Doh! No memory card...

[NCB]

Went into town today for a few supplies. A fine day, so I stuck the Z6 in the car with my newly acquired 24-200 zoom, thinking of some test pics on the way. Took a few. On getting home, felt a touch of unease when I notice the card reader attached to my PC was claiming it already had a Z6 XQD card in it ...

Sure enough. No card in the Z6. I investigated. I would expect a decent error message along the lines of "you idiot, you haven't put a card in the camera". In fact all you get is a little red icon at the top of the screen which if you look closely might be a card with a red line through. I didn't even notice it.

Come on, Nikon; this isn't good enough. A good number of your regular customers are probably feeble-brained oldies like myself who expect some help. How about an upgrade in the next firmware release?

 

[peabrain]

On my former Z50 it was very apparent when i forgot my memory card, available space in lower left was not showing a number and a flashing red card some where else.

I would love a custom variant of the forgot memory card icon. (like a flashing red memory card with a line over and a hand flipping me off)

 

[ogarber]

And you should be good to go.

 

[Stavrosf]

Slot Empty Release Lock

onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com

Actually, this is an option on the menu.

 

[Whois]

It's happened to me as well. I've set up the camera to give me a clear message but that doesn't help when you've already left the place where your card is located.
One solution that's helped was to have a spare card in the camera bag that I tend to use most of the time.

 

[giarc]

Come on, Nikon; this isn't good enough. A good number of your regular customers are probably feeble-brained oldies like myself who expect some help. How about an upgrade in the next firmware release?

That's rough, and sorry that happened. But I personally think that is enough UI. And there is indeed a menu option to stop the camera from even taking the picture. Nothing Nikon can do would prevent you from forgetting your card though even if the camera had shouted at you that it didn't have a card, its not like you'd have gotten the missed photos anyway... you didn't have the card!

In all seriousness, buy another card! CFExpress/XQD aren't cheap like SD cards, but w/o them, the cameras are pretty close to useless unless shooting tethered.

The camera I use most in this scenario is the Ricoh GR3 which has onboard storage, not much, but enough for 30/40 images I think. I often find I'm shooting that camera w/o the card.

 

[jthomas39]

I have my Z6 set to complain that there's no card if I press the shutter. That helps.

But even better: when I remove the card to put it in the card reader, I leave the card door open on the camera. Then it's obvious when I pick up the camera.

Same thing if I leave a battery out of the camera. The camera is set on it's left side, and the battery door is open.

 

[NCB]

I have my Z6 set to complain that there's no card if I press the shutter. That helps.

But even better: when I remove the card to put it in the card reader, I leave the card door open on the camera. Then it's obvious when I pick up the camera.

Same thing if I leave a battery out of the camera. The camera is set on it's left side, and the battery door is open.

Thinking about it, that's what I normally do. On this occasion I obviously didn't. Doh again!

 

[TomS53]

Went into town today for a few supplies. A fine day, so I stuck the Z6 in the car with my newly acquired 24-200 zoom, thinking of some test pics on the way. Took a few. On getting home, felt a touch of unease when I notice the card reader attached to my PC was claiming it already had a Z6 XQD card in it ...

Sure enough. No card in the Z6. I investigated. I would expect a decent error message along the lines of "you idiot, you haven't put a card in the camera". In fact all you get is a little red icon at the top of the screen which if you look closely might be a card with a red line through. I didn't even notice it.

Come on, Nikon; this isn't good enough. A good number of your regular customers are probably feeble-brained oldies like myself who expect some help. How about an upgrade in the next firmware release?

Okay. Maybe Nikon can make the 'no memory card' indicator a bit more prominent; but you missing the [--E--], in the Control panel, is all on you. Nikon has also given you the option to lock the shutter release when no memory card is installed, again on you.

In the time since you posted this, I take it that you have adjusted the settings on your Z6 and Z50 so that the shutter is locked with no card installed. On you again to do this. I think I need to see if I have my Z7 set this way, I can not remember if I have adjusted this.

Then another FW fix I would like from Nikon, is for a warning to come up that I have NOT remembered to put the camera in my camera bag as I place the bag in the car. :-( And that is on me! ;-)

Stay Safe!

 

[YWG]

Went into town today for a few supplies. A fine day, so I stuck the Z6 in the car with my newly acquired 24-200 zoom, thinking of some test pics on the way. Took a few. On getting home, felt a touch of unease when I notice the card reader attached to my PC was claiming it already had a Z6 XQD card in it ...

Sure enough. No card in the Z6. I investigated. I would expect a decent error message along the lines of "you idiot, you haven't put a card in the camera". In fact all you get is a little red icon at the top of the screen which if you look closely might be a card with a red line through. I didn't even notice it.

