Strange Images from D800

[mattpayne11]

Just a couple times now lately I've had some bizarre things happen with my D800. Any guesses as to what the hell this is?

Just some technical specs...

Using 32 GB Lexar 1000x cards, Nikkor 85mm 1.4 D... pocket wizard X and a SB900 through a softbox... any ideas?

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[Iscariot]

Have you tried using a different memory card? It could be damaged.

 

[mattpayne11]

That's the strange thing... only 2 out of 100 shots look like this.

 

[HappyFish]

For me that would be two too many.

 

[Growltiger]

Could be data corruption on the card, or it could be data corruption when copying the data from the card to the computer. (Could be the camera causing it, but very unlikely).

To find out, copy those same images from the card using a different computer (with a different card reader etc.)

If it is the card, replace it.

 

[TonyW]

I agree with Richard and would also add taking the card out of camera or card reader before writing data finished, flakey USB cable connection etc. Also if you use Nikon Transfer older editions then strange things can happen. I believe the new version should be supplied with camera on CD and is now located in ViewNX - I have no idea if it is possible to get exactly the type of corruption you have shown though.

 

[Retief]

Do you see this "corruption" when you view the image on the LCD while the card is in the camera? Are you shooting NEF? If so, does the embedded JPG show the same corruption as the NEF? What method are you using to transfer the files as well as what software are you using to view the image on the PC?

 

[mattpayne11]

All good thoughts. I shoot RAW. I have seen a few images lately on the lcd that had odd effects like half the image is darker. I transfer via a firewire 800 reader into Lightroom. Also have read that turning off the camera before the image is done writing can corrupt the file.

 

[DaMavs]

All good thoughts. I shoot RAW. I have seen a few images lately on the lcd that had odd effects like half the image is darker. I transfer via a firewire 800 reader into Lightroom. Also have read that turning off the camera before the image is done writing can corrupt the file.

That would surprise me as I've always noticed that if I shoot a long string of images & then turn off power to change lenses, the camera will stay on to clear the buffer. That's using AA's in a gripped D800 (gripped D700 behaved the same). Basically I don't think the camera will normally turn off prior to successfully writing the buffer onto the card, but if it would it would definitely corrupt the file.

Were both the images with a problem at times you turned off the camera?

Given it's happened more than once, you may be able to spot a trend. I'd bet more on a bad memory card which is corrupting pictures written into the bad memory areas, but...That's a SWAG at best. If it is a bad card, you could likely format the card & then just take a static picture over and over and eventually see the corruption when you hit that point in the card's memory. Should be relatively repeatable...

 

[mattpayne11]

Thanks man I was thinking of trying that, so let me do that and see if that is the culprit. It would explain a lot. These cards are not cheap either. Arg. Haha

 

[Retief]

That's a SWAG at best. If it is a bad card, you could likely format the card & then just take a static picture over and over and eventually see the corruption when you hit that point in the card's memory. Should be relatively repeatable...

Do a Full Format and Error Check of the card on your PC, not in the camera. I have seen a small number of cases where the linkage between file segments gets messed up in the FAT. Even seen a couple of cases where a sector has gone "bad" and the error check will fix this up for you. The in camera format just clears the FAT, it does not do the full span of checking that a Full Format and error check via your PC will do.

To eliminate the card reader as the culprit, connect your camera directly and do the transfer that way. It will be slower, but if the corruption stays on the same images, as it sounds like it will if you can see issues on the LCD, at least you will have confirmed that it is not the card reader. If you want to test even further, eliminate LR from the chain, just drag and drop from the camera, of the CF card in the reader, to a new folder on your PC. If the corruption stays the same in all cases, either you have a card issue or an intermittent camera issue.

The thought of "power down" is not a bad one, although as noted by DaMavs, the newer cameras seem to have alleviated this. The older ones you could reliably cause issues that way.

 

[mattpayne11]

Thanks Bill, great ideas. I will give those techniques a try as well. My guess / hope is that the card has an issue. I've also noticed lately that a few times, perhaps on similar sectors of the card, that I'll take the photo and try to zoom in on the photo in camera and it says, "unable to zoom in to this image" which was really odd to me.

 

[Growltiger]

Thanks Bill, great ideas. I will give those techniques a try as well. My guess / hope is that the card has an issue. I've also noticed lately that a few times, perhaps on similar sectors of the card, that I'll take the photo and try to zoom in on the photo in camera and it says, "unable to zoom in to this image" which was really odd to me.

That is crucial information. It means the data on the card is corrupt.

All the Nikon cameras are smart enough to keep working to write out the data, you can turn off immediately with the buffer full and nothing will be lost. This is not the problem.

You have a bad card. Although you could reformat on a PC and flag the bad sectors I wouldn't bother - I would bin it. It could well get much worse and lose valuable photos.

Is it a genuine card? Where did you buy it? eBay?

 

[mattpayne11]

That is crucial information. It means the data on the card is corrupt.

All the Nikon cameras are smart enough to keep working to write out the data, you can turn off immediately with the buffer full and nothing will be lost. This is not the problem.

You have a bad card. Although you could reformat on a PC and flag the bad sectors I wouldn't bother - I would bin it. It could well get much worse and lose valuable photos.

Is it a genuine card? Where did you buy it? eBay?

I purchased through Amazon I believe.

 

[Retief]

Thanks Bill, great ideas. I will give those techniques a try as well. My guess / hope is that the card has an issue. I've also noticed lately that a few times, perhaps on similar sectors of the card, that I'll take the photo and try to zoom in on the photo in camera and it says, "unable to zoom in to this image" which was really odd to me.

I'd bet that is the key, something hosed up in the linkage.

Not to be pedantic :wink:, but this is the time for the Full Format attempt. I have seen a few cases, very few, where the card was actually bad, but most often the complete wipe and rebuild works.

The folks at Datarescue make PhotoRescue, the best utility I have found for recovering from corruption, as well as a free utility called Cardwiper, which can be used to completely erase a card, read the second bullet point on this site carefully.

Whichever you try, once done then reformat the card in your camera for good measure.

 

[Growltiger]

I purchased through Amazon I believe.

Amazon itself, or Amazon Marketplace? If it was Amazon Marketplace you could have chosen a dodgy supplier selling lowest quality cards in fancy shells. It happens all the time.

Sometimes the fake cards are lower capacity, but incorrectly formatted to look as if they are the full size. Those ones work at first but go crazy when you hit the end of the real space.

 

[TonyW]

These cards are too expensive to just bin, so as I believe Lexar offer a lifetime warranty how about making a claim which would soon prove if you have got a fake?

Or otherwise I agree full format and test the hell out of it afterwards taking images to try and make the error occur - if it does then back to Lexar for a warranty claim?

 

[mattpayne11]

I just did the full format on my Mac, and have tested the card a few times, about 20 shots, no errors so far, will continue to test. Thanks all for the help/replies.

 

[Growltiger]

I recommend you now take continuous photos until the card is full. That will show if you will hit problems when you reach a certain point. (Or if a fake card of lower capacity, it will reveal the problem).