Digital Photo Recovery
Digital Camera Flashcard Recovery
A Service of San Diego Photos and Prints

You just got back from a fabulous vacation and suddenly your camera is giving you an "invalid card format", "card not found", "card not formatted", or "no images found" message. Don't panic! All is not lost. Your photographs are likely still on your flash memory card and can be recovered using a digital photo recovery service, like the one we offer, or digital photo recovery software.

You've come to the right place. so take a deep breath and let it out slowly.

First some free advice . . .

Don't keep attempting to read your flash memory card by trying different cameras and card readers, giving the card to a friend, or formatting the card in the hopes the pictures will suddenly reappear. Each time you attempt to view your pictures you are applying power to the flash card and depending on the type of problem that is keeping you from accessing your digital photos, the electrical energy can further damage your pictures, making it less likely that a successful recovery will result.

What to do . . . .

Turn off your camera and wait for the red or green access light to stop blinking. If your flashcard is in a card reader, wait for the card reader light to stop blinking. If the card reader light never turns off, turn off your computer then remove the flashcard from the reader.

Store your digital photo memory card in the hard plastic case that came with it when you purchased the card.

There are three types of flashcard issues that can result in you seeing an error message:

• Flashcard failure due to internal hardware failure
• Operator induced problems like accidental deletion, formatting the card, or removing the flashcard while the camera access light is still on, and . . .
• Software corruption

Unfortunately, cards that experience a hardware failure are not usually recoverable. A flashcard that has experience a hardware failure generally means that a component inside of the flash memory card has shorted out or an electronic circuit path has broken open. To repair this type of problem requires repair under a microscope and in most cases the problem is a failed memory chip. This type of repair can cost thousands of dollars and is not a service I currently offer. Fortunately, only about 10% of the cards I receive have experienced a hardware failure.

Operator induced failures like accidentally deleting the pictures, accidentally formatting the flash memory card, taking photographs when your camera battery is low, or ejecting the flash memory card while the camera is still writing to the card usually result in forms of card corruption that can be bypassed resulting in recovery of most or all of the pictures on the memory card.

Software corruption can be created by a variety of causes. I see a lot of flash memory cards that suddenly have missing photos or become inaccessible after passing through an airport scanner or when taken to one of those photo kiosks to make prints. Another form of software corruption occurs when you use the same flash memory card in more than one camera or if you do any read/write operations to the card in a card reader. These types of software induced corruptions are usually recoverable.

Flash memory card recovery can be a simple process or quite complicated depending on what caused the files to disappear in the first place. In most cases I am able to recover the missing photographs even when your camera or card reader no longer recognizes your flash memory card. There are many variables that can affect the success or eventual failure of the recovery process.

Each attempt at digital photo recovery can further damage your photographs making a successful recovery less likely. This is why I recommend that you send me your flash memory card. My analysis to determine if your photographs are recoverable is free. If I am not able to recover your photos, your only fee is the cost of return postage to send your flash card back to you. I use the U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail with delivery confirmation for returning your flash card.

I would be pleased to attempt the recovery for you. Please print this form and include it with your flash memory card. There is no charge to evaluate your flash memory card but I do ask that you include a check or money order in the amount of $6 to cover the cost of return postage and handling. My shipping address is on the form. If you'd like to avoid the $6 charge, include a self addressed, stamped envelope.

If I am able to recover your photographs the following charges will apply:

Digital Photo Recovery Charges
Flash memory cards up to 256 Megabytes	$24
512 Megabyte Flash Memory Cards	$48
1 Gigabyte Flash Memory Cards	$96
2 Gigabyte or Large Flash Memory Cards	$192

Feel free to give me a call to discuss your particular problem. I won't be able to tell if I can recover your priceless photographs, I have to actually have your flash card in hand in order to do that but it does add a level of comfort at your end to actually speak with someone prior to sending your flash card. Keep in mind that I'm in San Diego, California and it is usually earlier in the day here than where you are. I prefer to receive calls Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Oscar Medina
Data Recovery Specialist / Digital Artist
San Diego Photos and Prints
858.274.0665