P900 not reading SD cards: I am getting an error message on my P900 that the "card cannot be read". All my cards can't be bad. I read the recent thread with suggestions on where to...

TheOwlLady Loc: Cape Coral, FL

I am getting an error message on my P900 that the "card cannot be read". All my cards can't be bad. I read the recent thread with suggestions on where to send the camera for repair, but does anyone have and suggestions on fixing the problem before sending the camera out? Camera isn't that old but out of its one year warranty.

Woodsman Loc: North of Peterborough Ontario

I have heard of issues where you might get a message that the card is bad or cannot be read after doing a drag and drop from/to the card with it in a PC card reader. Basically if there is a file that has somehow been created by some editing software on the computer that is not a pic or vid file then the camera may lose its brains regarding the card. If the card can be read in the computer check to see if there is a non picture, non video file in the directory with the pics and vids and if there is delete it.

Just a thought for what its worth

ozmerelda Loc: Osprey, FL

I have the P900 and when that happens to me I have to take the card back to my PC and delete the files. Then it works. It could be due to using the card on a different make of camera which I sometimes do.

Good luck,

OZ

JPL

Try to format the card before putting it in the P900

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

TheOwlLady wrote:

I am getting an error message on my P900 that the "card cannot be read". All my cards can't be bad. I read the recent thread with suggestions on where to send the camera for repair, but does anyone have and suggestions on fixing the problem before sending the camera out? Camera isn't that old but out of its one year warranty.

Format the card in your computer, preferably using this program.
https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/

Then try it in your camera. I don't know why that works, but it does - sometimes. You're right about all the cards not being bad.

This is worth watching for the Scottish accent alone. : )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4XVS-xVzow

rdubreuil Loc: Dummer, NH USA

TheOwlLady wrote:

I am getting an error message on my P900 that the "card cannot be read". All my cards can't be bad. I read the recent thread with suggestions on where to send the camera for repair, but does anyone have and suggestions on fixing the problem before sending the camera out? Camera isn't that old but out of its one year warranty.

As you stated "All my cards can't be bad", I think the previous posts missed that little nugget. All the responses seem centered around a single card and possible issues with it but, if you're getting the same error message on multiple cards it's probably not a memory card issue. If your PC is able to read your cards without a problem then I'd suspect there might be a contact issue in the camera. The contacts there are not easily accessible for cleaning, you might be looking at a trip to the repair shop.

JPL

rdubreuil wrote:

As you stated "All my cards can't be bad"... (show quote)

Of course it is possible that other issues are causing this problem. It is also possible that all the cards are "bad" if the OP is using the same workflow for all his cards, and that workflow makes the card impossible to read for the P900. So there is nothing we have missed here, at least not I. And the OP should try formatting one of his cards before looking for other solutions.

It would also be a good idea to remove the battery from the camera for awhile and see if that helps.

It is also possible that doing "Reset all" in the menu would help.

And to check if the camera has the latest firmware. That would be version 1.3

ltcarizona

There is no secret to this question. Check your owners manual. It will tell you what memory cards should be used by your camera. It's that simple.

rdubreuil Loc: Dummer, NH USA

IMO "bad" means a card that no longer functions on any platform, not an improperly formatted one. Hence why I said if the cards are readable on a PC they are not "bad".

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

It is recommended to reformat the card in the camera. But, try it in the computer. I have 3 cameras. Two out of three only shoot JPEG, so I don't get large files on those cameras. I keep a SD card in each camera now, because they are so cheap today, and I buy extra SD cards, just in case one fails. A 32gb card is satisfactory for all my photography needs. But, if you shoot a lot of RAW files, you may want to step up to a 64gb card. Or buy two 32gb cards. 64gb SD cards are affordable now. Take also, the previous advice given to you. My rules are that if you have 3 cameras, you have 6 memory cards. I have 6 of them.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

TheOwlLady wrote:

I am getting an error message on my P900 that the "card cannot be read". All my cards can't be bad. I read the recent thread with suggestions on where to send the camera for repair, but does anyone have and suggestions on fixing the problem before sending the camera out? Camera isn't that old but out of its one year warranty.

I just remembered. The Nikon P900 does not shoot in RAW.

peterg Loc: Santa Rosa, CA

mas24 wrote:

It is recommended to reformat the card in the camera.

Try formatting the card in a computer to purge it. Then, format the card again in the camera. Cameras usually write camera-specific stuff on cards when it formats them.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

peterg wrote:

Try formatting the card in a computer to purge it. Then, format the card again in the camera. Cameras usually write camera-specific stuff on cards when it formats them.

I'll try that. Thanks.

TheShoe Loc: Lacey, WA

"... cannot be read after doing a drag and drop from/to the card with it in a PC card reader ..."
Doing a drag from the card will never damage or corrupt the card. In a similar vein, deleting a file from the pc will do exactly what deleting the same file via the camera does. On the other hand, dragging something to the card may, but not in every instance, alter the format or file structure to the extent that the camera cannot use it. If that is done, the card may require reformatting if and only if you cannot undo the changes you made. In my experience, I have been able to use cards that had non-camera files on them so long as the DCIM structure remained intact.

DeanS Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina

Try deleting all images by computer, then format the card in-camera. Worth a shot.