Missing photos taken on a SX60?!?

[JoannaKS]

Hi. I just recently bought myself a Canon Powershot SX60 (an early Christmas/birthday present) and have been enjoying playing around... but I've run into a little problem. I spent most of yesterday out and about taking pictures, quite a few at a wildlife sanctuary full of injured animals. I put the SD card into my computer this evening... and I'm missing quite a few of the pictures I took!  An entire series, actually. I remember that I specifically took a lot of them in this particular area, because it was hawks and osprey, through bars - and I was trying to get a feel on how the camera handled something like that. After I took them, I remember going through the camera display and seeing what I could, planning on checking my computer but wanting just a basic idea. They're gone, though. Probably a good 40-50 photographs.

I'm not missing any numbers in the file (img_3033, etc) and I also checked the other files on the SD card, thinking that maybe they were slotted in elsewhere. I even pulled the card and put it back in my camera and then scrolled through, thinking perhaps my computer wasn't reading it properly. No go.

Does this happen often?? It never happened with my previous camera, a Powershot ISI5. I know that its probably silly to ask but... is there any way I can get those pictures back? I can't exactly recover deleted files, as I didn't delete them...

Joanna

[John_]

Hi Joanna no that shouldn't happen at all. I have the older brother of your camera the SX50 for over a year and I've never experienced anything like that.

Since your camera is new do not hesitate to call Canon support for assistance they are very helpful. I would start there and compare what you hear there and here.

Did you say you reviewed the pictures right after you took them via your cameras LCD screen?

Did you see the preview of the pictures on the LCD as you took them? That would eliminate the shutter being stuck temporarily.

Depending on your answers above I would first be suspicious of the SD card and there are various programs and services that will recover lost files on SD cards even the manufactures of the card might offer that service or software or both. Check their website.

The odds of your camera taking a picture but not actually taking the picture are slim especially without an error code of some sort generated. If the shutter got stuck for some reason that could cause it although I would think but am not sure that that would generate an error code.

As a side note if you haven't already purchased an extended warranty you might want to consider one, the prices for repairs can be expensive once the warranty is over. It is a good model camera though and I am in no way implying it has issues, insurance is just that...insurance against costly repairs it the future. I have 3 year warranties on my 2 Canon SX50's (I bought a refurbished one from Canon for my daughter).

Other members are likely to respond also.

John

[JoannaKS]

Hi, John! Thanks for the quick reply! I'll definitely try Canon support first - Monday or Tuesday, depending on my work schedule. Unfortunately, I don't even remember when/where I bought the SD card used. It was a backup card because the original card became filled. I will, however, put all the pictures on a  backup drive and then attempt recovery, either mine or through the manufacturer.

Yes, I reviewed the pictures on the LCD screen right after taking them. I made it a point to, actually, because my sister is thinking of purchasing the same camera and, in addition to letting her borrow it, I've been showing her things as I take them. Especially in places like this, where its easier for me to get pictures than her. (She is in a wheelchair and therefore her sightlines are often blocked in wildlife sanctuaries or anywhere there is a boardwalk. The wheelchair also makes it more difficult to get closer to the cages of injured animals, in an effort to hit an angle where bars disappear.)

I also saw the pictures as I took them, that little 5 second display before letting me take another. Those are actually how I adjusted my position in an effort to get through to the animal clearly. As I said, I've been playing around to see the capabilities, how it reacts to bars, in low light, etc.

I've actually taken another more thorough look and can see at least one other set of photos missing, in the same area but significantly after the first chunk. It always helps when you go through in the same order every time!

As for the warranty... I already bought an extended 3 year warranty. Any electronics I buy that are over $100, I buy a warranty. Period. Especially when it comes to cameras and things that are "out and about" with me. It doesn't hurt that my last camera is a good 10 years old and I'm hoping this one lasts at least that long.

Joanna

[John_]

Hi Joanna and you are quite welcome.

I became attached to the powershot cameras a long time ago for seveal reasons one of which is the articulating LCD which allows us to shot over heads or close to the ground without getting down on your bellys. That should really come in handy for your sister. At this point I would not buy a camera that had a fixed LCD screen Im that spoiled! lol

Im happy you made a wise choice in the extended warranty, you know now your good for a very long time. And you know "Murphy's Law" right I've been in this forum long enough to have seen people whos camera is just out of warranty and it has a problem. Cameras now a days are like small computers as well as a camera so things can happen and that is not a blemish on the OEM they just can happen.

And yes we carry these around unlike a computer which sits in one place so taking a risk is not worth it.

The sx60 is an awesome camera I was tempted to buy one buy mine was barely a year old. I decided to hold out for like the SX70 or 80 or perhaps the SX100!! maybe lol !

