T4i image viewing question

[Swheisler]

T4i when I am trying to view pictures in the image screen I get a small version of the picture but camera is saying "cannot view picture". I have formatted card and when I am taking the picture it shows up. It's when I scroll through the pictures it suddenly says I cannot view it. Very frustrating and don't know how to fix. Anyone please help

[ebiggs1 · Accepted solution]

Get a brand new, high quality, SD card.

[ebiggs1]

First off, and with out knowing anything further from your query, set the T4i back to factory defaults. This is always the place to start when something goes awry. Second, and at the same time, try a different SD card.

These cameras have so many variables and controls and features that it is easy to get one somewhere you didn't expect to.

[MikeSowsun]

If you have formatted the card before you start taking photos, this should not be happening.  I can't think of any user settings that would cause it, but it would be a good idea to reset the camera back to default just in case.

I would try another memory card to see if it is a problem with the card itself.  

I have seen this on my cameras after I have transferred the photos to my  computer and then back to the camera. It has always been because I had modified the photo in some way. It was always because I had re-sized, cropped, or adjusted the photo in some way. 

It also happened if I modified the photo while it was still on the memory card.  This would be while viewing the photo on the computer with a card reader, or with the camera connected directly to the computer.

Is this the message you are seeing?

[Swheisler]

Sort of the error. Let me explain further. I get that message but it has a small image of the picture itself. I think that is the most confusing part. It will show me a small image of the picture but says image cannot be viewed. Stranger still is if I take 15 pictures, it will randomly do it (example picture 3 and 8 cannot be viewed) but the rest can. Suggestions? I appreciate your help immensely.

[ebiggs1 · Accepted solution]

Get a brand new, high quality, SD card.

[hernhombeecaryb · Accepted solution]

Get a new, high quality SD card from a reliable source. The problem you are describing is rampant among counterfeit cards using very slow and defective memory components.

[Swheisler]

Finally found the solution. It didn't make me happy that the card that the company sent with the camera was defective, but it is nice to now have a workiing camera. Thanks for your help!

[TCampbell]

Are you, by any chance, shooting RAW?

RAW embeds a JPEG preview (usually thumbnail size) and this is typically universally readable.  But the full-size RAW image can only be viewed by the original camera model or on a computer that has the specific RAW support installed for that model camera.  RAW isn't so much as a "standard" as it is a "concept" -- so the actual format for each RAW image can vary a bit from model to model.

[Swheisler]

I have the camera set to auto. So I don't think I am shooting RAW. I am going to try a new card and see if that is the culprit. Kind of miffed because I just bought the camera and that is the card that was sent with it. If it was doing it to every image it would make more sense. It is the random picture that has me confused. Why will the camera do it to one picture and not all?!! Love and hate my new toy.

[TCampbell]

The camera will default to JPEG -- so unless you switched it to RAW then that would not be the issue.

Also... if the card was "new" with the camera then that should not be the problem (I can't say it wont be the problem ... I'm sure a defective card occasionally manages to sneak out of a factory).   

If you have not already done so, use the menu on your camera to "format" the memory card and enable the option to perform a "low level" format.  

See page 48 of your owners manual (the full manual -- not the quick-reference guide) for details on how to format and enable the "low level" format option.  

If the card has one or more bad blocks on it... this should hopefully cause the camera to identify and map out those blocks.

I always reformat every "new" card I get (regardless of whether the seller claims the card was pre-formatted.)