Are there any Canon R5 or R6 users out there that can help me? I have a question that has me baffled. When I format my SD or CF Express cards in either my R5 or R6, it does not remove...

bajadreamer Loc: Baja California Sur

I have a question that has me baffled. When I format my SD or CF Express cards in either my R5 or R6, it does not remove all the images. On the Format screen, it tells me the card is reformatted but when I look a the image screen, some images are still visible. When I remove the card and place it in a card reader and view it on my laptop, some, not all, of the images are still there. It is annoying to reformat the card for a day's shooting and then find some images from previous shoots still present. Is there something I am not doing? I understand the formatting process does not "erase" the images, but simply allows them to be overwritten, but in the past the images do not remain visible.

ISOlate Loc: Maine

This is definitely not normal behavior on an R5. I am assuming you are formatting both of your cards, as the card used to display images is selectable.
So… Troubleshooting…. If you repeat the format on BOTH cards does anything change? If you select the low level format on BOTH cards does anything change? Last resort, if you format the card on your laptop does anything change?

Capn_Dave

ISOlate wrote:

This is definitely not normal behavior on an R5. I am assuming you are formatting both of your cards, as the card used to display images is selectable.
So… Troubleshooting…. If you repeat the format on BOTH cards does anything change? If you select the low level format on BOTH cards does anything change? Last resort, if you format the card on your laptop does anything change?

Yep he is right the same here with both cameras. No images after a format. The file folders are still there but are empty

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

Did you accidentally protect some of the images on your card? There's a section in the product manual (Protecting Images) that may be of help.

ISOlate Loc: Maine

yssirk123 wrote:

Did you accidentally protect some of the images on your card? There's a section in the product manual (Protecting Images) that may be of help.

Protecting an image keeps it from being erased but does not keep it from being lost when formatting. Same with using the RATE button.

David Martin Loc: Cary, NC

Have you tried low formatting?

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

bajadreamer wrote:

I have a question that has me baffled. When I for... (show quote)

I just formatted an SD card about 10min ago after some early morning shooting. As usual, no images remain. Doesn't matter if you do the format in your camera or on your computer, one primary purpose of a format is to free up any used space on the card. In-camera the standard format and low format achieve that in two different ways, but, the end result should be the same. No usable data should be left. Same with Quick and Full formats on a Windows computer. A standard or quick format simply allows all data to be overwritten. A deep or full format erases all data.
If you can still see images after a format then either you or your camera is doing something wrong. My guess would be the camera. Pretty hard to screw-up a format. Put your card into your computer and run a format and then see if your camera shows any images. That will tell you if the problem is with your camera or perhaps the card.

Tomfl101 Loc: Mount Airy, MD

When you remove the primary CF Express card, the camera will change the playback-select card to the secondary SD card. You will need to manually reset the playback slot back to the CF Card. As others have said this is most likely your problem. You are looking at the images from the SD after formatting the CF. If in doubt reformat both cards as others have suggested.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Tomfl101 wrote:

When you remove the primary CF Express card, the camera will change the playback-select card to the secondary SD card. You will need to manually reset the playback slot back to the CF Card. As others have said this is most likely your problem. You are looking at the images from the SD after formatting the CF. If in doubt reformat both cards as others have suggested.

The OP stated that the problem persists even when he views the card on his computer which eliminates the possibility that the camera is reading from the 2nd card.

User ID

Tomfl101 wrote:

When you remove the primary CF Express card, the camera will change the playback-select card to the secondary SD card. You will need to manually reset the playback slot back to the CF Card. As others have said this is most likely your problem. You are looking at the images from the SD after formatting the CF. If in doubt reformat both cards as others have suggested.

Or just remove the SD, leaving the CF installed,, and see if you camera still shows any images.

bajadreamer Loc: Baja California Sur

Thank you everyone. I am not sure of what happened because this problem has only been present since the last update in firmware. However, there is a significant operator error involved. I assumed that the option "Low Level Format" was the default but I discovered after reading the above comments that it is not the default but has to be selected. When I did so, it appears that the problem has been solved. I do not remember ever "ticking" that box in the past and I never had the problem previously, but, oh well, it appears to be in the past now. Thank you everyone for posting.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

bajadreamer wrote:

Thank you everyone. I am not sure of what happened... (show quote)

Hmm, not to be negative but you don't know if you're out of the woods until you do a normal (not LLF) format after shooting some random images, then normal format, then check again. I ran a few scenarios on my R5 on both cards, without being able to duplicate your "some" images remain, some gone.

bobbydvideo

bajadreamer wrote:

I have a question that has me baffled. When I for... (show quote)

The formatting process does erase the pics. Sometimes images can be restored with certain software. Make sure you are formatting both cards. If you are and the pics are still there something is wrong with the camera or the cards. I have an R6.

lil'_r1ch Loc: Roscoe, IL

As previously mentioned, always use Low-Level Format when formatting card in camera. That way all data is overwritten, permanently erasing all previously recorded data.

philo Loc: philo, ca

my r6 has 2 sd cards, no cf cards. I would call Canon customer service. Have found them to be helpful every time i called upon them. great service and staff.