CF Error - Card Problem - Is Lexar bad?

[DylanBob]

I've had the exact same problem with my 350d and Lexar 2 GB card. It's happened twice in about 3 months. That's not going to cut it, I can't be worrying about it when I'm on a trip.

Both times, I've tried to reformat the card but it just hangs on the format. Then, you can't turn the camera off. I had to take the battery out and things worked fine (albeit with a now empty card).

I'm going to send mine back to Lexar and buy one or two smaller Sandisks as backups. It's very disappointing, I thought I was getting the best card on the market.

 

[bullet1]

Based on this page: http://www.lexar.com/digfilm/wa_cf.html

Current camera partners supporting Write Acceleration Technology

• Kodak Professional
• Nikon
• Sanyo
• Sigma
• Pentax
• Olympus

Current cameras supporting Write Acceleration Technology

• All Kodak Professional cameras and pro camera backs
• Nikon D1x, D1h, D-100 (firmware upgrade), D2h
• Sanyo DSC-MZ3
• Sigma SD-9
• Sigma SD10
• Pentax *ist D
• Olympus E1

If you have a Canon camera, don't waste your money on the WA enabled cards.
--
Nelson

 

[Susan Henderson]

I have 4 Sandisk cards (none of them Ultra) and have had no problems with any of them.
--
Sue Henderson

 

[L.Cline]

I filled out the RMA authorization on Saturday Night and got an
email with the authorization number around 7:00 PM on Monday (they
do not work weekends). I did not try to format the card since I
did not want to lose my pictures, but I am certain that I would not
be able to since nothing would even recognize that the card was
present. I will be sending it during lunch today (hopefully).

They got back to you quicker than they did me. Some info got lost somewhere along the line and I ended up having to call them. Sent the corrupt card off today with a letter requesting recovery. Sure hope they can get those pictures.

BTW - you can still recover the pics even if you reformat, as long as you haven't taken pictures over them. Try it with Photo Rescue on a card that you've reformatted, after you've removed the pics from it. I didn't believe this until I tried it.

 

[Stephen Miller2]

I had to return a Sandisk Ultra II recently. I have 3 512's. I took some raw with 300D and while the camera could see them none of the software could download several of them either from the card reader or the camera.

I have on several occasions plugged the card into the reader and had it not recognized.

The first time I managed to get some pics off and then I deleted and reformated in the camera. One thing I did notice was the DCIM folder was missing before I did the deletions, so I figured whatever coding was required and in this file may have been important.

All seemed well and I had been taking large jpegs, until I switched to raw and then attempted to read from a card reader. The card reader would not recognize the card. I put the card back in the camera and the camera recognized the card, but would not download any pics except the very first original large fine jpegs.

Finally went to Sandisk who said exchange for a new one, no questions asked.

I thought I had seen something recently about cards getting confused when used for data other than fotos, but I had not done that.

Anybody hear of the this before?

Haven't had a chance to try the new card yet.

Stephen

 

[weirmg]

Please see News in this site for a recent post re: Lexar 80x CFs -- which I have and have also lost some very cool shots from last weekend -- at least I'm not going crazy -- it's a real issue.

Looks like those of us who have the 350Ds and Lexar Pro 80x cards will have to return them for firmware upgrades...

 

[Parlin294052]

I have 350 D with Kinston High Speed and Scandisk Ultra II. They are just fine and write and read well.

 

[summersr]

Looks like those of us who have the 350Ds and Lexar Pro 80x cards
will have to return them for firmware upgrades...

I am hoping that the firmware update capability of ImageRescue2 that came with my 80X CF card will be able to download and install the new firmware without sending it back the Lexar.

Have emailed Lexar to confirm this. Wil post response.

 

[TwincitiesJim]

Just an update:

I just got an automated email notice that a shipment will be sent back to me very soon. I am hoping that means that they recovered my photos and updated the firmware of the card for the (now known) problem with Canon cameras. However the email did not provide any details. If so, the turnaround was very much faster than they quoted (6 days+ shipping vs 4 weeks + shipping). I am expecting the sandisk Ultra II that I ordered last week to arrive today and it looks like I only saved a few days. If everything goes well, I will be a very satisfied customer and will likely use them in the future as well since the sutomer service has been so good.

I'll keep you posted.

P.S. I only ordered Sandisk because it was significantly less expensive without a large speed hit, and so that if it was a card problem I would have one of each vendor to use as backup to the other if any other specific issues arise.

 

[TwincitiesJim]

I meant Customer service not "sutomer service".

 

[montauk]

FYI... I purchased XT at Ritz Camera and first weekend shooting (last weekend) lost lots of pics.

Luckily I just got a call that the "recovered" 60 pics... which may be most of them.

Montauk

 

[L.Cline]

Just an update:
I just got an automated email notice that a shipment will be sent
back to me very soon. I am hoping that means that they recovered
my photos and updated the firmware of the card for the (now known)
problem with Canon cameras. However the email did not provide any
details. If so, the turnaround was very much faster than they
quoted (6 days+ shipping vs 4 weeks + shipping). I am expecting
the sandisk Ultra II that I ordered last week to arrive today and
it looks like I only saved a few days. If everything goes well, I
will be a very satisfied customer and will likely use them in the
future as well since the sutomer service has been so good.

I'll keep you posted.

When did you send the card in? I sent my grandaughter's card on May 17 and I still haven't heard anything from them yet. Could this automated e-mail mean that the card has just arrived to their facility?

 

[TwincitiesJim]

I sent the card on Monday 5/16 through the postal service with insurance and tracking capability. It was accepted on 5/19 at the company (based upon the results of the tracking) and they shipped a package on 5/25. I should get it today. I sent them an email asking if they recovered my data and if the firmware update was applied. They confirmed that the firmware was updated, but did not answer the other questions. I guess I'll find out today if it is the same card (I kept a record of the serial number from the side of the card) and if the data was recovered.

When did you send the card in? I sent my grandaughter's card on May 17 and I still haven't heard anything from them yet. Could this automated e-mail mean that the card has just arrived to their facility?

 

[L.Cline]

Thanks. Let us know when you get it back. Hope your pictures are with the card!

 

[TwincitiesJim]

The card will be at home when I get there. Unfortunately I will not have my pictures. I am really, REALLY bummed about that.

Lexar sent me with the following quote "We're sorry but we were unable to recover the images from your card due to eletrical malfunction. Lexar do utilize all of our resources to recover the data/images. Please understand Lexar does not guarantee data recovery but we will try our best for our customers. Once again, we're sorry for the inconvenience."

The more I think about it the more bummed I get. I am no longer excited to get home and open the package...Those pictures really were irreplaceable......Oh well, there is nothing I can do about it, so I'll just move on.

 

[L.Cline]

That's a real bummer. Sorry to hear that. Sure hope our story turns out different. Still haven't heard anything from them yet. The pictures on the card I sent in were some that my grandaughter had taken when we went to tour Biltmore Estates. She sure was disappointed when that card messed up!