I want to share a link for a professional photograper who uses the SX50 for a series of tutorials on many aspects of photography as well as the camera. Even though yours is the 60 I bet 95% at least will apply to you also. I believe there are 10 lessons and I continue to refer back to them from time to time. And it is completely free nothing to buy or join they are You Tube videos I find them very interesting I hope you do also. Here is the link:

https://www.youtube.com/user/MWESTPhotography 

Ok so after you added more information I am leaning more towards a bad sector(s) on that SD card. So be prepared when you call Canon to answer questions pertaining to your card, the size the speed class the type. If you can find a free data recovery software program to run on that card that would be very helpful.

As far as your camera I would say let Canon talk with you and see maybe if they have something you can try. All outward appearances indicate your camera is working correctly.

Let me know what happens and best of luck to you I hope you can recover some if not all of your pictures...Canon might have ideas and suggestions on that aspect too.

John

[JoannaKS]

John,

I was spoiled from the beginning, to be honest. My first digital camera was the Powershot ISI5, which also has the articulating screen. (In fact, so far my sister and I have had the same exact cameras LOL) It's helpful not only for her, in the wheelchair, but I'm not quite 5 feet tall myself. It definitely helps me out when trying to take taller pictures without wanting to stand on benches, rocks, etc!

When I made my current purchase, I had been going between the SX60 and the SX530. I liked the slightly smaller size of the 530, especially going from the I5, which was smaller, but I liked the articulating screen on the 60 since that was what I was used to. Also, I love the fact that I can turn the screen in to protect it when in the bag or even when I'm wearing it on a hike - its easy enough to flip it for a shot.  In the end, after months of research... I actually ended up getting the SX60 mostly because I found a total and complete steal on it - $300 clearance! I figured that it was less expensive than the 530 at that point, plus it had the articulating screen and slightly longer zoom. I was sold.

I do plan on calling Canon, but I am kind of leaning towards the "bad sectors" myself - helped by the fact I really don't remember when/where it came from! For all I know, I bought the thing 3 years ago and just never got around to using it until this year... At this point, I do hope that I get my pictures back, but, honestly? IF I don't, it just gives me an excuse to go back and take more!! How could that be a bad thing?? Especially if I stop and stock up on fresh camera cards beforehand. Since, you know, I'm paranoid about taking any more on this particular card. I may need to stop before Christmas and pick one up...

(one of the many pictures that actually showed up on the card...)

Joanna

[John_]

Joanna,

ha ha me too Joanna my first swivel screen was the G5 then I got an S5IS also! I still have both and they work and my children use them. You brought up another good point about how the screen folds into the camera and is protected too. 

I considered a smaller model also but just could not imagine not being able to move the LCD 🙂

lol I like how you think another excuse to go back to take more pictures! You'd go back anyway just sooner now right lol

Gosh that was an unbelieveable price you got the camera for!!! I think I paid around $450 for mine when it was a new-ish release.

So yeah call Canon if for no other reason than to get that on the record in case it is some kind of weird intermittent problem that may come back to haunt you.

That is a wonderful picture Joanna may I ask what bird or fowl that is?

[JoannaKS]

John,

I did email Canon - am waiting for a reply. Meanwhile, I'm not going out and taking more now, simply because if anything IS retrievable, I don't want to copy over where they would have gone. That's okay, though, because I really should be doing other things this week (uh, cleaning, cooking, wrapping gifts etc.)

Exactly! Not that I wasn't planning on going back anyway... But now I have an excuse to go again even sooner LOL And spend even more time, batteries and weather willing. I live in south Florida. Don't get me wrong, I love that we don't have the super cold winters... but hitting 90 degrees in December is just rude!

Thanks on the kudos about the price - I had been hemming and hawing, saw that price and grabbed it. I knew I wouldn't see it again that cheap and they'd go fast. Especially at the end of November, so close to the holidays. Sure enough, they had 2 and I bought 1... and then I went back the next day for something I forgot and the woman recognized me and told me the other one was sold an hour after mine was!

Glad you liked the picture lol yes, a peacock. They actually run fairly wild in some areas here.

Joanna

[John_]

geez silly me that is a Peacock! lol

very nice!

[JoannaKS]

Hey, John, I found my photos!!! Well, to be more correct, my SISTER, found my photos.

Unfortunately, now I'm even more confused! We both have Canon SX60, neither of us have wifi on, that we know of....

But my photos were found on HER SD card. In HER camera. No, we did not switch cameras - she was taking pictures about 5 feet away at the time. No, we did not switch camera cards. Yet.. they were on HERS. She discovered them this afternoon while she was going through her camera card to look at all the pictures she had taken. She didn't recognize a bunch of them. She had taken a couple in the same area, but had trouble with the bars and therefore was trying others.

Any idea how it happened????

Joanna

[John_]

hi Joanna!

Well from what I know and read you or someone would have to manually tell it to send the pictures from your camera to hers as a seperate operation. In otherwords it will not send them by itself. So it is very odd lol

The good news is you found your pictures...YAY!1

John