topic Re: Duplicate file names problem in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

EOS R5: Duplicate file names, unable to merge into one folder

jess1230 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 01:26:14 GMT

Hi,

Ive got home from a shoot and went to unload the images and found that there are multiple folders and some of the files have matching file names so they cant be merged into the one folder.

What causes this? Ive never had this issue before (shooting with an R5 and RF70-200 lens.)

Thanks!
Jess

Re: Duplicate file names problem

jrhoffman75 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:04:29 GMT

@jess1230 wrote:

Hi,

Ive got home from a shoot and went to unload the images and found that there are multiple folders and some of the files have matching file names so they cant be merged into the one folder.

What causes this? Ive never had this issue before (shooting with an R5 and RF70-200 lens.)

Thanks!
Jess

1. Do you mean multiple folders on your camera cards?

2. Did you perhaps inadvertently (or deliberately) shoot RAW and JPEG? If so file names will be the same but suffix different (CR3 and JPG).

3. Did you set camera up to record to both cards simultaneously?

4. Despite all of that most operating systems will allow the folders to be merged. Sometime you get 1,2 etc. at the end of the file name. Other times you get a popup that says there are files with the same name do you want to ignore or overwrite.

Re: Duplicate file names problem

jess1230 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 01:10:15 GMT

Hi John, thanks so much for your help,

1. Yes there were multiple folders on the 1 card .
2. I was only shooting in RAW, i had JPG turned off. The duplicate files are different photos but have the same name and are both RAW files.
3. I was only recording to 1 card

Any ideas based off that? Its a bit of a pain having to rename the files, especially since there were many with the same name 😞

Ive screenshotted and example (i just blanked out the name of the folder as it had the clients name on it.)

Re: Duplicate file names problem

jrhoffman75 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 02:31:57 GMT

Did you format the card? If so is your camera set to reset the file counter?

Re: Duplicate file names problem

jess1230 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 02:35:22 GMT

Hi John, thanks again for taking the time out of your day to help me!

I didn’t format the card. Any other ideas?

Re: Duplicate file names problem

jrhoffman75 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 02:49:28 GMT

Did you inadvertently or deliberately create a new folder on the card? Xxx100, xxx101. Perhaps the camera starts number from start in the second folder? I have my camera on continuous numbering and don’t use multiple folders on a card so I’n guessing. I noticed that one file was at 9990. If you get to 9999 the camera would create a new folder and start over with numbering but you would have to take almost 10000 images before the new folder reached 9990. Does that sound likely?

Re: Duplicate file names problem

jess1230 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 02:51:42 GMT

Yes I noticed the numbering seemed odd too. I’ve only just bought this camera so there’s no way I would have taken that many photos. Seems weird to say the least!

Re: Duplicate file names problem

jrhoffman75 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 02:58:33 GMT

Did you perhaps use a card from a previous camera without formatting? But I think you would still have to have taken 9999 images.

Re: Duplicate file names problem

jess1230 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 03:00:42 GMT

I bought the card brand new with the camera.

Re: EOS R5: Duplicate file names, unable to merge into one folder

jess1230 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 03:11:46 GMT

So just so I am understanding what the issue is here, once a card reaches 99999 images, the camera will just start duplicating file names and put them in seperate folders?

I’ve just never had that happen before with my other canon cameras

so I’m guessing the solution is to just try and put the files in sequence and rename them so they can all have seperate numbers and then format the card?

thanks heaps!

Re: EOS R5: Duplicate file names, unable to merge into one folder

jrhoffman75 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 03:19:27 GMT

File names consist of eight characters. The first four are unique to the camera. ( Some cameras do allow the user to create there own four character prefix). The last four characters go from 0001 to 9999. Then the camera starts over again. But for you to have two files with 9990 means you would to have taken almost 20000 images if you started with a fresh formatted card and anew camera. Was it new or used?

I need to leave now. I will check in tomorrow

Re: EOS R5: Duplicate file names, unable to merge into one folder

p4pictures — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 09:18:47 GMT

Do you have a card in the other card slot, even if it is not being written to?

To download the pictures from the card, do you remove the card you are using and close the camera's card door while you download from the card to your computer?

