Pixtus - Photography Forum, Photographers, Photo Tips

scottalanphoto · **Unidentified Image -** 04-26-2009, 08:45 AM

I'm not sure if this is the right topic to post this under...
I turned on my camera this morning and went to look at the last images that I took to see if I needed to erase them or not. Luckily it was ok for me to erase them... However, when I pushed the button to view the images on the LCD screen it read "Unidentified Image" I used the scroll button and a few more said the same thing... I got a few images that showed up but the majority of the images from the last shoot said "Unidentified Image" I looked in the instruction manual and could not find that problem.... Has anyone else come across that? I have a canon rebel xti and the card i used was a compact flash lexar 2 GB Platinum II 80x...

I did erase all of the images and take a few snap shots and reviewed them and everything worked fine?!?!?!?

Any info would be appreciated!

CaptainTom · 04-26-2009, 08:53 AM

Quote:

I did erase all of the images and take a few snap shots and reviewed them and everything worked fine?!?!?!?

How do you erase the images ???

If you format the card in your camera (and not on your PC) you will solve this problem, unless the card itself is corrupt, and then you need to replace it.

scottalanphoto · 04-26-2009, 09:06 AM

i erase all of my images using the camera to do so.... i had taken the card out of the camera to load them on to the computer... when i was finished i put the card back into the camera... and it was in there for about a week until this morning when i went to look at the images. and then that is when i came across the problem i had!

CaptainTom · 04-26-2009, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottalanphoto

i erase all of my images using the camera to do so.... i had taken the card out of the camera to load them on to the computer... when i was finished i put the card back into the camera... and it was in there for about a week until this morning when i went to look at the images. and then that is when i came across the problem i had!

Suggestion: Never erase images from the card while it is in the camera.
download all the images and then edit them on your computer.

When you are ready to erase all the images on the card, put it in the camera and use the format card function.

This will eliminate your "unidentified image" errors.

scottalanphoto · 04-26-2009, 09:35 AM

ok thanks!

CaroleHayes · 04-26-2009, 09:52 AM

Just wondering: what's the difference between formatting and erasing everything?

I hadn't thought much about it but, if I had, I would have thought that formatting it a lot would wear it out sooner. Not sure why I'd think that, but there you go....

island bound · 04-26-2009, 10:10 AM

I heard a Canan pro speak recently and he said to NEVER erase your cards.
Download your pictures and then format.
Erasing is not a good thing.

CaptainTom · 10:36 AM

Formatting erases photos, deletes file extension data and makes a clean sweep of your media storage device. Formatting your compact flash card regularly in a Canon digital SLR camera will prevent file errors, corrupt data files and create more usable space on your media card.

erasing a file doesn't remove all the information about that file. That destination information, etc. is still there. If you then write over that "space" the camera may have a problem locating the file and you get an error.
Formatting the card wipes all the sectors clean.

ovimo · 04-26-2009, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottalanphoto

I'm not sure if this is the right topic to post this under...
I turned on my camera this morning and went to look at the last images that I took to see if I needed to erase them or not. Luckily it was ok for me to erase them... However, when I pushed the button to view the images on the LCD screen it read "Unidentified Image" I used the scroll button and a few more said the same thing...
Any info would be appreciated!

That is what happens when you use a Canon camera...

Sorry, had to joke about that.

On the serious side, errors occur when the camera takes a picture, when it writes it on the card, when it reads it from the card, etc.

That is one of the reasons I always take 2 identical images. Recently I came back from a Southern Utah trip. I downloaded the images to my computer (over 40GB of them). Upon reviewing them, one image said "unsupported format". I always shoot RAW. Despite my efforts, the image was a loss. But luckily I had its twin to use.

scottalanphoto · 04-26-2009, 06:25 PM

good info... thanks for posting ya'll

doctahjones · 04-27-2009, 01:38 AM

while i'm not saying you -shouldn't- always format after you have VERIFIED (yeah, i didn't verify i copied the images to my computer first one time. thank god for recovery programs!) that you copied all the images to your computer...

so far my routine is to plug the cam in via usb to my computer, and move the images to my computer. once it's done moving i unplug and i'm ready to start shooting. so far (knock on wood) i haven't had any issues with this.

in the case that i copy images instead of move (about once a week or so i forget to right click and drag images over to my computer so i don't get the 'move here' option) i will format the card via the camera.

maybe that about once a week format is what keeps my card 'regular'...or maybe because it's a nikon.

jk!

scottalanphoto · 04-27-2009, 02:38 AM

what's the difference in copying and moving your images from the camera / card to your computer?

carrbowl · 04-27-2009, 05:04 AM

wow...good question..!!

Gabby498 · **Difference between Move and Copy -** 04-27-2009, 07:27 AM

It is the difference between "cut and paste" and "copy and paste." "Cut or Move" removes the file from the original location and stores it in the new location while "copy" leaves the file in the original location while "copying" it to the new location.

If you use "cut" or "move" then the file is removed from the original location and is no longer accessable there. If you use "copy" the file is available in both locations.

CaptainTom · 04-27-2009, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabby498

It is the difference between "cut and paste" and "copy and paste." "Cut or Move" removes the file from the original location and stores it in the new location while "copy" leaves the file in the original location while "copying" it to the new location.

If you use "cut" or "move" then the file is removed from the original location and is no longer accessable there. If you use "copy" the file is available in both locations.

It removes the image, but not the locator and other information regarding that file. That info is only removed when the disk is formatted. If you do this too many times, the disk info can become corrupted.