Devices · SD & camera cards
A card never fails on a quiet day; it is always waiting for something to happen, whether that is a wedding reception, the middle week of a trip, or when you are finally transferring the only copy. Any 'damaged' or 'empty' cards sent from Exeter will reveal nearly all their secrets when they are tested in the lab, provided nobody has had a go at them first. Just call us (or complete the form) to get a quote first, before sending your card. Alternatively, once you have your quote, you can deliver the card directly into our Bristol intake laboratory, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm, with no appointment needed.
Talk it over with an engineer
0800 6890668
| What it says | What it usually means | Step one |
|---|---|---|
| Canon bodies: Memory card error / Cannot access the memory card | The camera does not recognise the card's file system | Remove the card and stop taking pictures |
| Canon again: Card cannot be accessed. Reinsert/change the card | Either your contacts are bad or your controller is bad | Do not try formatting, as this is no 'fix' |
| Nikon bodies: This memory card cannot be used. Card may be damaged | Not recognised or damaged | Don't let the camera format your memory card |
| Card is write-protected / Card locked | Normally the side switch; otherwise a failing controller sealing itself | Switch works fine? The fault is internal |
| You need to format the disk in drive X: | RAW, says the PC: photos still on it | Tell your computer not to format the memory card |
| No memory card (with a card inserted) | You have either lost your controller or the solder pads connecting it are dead | A read from the chip level |
Your device will be logged under its own case number on the day it comes into our lab. The engineer who works on your device identifies the problem with it, clearly states what we think has a good chance of coming back and provides you with one fixed quote. There are no charges for this assessment; there is no obligation for you to do anything; and paid work does not begin until you authorise us to start.
We create a precise copy of every single bit (or "bit-by-bit" replica) first; then nobody (us included) will ever touch the only authentic one again.
If the file system can be restored on the clone then it is restored. If the file system cannot be restored, all photos and videos will be extracted by way of their header signature, which includes RAW images.
Instead of simply counting files, we review each individual image of the recovered shoot (from beginning to end) in shot order, to ensure each image is fully intact and available at its highest resolution.
You have access to a complete list of every item recovered from your device, which you approve prior to any fees being applied. The files will be returned via new media (brand new) with the return postage paid by us, and the case remains open for as long as it takes to confirm that all the files open properly on your own machine.
The number no one can find: no one has published an accurate study showing what percentage of SD cards on sale today are fake. Manufacturers and labs agree this is "widespread", we book these cases in most weeks, and every percentage figure you see quoted in writing is made up. What is known for sure is that if you write data beyond what can actually be stored onto a counterfeit SD card, it will never be recoverable by anyone.
At midnight, a SanDisk 512GB card was holding a full wedding. When the morning arrived there were no files. A forensic image was made of the original card. The file system from the original card was rebuilt on the cloned copy. All remaining files were found through a deep search and then collected. All the photos were returned to the newlywed couple, and the photographer held on to the client.
Do not, because the formatting process creates an entirely new set of file table entries. These will replace the data needed in order to assemble your folder names and files. Leave the card alone and allow us to recover your files in the fullest and cleanest manner possible.
Yes, each RAW file format (NEF, CR3, DNG, ARW, RAF etc.) and also each type of video have a specific signature / ID that we can use to carve them out. Most of the cards on our bench are from professional photographers who still actively use their cameras.
Not always, as the monolith card is made of one piece (die) that holds all of the data. So, if you broke a portion of the card, but not the section of the card which contains the data, then we can still retrieve the information using a chip-level reader even though the rest of the card is damaged.
The memory cards are quicker than everything else. Generally they are completed in 2–3 working days, although they can be done in less time when there is an important date pending. Please let us know what your deadline is and we will work to it.
Every time a failing hardware component is powered back up, there is additional lost data. First open a case with us: the inspection (look over) is always at no cost, whichever way it goes.