Re: EOS R5: Duplicate file names, unable to merge into one folder

jrhoffman75 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 10:06:08 GMT

Here is a page from your camera manual:

I did check in your manual and see that the R5 lets you create your own file prefixes. Here is what I do:

1. My file prefix starts as 1D30 (my camera is a 1D X Mark III)

2. My camera is set for continuous file numbering.

3. I when my file count nears 9999 I change the prefix to 1D31 and reset the file counter.

4. Now my files are 10001 through 19999.

5. I repeat again when numbering approaches 9999.

6. When I import images I use the renumber tool in Canon DPP4 for final file numbering. I use: 1DX3_xxxxxx (previous cameras would be 1DX1, 1DM4, 1DM2).

Re: EOS R5: Duplicate file names, unable to merge into one folder

shadowsports — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 14:28:05 GMT

John,

Your file naming is impressive 😄

Brian,

I think you're on to something. If you close the door after removing a card, file naming discrepancies including the destination can change.

Re: EOS R5: Duplicate file names, unable to merge into one folder

jess1230 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 22:03:53 GMT

Hi guys, sorry for the delay in responding. Yes I have two cards in the camera. When I got home, I took the card out of the Camera and put it straight into the card reader. I honestly don’t remember if I closed the door on the camera straight away or not. I definitely would have at some stage because the camera is back in my bag and I wouldn’t have stored it with the latch open.

I worked out how to rename the files so that they are in order of time taken. So at least that’s fixed but I have a huge event coming up in two weeks and I need to get this sorted out before then!

Thanks again for your help.
PS I read that screen shot from the manual thank you.

Jess

Re: EOS R5: Duplicate file names, unable to merge into one folder

jess1230 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 22:08:01 GMT

Thanks John, sorry I think I missed this message! I also to answer a few other questions, no I didn’t create a new folder on the card.

thank you for the suggestion about renaming the first digits on the camera, I will try that and see if it works! I’ll do a test run during the week and report back!

Re: EOS R5: Duplicate file names, unable to merge into one folder

jrhoffman75 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 22:41:19 GMT

If you are shooting an event you might want to consider setting the first four characters unique to the event and then format the card. Then you would have files directly connected to the event. If you do that for each event you wouldn’t have duplicates unless you tske more than 10000 images at the event.

Re: EOS R5: Duplicate file names, unable to merge into one folder

jess1230 — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 22:42:44 GMT

Okay great idea I will try doing that. Thank you!

Re: EOS R5: Duplicate file names, unable to merge into one folder

p4pictures — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 10:03:34 GMT

Here's my thinking. The EOS R5 is a two slot camera with CFexpress and SD slots.

Assume that the OP writes the files to the CFexpress normally, and the SD is simply used as potential overflow if the CFexpress fills up when the Rec options are Standard or Auto switch card.

Assuming that the last file written on the CFexpress is IMG_8000.CR3 and it's in folder 105CANON. When the CFexpress is removed and put in a card reader, if the camera card door is closed the camera has to check which cards are present and what is the largest numbered file and folder. If the SD card happens to have a folder 101CANON with IMG_9001.CR3 in it. Then when the camera checks what cards and what is the largest file number it finds IMG_9001.CR3 and updates its counter so the next image written is IMG_9002.CR3 even if no pictures are taken. The camera also decides to carry on writing in the 101CANON folder of the SD card.

So when the CFexpress is replaced in the camera and the door is shut, then the camera looks at both cards, finds the IMG_8000.CR3 on the CFexpress and just carries on with numbering images from IMG_9002.CR3 on either card.

However the EOS R5/R6 the dual card operation has an option to select a priority card, it's card1 - the CFexpress on the R5. IF you don't enable the priority card, then the camera would write on the SD card even when the CFexpress is put back in the camera. If priority card is set and the CFexpress has space the camera writes to this card, starting from IMG_9002.CR3 in 105CANON folder. Soon enough the card will roll over and need to create a new folder after IMG_9999.CR3 is captured. It creates folder 106CANON and resets the counter to IMG_0001.CR3. When this CFexpress is removed to download to the computer and the door is closed, the count is updated and the next image will be IMG_9002.

This scenario is the one that results in duplicated filenames much more quickly than after 9999 images.

The solution is to format the SD card so that it has no photos on it. Then format the CFexpress. Then even when the CFexpress card is removed the count will simply follow the number on the CFexpress card.