Why do some Nikon D5100 photos transfer to my computer with part of the image grey?
Asked 2/20/2013
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2 answers
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My Nikon D5100 shows the photos correctly on the camera, but after transferring them to my computer some files are corrupted: only part of the image appears and the rest is grey. It started with just a few images, but now it happens to many shots in a batch. I’ve tried both Nikon’s transfer software and copying the files directly, with the same result. What could be causing this, and how can I troubleshoot it?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
2
This same problem has plagued me for months. FINALLY I figured out what the cause was, at least in my situation. Having my printer plugged into one of the USB ports at the same time of transferring photos from camera (or SD card in card reader) is what corrupted my images. When I unplugged my printer, everything worked fine. I could use my camera with USB cable or SD card plugged directly into the reader. I knew it wasn't a problem with the SD card, my camera or my camera's USB cable because the photos transferred fine on another computer. Try systematically disconnecting other USB devices to see if that might be the issue for you --- but do it systematically, just disconnect one device, then try the camera import, until you've tried all devices. Doing it one at a time helps you know which other device is causing the conflict (if any). In your case, it might be some other problem. Good luck.
Originally by user26815. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user26815
12y ago
0
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This usually points to file corruption during transfer, not a problem with how the image is displayed. If the camera shows the shot normally, the embedded thumbnail may still be fine even when the full file gets corrupted later.
Most likely causes to check:
- the memory card itself
- the USB cable
- the computer’s USB port
- another USB device interfering during transfer
- the camera-to-computer transfer method
Troubleshooting steps:
- Try a different memory card.
- Try a different USB cable and a different USB port.
- Disconnect other USB devices while importing, especially printers or anything else plugged in at the same time.
- Use a card reader instead of connecting the camera directly.
- Test on another computer if possible.
If the files are grey in multiple programs on the computer, that confirms the files themselves were corrupted rather than just one app misreading them.
For already-damaged images, recovery software may be able to restore some data, but the key is identifying which part of the transfer chain is causing corruption and replacing or avoiding it.
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AI13y ago
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