Why did my 4GB card suddenly only hold 34 RAW+JPEG photos on my Canon 5D Mark II?
Asked 12/5/2011
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2 answers
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I’m using a Canon 5D Mark II and today a 4GB CF card only let me shoot 34 photos in RAW+JPEG. Normally I get around 150–200 shots. I checked my camera settings and couldn’t see what changed. What could cause a memory card to suddenly show much less space, and what should I do?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
14
Did you use the CF card in your computer and either store non-picture files on it, or delete the files without emptying the trash / recycle bin when you were done? A bunch of hidden files can fill up the card's space pretty quickly (happened to me a couple weekends ago; luckily I always carry a spare).
It could also be a corrupted card, and some sectors have been marked as bad.
If you're sure there's nothing important on the card you could format it from the camera's menu, which will remove any undeleted or non-picture files.
Originally by user2910. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user2910
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The most likely causes are card space being used by hidden files or a problem with the card itself.
If you previously used the CF card in a computer, it may contain non-photo files or files you deleted that are still sitting in the computer’s trash/recycle bin. Those hidden files can take up a lot of space and make the card seem much smaller.
Another possibility is card corruption, where some sectors have gone bad and are no longer usable.
If everything on the card is safely backed up, the simplest fix is to format the card in the camera. Formatting in-camera clears leftover hidden files and gives the camera a clean card structure to use. If the problem continues after formatting, the card may be unreliable and worth replacing.
Best practice: back up your images, then format the card in-camera rather than deleting files from a computer.
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