Help! Did I lose my pictures!!

[scubagirl06]

I think I know the answer to this question but since I am new to this hobby I am checking to see if anyone can help. I have a Sea & Sea 860G. I just returned from my trip to Bonaire (GREAT PICTURES!). Out of my three SD cards one of them loaded to my Adobe photoshop no problem but the other two would not. I could see the pictures on the camera but when I tried to import by removing the SD card and plugging into my computer I was getting a message that no media existed. So I read the Sea & Sea booklet. It told me to "format" my card, so I followed directions, the camera told me to wait a mintue and now I get a message that no images exist. The camera ate my pictures didn't it? I am so bummed I could cry as I had great macro of a little eel as well as some great pictures of a puffer and cleaning stations. Does anyone know how to get the pictures back? Has this occured to anyone else and how do you get the pictures to load? I have used this camera about a dozen times and have not had this issue before my SD cards have always loaded into my adobe photoshop directly from my computer. anicbutton:

 

[Tom Smedley]

If you just erased the pictures you could get them back but if you formatted the card you have most likely lost everything on it.

 

[scubagirl06]

If I erased my pictures how would I go about getting them back? I pretty sure I formatted and they are gone but if by chance they are not I got to try it...... I am not sure why the user guide would instruct me to format my card if I could not download pictures without telling me I could lose it all!!! ARGGGGG Thanks for your help!

 

[Tom Smedley]

If you simply delete a file the reference is taken from the Master Boot Record but the data is still there. In that case you could carry your card to a computer repair shop or a professional photo lab that has the software to recover the files.

If you format your disk you write over old data and it is most likely lost to the bit bucket. Even in this case it wouldn't hurt to carry it to a professional and ask if they can do it.

 

[diverrex]

If you just erased the pictures you could get them back but if you formatted the card you have most likely lost everything on it.

Fortunately not at all true. There are several inexpensive softwares ($29.99 - $39.99) that can find photos after being deleted and even after a card has been formatted. Two that come to mind are Photo Resucue Pro and Card Recovery. Just do a search and you will find these and others. And the great thing about these softwares is that they allow you to download a trial version for free that you can use to see if they are sucessful in finding the photos. If they are you then can purchase the full version that allows you to recover them.

 

[scubagirl06]

Thanks to both of you for your help!!! As soon as I am home from work (I hate how work interfers with my diving hobby!!) I am going to see what I can do with the recovery software and if that does not work I am going to take it to one of our camera shops! I will let you know how it turns out.

 

[diverrex]

Thanks to both of you for your help!!! As soon as I am home from work (I hate how work interfers with my diving hobby!!) I am going to see what I can do with the recovery software and if that does not work I am going to take it to one of our camera shops! I will let you know how it turns out.

I only know of the recovery software because on a recent trip to Cozumel I accidentally formatted a card before downloading two dive's worth of photos. I too had thought they were lost. I first contacted a proffesional data recovery business. They quoted me something like $75 just to look at the card to see if photos could be recovered and then another $300+ plus if they were able to recover the photos, and it would take a week or so. Then I learned about the recovery software and in about 15 minutes and for only $39.99 I rcovered my photos. The first software I tried (free dowload) didn't work for me, but the second one did.

 

[suzette]

Just a quick possibility- does your camera have an internal memory of some sort? Is it possible that your pictures were not ever even saved to the SD card and were/are living in your camera? Just a possibility. I hope you recover your pictures.

 

[scubagirl06]

Many, Many Many Thanks to all of you who gave me tips. I did restore my photos with the help of Photo ResucuePro! It was very easy to do and only cost me $30 which is worth it to me as I had some very good pictures for a beginner!! I am so glad this sport has so many kind people who are always there to give suggestions and help improve others!!!!

Happy Diving!

 

[suzette]

Many, Many Many Thanks to all of you who gave me tips. I did restore my photos with the help of Photo ResucuePro! It was very easy to do and only cost me $30 which is worth it to me as I had some very good pictures for a beginner!! I am so glad this sport has so many kind people who are always there to give suggestions and help improve others!!!!

Happy Diving!

Wow, that's such awesome news! I'm really, really glad for you and this thread was sure educational for me. I had no idea there was recovery software like that easily available.