Is the problem my camera or the CF?

[ColleenS]

I've been having some trouble with corrupted files lately. It first happened last Saturday (at a paid shoot! ) Thankfully not important photos.

The camera is a Digital Rebel XT. The card is a CompactFlash SanDisk Ultra II 2GB which I format after each use. It only seems to happen after 200 or so pictures, and it's not every picture. Probably 8 last Saturday and 5 yesterday. They were shot in RAW.

Here's what they look like:

So is it the card or the camera? Please tell me the card!

 

[DVC Jen]

I am willing to bet it is the card, but the only way to know for sure it is try it with a different card and see if the problem goes away. Good luck.

 

[Groucho]

Careful, some people are of the opinion that Sandisk cards never go bad.

Seriously though... what you're seeing is definitely some corruption in the images, I've seen the same thing happen to downloaded (from the internet) JPGs if there are one or two bad bytes in the middle.

The best test would be to try another card, even a smaller one that you might not normally use any more. If the pictures on the smaller card are fine, then it's probably the card.

The fact that it's only happening to certain pictures would also lead me to believe that it's the card, since most of the card is working fine, it's just a few trouble spots that are causing the corruption.

I'm pretty sure that Sandisk, like others, has a lifetime warranty, you should be able to get it exchanged for the cost of shipping it back.

 

[photo_chick]

Sandisk cards can and do go bad. I had a very similar thing happen with a 1gb Ultra II myself. My results were VERY similar, though not exactly the same.

 

[ColleenS]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm glad to know there is a lifetime warranty!
I'm going to look up contact info for SanDisk, but I don't have a receipt or original packaging.

I filled up a 'regular' SanDisk 2GB today and had no problems with it. So I'm leaning toward it being a problem with the card.

Thanks again

 

[manning]

Is this happening with the same card??

If so, throw it away!!!!!

Not knowing what you have, if you are shooting for pay you should have more than one camera. You don't know when one will quit.

I used to shoot weddings years ago in the age of film and carried three cameras. A couple of times I had one quit on me and once (and this is rare) I had two quit.

It happens, they are mechanical, and now electronical.

 

[photo_chick]

Is this happening with the same card??

If so, throw it away!!!!!

Not knowing what you have, if you are shooting for pay you should have more than one camera. You don't know when one will quit.

I used to shoot weddings years ago in the age of film and carried three cameras. A couple of times I had one quit on me and once (and this is rare) I had two quit.

It happens, they are mechanical, and now electronical.

I agree. I only have one DSLR but the times I have shot for pay (which I admit are few) I have 2 35mm slr's for back up. Plus multiple memory cards.

Though it sounds like the op did not realize there was a problem until the images were downloaded.

 

[Groucho]

Don't throw the memory card away! At least, not until you verify its warranty status... like I said, most have a lifetime warranty. The cost of shipping it back is going to definitely be cheaper than the cost of replacing it...

 

[manning]

Don't throw the memory card away! At least, not until you verify its warranty status... like I said, most have a lifetime warranty. The cost of shipping it back is going to definitely be cheaper than the cost of replacing it...

Agree. When I posted I should have said don't use it again.