Problem with camera or memory cards?

lkbartlkbart Registered Users Posts: 1,912 Major grins
in Cameras

I originally thought this issue was a card issue, as the only time it ever happened was when I was recording on a 32GB CF card; I quit using those cards and now the problem is back, and worse. Most of the shots are okay, but I can't tell by a thumbnail whether the photo is good or not. In Canon's Digital Photo Professional and other viewers, the thumbnails look fine on the computer, and the photos look fine in camera, but when I open the raw file on my computer (either Camera Raw 9.1 or DPP4), it looks like this:

It had started with only the lower right quarter of the photo being affected, but that has obviously gotten worse also. Trying to figure out if it is an issue with the camera or with the cards. Not sure if I need to replace my cards or send the camera in.
Camera is a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV (purchased 11/16); cards are all Lexar professional, either CF or SDHC.
Ideas anyone?

~Lillian~
A photograph is an artistic expression of life, captured one moment at a time . . .
http://bartlettphotoart.smugmug.com/

Comments

  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
    edited May 30, 2018

    It certainly looks like a card, but a few questions:
    1) Is this happening on more than one card? It would be unusual for several cards to go bad at once, so that would suggest another cause.
    2) Are you using the same card reader for all cards? Try moving the pics directly to your computer with a cable to see if the reader is at fault.
    3) Most important: have you tried using a different cable for uploading? Cables fail more often than cards or cameras.
    4) It's unlikely, but not impossible that you have a problem with the connector on your computer. Try using a different port if you can.

    My Pics
  • lkbartlkbart Registered Users Posts: 1,912 Major grins

    I'm hoping it's the card, but I originally had the problem I isolated it to one of the two 32GB CF cards I had. I bought new 16GB CF cards a few months ago, and this is the first time the problem has reappeared. When I was having the issue before, I got in the habit of checking to make sure I start with the SDHC card, so the CF is only used once the SDHC is full, so they have not been used much.
    1) Not positive, but I believe it is only happening on the CF cards, I'm not sure if it is just one or both of the 2 currently using
    2) Yes, same reader. When this happened before, I hooked the camera up to the computer with the cable and opened the raw file from the card in the camera and it was flawed from there
    3) Haven't changed cables on the reader but use a different cable for the camera
    4) I go back & forth between the 2 usb ports on the front of the computer
    I feel better thinking it is more likely a card issue. I should probably clean the contacts in the CF (and the SDHC) card slots in the camera.

    ~Lillian~
    A photograph is an artistic expression of life, captured one moment at a time . . .
    http://bartlettphotoart.smugmug.com/
  • sallybsallyb Registered Users Posts: 35 Big grins
    This is probably really obvious but do you format your cards rather than erase them? I'm a great believer in formatting and it has always worked out well for me.
  • David_S85David_S85 Administrators Posts: 13,245 moderator

    @sallyb said:
    This is probably really obvious but do you format your cards rather than erase them? I'm a great believer in formatting and it has always worked out well for me.

    ..and format in the camera, rather than on a computer.

    My Smugmug
    "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
  • sallybsallyb Registered Users Posts: 35 Big grins
    > @David_S85 said:
    > @sallyb said:
    > This is probably really obvious but do you format your cards rather than erase them? I'm a great believer in formatting and it has always worked out well for me.
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > ..and format in the camera, rather than on a computer.

    True d@ :)
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator

    I'd be curious to see what happens if you set up the camera up to write RAWs to both cards, then see if the problem appears on both of them exactly the same way. From what you've described so far though, it's sounding like your camera may need to be sent to Canon for repair.

    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • lkbartlkbart Registered Users Posts: 1,912 Major grins

    Great idea @kdog - I just set the camera to "record multiple" so it will record on both cards, so we will see. I also wonder about recording both raw and jpg to see if the recorded jpg would have the same flaws, just changed that setting also.

    And @sallyb & @David_S85 - I do format the cards in camera after I've copied them onto the computer, good thoughts.

    I haven't found another bad shot so far, lots were thrown away without opening the raw file & no real time to go back & check. Just realized I should pull the throw-aways out of the trash and batch process them, then it wouldn't take long to see how many are damaged. This will take time though & heading for vaca soon, no extra time now but maybe while riding ... will keep you posted on what I figure out. Thanks for the comments! :)

    ~Lillian~
    A photograph is an artistic expression of life, captured one moment at a time . . .
    http://bartlettphotoart.smugmug.com/
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited May 30, 2018

    I suspect a card or cord issue but one other question occurs to me - is your firmware in your camera up to date? Even if it is a recently purchased body, the firmware can be outdated at times.

    I recommend using a card reader, not trying to download files from the camera body itself also.

    From Canon website I see that the latest firmware is v1.1.2 dated April 3 2018 - you can find it here - https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/support/details/cameras/dslr/eos-5d-mark-iv/eos-5d-mark-iv?subtab=downloads-firmware

    I see that my 5D MK IV is only at v 1.0.4 - hmmmm.... I see that v 1.0.4 corrected an error in images consisting of a red colored area in the bottom center of the image when the image was shot in bulb mode.

    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • lkbartlkbart Registered Users Posts: 1,912 Major grins

    Great thought @pathfinder - mine also is 1.0.4; will get that updated. Thanks! :)

    ~Lillian~
    A photograph is an artistic expression of life, captured one moment at a time . . .
    http://bartlettphotoart.smugmug.com/
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator

    Please, report back if this resolves the issue for you, or if you find your card or cord was at fault.

    I was surprised, I thought my body was up to date but v1.1.2 came out last April. My update to v1.1.2 was uneventful, but it tales 3-4 minutes for the update to complete after hitting the menu button to initiate the firmware update. So use a freshly charged battery and be patient.

    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • lkbartlkbart Registered Users Posts: 1,912 Major grins

    Will do, will likely be a couple weeks or so. Heading for vacation then have a dance shoot on the 14th, so good combination of shooting opps should provide lots of potential for the issue to rear its ugly head, and can hope that the firmware update might resolve it.

    ~Lillian~
    A photograph is an artistic expression of life, captured one moment at a time . . .
    http://bartlettphotoart.smugmug.com/
  • lkbartlkbart Registered Users Posts: 1,912 Major grins

    Very happy to report back that I've had no issues since I upgraded the firmware. Thank goodness!! Appreciate the help and suggestions!

    ~Lillian~
    A photograph is an artistic expression of life, captured one moment at a time . . .
    http://bartlettphotoart.smugmug.com/
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator

    :+1:

    My Pics
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator

    Glad to hear that the issue seems to be resolved, and thanks for letting the thread know this also

    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
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