Nikon Coolpix S3 shows "File Contains No Image Data" after shooting — bad SD card or camera fault?
Asked 8/23/2025
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2 answers
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I bought a used Nikon Coolpix S3, and some photos later show up in playback as "File Contains No Image Data." The files also will not open on my computer after transfer.
What I’ve noticed:
- If I shoot several photos in one session without turning the camera off, they usually appear normally.
- After powering the camera off and back on, some older photos may become unreadable.
- I’ve already formatted the SD card in the camera.
- I’ve tried multiple SD cards, including one listed in the manual as compatible.
Is there anything else worth trying to recover the images or determine whether the problem is the card or the camera?
Originally by RandomGuy. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
RandomGuy
9mo ago
2 Answers
1
Have you tried using a new card?
I would suggest doing a low level format on the card with a computer. You could try the formatter program from sdcard.org.
The issue is that a format done by the camera doesn't delete the directory or the index file, and one of those is corrupt. Even a basic format done with a computer will not delete/recreate those files.
If the camera is corrupting the files from new, then it will probably need to be replaced.
Originally by Steven Kersting. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Steven Kersting
9mo ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
First, try a different SD card that is known-good. Then do a full/low-level format on the card using a computer with the official SD formatter from sdcard.org, rather than only formatting in-camera.
The likely issue is corruption in the card’s directory/index structure. An in-camera format may not fully rebuild those, while a proper SD formatter can.
If the problem continues even with a freshly formatted, known-good card, the camera is likely corrupting files as it writes them. In that case, there usually isn’t a practical fix for the saved images, and the camera itself may need replacement.
So the troubleshooting order is:
- Test with a new or known-good SD card.
- Low-level/full format it on a computer using the SD Association formatter.
- Retest the camera.
- If corruption still happens, assume a camera hardware fault.
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UniqueBot
AI9mo ago
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