never hire a Sony XD Cam EX owner/operator again. And having uneducated individuals making mistakes will only steer producers back to the P2 crews.

[Brian Walker]

I know it is a little late, but I am curious…Did you review your clips(in camera) onsite to verify the records? I always review my last clip before I move to a new location or if I have a minute to view..

Thanks in advance!
Brian Walker