4
\$\begingroup\$

This might be a n00b question but I can't figure it out - how would I be able to move photos off of my Sony a6000 onto my computer without having to reformat the data card?

I have tried connecting the camera directly to my PC and moving the files and I have also tried taking the SD card out and putting it into my computer. In both situations, when I turn the camera back on it thinks that the files are still on the camera - it just can't find them (so when I scroll through it is just a bunch of black screens that say the file cannot be found).

What is the best way of moving pictures off of my camera?

Improve this question
\$\endgroup\$
4
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ How are you moving the files? Typically, if you just copy them from the camera card to the computer, the originals stay resident on the card, and if you copy and then delete, the camera doesn't think they're still there. Also, why do you need to avoid reformatting the card? \$\endgroup\$
    – inkista
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 18:08
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ It's not that I need to avoid reformatting specifically - it just seems strange. If I want to move some files off of a thumb drive, I don't have to reformat it every time and remove every single file - so why would I do that with a camera? \$\endgroup\$
    – William
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 18:17
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ To have more room on the card while out in the field taking photos, and to avoid losing images if the card gets corrupted. A lot of us fill multiple cards on a shoot on a regular basis. :) But again, why are you moving files instead of simply copying them? \$\endgroup\$
    – inkista
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 18:30
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ @William Because the file systems cameras use are not exactly the same as the file systems used by thumb drives. See photo.stackexchange.com/questions/46386/… \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    Commented Dec 24, 2015 at 2:34

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
3
\$\begingroup\$

The problem seems to be that your camera apparently uses a non-standard way of listing the contents of the memory card. So when you move (as opposed to copy) a photo file from your memory card the record of the file is removed from the card's file directory by your computer's OS, but apparently not from a separate "Table of contents" that the camera uses to list the photos stored on the card. When you then browse that "ToC" on your camera the image will still be on the list. But when you select it for viewing the camera will be unable to find the address for it in the card's file directory, because the record of it there has been deleted when the file was moved.

It's always best practice to copy all images from a card and reformat the card with the camera before shooting with it again. This reduces the chance that the file structure might become corrupted (which is what appears to be happening to you) and could also cause you to lose the newly shot images you are storing on the card, or at best require you to use a less than ideal form of data recovery to access them on the card. The reason for this is that different cameras have different versions of storing image files to the memory card. Most, if not all, are DCIM compliant but there is enough variation between them that using a card formatted in another camera or on your computer may lead to corrupted images or file directories.

Improve this answer
\$\endgroup\$
2
\$\begingroup\$

Remove the card from the camera with camera turned off. Insert card into your computer.

On your computer, make a new folder. Name the folder something like Camera 12_25_15 or use another title like Holiday 2015 etc.

Copy the files from the data card to the new folder. Now you have two copies of the images, one on the camera's data card and one in the new folder on your computer.

Once the image files are safely copied to the computer you can delete or re-format.

Stated differently, copy files do not cut.

Improve this answer
\$\endgroup\$
2
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ So it sounds like everyone is copying the files and reformatting. This seems strange: what if I just want to move a few of the files? With a normal drive, you would never copy files over and then reformat the drive in order to delete them - it seems like a strange workflow for moving files from one drive (the camera) to another (your computer)... \$\endgroup\$
    – William
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 18:14
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ @William, if you want to move only few files copy them to the computer and then delete vie preview functionality \$\endgroup\$
    – Romeo Ninov
    Commented Dec 23, 2015 at 18:45
2
\$\begingroup\$

A6000 keep its own media file database in a directory (/AVF_INFO). It is updated every time you change the media content (shut picture or delete picture from camera). Delete a picture from SD card in computer does not update the database therefore will make it inconsistent with actual storage content.

In SETUP menu there is a "Recover Image DB" function you can use to check and recover(rebuild) this database and make it consistent.

Improve this answer
\$\endgroup\$

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.