Come on, Nikon; this isn't good enough. A good number of your regular customers are probably feeble-brained oldies like myself who expect some help. How about an upgrade in the next firmware release?

Man that sucks. I've had that and even worse, get on site and the camera doesn't turn on...because the battery is in the charger at home.

Now a days, although my camera has default no card warning msg, I usually perform a function check on the camera for battery, card, major buttons, lens is registering and working before a dedicated photo step out. Kinda like mirror check, look at the gas gauge, quickly verify my route (although I don't do my blinkers, brake light checks regularly).

 

[24Peter]

It's happened to me as well. I've set up the camera to give me a clear message but that doesn't help when you've already left the place where your card is located.
One solution that's helped was to have a spare card in the camera bag that I tend to use most of the time.

+1^^^ I have three camera bags and all three have spare memory cards for just such moments!

 

[24Peter]

But even better: when I remove the card to put it in the card reader, I leave the card door open on the camera. Then it's obvious when I pick up the camera.

Same thing if I leave a battery out of the camera. The camera is set on it's left side, and the battery door is open.

+1^^^ Good suggestions JThomas39!

 

[PLShutterbug]

Went into town today for a few supplies. A fine day, so I stuck the Z6 in the car with my newly acquired 24-200 zoom, thinking of some test pics on the way. Took a few. On getting home, felt a touch of unease when I notice the card reader attached to my PC was claiming it already had a Z6 XQD card in it ...

Sure enough. No card in the Z6. I investigated. I would expect a decent error message along the lines of "you idiot, you haven't put a card in the camera". In fact all you get is a little red icon at the top of the screen which if you look closely might be a card with a red line through. I didn't even notice it.

Come on, Nikon; this isn't good enough. A good number of your regular customers are probably feeble-brained oldies like myself who expect some help. How about an upgrade in the next firmware release?

Hmm. When I’ve forgotten my memory card (or like yesterday, my FTZ) I tend to blame myself for not following my checklist, not Nikon for having such a small indicator when it’s too late to do anything about it anyway.

 

[jimdelves]

This evokes painful memories. I once shot an entire Paris fashion show without film in the camera

 

[ericbowles]

I can sympathize. That's a mistake you only make one time. My version of it was about 8 years ago at a practice round for the Masters. I had my camera but no memory card. Luckily it took an SD card, and I was able to get a spare card from another photographer. I carry an old memory card in all of my camera bags - but that would not help with XQD.

I always replace the memory card immediately after downloading images, and I do have the Lock Shutter option selected in case I forget.

 

[Twitchly]

Thank you. I wish this were the default, as it is on other cameras. Would’ve saved me some grief.

 

[RicClarke]

Another reason that I want a 6ii (my other cameras have two cards and one card is always in them). The other reason is a vertical grip . . . but they're so expensive right now so it's easy to resist. In the meantime I also leave the door open . . . after once leaving home without a card.

 

[ovrebekk]

I have my Z6 set to complain that there's no card if I press the shutter. That helps.

But even better: when I remove the card to put it in the card reader, I leave the card door open on the camera. Then it's obvious when I pick up the camera.

Same thing if I leave a battery out of the camera. The camera is set on it's left side, and the battery door is open.

Best advice in a long time, I will make sure to make this a habit!

I also forgot the memory card for my Z6 when travelling to my parents for Christmas (400km from where I live).

Fortunately had the Z50 with me as well, but it was annoying not being able to use the Z6 for the entire week

 

[aniltulsi]

I have my Z6 set to complain that there's no card if I press the shutter. That helps.

But even better: when I remove the card to put it in the card reader, I leave the card door open on the camera. Then it's obvious when I pick up the camera.

Same thing if I leave a battery out of the camera. The camera is set on it's left side, and the battery door is open.

The card door and battery doors are the weakest part of the camera. If you keep it open for some time, it can accidently be hit and can break. I immediately close the card and battery doors, as soon as I take them out.

 

[Darek M]

It's happened to me as well. I've set up the camera to give me a clear message but that doesn't help when you've already left the place where your card is located.
One solution that's helped was to have a spare card in the camera bag that I tend to use most of the time.

+1^^^ I have three camera bags and all three have spare memory cards for just such moments!

Dang you guys with your spare XQD cards peppered throughout your sphere must be loaded with money

I sold my Z6 because I would forget my card a few times, rendering the camera useless. I might get the 'ii' in which case, I will be able to pepper my car, pockets, camera bags and wallet with much more affordable SD cards.

Hell, I can take the microSD card out of my dash cam, slap it in the adapter and use that.