Cannot download pictures after formatting SD Cards.

I formatted 3 SD cards on my camera prior to a photo shoot earlier today. Throughout the shoot I reviewed the pictures.
The first two 2 cards (slot 1 and 2) cards filled up so I took them out an inserted the 3rd card into Slot 1.
Upon returning home, I downloaded card# 3 and to my surprise, the old pictures that should have been deleted during the format appeared along with the pics I took today.
I then went to down load card #1 and card#2. There were no pics from the photo shoot today. One card only showed a DCIM file date stamped from earlier today when I formatted the disk. But no pics from today. The second card had pics that also should have been deleted when I formatted it and no pics from today.

When I insert the disks into the camera, it show "folder contains no images" . Even though when I put them in my computer the old pictures show up!!

Help!!! Where did my pictures go from today's shoot????

If the older images were there, then the camera did not format the card.

Was the light blinking when you took the cards out. If so, the camera was trying to write and could not finish. This can happen with old cards. As a precaution, next time you use these cards, try downloading the images using USB (I know it will be very slow), and once they are downloaded and you have verified that the images are fine, take the card and see if the card reader can read them.

I have a feeling that the camera is not able to write properly to the cards. It may be a camera problem or a card problem. The only way to check this is to have a new card formatted in the camera, fill the card with images and then down load them. If the images are downloaded properly, then your old card may have gone bad. If not then it is the camera.

Nikon Girl22 said:

I formatted 3 SD cards on my camera prior to a photo shoot earlier today. Throughout the shoot I reviewed the pictures.
The first two 2 cards (slot 1 and 2) cards filled up so I took them out an inserted the 3rd card into Slot

When I insert the disks into the camera, it show "folder contains no images" . Even though when I put them in my computer the old pictures show up!!

Help!!! Where did my pictures go from today's shoot????

Click to expand...

This happened with my D800e after formatting my new SD card Lexar 32gb 600x card. Files will show if the card is inserted inside the camera. If I transfer my files using a card reader, Windows 7 won't recognize it and prompted me to format my card.

The way around is to use a USB cable to the camera and transferred my files while the card is inserted inside my camera.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

By the way....welcome to Nikonites.....if you get the chance, drop by new member introductions and say hi. Good luck on finding your pictures. I've read too, that if your cards are giving you trouble, you should always format from the camera...(that is if you find your pictures), and if that doesn't work, formate first in your computer and THEN format again in the camera.

Don't do it until you've either found the pictures you shot yesterday, or have given up and trying to salvage the memory cards.